Captains considered her to be the most reliable vessel in the fleet,[5] and riders preferred her abundant open-air deck space.

[6] John F. Kennedy was retired from service in August 2021, to be replaced by the recently completed MV Michael H. Ollis, the lead ship of a new trio of ferries, collectively known as the Ollis-class.

[7] The design of this new class is heavily influenced by John F. Kennedy, featuring her distinctive outdoor promenades and extended foredecks.

[8] The auction concluded on January 19, 2022, with the ferry sold "as is" and "where is" to Paul Italia, Ron Castellano and Staten Island natives Colin Jost and Pete Davidson[9] for a final selling price of $280,100.

[11] In April 2022, Kennedy was towed to a shipyard in New Brighton, Staten Island,[12][13] since her final location remained undecided.