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 my dog stay in the motorhome during the crossing?

That varies by ferry operator and route, and it is the single biggest pitfall. On the short Channel crossings it is allowed: P&O and DFDS Calais/Dunkirk-Dover (around 15 to 19 euros per animal), Stena Line Hook of Holland-Harwich (around 19 euros) and Color Line Denmark-Norway (9 euros). It is explicitly not allowed on DFDS IJmuiden-Newcastle, Brittany Ferries to Spain, TT-Line, Finnlines, Smyril Line and Go Nordic Cruiseline: there the vehicle deck is locked and your dog has to go into a kennel on board or a pet-friendly cabin. In the Eurotunnel your dog simply stays with you in the motorhome, which is what makes that route so popular with dog owners (around 25 euros per animal).

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.

Which ferry to England is cheapest with a motorhome?

On ticket price alone, Dunkirk-Dover with DFDS nearly always wins (around 100 to 260 euros one way for a motorhome up to 7 m with 2 people), followed by Calais-Dover and Dieppe-Newhaven. But factor in the drive: from Utrecht it is a good 300 km to Calais or Dunkirk, which soon costs 60 to 90 euros in diesel plus toll. Hook of Holland-Harwich with Stena (daytime sailing around 150 to 300 euros) saves you some 400 driving kilometres and is often the cheapest overall solution for the central Netherlands. IJmuiden-Newcastle (350 to 650 euros including the compulsory cabin) is the most expensive per ticket, but replaces 800 driving kilometres and a hotel night if you are heading for northern England or Scotland.

How far in advance should I book, and when is it cheapest?

Ferry prices are dynamic: the fuller the ship, the more expensive. The early-booking window of January to March usually yields 20 to 40 per cent off for the summer, and that is when Finnlines, TT-Line, DFDS and Color Line publish their motorhome packages. For space that is scarce by definition you need to be even earlier: Smyril Line to Iceland is often sold out for the summer as early as the winter, and the same goes for pet-friendly cabins and spaces for high vehicles on the Kiel-Oslo and Stockholm-Helsinki cruise ferries. Last minute is only a realistic option on high-frequency routes (Calais, Dunkirk, Algeciras, Puttgarden). Note: the cheapest early-booking fares are often neither changeable nor refundable.

Do I have to declare my gas bottles, and is it really checked?

Yes, declaring is compulsory and the checks genuinely exist. Stena Line wants you to report restricted items to the contact centre at least 24 hours before departure (72 hours on Hook of Holland-Harwich) and to declare them again at check-in. P&O asks for a declaration at the time of booking, Smyril Line and DFDS at check-in, and LeShuttle carries out a physical gas check at the terminal, so allow at least an extra hour there. If you declare nothing and it comes to light in a spot check, you can be refused without a refund and you have an insurance problem in the event of damage. Stena places the responsibility explicitly on the passenger and accepts no liability for refusal.

Ireland

Rosslare – Dunkirk

Rosslare (Europort) (IE) → Dunkirk (Loon-Plage) (FR)

Year-round

Key facts

Ferry operators

DFDS

Crossing time

23½ hrs

Frequency

up to 5x per week (±24 hrs)

Season

year-round

Price indication

€550–850 one-way high season (motorhome ≤7 m + 2 people incl. cabin; all meals included); car+4 from ±€440–550 — indication

Pets

Limited capacity: pet-friendly cabins (select when booking)

Saves ±900 driving kilometres

Via the ferry: 23½ hrs; €550–850 one-way high season (motorhome ≤7 m + 2 people incl. cabin; all meals included); car+4 from ±€440–550 — indication
Overland: 8½ hrs; ±770 km

Overland alternative: UK landbridge: Dunkirk→Calais 40 km + Eurotunnel/Dover + ±570 km GB + ferry Holyhead→Dublin + ±160 km to Rosslare

Highly relevant for NL/BE motorhomes: Dunkirk is only ±280 km from Utrecht — a direct ferry to Ireland without transiting GB (no UK ETA needed!)

Ferry or drive on? Do the maths

Departure port & check-in

On this route DFDS expressly requires you to be in the port no later than 2 hrs before departure - the strictest check-in time of any corridor on this list. DFDS warns in so many words that arriving late can mean being refused. Five sailings a week, a crossing of just under 24 hrs, and weather-dependent.

