Reservation-Only Travel and Blue Line information for Martha's Vineyard

Starting January 4, 2025, all vehicle travel on the Woods Hole-Martha's Vineyard route will be by reservation only. No standby travel will be allowed for automobiles. 

Automobile reservations can be made online at www.steamshipauthority.com, at a terminal, or by calling our Reservation Office from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. 

If you are a Preferred or Excursion customer, however, you can access the Blue Line for your last-minute travel needs. 

Frequently asked questions about moving to reservation-only travel

View the current Blue Line status here

What is the Blue Line? Think of it as an islander standby line. On Reservation-Only Days at the Woods Hole and Vineyard Haven terminals, up to 12 cars at a time can be placed in the Blue Line for standby travel.

Who can use the Blue Line? You must be a current Preferred or Excursion program customer to access the Blue Line.

Is the Blue Line always available? No, the availability of the Blue Line can be paused or suspended at any time by the terminal agent on duty based on vehicle space needs at our terminal.

Do I have to give up a reservation to join the Blue Line? Not anymore! If you’re trying to travel earlier than your reservation on the day of your travel, you do not have to give up your reservation.

What if I have a medical appointment? Please follow our established procedures for traveling for a routine medical appointment.

What if I have an emergency medical or family situation? Please call the Reservation Office or go to the terminal ASAP and speak to the manager or agent on duty. 

What are some tips for Blue Line travel? 

• Have an updated Preferred or Excursion account. Make sure your vehicles are correct and current and verify your contact information is correct. 
• When the check-in booth gives you a Blue Line placard, please make sure it is visible to the terminal staff. 
• Keep an eye on our website for weather and operational updates. If trips are canceled, the Blue Line may be suspended until those reservations are accommodated. 
• Do not park or hover in the pick up or drop-off areas if you are waiting to get into the Blue Line. 
• Do not call the Reservation Office unless you are trying to book travel–they will not be able to help you get into the Blue Line. 
• Bring your patience and your kindness! This will be a challenging adjustment for everyone, including our staff, but we will continue to assess and adjust this process as we learn from its use. 
• You can now see the Blue Line status on the home page of the website under “Parking Information and Current Status”
• We are also using a call-back system when the Blue Line is full to alert customers when they can return to the terminal to be staged.

Other frequently-asked questions about moving to reservation-only travel

Why is the Steamship Authority ending standby travel? We have construction projects ongoing on the Woods Hole-Martha's Vineyard route that cause space limitations at the terminal. Since we have less space to put standby vehicles, we are moving to reservation-only travel to better manage traffic at the terminals. 

How long will this be going on? Will it be in effect this summer? We are moving to reservation-only days in the winter on a 90-day trial basis, but it may be extended. Decisions about the summer travel season and standby travel will be made at that time.