Northern Ireland & Republic of Ireland holiday July-Aug 2022

[Minxy]

As there's no 'Ireland' sub-forum I've stuck it in here!

As a fall back plan if we can't get any FT tickets to go to mainland Europe (which seems highly likely), we're seriously considering going to NI/Ireland instead as we've been meaning to go back again for a good few years, we intended to do it last year but my Mum put paid to that (don't ask!).

I believe that:

• NI and RoI aren't in Schengen so no issues with any time spent there counting against our Schengen allowance should we wish to use it later in the year.
• No worming is required for going to or returning from NI or RoI as they aren't 'enforcing' any of the pet travel rules at present (we already have EU pet passports anyway).
• Due to not enforcing the rules sausage smuggling isn't necessarily a crime!

Our situation:

• We already have travel insurance and European breakdown so they're covered.
• We will go via Cairnryan to either Belfast or Larne, ie NI (good old Tesco exchange vouchers).
• We are seriously considering putting our doggies in Lily's pet stroller and 'disguising' it so we can take it up with us into a quiet area (won't travel at busy times) so we don't have to leave them in the MH and risk them being scared silly as Lily was many years ago.
• We'll wild camp, use MH parking etc, so don't intend to book any sites (yes I know about height barriers being installed in some places).

Have I misunderstood or missed anything that I need to think about?

 

[Gina M]

What are you going to disguise the pet stroller as

Gina

 

[ontheroadagain]

No worming is currently required for entry into NI as checks have been suspended. If you are driving from NI into ROI it is very unlikely that there will be any checks.
If you are sailing with Stena into Belfast they will allow small dogs to be brought into the passenger areas, but they must remain in a travel crate at all times. You also need to add this (no cost) option at time of booking.

 

[The Coops]

Came back two weeks ago via Cairnryan/Belfast with the dog. Check on the
way out was a play with the nice lady on customs. No check at Belfast, drove upto Co Donegal to vets appointment E45 for passport and E30 for the rabies as new passports have tamper proof seal's over batch number of vaccine. The vet asked if I was going back via Dublin as I would have to wait 5 days, if going back via Belfast no checks.Back to Belfast for the 11.30 sailing and home for tea. The rabies is valid 3 years and can be done in any E U state. No cross border checks at all so you will be fine. As for taking on board better check before booking as I had to leave mine in the car or a noisy kennel on the freight deck. There is an Irish app for camperstops which can be invaluable.
Hope this helps with your enquiry

 

[Paulypaul]

We went out and came back Cairnryan-Befast return in May. No checks whatsoever. No worming for the dog required, no AHC, no food restrictions for us and if you have a collapsible dog crate you are allowed to take the dog on-board with you, on Stenaline.

We have family in Eire so we were back and forth Eire, NI, Eire etc etc and had no issues whatsoever.

It's a no brainer for us to keep going back but be warned, some of the more favourable tourist locations on the wild atlantic way have started putting the height barriers up until September.

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[grumps147]

Be aware it’s marching season, take local advice on routes/visits.

 

[Minxy]

We've been looking at routes and are thinking of going with P&O from Cairnryan (Scotland) to Larne (NI) and then returning with Irish Ferries from Dublin (RoI) to Holyhead (Wales) as the bit between Dublin and Cairnryan doesn't have much to offer that we haven't seen before and will save a long drive 'up' Ireland/NI to then drive back down again in the UK for the sake of it. Bonus is that we can use a load of Tesco vouchers to pay for our Irish Ferries crossing as there are no limits on how much you can pay for with them, whereas P&O and Stena restrict it to £105 per crossing, as we've got loads of Tesco vouchers we'll still have loads to spare afterwards.

 

[PaulOH]

the bit between Dublin and Cairnryan doesn't have much to offer that we haven't seen before and will save a long drive 'up' Ireland/NI

I'm sure you have seen much of the below before but there is a plethora of stuff in that neck of the woods! I remember being forced to stop in an area that 'had nothing to offer' and was amazed at what was there! On the way up from Dublin, must sees are Clontarf Castle, Howth head, Portmarnock strand, Malahide for a posh lunch, Swords Castle, donabate and Skerries beaches, Laytown Strand, Drogheda town rail bridge (foundations are made of cotton wool), Newgrange, Castlebellingham, Navan Fort, Carlingford peninsula, Newry town for the stock up, Warrenpoint and Tyrella Beach, Newcastle, Dundrum, Castlewellan forest park, Downpatrick (not to be missed), Strangford-Portaferry ferry (could be tough or prevented with some MHs - if you get across - the Ards Peninsula) Saintfield factory shop (tweeds and knits), up to Belfast - visit opportunites too great to list - then out the road toward Larne but not without doing the tour of the murals in Belfast and also Carrickfergus Castle. There is loads!!!! Sorry- local knowledge...

