“When we bring our pets on holiday and they’re chilling out beside us, it really feels like the family is complete".
If you're planning your summer holiday and can't bear the thought of leaving your pet behind, travelling by sea could be the option for you.
Already known as a great travel option for those with furry friends in tow, Swedish ferry company Stena Line have upped the ante by announcing 70 new pet-friendly cabins aboard Irish Sea routes, as well as a dedicated pet lounge.
Pet cabins are now available to book on the Dublin-Holyhead, Rosslare-Fishguard and Belfast-
Liverpool routes, adding to the recent announcement of pet cabins on the Stena Vision coming into operation on the Rosslare-Cherbourg route this summer.
Stena Line Travel Commercial Manager Irish Sea, Orla Noonan said the new pet-friendly facilities
have been introduced after consulting with customers and pet experts.
“Requests for pet-friendly cabins and pet lounges are some of the most frequent we
receive from our customers", Orla revealed.
“We recognise pets are considered family members to many of our passengers and we wanted to
really enhance our customer experience and become the best choice for pet travel.
“Our new policy has been carefully considered and we sought advice from experts in pet welfare,
pet behaviour and pet health.”
Image via Instagram/Stena Line
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, once per day, 3 hours and 30 minutes) – pet cabins, kennels and in-car options
- Rosslare – Cherbourg (will be 6 days a week by summer, approx. 18 hours) – pet cabins, kennels and in-car options (in-car not recommended). If travelling Stena Vision you must book a pet cabin
- Cairnryan – Belfast (every day, up to six times per day, approx. 2 hours 15mins) – dedicated pet lounge from May
Be prepared
The ferry company consulted with vet and broadcaster Peter Wedderburn (Pete the Vet) while working to make their services more pet-friendly. Regarding traveling with a furry friend, Pete had the following advice:
“There are of course things to consider when bringing a pet on holiday and my top tip would be to
ensure you check what documentation you might require for your pet and have this ready in
advance of your trip.
“Also, when they are on the ferry or in the car they should have something to keep them
entertained such as food-stuffed toys.”
Visit the Stena Line
website for more information and to book a trip.
Header image via Stena Line
READ NEXT:
-
The 20 most popular visitor attractions in Ireland in 2022
-
REVIEW: Heathers the Musical at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre
-
Man spotted eating raw chicken drumsticks straight out of the packet
