Dogs are very much a part of the family so it’s not unexpected that so many people are keen to take their pups with them on new adventures. You might be surprised at just how easy and comfortable it is to travel with your dog by ferry, with dedicated pet lounges and zones on board, pet cabins, kennels and the option for your dog to stay in your own vehicle.
Now we’re heading into autumn it’s cooler and beach restrictions for dogs are being lifted, it’s the paw-fect time to travel with your furry friend. We’ve partnered with The Kennel Club to offer travel advice to dog owners and to identify the essential items to pack for your pooch, and you won’t need to limit the amount of liquids in your paw luggage – so no problems taking plenty of water, medicines, or pet shampoo. We’ve also highlighted some of the wonderful dog-friendly destiniations across the UK, British Islands, Ireland and Europe that are only a ferry journey away.
Going on holiday with your dog offers a great opportunity for a fun and active escape. Take the ferry to visit bucket-list destinations and your four-legged friend will travel in safety and comfort. Depending on the ship, they can either stay with you in a dedicated area, or in a pet-friendly cabin, stay in your vehicle or in the onboard kennels. To find out more about which pet facilities each operator offers please go to our ferry operator pet policies. In our recent research with The Kennel Club, dog owners told us that when selecting a holiday they look for good walking routes, dog friendly beaches and cafes and pubs, so to get tails wagging we’ve put together our guide to the top dog-friendly destinations you can reach by ferry.
Channel Islands
Guernsey and Jersey are known for their breathtaking beaches and outdoor lifestyle.
Greve de Lecq, on Jersey’s north coast is a small, sheltered beach with rock pools to sniff and a cave to explore. Head to the Priory Inn at Devil’s Hole after the walk where dogs are welcome in the bar and outside in the beer garden. On Jersey, four-legged friends can charge around the beaches freely from October to April. From 1 May-30 September they must be on a lead between 1030-1800.
On Guernsey most beaches are available for walkies all year round with only a few having restrictions between 1 May and 30 September. However, if you want to combine seeing a bit of the islands’ history with stunning views, the Bordeaux coastal walk is a good option. Providing sweeping views of Alderney, Sark and Herm, the popular walk from Castle Street in Bordeaux takes in the 600-year-old Vale Castle, Bordeaux’s natural harbour and the Neolithic burial mound of Dehus Dolmen.
Sail to Jersey and Guernsey with Condor Ferries from Poole or Portsmouth.
France
Normandy
If you’re looking for an escape with picture-postcard villages, delicious cuisine, and a rich history, as well as plenty of outside activities that you can enjoy with your dog, then Normandy is the place for you.
Dog in the dunes in Normandy, France
Beaches
From cliff-top walks along the Alabaster Coast to scampering in the sands of the Pearl Coast, Normandy provides ample space for your furry friend to run around and explore. Normandy’s beaches usually welcome dogs between October and the end of May.
History, culture and coffee
Rouen,soak up the atmosphere by walking through the narrow, cobbled streets, past half-timbered houses. Don’t miss the beautiful gothic cathedral, the famous Great Clock (Gros-Horloge) and the historic market square where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. There are plenty of street cafes where you can enjoy a coffee and a bite to eat.
Kayaking in the river Eure – bringing your pooch aboard a hired kayak will make gliding down the River Eure that much more special (and fun!).
1944 Radar Station, Douvres-la-Délivrande. Discover the bunker and the surroundings with your dog on the lead at this open-air museum that was the site of Germany’s largest radar station in the Calvados region.
Juno Beach Centre is Canada’s Second World War Museum and cultural centre. The museum is fronted by Juno Park where you’ll find part of the remains of the German defensive Atlantic Wall. Small four-legged friends can accompany you in your arms or in a bag at all times, and larger dogs on a lead can enter daily between 1300-1400.
Considered to be one of Ireland’s most spectacular road trips, the Causeway Coastal Route is a mix of rugged coastline, unique geology and beautiful beaches. There are plenty of places en route for your pooch to play, including the 7-mile beach of Benone Strand or the National Trust-protected Portstewart Strand. Dogs on a lead can also visit the Giants’ Causeway. With dog-friendly accommodation and eateries, such as The Fullerton Arms in Ballintoy and 55 Degrees North in Portrush, along the way. Keen walkers can hike the 33-mile Causeway Coastal Way and enjoy some peace with Man’s best friend. Dogs are also able to travel freely between the UK and Northern Ireland.
Looking for spectacular dog walks? You will be spoilt for choice in Waterford, with its mix of forest, mountains, coastal cliffs, and the Waterford Greenway to explore.
Highlights include:
Dunmore East Cliff Walk, a stunning cliff linear walk starting at the picturesque fishing village of Dunmore East and following the coast all the way to Ballymacaw Cover, almost 7km away. After your walk head to pet-friendly Loko in Waterford for a bite to eat.
