Steamship Authority prepares for summer reservation openings
FALMOUTH (January 12, 2026) – The Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority announces its Head Start and Reservation Opening Dates for vehicle reservations for the 2026 summer season.
To ensure the most performative and error-free experience for the traveling public during the 2026 reservation openings, the Authority’s IT Department and external vendors have been conducting increasingly demanding load tests in preparation for the upcoming reservation opening period.
HEAD START RESERVATIONS OPENING DATES
The Head Start program allows year-round and seasonal residents of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket the opportunity to make up to 10 summer reservations, either one-way or round-trip, per customer prior to the openings to the public. Head Start is open to all year-round residents who qualify for the Excursion Program and seasonal homeowners who qualify for the Preferred Program. The program allows island residents more assistance in traveling back and forth to the mainland for essential needs during the summer season, when vehicle reservations are more difficult to obtain.
Head Start also allows them to make a limited number of reservations either directly in another person’s name or designate a reservation as being able to be transferred to another individual, to assist their friends and family with their summer travel needs.
The first week of Head Start – January 13-19, 2026 –will be exclusively for qualified Preferred or Excursion customers to book for their account only. Reservations made during that week cannot be made in another individual’s name and are non-transferable.
The Authority implemented this split in the Head Start period based on suggestions and recommendations received by island residents. The policy’s goal is to make it easier for islanders to make advance vehicle reservations during the busy summer season for their own vacations and mainland commitments.
Starting at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, Head Start customers may make reservations online and via U.S. mail for travel from May 14, 2026, through October 22, 2026. These reservations can be made in the account holder’s name only.
Starting at 8 a.m. Tuesday, January 20, 2026, up to five reservations of the 10 allotted can be made directly into another person’s name for personal use. Three of those five reservations can be requested as a transferable reservation, which can be transferred to another individual at a later date.
The Head Start reservation period runs through January 26, 2026.
For more information, visit www.steamshipauthority.com/2026HeadStart.
2026 SUMMER RESERVATION OPENING DATES
There will be two general online openings – one for Nantucket and one for Martha’s Vineyard. The Authority will have extra technical support on site and the Reservation Office will be available to provide customers with assistance with login passwords or PINs. The Authority will also continue to use a virtual waiting room that allows customers to see their “place” in line and the approximate wait time until they can make a transaction, eliminating the need for refreshing the website.
Nantucket General Public Online & Mail Opening: 8 a.m. Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Reservations for travel from May 14, 2026, through October 22, 2026, can be made starting at 8 a.m. EST on January 27, 2026. Reservations submitted via U.S. mail (up to five one-way or round-trip reservations will be accepted per mailing) will be processed as received beginning on this date.
Martha’s Vineyard General Public Online & Mail Opening: 8 a.m. Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Reservations for travel from May 14, 2026, through October 22, 2026, can be made starting at 8 a.m. EST on February 3, 2026. Reservations submitted via U.S. mail (up to five one-way or round-trip reservations will be accepted per mailing) will be processed as received beginning on this date.
Telephone and In-Person Opening: 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Reservations for travel from May 14, 2026, through October 22, 2026, can be made by telephone and in-person, as well as online and by U.S. mail, starting at 7:30 a.m. EST February 10, 2026. Up to five transactions (one-way or round-trip) will be accepted per telephone call. The Reservation Office may be reached at (508) 477-8600.
Visit www.steamshipauthority.com/reservationtips for more information.
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Since 1960, the Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority has served as the transportation lifeline to the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard year-round. The Steamship Authority is the largest ferry service to the Islands and offers the most frequent daily departures for passengers, automobiles, groups, and trucks. In 2024, more than 2.9 million passengers and more than 690,000 vehicles of all sizes were transported to and from the Islands. Our U.S. Coast Guard-certified crews are committed to the highest level of safety at sea while our vessels offer comfort and convenience with spacious seating, free Wi-Fi and TV on board.