While the big post-pandemic uptick in air travel has gotten a lot of attention, it appears that long-distance ferries are also enjoying a renaissance, and the ferries that link EU-member Ireland to the continent are particularly busy.
Stena, one of the big operators, has just added a new ferry, Stena Vision, to its operations between Rosslare and ports in France and Spain. It’s a 1300-passenger ship with 485 cabins and a ‘Pure Nordic’ spa. 45 of its cabins are ‘pet-friendly,’ an important aspect of the revival.
Brittany Ferries, the other big operator, reported that they carried 75,000 pets last year, up almost 114%, and their pet-friendly cabins are already 60% booked for the year. While ferries are much slower, and less appealing to the quick-city-break trade, for families taking longer trips with their pets and with a car, they are an attractive option.