Mahon Falls, up in the Comeragh Mountains, this 80m waterfall is lined with sheer rock faces and has impressive views back towards the sea. Choose between a 4km 40 min walk up to the waterfall or an 11km hike along the trails. After building up an appetite the 360cookhouse in Dungarvan will be a welcome break, it even offers a menu for dogs!
With paw-some walkies such as up Goat Fell – a bucket-list worthy mountain – to one of West of Scotland’s most spectacular waterfalls – Glenashdale Falls – and around pre-historic Machrie Moor Standing Stones, the Isle of Arran gets the tail-wag of approval all-year round.
Auchrannie Resort provides a treat for your pooch on arrival and fluffy towels for muddy paws. Dog friendly bars and lounges are located around the resort.
Pup-friendly The Drift Inn has a cosy fire to curl up next to for cooler days, and The Corrie Hotel bar has one of the best beer gardens in Britain, looking out across the Firth of Clyde.
Over a hundred miles of coast, eighteen glens and recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere, the Isle of Man is relatively undiscovered. Though world-famous for its motorcycling events, outside of these times the island is uncrowded and perfect for exploring, both on two legs and four!
Many of the beaches in the Isle of Man do not have any restrictions for dogs so they can run around and play in the sea to their hearts’ content.
The plantations and glens have a network of peaceful walking trails through woodland, countryside and parkland. Conrhenny car park is one of 26 registered Dark Sky Discovery Sites on the Isle of Man, so after a later afternoon/ evening ramble in Conrhenny Plantation on a clear day budding stargazers will be rewarded with stunning views of the night sky.
For dog-friendly accommodation and facilities Visit Isle of Man runs Dogs Welcome Scheme.
This archipelago 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall is a magical choice for a holiday with your four-legged companion. These islands have spacious, white, sandy beaches and clear blue sea to play in and, as dogs are part of island life, there are many pet-friendly cafes and restaurants. The Island Dog Show happens in June and there are 10 categories to enter such as best dog /owner lookalike.
Although there are restrictions on some St Mary’s beaches from May- September, the ‘off islands’: St Martin’s, St Agnes, Bryher and Tresco are dog friendly all year round, though on Tresco dogs must be kept on a lead. The inter-island ferries happily to take dogs on board.
On St Martin’s the Karma Hotel, which won Bronze for Dog-Friendly Business of the Year in the Cornwall Tourism Awards 2019, welcomes its canine customers with VIP (Very Important Pet) treatment. Dogs get a water bowl and blanket and there is even a special menu featuring Paw-secco and steak. A pet-sitting service can also be arranged.
Sail to St Mary’s with Isles of Scilly Travel from Penzance. Dogs must be kept on a lead on board but can travel on deck with their owners.
Whether sniffing out the hidden rock pools, spotting red squirrels around the forest or watching over the family while they visit the island’s many attractions, on the Isle of Wight your furry friend never needs to be left behind.
The Isle of Wight Steam Railway, named UK Heritage Railway of the Year 2023, The Needles Landmark Attraction, Shanklin Chine, Yarmouth Castle and Carisbrooke Castle are just of few of the attractions that welcome pups. At the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary, the Grazers Café features a dog station with fresh water, clean towels and a tasty dog menu.
As a special treat for you pooch book a Bare Bones Luxury Spa Dog Grooming with All Canines Great and Small or a fun dog agility session.
Sail to the Isle of Wight with Hovertravel, Red Funnel or Wightlink. Dogs travel for free and have their own pet lounge on Red Funnel and Wightlink, with pet products from Paleo Ridge, a premium raw dog food company based in Hampshire, available on Wightlink, and Rex’s Range dog-friendly ice cream and Dewkes Treats available for purchase on Red Funnel. On Hovertravel, during the quick 10-minute journey your canine companion can enjoy the ride next to you if on a lead.
London
Earth Clipper passing Battersea Power Station
Paw-fectly Pampered in Battersea & Chelsea
Battersea Park, is a Victorian Park most famous for its peace pagoda. With its riverside promenade, parkland and woods it’s great place for your furry friend to charge around and enjoy themselves. Afterwards head to Battersea Power Station where there are many pet-friendly cafes and restaurants to choose from before heading to The Pet Spa, Chelsea, for some luxury grooming or to upmarket pet boutique Mungo & Maud near Sloane Square for a new collar or coat!
Feel the wind in your hair – or fur – and enjoy the capital’s sights on Uber Boat by Thames Clippers’ river bus service. Alight at River Pier: Battersea Power Station.
The Netherlands
Enjoy the natural beauty of Texel
The relaxed North Sea island of Texel is a popular holiday spot for Dutch and German visitors, but relatively unknown to Brits. It has white sandy beaches, natural dunes, woods, plenty of dog-friendly accommodation and eateries, and wonderful sunsets to top off a chilled break.
