Discover Ferries’ Press Releases

Discover Ferries unveils a modern reboot of the traditional seaside escape; a quintessential ‘bucket and spade’ holiday, reimagined with a sophisticated twist for the 2026 traveller.

• New ships entering service in 2026
• Industry anniversaries & milestones
• Seasonal sailing dates
• Travel trends for 2026
• Press trips & enquiries

• 82% of holidaymakers buy items they could’ve brought from home
• Ferry travellers are the least likely to spend on items they could’ve brought from home
• 71% leave items they can’t bring home due to luggage restrictions
• Pool inflatables and buckets & spades account for almost a quarter of items holidaymakers leave behind

• Outstanding wildlife sightings from ships, new vessels and pet-friendly travel encourage more passengers to take the ferry

• Discover Ferries reveals where the UK’s most adventurous holidaymakers live

• Full-size dinosaurs, donkeys and even the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree traverse British waters by ferry

• Discover Ferries partners with The Kennel Club to launch “A guide to paw-some pet-friendly getaways”
• A bell, sunglasses and Pawfume – Ferry operators reveal the most surprising items dog owners take on holiday

• UK ferry industry reveals the top travel stresses and how to avoid them

• Discover Ferries reveals the 10 travel costs Brits consider over-inflated

• Ferry industry invests in greener and more comfortable ships
• A total of 17 new ships will be in service within next 5 years

• £8 billion to European GDP, which is 17.3% of total shipping contribution
• 109,000 jobs in Europe are in ferry companies, 16% of total jobs in shipping
• Traveller sentiment towards ferries has improved: air has suffered (based on pre and post-Covid comparison)