For pet owners who need to cross water in Europe, the ferry is often the overlooked option. Everyone defaults to thinking about flights first. But ferries — particularly for dog owners with medium or large dogs who can't fly in the cabin, or brachycephalic breeds who shouldn't fly in the hold — are frequently the most practical, most affordable, and most welfare-friendly option available.
Your pet stays with you or in a cabin you share. There are no breed restrictions. There are no cargo embargoes in summer heat. There's no IATA crate required. And for routes like the Hook of Holland crossing or the Atlantic routes into northern Spain, the ferry connects you to a road network that gets you all the way to your destination without any airport complexity at all.
This guide covers the major ferry routes for pet owners in Europe — with specific detail on routes relevant to travellers from the Netherlands and Germany — including operator policies, cabin options, documentation requirements, booking tips, and how to manage the crossing itself.
Combining ferry with ground transport? Many pet owners ferry across a sea crossing and then use a courier or van service for the overland leg. For ground transport options: Pet Transport Services Explained: Couriers, Vans & Ground Travel. For documentation for the full journey: Pet Travel Documentation and Regulations.
Before getting into specifics, it's worth addressing why ferries deserve more serious consideration than they typically get.
No breed restrictions. Ferries accept all breeds of dogs and cats. There is no equivalent of the brachycephalic breed ban that exists in airline cargo holds. A French Bulldog, an English Bulldog, a Pug — all welcome, in your vehicle or in a ship kennel. Do note that some countries have a ban on certain dog breeds, more commonly known as dangerous dogs but can also be referred to as list dogs (or Listenhunde in German), fighting dogs (Kampfhunde), or potentially dangerous dogs (perros potencialmente peligrosos or PPP in Spain).
No size restrictions. A Great Dane in your car faces no restrictions that a Chihuahua doesn't. Size doesn't change your booking category.
No IATA crate required. Your pet travels in their normal carrier or in your car.
The documentation is simpler for many routes. For intra-EU crossings with an EU Pet Passport, the documentation requirements are identical to any other EU-to-EU pet movement. No separate ferry-specific paperwork.
The trade-off: Ferries are slower. A ferry crossing that takes 12–24 hours is significantly longer than a 2-hour flight. For long crossings, this is a real consideration — particularly for cats who may find an extended period in a confined space on a moving vessel more stressful than the crossing duration alone might suggest.
| Factor | Ferry | Flight (Cabin) | Flight (Cargo) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All breeds/sizes accepted | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Size limits | ⚠️ Breed restrictions |
| Pet stays with/near owner | ✅ Usually | ✅ In cabin | ❌ No |
| Speed | ❌ Slow (hours–overnight) | ✅ Fast | ✅ Fast |
| No carrier weight limit | ✅ Yes | ❌ 8–10kg combined | ❌ IATA crate required |
| No breed restrictions | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Varies | ❌ Brachycephalic restrictions |
| No summer embargoes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Cabin | ❌ Cargo hold embargoes |
| Stress level (typical) | Low–moderate | Low–moderate | Moderate–high |
| Budget carriers available | N/A | ❌ Budget carriers don't take pets | N/A |
| Documentation | Standard EU/AHC rules | Standard EU/AHC rules | Standard EU/AHC rules |
For most medium and large dogs, brachycephalic breeds, and multi-pet households, the ferry comparison above is compelling. For small pets in the cabin on short direct flights, flying may genuinely be faster and simpler. The choice depends on your specific pet, route, and priorities.
This is the most directly relevant ferry route for pet owners based in the Netherlands or travelling from Germany via the Netherlands to the UK.
Operator: Stena Line
Route: Hook of Holland (Hoek van Holland) — Harwich, England
Crossing time: Approximately 6.5 hours (daytime) or 8 hours (overnight)
Frequency: Two crossings daily
Pet policy:
Stena Line accepts pets on this route. Pets can travel in one of three ways:
Booking: Pet spaces — particularly kennel spaces and pet-friendly cabins — have limited availability. Book as early as possible. The option to declare a pet appears during the online booking process; always confirm by phone after booking.
Documentation for UK entry via Hook of Holland:
Practical tip for Dutch/German travellers using this route: The tapeworm treatment timing is the most logistically demanding part. Your treatment window (24–120 hours before UK arrival) must be coordinated with a vet appointment and the ferry crossing schedule. If you're taking the overnight crossing and arriving at Harwich in the morning, your vet appointment for the tapeworm treatment must happen 1–5 days before departure from Hook of Holland.
