Below you will find details regarding Alaska Marine Highway policies, the services and amenities offered, check-in and customs information and much more. If you have additional questions that are not addressed, friendly reservations agents are available Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Alaska Time by calling 1-800-642-0066 and they will be happy to assist you.
Animals may be transported on AMHS vessels, but are restricted to the car deck. They must be properly contained in an approved carrier or be transported in a vehicle and accompanied by an adult passenger. Animals are transported at the owner's risk and all state of Alaska regulations must be met prior to animals entering the state. If you have additional questions on transporting an animal, contact our reservations call center at 1-800-642-0066.
Pets are restricted to the car deck and must be contained in an approved carrier or be transported in a vehicle and accompanied by an adult passenger. U.S. Coast Guard regulations restrict passenger access to the car deck while the vessel is underway. On extended sailings such as between Bellingham and Ketchikan, Juneau and Whittier, and in route to Sitka, 15-minute pet calls will be made approximately every 8 hours to allow pet owners to be escorted to the car deck. Owners are responsible for attending and cleaning up after pets. Pet calls are made at the discretion of the Captain and may occur throughout the day or night. Owners may also attend to pets any time the vessel is stopped in port. Household pets other than dogs and cats may be subject to additional rules and restrictions, please call for more information.
Pet owners should take into consideration the car deck environment on board the ferry before confirming travel with a pet. Vehicles are parked closely together which may make it difficult for large dogs to exit or enter vehicles. Accessing vehicles with swinging rear doors or elderly pets that need special accommodation, such as a ramp, may not be possible. For the safety of our passengers and other pets, please consider how your pet may react to the stress of an unfamiliar environment.
Under Alaska law, a person may not import or transport any animal into the state unless the animal's owner, custodian, or attendant possesses a valid health certificate and permit for the animal. However, in the case of dogs and cats, they need only be accompanied by a health certificate, unless they are imported from a rabies quarantine area, in which case they must be accompanied by a permit as well.
Penalties for non-compliance may include animal quarantine or prohibited entry of the animal into the state. A health certificate or permit is not required when transporting animals between ports within Alaska. For Alaska regulations regarding importation of animals, please visit PET IMPORT/EXPORT Bringing Pets To and From Alaska.
When leaving Alaska, persons transporting animals are responsible for complying with the regulations of the state or country to which they are traveling. For information regarding Washington animal importation requirements, visit the website for the Washington State Department of Agriculture or call at 360-902-1800. For information regarding Canadian animal importation requirements, visit the website for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency or call at 250-363-3618. For travel by road through Canada, passengers might also wish to check with Canada Border Services Agency for related information.
There is no charge on any route for a service animal accompanying a person with a disability. At the time of booking, please notify the reservations agent if you are traveling with a service animal; the reservations agent will notify vessel staff. Only service animals are allowed on passenger decks aboard Alaska Marine Highway vessels. Comfort and therapy animals are required to follow the AMHS pet policy and will be restricted to the car deck.
Transport of livestock or other large animals must be pre-approved and may be subject to additional fees and restrictions. Please contact our call center at 1-800-642-0066 for details.
Cabins aboard the ferries provide basic amenities and vary in price according to size and location. Cabins are sold per trip, not per day or per person. Cabins are equipped with single or double bunk bed style berths. Most cabins include private bathroom facilities. For those that do not, public restroom and shower facilities are available. Housekeeping service for cabins is not provided; however, trash is collected daily and fresh linens, pillows and blankets are available for a small fee from the pursers' desk. Cabins that indicate a window will have either a full window or a port hole. Cabin types vary by vessel; the day boat ferries M/V Tazlina and M/V Hubbard do not have cabins available, nor do they have public showers.
For passengers who opt to travel without a cabin, the recliner lounges also serve as sleeping areas with space to roll out a sleeping bag. Covered solariums located on the upper decks of each vessel are also popular sleeping areas and for those traveling with small tents, they are allowed on the upper decks.
Passengers traveling without vehicles must check in 2 hours prior to departure in Bellingham, and Juneau and 1 hour prior to departure at all other ports. Passengers must pass through security inspection at least thirty minutes prior to boarding, and must be on board the vessel 15 minutes before departure. Any walk-on passenger, not checked in, screened and boarded 15 minutes prior to departure, may be denied passage. The Captain has the prerogative to refuse sailing to any passenger. Walk-on passengers who miss a sailing due to this policy and who still wish to travel will be processed without priority.
Check-in times are assigned so that the vehicles can be arranged in boarding lanes for safe, efficient loading and security screening. Passengers with vehicles that do not check-in on time may find that their reserved space has been given to a standby passenger. During the summer season (May - September), vehicles with reservations are required to check-in at the terminal prior to vessel departures as follows:
Departure times in Sitka vary according to tides and current and are set by the vessel Captain. Call the Sitka terminal at 907-747-8737 one hour before the vessel arrival time listed in the schedule for a confirmed check-in and departure time.
All vessels, with the exception of the MV Lituya, offer food and beverage service. Hot and cold items, which include Alaska seafood, salads, sandwiches and beverage service, are served throughout the day in self-service dining areas. Vending machines are available on each vessel for access to snacks. The MV Columbia and MV Tustumena provide full-service dining rooms that include a variety of entrees including fresh Alaska seafood. Passengers may also bring aboard their own coolers or picnic items. Refrigeration is not available, but mainline vessels do provide coin operated ice machines and all vessels provide access to microwaves. Service hours and locations may vary per vessel.
