People preparing to board a ferry this holiday weekend should be prepared for potentially lengthy wait times, as the state ferry system is operating with only two-thirds of its fleet.

According to Washington State Ferries, 300,000 riders are expected aboard from Wednesday, Nov. 22 through Sunday, Nov. 26. Travelers should keep their eyes open for last-minute schedule changes, which can occur at any time on the routes because of a shortage of crew or maintenance issues with the boats.

For the Mukilteo-Clinton route, there will be some schedule changes on the Thanksgiving holiday affecting some early morning sailings. Last week, the 144-car Suquamish was replaced by the Kitsap, a smaller boat which holds 124 cars. The entire ferry system is currently operating with only 14 boats, as seven boats are out of commission for either emergency repairs or planned maintenance.

The busiest sailing times for traveling onto an island are expected to be Nov. 22-23, while traveling off an island it’s Nov. 24-25. Sailings in the early morning or late at night may be preferred if riders want to avoid peak traveling times during the day.

Travelers are advised to check the WSDOT mobile app before heading to the terminal for service updates and real-time conditions.