Canine friends can run freely on many westerly beaches year-round, in De Dennen forest and in the dunes between September and March. For hunting dogs and their owners, themed monthly hunting workshops are organised by Jachthondensport. There is even a dog wash on the island, so you can clean mucky paws and get rid of any ticks.
Sail to the Netherlands with DFDS from Newcastle to Amsterdam, P&O Ferries from Hull to Rotterdam or Stena Line from Harwich to Hook of Holland and then take the ferry from Den Helder.
Irish Ferries launches lounges for pets and owners setting new standards in pet “furriendly” travel
Veterinarian Dr Bobby Ortiz offers his top tips for pet travel ahead of the busy holiday season
Captioned shots attached from the launch of Irish Ferries’ new Pet Dens
9 June 2025: Pet travel has just been upgraded with the unveiling today of Irish Ferries’ brand-new “Pet Den” lounges. And, while dogs, cats, and even ferrets have always been welcome onboard Irish Ferries vessels, they can now travel in elevated comfort and style in dedicated spacious lounges alongside their owner, completely free of charge, making for a very com-fur-table crossing.
Irish Ferries is the only ferry company offering a “Pet Den” lounge on both Ireland-UK and UK-France crossings. The Pet Den offers ample indoor lounge space for pets to enjoy their journey just as much as their owners. The pet dens are light and airy and offer great sea views, seating and tables equipped with leash hooks, water dispensers and a snacks and beverages lounge service, so that owners can enjoy their journey with their beloved pet by their side.
The Pet Den lounges are complemented by access to dedicated outdoor deck walk-way areas complete with an area with artificial grass and posts, as well as plenty of fresh air and sea views, allowing both humans and their pets the opportunity to stretch two or four legs.
Together with the freedom to pack as much luggage as your vehicle can take, multiple dining options onboard and an altogether more relaxed way to travel, there’s now more reasons than ever before to book a spot for a VIP (very important pet) and enjoy the Furriendliest of journeys in optimum comfort with Irish Ferries.
Pets can avail of Irish Ferries’ Pet Dens onboard:
Dublin – Holyhead, onboard the James Joyce from June 21 and onboard Ulysses from July 1 (both already available to book online)
Rosslare – Pembroke, Isle of Innisfree
Dover – Calais1 – Isle of Inishmore and Oscar Wilde
Nora Costello, Consumer Marketing & Sales Director, Irish Ferries said, “The introduction of complimentary pet dens on the majority of our crossings is great news for people who want to travel with their pets. It’s just one of the many advantages of travelling with Irish Ferries. We know from our research that leaving a pet behind can be lonely for both the pet and their owners, with boarding kennels often adding hugely to the cost of a holiday. Irish Ferries is doing things differently and setting new standards for pet travel, offering more options than any other provider on the Irish Sea and English Channel.”
So, whether you’re taking a weekend break or em-barking on a month-long adventure, grab both you and your pet’s passports and get ready to Sea Travel Differently with Irish Ferries.
Dr. Bobby Ortiz’s Expert advice
Ahead of the busy summer travel season, Irish Ferries has teamed up with well-known veterinarian Dr Bobby Ortiz (@dogtor_bob) to offer some expert insight and advice for people travelling with their pets. Dr Ortiz commended Irish Ferries for its new pet den facilities, describing them as the best he has ever seen for helping ensure pet travel is as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
Optimise your pet’s journey by never travelling on hot days and always at the coolest part of the day such as late in the evening, early morning or overnight, where possible.
While visiting the vet for your pet’s requisite vaccinations, always make sure a ‘fit for travel’ pet health check is performed to ensure the pet is in fit condition especially if older or is prone to illness or heat stroke.
If you are leaving your dog in your vehicle rather than using the pet den, cabin or kennel facilities, make sure there is sufficient ventilation for your pet. Creating a flow of fresh air can be helped by opening both the driver and passenger’s front windows. However, take care to ensure that your dog cannot escape from their carrier or your vehicle.
If you are taking your dog to an onboard kennel, make sure you take some bedding and perhaps some familiar items, such as dog toys/treats so that they are comfortable.
Make sure your dog’s water container is full with clean fresh water that’s accessible throughout the ferry crossing.
Try to get your pets introduced to travelling inside of their crates/carriers weeks before their traveling date. Place the crate in an accessible area of your house and allow the pet to walk in and out of it freely and hide treats inside frequently. This allows them to become more comfortable with the crate and recognise this as being a safe place.
