The Alaska Marine Highway System released its summer 2016 schedule on Tuesday.
According to a press release from the state Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, the release of the schedule coincides with the implementation of the new reservations and manifest system.
Reservations for the summer schedule, which covers May through September, are currently only being accepted through the Juneau Reservations Call Center (1-800-642-0066). Online reservations for the summer schedule will be available in the coming weeks. Sailing schedules can be reviewed online at FerryAlaska.com prior to contacting the call center.
Reservations for the remainder of the winter schedule through the end of April are still available online.
The release states that AMHS has a planned phased implementation of the new reservations system starting with the reservations call center, then followed by online reservations for summer travel. Implementation will continue with new hardware installations in terminals and aboard vessels through the spring. The system will be fully implemented by May 2016, the department says, at which time the current OARS reservation system will be retired at the conclusion of the winter 2015-16 schedule.
DOT spokesman Jeremy Woodrow advised that making advance reservations is the best way to guarantee space for passengers and vehicles, and it allows the system to operate more efficiently. Fare information is available online or from reservations agents.
