Travelling by Boat with your Dog

Living on the Isle of Wight, we are frequent travellers on the Wightlink ferry to get us to the mainland, so a lot of the following tips will be based on their awesome services (what can we say, we love them). However, they can easily be applied to other ferry/boat services. Whether it’s a 40 minute journey from Yarmouth (IOW) to Lymington on the car ferry, or a shorter 22 minute trip from Ryde (IOW) to Portsmouth using the foot passenger ferry, we’ve come up with some top tips to help you and your doggo out on any boat journey.

Pet-specific Areas

What’s great about the Wightlink ferry is that they have designated pet areas! I’m sure we can all understand that not everyone is a lover of animals, might be allergic, or even afraid of them. This is why there are dedicated pet areas so we can relax with our doggos. Oscar and Henry love these areas, especially as they can make new friends! They typically sit on the floor or on our laps (they love to snuggle) whilst we enjoy a coffee from the café onboard. Dog-friendly areas aren’t just for dog owners… You’ll also find dog lovers in there. Believe us, the boys get a lot of attention!

Staying In The Car

If you’re bringing your car and if your doggo is really nervous, you are welcome to leave them in the vehicle. However, once you’ve made your decision there’s no…