Staffing Shortages Cancel Steamship Authority Trips

MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MA — Two trips from Martha's Vineyard to Woods Hole were canceled during the busy Memorial Day weekend due to a staffing shortage, the Steamship Authority said.

The last two trips aboard the Governor Ferry were set to leave the island at 6:30 and 8:45 p.m., but were instead canceled - leaving visitors with limited options of getting home. The Steamship Authority also shut down online booking trips off the island for the remainder of Memorial Day "due to a crewing shortage."

Passengers booked on trips heading from Woods Hole to Martha's Vineyard have been rebooked, the Steamship Authority said in a tweet.

The company says they worked to move vehicles onto earlier trips to make space for any displaced reservations, and other ferries leaving the Vineyard were still running, but relatively full.

Having canceled two trips prior to the start of the busy tourist season, it is unclear what's to come this summer and how many trips could be impacted by this continued shortage.

"We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience," the Steamship Authority said.