Ferries are the unsung heroes of pet travel: they cross the water that cars cannot, they welcome dogs on deck in a way airlines stopped doing decades ago, and they turn a journey into part of the holiday. They also have wind, railings, crowds and engine noise — so a calm crossing is a prepared crossing. Here is the plan, from booking to gangway.
Book the Pet Policy, Not Just the Ticket
Every operator writes its own rules, and they vary more than you expect: some restrict dogs to vehicle decks or open-air pet areas, some allow leashed dogs in indoor lounges, some require carriers for anything small, and some charge a pet fare you must add at booking. Check before you buy, not at the gate, and note whether advance reservation is required — pet spaces on popular summer crossings sell out. Ask where the pet area is relative to the vehicle deck and the toilets, because the walk between them is your routine for the crossing.
Before Boarding: Spend the Energy First
A good ferry dog is a walked dog. Arrive early enough for a long toilet stop and a real sniffing walk near the terminal, keep the pre-sailing meal light and early — a nearly empty stomach travels better, on water even more than on roads — and pack the kit before you leave the car: water and a bowl, the mat, treats, a towel for damp decks, waste bags, and the leash already clipped. If your dog has never been on a boat, treat the first crossing as training: pick a short route, a calm-weather day, and no connections waiting at the other end.
On Board: Deck Manners That Keep Pet Areas Open
- Keep the leash short and clipped to a harness, not a collar — decks move, and so do gusts
- Cue the settle on your mat in the pet area, and reward lying down generously; the crossing is just a long café patio with better views
- Mind the wind and spray: offer water often, and give your dog a windbreak — your legs, a bench, the lee side of a wall
- Never let your dog lean on or put paws on railings, and never remove the leash on deck, however empty the ferry looks
- Walk the routine: toilets at the pet area before boarding, midway, and the moment you dock
Cats and small pets travel in secured carriers, level and shaded, with a towel over half for calm. If the crossing is long, check them at least as often as you check your own coffee, and never leave a carrier in direct sun or a hot car deck.
The Pieces That Make the Next Crossing Easier
Watch your dog, not the scenery. A loose, sniffing, treat-taking dog is having a fine time; a dog that cannot settle, pants without heat or refuses food needs a shorter crossing next time and a calmer corner of the deck. Consider a canine life vest for small boats, kayaks and non-swimmers — on a ferry it is optional, on open water it is not. And when you dock, make the arrival boring on purpose: straight to the grass, a toilet stop, water, and a walk before the car. The ferry then files itself under “nice long walk with a strange floor”, which is exactly the classification that makes the next booking easy.
The takeaway. Book the pet policy first, spend the energy before boarding, run the deck like a long café patio — short leash, settle, water, railings respected — and make both ends of the crossing boring and grassy. Do that twice and your dog will trot up the gangway like it pays for its own ticket.