Operator: P&O Ferries
Route: Rotterdam (Europoort terminal) — Hull, England
Crossing time: Approximately 12–13 hours (overnight service)
Frequency: Daily overnight crossings
Pet policy:
P&O accepts pets on the Rotterdam–Hull route. Pets travel in your vehicle or in designated kennels on board. P&O's overnight ferries on this route have dedicated kennel facilities where you can house your pet in individual kennels for the crossing. Pet-friendly cabins (where your pet stays in the cabin with you) are available on this route — one of the more generous overnight pet policies in European ferry travel.
Booking: Declare your pet during the online booking process. Pet cabin availability is limited — book early, particularly for summer crossings. Confirm the booking with P&O by phone.
Documentation: The same UK entry requirements apply as for the Stena Line Hook of Holland route. Tapeworm treatment timing relative to arrival in Hull must be planned carefully.
Practical note for German travellers: The Rotterdam Europoort terminal is approximately 2.5–3 hours' drive from most major German cities (Frankfurt: ~4 hours, Hamburg: ~3.5 hours, Munich: ~6.5 hours). For German pet owners travelling to the UK, this route combined with a drive through the Netherlands is a straightforward alternative to flying. Pet owners from Hamburg may find it more practical to use a North Sea crossing from Cuxhaven or a Scandinavian route depending on their final destination.
Operator: DFDS
Route: Newcastle, England — Amsterdam (IJmuiden terminal)
Crossing time: Approximately 15–16 hours (overnight service)
Frequency: Daily
Pet policy:
DFDS accepts pets on this route. Dogs and cats can travel in your vehicle, in the ferry's pet kennel area, or (on selected cabins) in pet-friendly accommodation. This is a popular route for UK pet owners travelling to the Netherlands — and relevant for Dutch travellers coming to or from the UK.
Foot passengers with pets: DFDS accepts foot passengers travelling with pets on this route, making it one of the few ferry routes where you don't need to be in a vehicle to travel with a dog or cat.
Documentation: UK entry documentation (for Newcastle arrivals) or EU Pet Passport/AHC (for Amsterdam arrivals) applies.
Operator: DFDS
Route: Newhaven, England — Dieppe, France
Crossing time: Approximately 4 hours
Frequency: Two crossings daily
Pet policy: Accepts pets. Foot passengers with pets permitted. Dogs may be walked on the car deck during the crossing (subject to weather and deck access policies).
Relevance: For Dutch and German travellers who have crossed to France via other routes (e.g. Eurotunnel or a direct UK crossing) and need a southern Channel option on the return.
Operator: Brittany Ferries
Routes:
Pet policy:
Brittany Ferries has one of the most comprehensive pet travel policies of any European ferry operator. Options include:
Relevance for Dutch and German travellers: These Spanish routes aren't direct from the Netherlands or Germany — they require driving to Portsmouth or Plymouth first (or to a French Atlantic port for some Brittany Ferries sailings). However, for Dutch and German pet owners planning an extended stay in Spain and wanting to avoid the documentation complexity of a UK crossing, the Brittany Ferries routes via France to Spain are worth considering as part of a broader European road trip.
Harwich to Hook of Holland (reverse direction): Same Stena Line service described above, in the opposite direction. For UK-based owners arriving in the Netherlands.
Dover to Calais / Dunkirk (P&O, DFDS, Eurotunnel):
Baltic Sea routes (DFDS, Viking Line, Tallink Silja):
Multiple routes connect Germany (Kiel, Rostock, Lübeck) to Scandinavia and the Baltic states. DFDS operates Kiel–Oslo and other northern routes. Most Baltic ferry operators accept pets in vehicles and in kennels. These routes are relevant for German pet owners travelling to Scandinavia.
Step 1: Identify whether you're travelling as a vehicle passenger or foot passenger.
Most ferry routes require you to be in a vehicle to travel with a pet. Routes that accept foot passengers with pets (DFDS Newcastle–Amsterdam, DFDS Newhaven–Dieppe) are the exception.
Step 2: Declare your pet during booking.
The pet option appears during the booking process on most operators' websites. Declaring your pet at this stage is how you reserve a kennel space or pet-friendly cabin.
Step 3: Choose your pet accommodation type.
Step 4: Confirm by phone after booking.
The online booking system may not accurately reflect pet space availability. After booking, call the operator to confirm:
Step 5: Prepare documentation.
Have your valid EU Pet Passport or AHC prepared. Find out more about: EU Pet Passports here.
Step 6 (Dogs Only): Time the tapeworm treatment correctly (for UK-bound crossings).
This is the most logistically demanding step for Dutch and German travellers using the Hook of Holland–Harwich or Rotterdam–Hull routes. The treatment window (24–120 hours before UK arrival) must be coordinated with your ferry departure schedule and a vet appointment.
Step 7: Arrive at the port early.
