Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 2

Does the gas valve have to be shut off during the crossing?

Accepted Answer

Yes, without exception. Every ferry operator requires the main valve of your gas system to be closed the moment you drive onto the ship, and to stay closed until you drive off. Color Line checks this as you board, TT-Line explicitly prohibits the use of a gas fridge on board, and Smyril Line requires all gas appliances to be switched off and the bottles to stay in the vehicle. So switch your fridge over to 12V in good time, or accept that it will be off for a few hours: a properly pre-cooled fridge will handle a crossing of 6 to 8 hours without any trouble.

Question 3

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

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 4

Can my dog stay in the motorhome during the crossing?

Accepted Answer

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).

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 6

What paperwork and treatments does my dog need for England and Ireland?

Accepted Answer

Your dog must be microchipped before the rabies vaccination, and you may only travel 21 full days after that vaccination. On top of that, a tapeworm treatment (echinococcus) administered by a vet is compulsory: a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 120 hours (5 days) before arrival in Great Britain, and the same requirement applies to Ireland. The vet has to sign that off in your EU pet passport, which is accepted without question on entry to the UK. Schedule that worming treatment tightly into your itinerary: too early is just as wrong as too late, and the ferry operator is entitled to refuse your dog at check-in.

Villa San Giovanni – Messina (Sicily)

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