Ferries to Ireland

There are plenty options to choose from for ferries to Ireland, sailing from Wales, England and Scotland. The first table below deals with ferries to the republic of Ireland and you will find six different options, which include four separate routes from three operators departing from four different UK ports and sailing to two different ports in Ireland.
Ferries to Republic of Ireland
All of the ferries to Northern Ireland sail from Scotland with the exception of the 8 hour sailing from Liverpool to Belfast. You will have noticed from the table above that Scotland has no ferries going to the republic of Ireland.
There are four options to choose from for ferries to Northern Ireland. Three different routes from two operators (Stena & P&O) sailing from three ports in the UK to two ports in Northern Ireland.
Ferries to Northern Ireland
Where ever you may be heading to in Ireland (Northern or Republic) we are sure you will agree you have plenty of options on sailing to Ireland.
Can i get a ferry from Heysham to Ireland
Hi Trevor
Unfortunately you cannot get a ferry from Heysham to Ireland. Services have currently been suspended due to Government Guidelines. This route is used to transport freight, passengers are not allowed. I am sorry for the inconvenience.
Hi, I want to I travel with my dog to Hollyhead from Dublin, I understand that the dog should stay at all times in car or in the kennel. Can I stay with my dog in the car? Is that allowed?
Hi Raluca. Unfortunately you are not permitted to stay in your vehicle with your dog during the journey. If you wanted to check on your dog during the journey, you would have to speak to a staff member who would escort you to your vehicle to check on your dog. You would be expected to return to the main body of the ship for the rest of the journey.
Hope this helps!
Wish to travel from Fishguard to Rosslare with our 2 spaniels. Do not want to leave them in our car nor have them in a cage in a hold with fumes from vehicles, if for some unforeseen reason the ferry should sink, will the crew rescue the animals that are in the hold??????? Why can’t there be an allocated area for dogs on leads to stay with their owners, most dogs are more well behaved than children … I would welcome an in-depth answer & explanation…..
Hi Karen
Unfortunately this is not a question, we here at Ferry to Europe can answer. Policies regarding the safe storage of dogs, and what would happen in an emergency will be specific to each ferry operator. Our advice would be to contact them to get a more in-depth answer. I am sorry we cannot be of more help.
I live in Alford Lincolnshire we are thinking of going to Southern Ireland which would be the best ferry port to go from
Hi Thomas
So the best ferry port for you would be Liverpool. Travelling Liverpool to Dublin. From Alford it is 3 hours 24 minutes drive. I hope this helps.
I haven’t received an email confirmation of my booking with Irish Ferries.
Pembroke to Rossalre Tues 4th April. Bullen.
Please can you check and resend, thank you.
Hi Alan
Unfortunately we here at Ferry To Europe do not have access to booking confirmations, these come direct from the ferry operator. You will have to contact either Stena Line or Irish Ferries, depending on who you have booked with. Sorry we cannot be of more help.
Can we travel to the holland with my settlement visa if we can please let me know thank you
Hi Najaya
You will require a passport to travel on this route. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Is there a casino on board 😎
Hi Des
Unfortunately none of the Irish crossings offer casino’s onboard. Sorry to disappoint you.
Hi do we need any sort of paperwork for our dogs as I know some places do require what they call a pet passport
Hi Deborah
Yes, your dog will require a pet passport and appropriate vaccination papers fro travelling to Ireland. Please check out our Travelling with a dog – Passports and Vaccination Guide for more information. I hope this helps.
can I pay on the day I travel to Ireland and going for 2 weeks
Hi Ged
Unfortunately not. All tickets must be purchased prior to travel. I am sorry for the inconvenience.
Do caravans travel free on ferry
Hi Joyce
Unfortunately caravans do not travel free, this would incur a cost. I am sorry for the inconvenience.
You say dogs can go in on-board kennels or stay in car. Our dog would become very stressed if left on his own. Are we able to stay with him in the kennels?
Hi Suzie
You would not be able to remain with your dog in the kennels for the entire journey. At the discretion of the operator you would be able to visit them being accompanied by a member of staff. I am sorry for the inconvenience.
Do dogs require a passport to visit Ireland. ?
Hi Adrienne
Yes, your dog would require a passport and all relevant vaccinations to travel to Ireland. Please see our Travelling with a Dog – Passports and Vaccination Guide for more details. I hope this helps.
Do we need any paperwork regarding the dog if we take ie dog passport?
Hi Maureen
Yes, you will require paperwork for your dog to travel to Ireland. Your dog will need to be micro chipped, have a valid passport and have all relevant vaccination documents. Have a look at our Travelling with a Dog – Passport and Vaccination Guide for more details. I hope this helps.
We are awaiting consent to remain in Ireland. We would like to travel to UK by ferry. Would there be any problem returning to Ireland. We have passports from Canada
Hi Brandon
This is a complicated one. We would advise you contact your embassy to get clear direct.https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/entry-requirements-country.html I am sorry we cannot be of more help.
your prices say car and 4 people is there any reduction for only 2 passengers
The price for a car and 2 passengers is usually cheaper. Though the more passengers the better the value.
hi I am from Canada will be traveling from scotland to ireland is it better to purchase tickets ahead of time or day of??? thanks
Hi Tammy
All tickets from Scotland to Ireland must be purchased prior to travel. I hope this helps.
would a bus pass be ok to travel to Ireland, its the only form of photo id that I have ?.
Taking advice from Irish ferries website today they say “”Irish Ferries recommend all passengers bring a passport with them. Irish and British citizens do not strictly require a passport to travel between the two countries – some form of identification is however required. Please note that all nationalities except Irish or British require passports. Useful means of identification when travelling on these routes are: Passport, Driving Licence, European identity Card, Bank cards, Photo ID (school or college), Utility Bills or Birth Certificate.
Passengers who turn up at our ports without valid documentation may not be allowed to enter either Ireland or Britain.”
Can we take our dog across to Ireland? Would they need to stay in the car?
Yes you can take your dogs to Ireland. Your dogs can be booked into the onboard Kennels or remain in your car. They are not allowed on any of the passenger decks.
Hi, do you need a passport when travelling from Holyhead to Dublin?
StenaLine say – British or Irish citizens travelling on our Irish Sea routes do not need a passport to travel to Britain or Ireland but are advised to take a form of identity. A driving licence, citizenship card or utility bill will usually suffice. A birth certificate will provide adequate proof of identity for your child to travel on our sailings.
Irish Ferries recommend all passengers bring a passport with them. Irish and British citizens do not strictly require a passport to travel between the two countries – some form of identification is however required.
Please note that all nationalities except Irish or British require passports.