The Steamship Authority has announced opening dates for summer reservations, and it’s already begun for Vineyarders.
The local ferry line began accepting reservations for the Head Start program on Tuesday morning, which allows year-round and seasonal Vineyard and Nantucket residents the opportunity to make up to 10 summer reservations per customer before the general openings begin. Trips available for reservation during this time are from May 14 through Oct. 22.
Head Start is open to customers in either the excursion program for year-round Islanders or preferred program for seasonal residents, which provide preferential vehicle spacing. Year-rounders with excursion accounts also receive discounts for vehicle reservations.
According to a press release from the ferry line, Head Start provides Islanders “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.”
The first week of Head Start will go on until Jan. 19, and will be exclusively for excursion and preferred program customers to book for their accounts only. Reservations made during this week cannot be made in another individual’s name, and cannot be transferred to another person. Starting on Jan. 20 at 8 am, up to half of the 10 Head Start reservations Islanders reserve can be made in another person’s name. Of those five, three can be transferable to another customer for a later trip.
The Head Start reservation period lasts until Jan. 26, and more information can be found at steamshipauthority.com/2026HeadStart.
The general opening for summer reservations to the Vineyard will be on Feb. 3 at 8 am. Reservations can be made online or by mail, and reservations made by mail will begin to be processed starting on Feb. 3. Summer reservations can also be made by phone or in person starting on Feb. 10 at 7:30 am.
According to the release, the authority will have “extra technical support onsite, and the reservation office will be available to provide customers with assistance with login passwords or PINs.”
The reservation office can be reached at 508-477-8600, and its mailing address is 509 Falmouth Road, Suite 1C, Mashpee, MA 02649.
Additionally, to avoid tech issues that have hindered the summer reservation process in previous years, the Steamship stated its information technology department and vendors have been conducting “increasingly demanding load tests in preparation for the upcoming reservation opening period.” For those making reservations online, a virtual waiting room will be utilized to hold customers’ place in line until a transaction can be made.
For more information on reservations, visit steamshipauthority.com/reservationtips.