Kayaks and canoes may be carried aboard AMHS vessels. Small inflatable boats may also be carried if they weigh less than 300 pounds and do not exceed 18 feet in length and 3 feet in width. If the inflatable exceeds these restrictions they must be transported on a trailer.
Kayaks, canoes and inflatable boats will need their own ticket if they are being transported without a vehicle. If they are traveling on a vehicle then they will not need their own ticket however the vehicle length will need to be adjusted to the actual overall length with the boat on the vehicle; from the furthest point forward to the farthest point on the end.
Children under 12 years of age are not allowed passage unless accompanied by a person 19 years of age or older. Children ages 12-15 must be accompanied by a person 19 years of age or older or have written permission for passage signed by their parent or guardian. An Unaccompanied Minor Form can be found here or at your local terminal.
The Alaska Marine Highway will collect costs incurred for the cleanup or disposal of waste or debris left on the car deck of a vessel or during the transit of a passenger vehicle or conveyance on or off the ship via the overwater transfer bridge. Spills consisting of substances such as fish or boat waste, oil, gasoline, antifreeze, or any other substance that would require additional cleaning or cost incurred by AMHS will be the responsibility of the passenger. The following Alaska Administrative Code excerpt is applicable to this policy:
Public restrooms are available on all vessels. Public showers are available on all vessels except the MV Lituya.
There is no charge on any route for a certified service animal accompanying a person with a disability. At the time of booking, please notify the reservations agent if you are traveling with a certified service animal; the reservations agent will notify all AMHS terminal and ship board staff. Only certified service animals are allowed on passenger decks aboard Alaska Marine Highway vessels. Comfort and therapy animals are required to follow the AMHS pet policy and will be restricted to the car deck.
There is no overnight or long-term parking at AMHS terminal facilities. Please contact your departure terminal for options.
The Alaska Marine Highway can transport any form of conveyance with wheels that has roll-on/roll-off capabilities. Each of the AMHS vessels and ports are unique and may have different restrictions for non-standard (extra wide, tall or heavy) vehicles due to dock configurations and loading ramps. Details on vehicle categories and restrictions are outlined below. Please contact our reservations call center at 1-800-642-0066 for more information. It is imperative that you provide your reservations agent with the accurate overall length of your vehicle. The overall length is measured from its furthest extensions. In cases where one vehicle is towing another, the overall connected length is applicable. Vehicles that have not reserved the appropriate space requirement on the vessel car deck may be subject to additional charges or may be moved to a later sailing. Vehicle fares can be found on our fares page and do not include the driver.
Vehicles that are a standard width, up to 8 feet.
Vehicles 103-107 inches wide will be charged approximately 125% of the fare listed for the vehicle length. Vehicles 108 inches wide and over will be charged approximately 150% of the fare listed for the vehicle length.
All motorcycles must be fully secured on the car deck using appropriate tie-downs. It is the responsibility of the owner to bring proper tie-downs and to ensure the motorcycle is properly secured. Motorcycles rates are based on total length, which includes trailers or attachments.
Fares for recreational vehicles are the same as for other vehicles of the same size. RVs are booked under a separate code, if you are traveling with an RV, please indicate that when you make your reservation. U.S. Coast Guard regulations prohibit access to the car deck while a vessel is underway; therefore, RVs and motorhomes may not be used for dining and sleeping while on an AMHS ferry. Electrical hookups for vehicle refrigeration units are not available, and bottled gas containers must be turned off and sealed by an AMHS employee at the time of boarding. Passengers transporting vehicles with long overhangs should review vehicle restrictions below.
When transporting a towed trailer or vehicle, the overall connected length, width and height is used to determine fares. Do not attempt to estimate your vehicle length.
Vehicles that are not accompanied by a driver will be assessed a surcharge of $50 to and from Bellingham, $20 to and from Prince Rupert, and $10 to and from all other ports. Non-drivable car deck items, such as boats on trailers that must be towed onboard, but will be transported without a tow vehicle, will also be assessed the surcharges. AMHS does not provide for loading or off-loading vehicles; it is the shipper's responsibility to provide this service. If no arrangements have been made the vehicle will not be loaded. If the shipper makes no arrangement to remove the vehicle from a vessel upon arrival, one of the following actions will be taken at the discretion of AMHS; the vehicle will remain on the vessel and the shipper will be charged for additional shipping; the vehicle will be removed from the vessel by a commercial towing company at the shipper's expense; or AMHS will remove the vehicle and the shipper will be charged $100 before the vehicle is released.
All commercial vehicles must be booked through our Commercial Services Desk. AMHS can accommodate commercial cargo vans or trailers up to 48 feet in length.
Passengers traveling to and from Whittier are advised to check the Whittier Tunnel website for a schedule of when the tunnel is open to vehicle traffic. You may be unable to make your sailing if you do not arrive at the tunnel at a time when it is open. Bicycle and foot traffic is prohibited through the tunnel, and there are vehicle size and other restrictions of which you should be aware before traveling through the tunnel. For a recording of the base schedule, call the Whittier Tunnel toll-free at 1-877-611-2586.