Has anyone ever used the ferry from Ijmuiden to Newcastle, or a similar route over the open North Sea (ie not the channel) with a dog onboard?
How did it go and would you use it again to get pets back and fore?
I'm not sure its a great idea! I've used it only a handful of times and had a couple of good crossings over the years and a couple of pukey ones! Flying is getting very pricey but the stress will be over within a day, and Chunnel will add 7+ hours drive time (plus a couple of overnight stops) so not keen on that.
If you've used this route I'd love to know how the whole Customs-animal arrival process went, and how comfortable the dog seemed with the ferry and any handlers. I've got family on the Holland side so no worries there with Vet cert etc and my Vet here has everything ready to go for DEFRA.
I've never done it but my concern would be if it's like the cross-channel ferries where the dog has to stay in the car throughout and you're not allowed on the car deck while at sea, it's an awfully long time for a dog to go without a walk/water etc and stuck in a car at that.
It should be ok - they're cared for in proper staffed kennels since its a 16 hour journey, and you can visit and take them out for a walk above deck (weather permitting!), but I don't know how good or bad it all works in practice.
Anybody care to explain why this thread about my pet dog has been moved out of pet corner? It would seem a logical place for anyone who is looking for advice on PETS to go to PET CORNER first if a search doesn't bring up much, no? Did I miss something? Other folks with questions on transporting dogs have their threads in pet corner - why is this one any different?!
Not dogs and not that route, but I did Holland to Hull with a cat and was impressed by the quality of the accommodation for the animals. The pens were roomy and clean so i wouldn't worry too much unless its a huge dog.
It is a long time for a dog not to be petted and fussed but should be ok I'd have thought
Thanks. Good to hear that. Its still an option to go this route and I'm glad it seems to be ok on the route you've used which is similar to the one we're looking at. One of us will be with him so he should be happy enough. He is a big dog, but they wouldn't take him if they didn't have a kennel suitable. I'm a bit worried about the sea though...if we go for this route I hope its in a good mood that night!
Personally I just wouldn't do it- because there is a chance that it will be a rough crossing. I can't imagine a dog left for that long either in the car or in a holding pen - with the boat rolling and all the noises of creaking and clucking chains. Bad enough on a short crossing- but for such a long crossing unthinkable for us. We always take the Tunnel if we have the dog with us and stop overnight. Or leave the dog behind in kennels or with a sitter.
Thanks Odile, yes this is what I'm really worried about. But it would shorten the route considerably (at the moment its 2 flights, a lot of stress and a possible overnight in the airport kennel and a frightening cost, not to mention a long time cooped in his travel kennel).
I'm just afraid to put him in that situation, although, apparently the kennels are a quiet secure area and it is a large liner we'd be using so shouldn't be as bad as one particular ferry I remember (one of the Superfast fleet, dear God, everyone including the crew were vomiting and hanging on to the rails in the corridors to stay upright). I've yet to be convinced about it all....flying seems safer.
I thought about the chunnel but for this trip he's going to have another 650 miles to drive once we're off the train. Estimates are 10 hours non-stop (in good weather!) for that journey but obviously we'd be stopping for walkies, lunch and chillouts, which we'd anticipate lots of. Most likely we'd need to have an overnight somewhere. He'd already have had an overnight in France too, so this might all be too long for him. He's only young.
I think we may just have to go for the flights but the connections are a bit rubbish. Shall wait and see what news we get from the travel folk.
The boats are so much bigger on these crossings that you hardly notice the boat moving. We've been on some really rough crossing on the Hull/Rotterdam or Hull/Zeebrugge ferries and it really wasn't a problem. It's much worse on the shorter crossings with the smaller boats even when the sea's only a little bit rough.
We've never taken a dog on any of these crossings but we have friends who do it all the time and they think it's brilliant. The dogs are very well looked after.
I can only speak for the Hull routes though as I've never used the other route.
Thanks Belgianmum- that sounds more promising. The Eco warrior in me is saying its good to use the ferry, the overprotective dog-mama in me is very wary though! My bank account thinks the ferry is a great option. My gut instinct hasn't a clue anymore!
A few days ago I took the ferry ( Stena ) from Dublin to Holyhead, and Harwich to Esbjerg, DK ( where I am now ) as a sail n rail foot passenger. There were about 20 other foot passengers with their pet dogs, most if not all behaved rather well onboard as well as later on on land / train. The ferry was the large type, and given the poor weather conditions, it was a smooth sail throughout and did not appear to adversely affect the critters.
I moved the thread of the Off Topic area, where non CH threads are placed, and still visible based on a simple keyword search.
Stena has a page on travelling with pets that you might want to look up:
We are doing the Amsterdam - Newcastle crossing with our dog tomorrow evening, she usually travels well but we obviously share your concerns. I will post again on the 23rd to let you know how it went.
Great! Thanks for that, yes we'd seen similar tips, but always good to see. Glad to hear about the crossing being good even in rough seas. Food for thought. I shall go and have a good think about this now. If we did it like those other folks then he'll regard it as simply a day out if we do the day route, or just sleep through the whole thing if we do the night time.
Also in the pet travel terms and conditions for dfds it says you can visit your animal on the car deck / kennels at Pre arranged times during the voyage (obviously conditions permitting) you just have to report to information desk when you board to find out the times. Fingers crossed for an easy crossing!
Thanks for the suggestion, but getting myself from Zug to where I need to go is not a problem. I've got flights sorted. Easy enough for humans. I will get him there somehow, but I want the most comfortable option for him that doesn't cost thousands and thousands.
I sent you a msg a couple of days ago asking about the trip you took with your dog on DFDS from Amsterdam to Newcastle but I don't know if you received it...
As I am planning a road trip with my 2 dogs and would really like to take this ferry across I would really value your experience with them. I am very concerned about the well-being of my dogs and would like to know how was the kennel area like (noise, clean, safe, confy etc) plus if you were allowed to walk them to stretch and go to the toilet. And lastly if there is staff there checking on them during the trip...
Hope you get this msg and find the time to reply to me as I need to start booking my trip and would love to have this info in order to proceed.
DFDS ferry Ijmuiden to Newcastle.. I'm reading on their website that dog has to be secured in the vehicle unless you pay extra for some sort of kennel for them. No mention of any care for them, surely I''m missing something here. Pay extra or not they can't expect dog to be left in car or in kennel for 15 hours or whatever, do they?
Who's done it? I'm guessing maybe pay no extra (it still costs 20eur for it to be in the boot) means that you can go walk/feed the dog.. Pay extra and somebody else does it?
As said, I would never ever put any dog of mine through this ordeal.
I'd much prefer to put dog in kennel for the duration of the holiday- or for a permanent move take the Tunnel and do the journey in 3 days with 2 overnight stops. No experience of this particular ferry run, but certainly on the Calais-Dover ferry you are not allowed under any circumstances to go and check on the dog for the crossing.
I'm trying to work out if it is an ordeal though? Of course it is if they are stuck in the car in their own poop but maybe not so bad if they can get out for a wander.
We're heading to Glasgow, the tunnel is not much good for us. If want a week in Glasgow we'd need 3 days travelling each way on top. So it's kennel here, dog sitter here or the ferry to NooCastle.