Alaska ferry on track for late June return to Bellingham, but with more changes
The Alaska ferry is still on track for returning to Bellingham in late June, but one of the runs will have a smaller vessel.
In an update released on Friday, May 29, the Alaska Marine Highway System said it plans to have its ferry Kennicott dock at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal in Fairhaven on Saturday, June 27. It is scheduled to be in Bellingham every-other-Saturday through September, according to the updated schedule.
Friday, July 3, will mark the return of the Matanuska to Bellingham. It is scheduled to dock in Bellingham each Friday through September. Due to reduced travel demand, the Matanuska is replacing the larger Columbia vessel, which was slated to do the Bellingham run this summer.
Mechanical issues put a halt to the Matanuska sailings to Bellingham in late January, and a ferry hasn’t docked at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal since that time during the coronavirus pandemic.
The ferry system has a set of procedures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Those steps include a more intensive cleaning schedule and observing boarding passengers for signs of symptoms.