Pet check-in at ferry terminals typically requires a documentation check before you board. Allow extra time. At Hoek van Holland and Rotterdam Europoort, signage for the ferry terminals is clear from the main approach roads.
Dogs in ship kennels:
Most operators' ship kennels are individually housed, ventilated, with water available. You can visit your dog during the crossing — check with the operator for access times and frequency. Before the crossing, exercise your dog thoroughly at the port to reduce pent-up energy. Bring familiar bedding, a worn item of your clothing, and their regular food.
Dogs in pet-friendly cabins:
The most comfortable option. Your dog is with you, in a normal cabin environment. Feed before the crossing if they're comfortable eating before movement; some dogs prefer to eat after arrival. Keep familiar bedding and a water bowl in the cabin.
Cats:
Cats on long overnight crossings are a more complex situation. Most cats will remain in their carrier or crate for the duration rather than explore a ship kennel. A ship kennel is typically larger than a standard carrier, which allows movement but also increases disorientation. A pet-friendly cabin where the cat is confined to the cabin space with familiar bedding is usually the calmer option. Keep the carrier available as a retreat even in the cabin.
Pets can experience motion sickness on ferries, particularly in rough sea conditions. Signs include:
Practical management:
For cats: Many cats show less obvious motion sickness than dogs but may become very quiet and withdrawn in rough conditions. A covered, stable carrier in a relatively central position on the ship (where movement is least) is the best option.
Compare this to: flying a large dog as cargo from Amsterdam to London, which requires AHC documentation (€80–€150), IATA crate (€80–€200), and cargo fees (€150–€300+), plus airport transfers for both ends. Total: often €400–€700+ for a larger dog.
For most medium and large dogs, the ferry is genuinely cost-competitive with cargo flying — and significantly less stressful for the animal.
For a small cat or toy breed dog who qualifies for cabin travel, a direct flight from Amsterdam Schiphol on KLM (pet fee approximately €70 + your own ticket) may be faster and similarly priced to the ferry for UK or non-EU destinations. The choice comes down to the stress profile of your specific animal — some small pets handle the cabin very well; others find any flight environment stressful.
Yes. Stena Line's Hook of Holland–Harwich service and P&O's Rotterdam–Hull service both accept pets. For UK entry, you'll need an AHC from an Official Vet, government endorsement, and tapeworm treatment for dogs 24–120 hours before UK arrival.
Yes, as a non-UK resident you mush have an EU Pet Passport with a current rabies vaccination. For UK residents, an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) is required regardless of EU Pet Passport status.
Yes — most major ferry operators accept cats alongside dogs. Cats typically travel in a carrier in your vehicle, in the ship's kennel area, or in a pet-friendly cabin. Cats are generally more stressed by movement than dogs, so a pet-friendly cabin or ship kennel with familiar bedding is preferable to being left in a vehicle for a long crossing.
A ship kennel is a dedicated pet housing area on the ferry — individual kennel spaces, ventilated, with water available. You can visit your pet during the crossing but they're not with you in your accommodation. A pet-friendly cabin is a passenger cabin that accepts pets — your dog or cat is in the cabin with you throughout the crossing. Pet-friendly cabins are the more comfortable option for overnight crossings and book out faster.
As early as possible — 6–8 weeks for popular summer sailings. Pet accommodation on ferries is capacity-limited and sells out well before the sailing date, particularly on the Hook of Holland and Rotterdam routes during school holidays.
Yes — unlike airlines with cargo hold restrictions, ferries have no breed restrictions for pets. French Bulldogs, Pugs, English Bulldogs, and all other brachycephalic breeds are accepted on ferry pet services.
Dogs (not cats) must receive tapeworm treatment from a vet 24–120 hours (1–5 days) before arriving in the UK. The treatment must be administered by a veterinarian and recorded on the Animal Health Certificate. If you're taking an overnight ferry from Hook of Holland or Rotterdam and arriving in the UK the following morning, your vet appointment for the treatment must happen 1–5 days before your departure from the Netherlands.
Some ferry operators designate a deck area (often the car deck or an external deck) where leashed dogs can be walked. This varies by operator and vessel. DFDS routes tend to be more permissive about deck access for dogs; Stena Line and P&O have more variable policies by vessel and crossing. Check with your specific operator before the journey.
Get Pet Go lists ground transport services across Europe including providers experienced in coordinating with ferry crossings — particularly for the Hook of Holland, Rotterdam, and Channel crossings. Search by route and pet size to find services that fit your journey.
👉 Find pet transport services on Get Pet Go
Ferry operator pet policies, sailing schedules, and pricing change regularly. All information reflects publicly available policy data as of early 2026. Always verify current policies and book pet accommodation directly with your chosen operator before travel.
Last updated: 2026