 

[Minxy]

I'm sure you have seen much of the below before but there is a plethora of stuff in that neck of the woods! I remember being forced to stop in an area that 'had nothing to offer' and was amazed at what was there! On the way up from Dublin, must sees are Clontarf Castle, Howth head, Portmarnock strand, Malahide for a posh lunch, Swords Castle, donabate and Skerries beaches, Laytown Strand, Drogheda town rail bridge (foundations are made of cotton wool), Newgrange, Castlebellingham, Navan Fort, Carlingford peninsula, Newry town for the stock up, Warrenpoint and Tyrella Beach, Newcastle, Dundrum, Castlewellan forest park, Downpatrick (not to be missed), Strangford-Portaferry ferry (could be tough or prevented with some MHs - if you get across - the Ards Peninsula) Saintfield factory shop (tweeds and knits), up to Belfast - visit opportunites too great to list - then out the road toward Larne but not without doing the tour of the murals in Belfast and also Carrickfergus Castle. There is loads!!!! Sorry- local knowledge...

You forgot the Spade Mill! Thanks for the info but we've done a load of it as we've been to Ireland 3 times now ... Newgrange was awesome and I still remember it to this day along with the other 2 sites, a must visit for anyone going that way.

 

[Paulypaul]

We went out Cairnryan to Belfast and return. 7.5m with 2 adults and a dog. Travelled Tuesday's as it was cheaper than Fri-Mon and with booking through the C&MC club members offer, it was £268 return. Result I reckon.

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[Minxy]

We went out Cairnryan to Belfast and return. 7.5m with 2 adults and a dog. Travelled Tuesday's as it was cheaper than Fri-Mon and with booking through the C&MC club members offer, it was £268 return. Result I reckon.

You went with P&O I assume as they are heavily discounting to get their customers back after the staffing fiasco, so Tues-Thurs MHs are the same price as a car which starts at £150 each way for us so £300 return.

You got a good deal but of course you have to include the cost of joining the C&MC which is £56 minimum too so that makes it £268+£56=£324, I appreciate you get other benefits with them but it's something which we're not interested in doing and of course you can't use Tesco vouchers either. If I did the same route as you at £300 return I could offset £210 of that with Tesco P&O vouchers which would cost £70 in face value Tesco vouchers so £70+£90=£160 return.

 

[Paulypaul]

No it was Stenaline. We only joined the C&MC to get the breakdown recovery for vans over 3.5t, but, with the stena discount and the discount for 2 x gel batteries with tayna batteries, we've paid for membership already.

We plan to go back later in the year so we'll benefit from more discount. BTW, we don't use C&MC sites, it was purely to qualify for the breakdown cover.

 

[Minxy]

No it was Stenaline. We only joined the C&MC to get the breakdown recovery for vans over 3.5t, but, with the stena discount and the discount for 2 x gel batteries with tayna batteries, we've paid for membership already.

We plan to go back later in the year so we'll benefit from more discount. BTW, we don't use C&MC sites, it was purely to qualify for the breakdown cover.

That's interesting as the cheapest Stena can do is £168 each way = £336. When did you go?

 

[Paulypaul]

May

 

[Minxy]

May

That might be why yours was cheaper, I'm looking at 2nd week in July to 4th week in August.

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[Paulypaul]

That's certainly why it's more expensive, shame though cause the boats are nice. Do P&O allow pets on deck?

 

[Minxy]

Afraid not.

 

[Paulypaul]

I think on that premis alone I would always choose Stena over P&O. Have a good trip no matter how you get over.

 

[Minxy]

I think on that premis alone I would always choose Stena over P&O. Have a good trip no matter how you get over.

If I was travelling at a busy time then that might be the case for us but for the time we're planning on crossing (silly-o'clock) I can't see anyone objecting to us taking them up in their buggy - we've done it previously with travel cases and never had any issues.

