Dog friendly ferry travel, is there such a thing?

[Mazza G]

As a relatively new motorhomer and having only visited Europe once so far by Eurotunnel can I ask advice from the more experienced please?


We would like to visit Europe more in the coming years but having two dogs we would like the pet friendly routes. Eurotunnel was a doddle but we would like to save us the long journey from Calais to get further south or south east.


We live in the north east of England close to North Shields so ferries to Amsterdam is an option or willing to travel south if ferries are suitable.

Do dogs have to stay in vehicle for long periods?

Can you get them out of kennels for loo breaks?

How do “pet friendly cabins” work?

Thanks in advance for any positive advice.

 

[funflair]

I believe that the overnight ferries certainly from Hull and possibly Newcastle have kennels and yes you can go down and get your dog out but what I have seen is just a plastic grass area on the car deck, we don't have a dog so can't comment on how suitable they are but it might depend on the dog both in size and temperament.

Don't know anything about the cabins though.

Martin

 

[MikeD]

Brittany ferries view on taking a dog on board

http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/site-search?k=dog&rpp=100

 

[treetops1]

Pet friendly cabins are ok if you book a year in advance .If dogs are not use to kennels they can get quite stressed .If you go from the southern ports(Dover ect) to northern France you animals can stop in the van in surroundings they are used too . i suppose it depends on the temperament of your animals.needless to say only you know the answer to that ,once sorted you will enjoy Europe and with animals try not to do and go too far till you get to grips with it ,Have a great time ad enjoy lol.

 

[Southdowners]

I looked into the dog friendly cabins and they were booked up for months in advance. If you're lucky enough to get one I believe there are exercise areas on deck for you to take them out.

We always go via the tunnel but then we live on the south coast so its relatively easy for us. You mention the ferries to Amsterdam... won't the travel be longer from there to your destination? I'd just go via the tunnel and put my foot down to get from Calais to wherever I wanted to be.

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[Speve]

Problem with dog friendly cabins is :
(a) they are like hens teeth to get
(b) only one dog per cabin so if you have two it could be expensive.
We settle for the tunnel and meander through France but we have all the time we need for others who are only able to go for a couple of weeks it takes a lot of time out of your holiday.

 

[Mazza G]

Just for clarification to my post.

It’s at least a seven hour journey for us from Durham to Folkestone before our Eurotunnel crossing so if we could save that North Shields to Amsterdam may be worth it. But I agreee Eurotunnel is good for dogs.

We have two small dogs (Westies) don’t suppose they consider that when saying one dog one cabin???

 

[robnchris]

The Santander ferry has a dog area on deck.

 

[DBK]

We are taking the overnight ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff at the beginning of next month, which we have used before with our dog. It boards late, around 22:00 and you disembark around 07:30 UK time. The dog stays in the vehicle and ours sleeps through the night without problems. We usually wake him up when we come down to the vehicle in the morning. It isn't possible to access the vehicle during the voyage but why would you want to?
The other route we have used is Plymouth to Santander. On this route you have to put the dog in a kennel but there is an exercise deck for the dogs.

I think folk worry too much about putting their dogs in kennels on ferries. The dogs don't enjoy it but they don't suffer any long lasting harm. Of course owners know their own dogs so it is their choice. On the ferry pictured above (Pont Aven) one bloke spent the entire night in a chair on the deck with his dog. His choice, we fed ours, took him for a walk and then we retired to the bar.
Given where you live sailings from Portsmouth would be worth looking at. With two dogs they will keep each other company.

 

[treetops1]

Two dogs if kept together would be much better off ,you could ask being small dogs ,if they can go in kennels together .Bear in mind you do not have to do the home run in one go .Spend a night at Canterbury or similar, split your journey,we have many times in the past chill out have nap and away early next morning, if tramping through France you would feel fresher anyway lol. which ever way enjoy lol.

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[Garfields]

Folk take there dogs on the Newcastle ferry but I d'not now the details re cabins / kennels

 

[irnbru]

I think we paid an extra 9 euros to have the dog in kennels between ijmuden and Newcastle. We could go check on him every hour. As it turned out he was the only dog on the ferry that sailing. Our only problem was trying to get the dog to the designated area for his needs. He had real problem trying to walk the metal stair