Summer ferry schedule includes new pricing schedule

The Alaska Marine Highway System summer ferry schedule was released last week. Kodiak’s first arrival will be the M/V Kennicott on April 25, arriving from Homer. The M/V Tustumena will make its first trip Kodiak from Homer on May 2.

This summer will see somewhat reduced service in some places. According to Department of Transportation and Public Facilities spokesperson Sam Dapcevich, the Tustumena will be making chain runs out to Dutch Harbor just once a month, instead of twice a month as in previous years.

“What we have scheduled right now is one trip per month beginning in May. And that will go through September [for] total of five trips.”

Ouzinkie and Port Lions will see two ferries per week for two to three weeks out of each month, which is slightly more than in previous years. As of now, the schedule shows no service for Old Harbor this season.

The pricing schedule has changed for ferry bookings this year. Sailings near special events, like Crab Fest, will see a 10 percent bump in prices. Additionally, passenger and vehicle fares will go up as the ferry gets more booked up.

“For passenger fares, if the ferry is booked above 30 percent then the rate goes up for passengers 5 percent. The most that the increase would be is 30%. And that starts when the vessel recent reaches 80 percent  capacity. It’s a little bit larger for vehicles and cabins. At 30 percent booking, vehicle rates go up by 10 percent. And cabin rates also go up by 10 percent.”

Base fares will remain the same as last summer. Booking is open now on FerryAlaska.com.