It was scheduled to start on the Port Townsend-Coupeville (Keystone)[note 1] route in September 2010, but sea trials revealed excessive vibrations in the vessel's propulsion system.

[3] The Chetzemoka began service to Vashon Island on January 23, 2012, replacing the now-retired MV Rhododendron on the Point Defiance-Tahlequah route.

The Chetzemoka's design is based on that of the MV Island Home, a ferry that is owned by The Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority.

On December 4, 2016, the Chetzemoka collided with a smaller vessel, the Nap Tyme in Dalco Passage, in between Vashon Island and Point Defiance.

[7] On December 24, 2016 the captain of the Chetzemoka suffered a medical emergency and fell upon the controls causing the vessel to pull away from the dock while it was still tied up minutes from its scheduled departure.