Facilities at the terminal

Fresh water

Free tap at the lifeguard station on the beach car park at Rosslare; otherwise through the campsite.
Chemical toilet

Only at St Margaret's Beach Caravan and Camping Park.
Showers

At the campsite; not in the terminal.
Fuel

Not known
Gas & LPG

Not known
Groceries

Not known

Where to spend the night before departure

Seafront car park at Rosslare (GPS 52.2728 / -6.3858)
Car park

Distance to terminal

±5 km

Price per night

free

Overnight stays allowed

Free and overnight stays allowed, ±30 places, about 15 min drive from the terminal. Toilets (locked from ±18:30, key with the lifeguards), free water tap at the lifeguard station. Major limitation: a 2.30 m height barrier at the entrance and exit, sometimes open - so unusable for most motorhomes.
St Margaret's Beach Caravan and Camping Park, Rosslare Harbour
Campsite

Distance to terminal

Not known

Price per night

Not known

Overnight stays allowed

The conventional campsite close to Rosslare Europort, with water, chemical toilet disposal and showers. The most-used option for the night before a morning sailing.

Practical tip

A crossing of almost 24 hrs, so a cabin is compulsory and included in the price; DFDS includes four meals in the buffet restaurant. Fares from ±€440 one way for a car with up to 4 people; motorhomes pay more. DFDS regularly offers 20% off for a motorhome or caravan on this route. No luggage limit.

Arrival & first stop

First motorhome stop after arrival

Car park at Rue du Petit Dena, 59279 Loon-Plage
Car park

Distance to terminal

±0.2 km

Price per night

free

Overnight: check in advance

Right next to the terminal, 30 places, 24/7 toilets in the terminal building, wifi, waste containers, lit tarmac. Perfect if you arrive in the evening or at night and do not want to press on straight away. No water or electricity.
Aire de Gravelines, Rue de la Gendarmerie
Motorhome aire

Distance to terminal

±12 km

Price per night

water €2 per 100 litres

Overnight: check in advance

A reliable service point with water and full disposal when Dunkirk has no water.
Aire de Camping-Car de Dunkerque, 6 Rue des Chantiers de France, 59140 Dunkerque
Motorhome aire

Distance to terminal

±20 km

Price per night

€8 per 24 hrs; free from November to March

Overnight: check in advance

Black and grey water disposal, but the water has been out of order for a long time; steeply sloping ground, so levelling blocks are needed.

Fuel, gas & LPG

LPG (GPL) is widely available in France; you need the French Dish adapter to fill a refillable tank.

Watch out on arrival

Back to driving on the right after an Irish holiday - the first roundabouts are a classic trap. From Loon-Plage you take the A16 towards Belgium and the Netherlands or towards Paris. The port area has almost no facilities: the first supermarket and the first petrol station are in Loon-Plage or Grande-Synthe.

Practical tip

This corridor is popular precisely because it avoids the UK: no UK ETA, no double border control, no transit problems.

Border, documents & rules

Ireland-France is an intra-EU link, but Ireland is not in Schengen: you need a valid passport or ID card and there are identity checks on boarding and disembarking. No customs clearance for the vehicle, and no UK ETA. Pets: EU pet passport. For Dutch motorhome travellers this route is often the very reason for going right around the UK.

Motorhome tips

Meals are included in the price; gas max 3 bottles / 47 kg, jerry cans prohibited; bookable through 2027 — the route is secure

Frequently asked questions

Sources:dfds.com park4night.com campercontact.com

Rosslare – Dunkirk

23½ hrs€550–850 one-way high season (motorhome ≤7 m + 2 people incl. cabin; all meals included); car+4 from ±€440–550 — indication

Rosslare – Dunkirk

Key facts

Departure port & check-in

Facilities at the terminal

Where to spend the night before departure

Seafront car park at Rosslare (GPS 52.2728 / -6.3858)

St Margaret's Beach Caravan and Camping Park, Rosslare Harbour

Arrival & first stop

First motorhome stop after arrival

Car park at Rue du Petit Dena, 59279 Loon-Plage

Aire de Gravelines, Rue de la Gendarmerie

Aire de Camping-Car de Dunkerque, 6 Rue des Chantiers de France, 59140 Dunkerque

Border, documents & rules

Motorhome tips

Frequently asked questions

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

Can my dog stay in the motorhome during the crossing?

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

Which ferry to England is cheapest with a motorhome?

How far in advance should I book, and when is it cheapest?

Do I have to declare my gas bottles, and is it really checked?

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