How many gas bottles am I allowed to carry on the ferry?

The rule of thumb on virtually every North Sea, Channel and Irish Sea route is: a maximum of 3 bottles with a combined weight of up to 47 kg. That is literally how Stena Line, Brittany Ferries, DFDS, Irish Ferries and Smyril Line word it. P&O Ferries differs: on the North Sea and Channel routes only the 47 kg of gas per vehicle limit applies, but on the Irish Sea routes it is a maximum of 3 bottles of no more than 11.2 kg each. LeShuttle (Eurotunnel) applies 47 kg per bottle or tank, which must also be filled to less than 80%. Two standard 11 kg bottles therefore stay comfortably within the margin everywhere.

Can I travel with an LPG system or a fixed gas tank?

Draw a distinction between gas as a fuel and gas for cooking and heating. LeShuttle (Eurotunnel) carries no vehicle that runs on LPG, not even as a second fuel; other dual-fuel combinations such as petrol-electric are fine. On the ferry it is different: Irish Ferries and Brittany Ferries carry LPG, LNG and CNG-powered vehicles without any fuss, provided it is a factory-fitted system and the valve is shut off. A refillable gas tank or refillable bottle (Gaslow, Alugas, Safefill) counts as domestic gas and may also go through the tunnel: up to 47 kg, filled to less than 80%, and you must be able to demonstrate that at the gas check.

How do I book a pet-friendly cabin, and why do they sell out so fast?

Ships only have a handful of them: Irish Ferries has 5 pet-friendly cabins on the James Joyce (Dublin-Holyhead), P&O has 6 dog cabins per ship on Hull-Rotterdam, and Brittany Ferries has a limited number on the Spain ships Galicia, Salamanca and Santona. You select them while booking, but for DFDS IJmuiden-Newcastle you even have to phone. For summer sailings and the Spain and Ireland routes they are often gone months in advance, so book the cabin before you plan the rest of your trip. Budget around 35 to 50 euros or pounds per animal each way, on top of the cabin fare.

How do the height and length classes work, and what will I pay as a motorhome?

Ferry operators price on length and height, not on weight. Stena Line uses a separate motorhome or campervan category up to 12 m long, 4 m high and 2.6 m wide, provided your vehicle is genuinely registered as a motorhome; cars sit in classes up to 2 m or up to 3 m high. Irish Ferries works with three motorhome classes: up to 2.25 m high and shorter than 8 m, higher than 2.25 m and shorter than 8 m, and 8 to 12 m (at which point height no longer matters). With LeShuttle anything over 1.85 m automatically falls into the more expensive single-deck carriage, and on most Channel ferries the surcharge also starts at around 1.85 m. A motorhome that is 7 m long and 3 m high therefore quickly costs two to three times a car fare.

Can I carry a jerrycan of diesel or petrol?

The rules vary widely here, so check per ferry operator. Stena Line allows a maximum of 5 litres in an approved plastic or metal jerrycan free of wear or leaks. DFDS bans jerrycans entirely, full or empty, and P&O allows no fuel containers at all. Irish Ferries prohibits spare cans in passenger vehicles. TT-Line, by contrast, is generous: up to 60 litres of spare fuel per vehicle. So count on having to set off with a full tank on the Channel and Ireland routes.

What happens if I declare dimensions that are too small?

Then you get measured at check-in and pay the difference, or you do not travel. Color Line states in so many words that an incorrect declaration can lead to refusal of carriage plus an additional charge at check-in, and Irish Ferries warns that incorrectly declared vehicles may be refused for lack of space. On a sold-out summer sailing there is simply no room left for a longer vehicle, and in a separate motorhome lane an oversized motorhome stands out immediately. What is more, paying the difference on the spot is always at the most expensive rate. So measure in road-ready trim, including bikes and roof box, and round up.

Ireland

Cherbourg – Dublin

Cherbourg (FR) → Dublin (IE)

Year-round
Overnight ferry

Key facts

Ferry operators

Irish Ferries

Crossing time

19 hrs

Frequency

up to ±6x per week (18–19.5 hrs, usually an overnight crossing)

Season

year-round

Price indication

€500–900 one-way high season (motorhome ≤7 m + 2 people incl. cabin) — indication

Pets

Kennels (reserve in advance, max 5 animals per booking); on the second regular ship (Isle of Inisheer) 4-person pet-friendly cabins with private bathroom; not in the vehicle

Saves ±1,000 driving kilometres

Via the ferry: 19 hrs; €500–900 one-way high season (motorhome ≤7 m + 2 people incl. cabin) — indication
Overland: 11 hrs; ±1,030 km

Overland alternative: UK landbridge: Cherbourg→Calais ±460 km + Eurotunnel/Dover + ±570 km through GB + ferry Holyhead→Dublin (3.5 hrs)

Direct France→Ireland without transiting GB: no double customs/ETA, ±1,000 fewer driving kilometres; costs comparable with the landbridge (tunnel + Irish Sea together ±€500–970 high season)

Ferry or drive on? Do the maths

Departure port & check-in

On the Ireland-France routes Irish Ferries applies: cars, vans and motorhomes through check-in no later than 1 hr before departure; motorcycles 1 hr 30; foot passengers and cyclists 1 hr; with a pet 2 hrs. Because this is a long crossing with few sailings, 2 hrs is recommended in high season.