Stena - Travelling with your pet on Cairnryan - Belfast

By car

Kennels can be pre-booked at no extra charge or if you prefer, your pet can remain in the vehicle for the duration of the crossing. You can pre-book a kennel on the "Stena Plus & Onboard Extras" step of the booking process. Small pets are permitted onboard if they are secured for the duration of the crossing in a pet traveller case (max. size: 80cm x 52cm x 52cm, pets cannot be taken out of the container anywhere onboard including the outer decks) but must be pre-booked prior to travelling as a limited number of carrier cases are allowed onboard each sailing. Passengers may be required to place the pet traveller case on the car deck in the dedicated kennel area if the animals are not secured in the case at all times during the crossing.

 

[Paulypaul]

Our booking just stated that we had a dog in the car. However, on the way out we saw someone with a big dog in a large foldable crate. We had a chat with him and decided we'd get a crate while we were away and take our dog on board with us on the return leg.

We did just that and even asked a purser if it was OK? and he said it was perfectly OK and that we could go anywhere on-board that we liked. Next time we will stipulate on the booking that we'll be using a crate on deck.

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[garry63]

What is an ft ticket?

 

[garry63]

I'm going to Spain in mh soon do I need anything other than usual passport insurance ect?

 

[Minxy]

What is an ft ticket?

Euro Tunnel Frequent Traveller ticket - you had to buy a minimum of 10 single car crossings (around £48 each) then pay a supplement for a MH (around £12 last time I think), then you had to pay more if you wanted to travel at peak times going out, ie before 4.00 pm and coming back after 4.00 pm, or something like that.

Unfortunately they suspended selling them when Covid was around and haven't brought them back.

 

[Minxy]

I'm going to Spain in mh soon do I need anything other than usual passport insurance ect?

You'd be better off starting a new thread with that as the title to get more specific responses.

 

[garry63]

Cheers

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[Northernraider]

You went with P&O I assume as they are heavily discounting to get their customers back after the staffing fiasco, so Tues-Thurs MHs are the same price as a car which starts at £150 each way for us so £300 return.

You got a good deal but of course you have to include the cost of joining the C&MC which is £56 minimum too so that makes it £268+£56=£324, I appreciate you get other benefits with them but it's something which we're not interested in doing and of course you can't use Tesco vouchers either. If I did the same route as you at £300 return I could offset £210 of that with Tesco P&O vouchers which would cost £70 in face value Tesco vouchers so £70+£90=£160 return.

I got a quote for me and the 3 dogs in 8.5 metre motorhome £139 from cairnryan to larne. £200 from Liverpool to dublin

No vouchers etc

But thats 15th September

 

[Minxy]

I think on that premis alone I would always choose Stena over P&O. Have a good trip no matter how you get over.

Just had a look at Stena crossing costs when using Tesco vouchers and they are NOT the economy fares, you have to use the 'special' Tesco prices which are pretty much the same as the Flexi tickets so a lot more expensive, eg the Economy ticket is £161 and the Flexi is £177 but the Tesco special one is £201, exactly the same time/date/ferry ... that's £40/£24 more! You've got to ask the question wjhy it is more expensive to use the Tesco ones!

 

[Smudger55]

Early days but we are thinking of trip to Southern Ireland in September with view of sailing from Fishguard. We hear from people we have talked to last few days that checks for passports especially dogs is not really done. Of course we would take ours but is it fairly relaxed for dogs.

I will look at dog travel on this ferry but from Devon seems best option, anyone think otherwise?

Any suggestions regarding route planning/ sightseeing. Plan on 2 weeks but could go into 3. Think we would stay with facility sites.

Welcome any thoughts/suggestions. Cheers Smudger55

 

[Paulypaul]

Checkout an app called "Motorhome Parking Ireland". That along with "Search for Sites" and you'll be pretty well sorted.

Be mindful of emptying your bins at every opportunity cause Eire don't have litter bins. Everyone has to pay for their rubbish to be taken away so on the rare occasion you see a bin, use it.

 

[Pappy]

Going to Belfast on 8th July (although may delay slightly). My intention was to go straight to Malin Head, picking up a pet passport on the way, then picking up the Wild Atlantic Way. Julie is suggesting we should spend some time exploring Northern Ireland. Would appreciate thoughts.

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