Pet Passports
Pets should ideally be added at time of booking to ensure availability of facilities. Passengers are asked to familiarise themselves with pet passport and government regulations applying to pet travel and to ensure that all documentation, anti-parasitic treatments, micro chipping and any requisite inoculations are in place, and terms and conditions for travel met. More information on the requirements for travelling with pets is available HERE
Brittany Ferries’ fleet renewal programme draws to a close – 5 ships in 5 years
Guillaume de Normandie Credit: Jess Breheret
The second hybrid ship, and fifth new vessel in five years, completes the largest fleet renewal programme in Brittany Ferries’ history. Guillaume de Normandie makes her first commercial voyage on Friday 18 April 2025. She will serve the company’s busiest Portsmouth to Caen (Ouistreham) route, which carries around a million passengers a year and more than half of all freight traffic
Like sister ship Saint-Malo, she will run just like a hybrid car. That means powered by cleaner natural gas at sea, electricity or on a combination of the two. When entering Portsmouth harbour and while at quay she will be entirely emissions-free, driven exclusively by batteries. The completion of shore-connection work in Portsmouth (summer 2025) will add an extra string to her bow. Batteries will be re-charged while alongside.
The company worked alongside Normandy tourism on her interior. Passengers will experience a floating love letter to the region that bears her name. Art, cabins, public spaces and restaurants reflect the richness of the region. The ship will carry 1,300 passengers and includes 220 cabins, 22 of which will be pet-friendly.
Labra-dorable!Stena Line crowns its Ferry Pawmother
Four-year-old Labrador from Bristol champions Stena-Line’s pet friendly services
With over 87,500 pets crossing the Irish Sea with Stena Line this year, the Swedish owned ferry company has crowned its first Ferry Pawmother.
Throughout 2023, nearly 100,000 pets set sail with Stena Line but already in 2024, more than 87,500 pets, and their loyal owners, have taken advantage of the impressive pet facilities onboard Stena Line’s fleet*.
Four-year-old Kea, who donates both her blood to help critically ill canines and her time to help train the next generation of aspiring vets, saw off competition from over 4,000 pets to be crowned Stena Line’s Ferry Pawmother.
The competition was organised to celebrate Stena Line’s enhanced travel experience which includes 70 animal-friendly cabins across its Irish Sea routes and pet lounges on its Stena Superfast vessels operating between Belfast and Cairnryan.
At just eight-weeks-old, Kea found her forever home as part of Serena Maini’s family.
Over the years, Kea has taken to helping Serena in her work at the Royal Veterinary College in London, both as a teaching dog and a blood donor.
“A teaching dog gives students the opportunity to practice non-invasive procedures and ‘easier’ examinations on a live animal,” explains Serena.
“This gives students vital practice at things like putting a bandage on a specific area of a dog’s body and Kea is a very amenable and gentle volunteer who enjoys the interaction with the students.
“She has also been donating blood for two years now and does so every three months, the procedure is very similar to human blood donation.”
With Serena’s family still living in Belfast, Kea is no stranger to travelling on the ferry and with a love for the sea, she is the perfect Stena Line Ferry Pawmother, according to her family.
Serena says: “Kea is a real water baby whether she’s splashing about in the sea, digging holes at the beach, or travelling on the Stena Line, she really enjoys it.
“We’re delighted other people see what we see in her and thrilled that she has been crowned Stena Line’s Ferry Pawmother.
“Kea loves taking the trip from Cairnryan to see my family in Belfast. It is incredibly pet friendly and super convenient. She has made the trip four times now.
“I really couldn’t think of a more hassle-free way to travel with her.”
The Swedish-owned ferry company’s pet friendly travel options when travelling to Britain, Ireland and France include pet cabins, a Pet Lounge onboard Stena Superfast when travelling on the Belfast – Cairnryan route and the option to leave your pet in the car, in kennels or dog lodges during the journey.
Guests can prebook the Pet Lounge from only £20 per pet or, where applicable, a pet-friendly cabin from only £55 per cabin (maximum two pets per booking).
All passengers who wish to travel with their pet in the pet lounge or cabin must pre-book in advance of travel and ensure all necessary vaccinations and documentation is up to date.
Stena Line is the best choice for pets on the Irish Sea. To find out more about its pet friendly options and to book your next trip, visit http://www.stenaline.co.uk
Notes
* All Stena Line Irish Sea routes have pet-friendly options including:
Liverpool – Belfast (every day, twice a day, approx. 8 hours) – pet cabins, pet lodges and in-car option
Holyhead – Dublin (every day, twice a day, approx. 3 hours and 15 minutes) – pet cabins, kennels, pet lodges and in-car options
Fishguard – Rosslare (every day, twice per day, 3 hours and 30 minutes) – pet cabins, kennels and in-car options
Rosslare – Cherbourg (three times a week, approx. 18 hours) – pet cabins and kennels.
Cairnryan – Belfast (every day, up to six times per day, approx. 2 hours 15mins) – dedicated pet lounge, kennels and in-car options
Kea visited the Pet Lounge whilst in port. All animals in the Pet Lounge must remain in carrier cases during travel.