Facilities at the terminal

Fresh water

Free drinking water at the aire de la Cité de la Mer.
Chemical toilet

Free disposal at the same aire.
Showers

No showers at the aire; there are showers at Camping Les Cottages de Collignon.
Fuel

Petrol stations in central Cherbourg and along the N13.
Gas & LPG

Not known
Groceries

Supermarkets in the centre of Cherbourg, a short cycle from the aire.

Where to spend the night before departure

Aire de la Cité de la Mer, Allée du Président Menut, Cherbourg-en-Cotentin
Motorhome aire

Distance to terminal

±1 km

Price per night

free

Overnight stays allowed

24 marked places on tarmac with free water and waste disposal, close to the La Cité de la Mer museum and the town centre. Motorhome owners consistently report two problems: the places get taken by ordinary cars and long-stay parkers, and there is ferry noise. Often full in high season. Water pressure is sometimes weak.
Camping Cotentin - Les Cottages de Collignon, Cherbourg-en-Cotentin
Campsite

Distance to terminal

±5 km

Price per night

Not known

Overnight stays allowed

A conventional campsite with motorhome pitches on the coast at Collignon, a quieter alternative to the aire.
Pointe de Querqueville
Car park

Distance to terminal

±8 km

Price per night

free

Overnight stays allowed

Well-known free seafront stationnement west of Cherbourg; no facilities.

Practical tip

The Cherbourg-Dublin crossing takes roughly 18 to 19 hrs; a cabin is all but indispensable. The vehicle deck is closed while under way. Turn off the gas and shut the bottles.

Arrival & first stop

First motorhome stop after arrival

Apcoa car park at Dublin Port (next to the terminal)
Car park

Distance to terminal

±0 km

Price per night

€2 per hour, €9 per day, €50 per week

Overnight: check in advance

Short- and long-stay parking outside and beside the terminal building, payment via the Apcoa app or a QR code. Clamping is enforced actively. Not a motorhome aire and not intended for overnight stays.

Fuel, gas & LPG

LPG availability in Ireland is very limited; expect to have to work with bottles (Irish Calor Kosangas bottles, which cannot be exchanged for Dutch ones). Fill up in France beforehand.

Watch out on arrival

Alexandra Road is closed to port traffic until autumn 2026 - everything runs via Promenade Road. Drive on the left. The M50 around Dublin has a barrier-free toll bridge (eFlow): you have to pay it yourself afterwards, or the fines mount up. The port area is ±3 km from the centre and connects to the Dublin Port Tunnel for the M1 and M50 - check the tunnel's height limit for tall motorhomes.

Practical tip

If you want to leave Dublin straight away, the Port Tunnel is the fastest route to the M1 (north) and M50 (west and south). Ireland has hardly any aires; count on campsites.

Border, documents & rules

Ireland is an EU member state but not part of Schengen: you need a valid passport or Dutch identity card and there are identity checks, but no customs clearance for your motorhome. No UK ETA is needed, since you do not travel through the UK. Pets travel on an EU pet passport; Ireland imposes additional requirements (tapeworm treatment) - declare them in advance.

Motorhome tips

The W.B. Yeats is a full-blown cruise ferry; from NL, Cherbourg is ±770 km of driving; gas max 3 bottles / 47 kg, LPG propulsion allowed provided it is turned off

Frequently asked questions

Sources:directferries.com irishferries.com help.irishferries.com campingcar-infos.com encotentin.fr

Cherbourg – Dublin

19 hrs€500–900 one-way high season (motorhome ≤7 m + 2 people incl. cabin) — indication

Cherbourg – Dublin

Key facts

Departure port & check-in

Facilities at the terminal

Where to spend the night before departure

Aire de la Cité de la Mer, Allée du Président Menut, Cherbourg-en-Cotentin

Camping Cotentin - Les Cottages de Collignon, Cherbourg-en-Cotentin

Pointe de Querqueville

Arrival & first stop

First motorhome stop after arrival

Apcoa car park at Dublin Port (next to the terminal)

Border, documents & rules

Motorhome tips

Frequently asked questions

How many gas bottles am I allowed to carry on the ferry?

Can I travel with an LPG system or a fixed gas tank?

How do I book a pet-friendly cabin, and why do they sell out so fast?

How do the height and length classes work, and what will I pay as a motorhome?

Can I carry a jerrycan of diesel or petrol?

What happens if I declare dimensions that are too small?

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