Brittany Ferries has revealed that 75,000 pets accompanied their owners travelling on their routes in 2022, an increase of almost 40,000 (114%) on the number of pets who travelled overseas with the company in 2021.
According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), over half (52%) of households in Ireland have a pet in their home, and it’s safe to say people have formed closer relationships with their pets as a result of spending more time at home since the pandemic.
With more and more owners choosing ferry travel for its accessibility and safety, pets can either travel in a pet-friendly cabin where owners can stay with their pets during the sailing, or in a pet-friendly kennel or in the passenger’s vehicle.
Responding to the increased demand for pet-friendly travel options, Brittany Ferries now offers 106 pet-friendly cabins on five ships across its fleet.
Brittany Ferries’ Salamanca, Ireland’s first LNG (liquefied natural gas) powered passenger vessel – which operates between Rosslare-Bilbao and Rosslare-Cherbourg – offers 22 pet-friendly cabins. In 2022, Brittany Ferries added 28 pet-friendly cabins to the Pont-Aven which operates between Cork-Roscoff.
With 2023 bookings for pet travel once again on the rise, Hugh Bruton, General Manager of Brittany Ferries in Ireland said: “As the number of pets travelling with us continues to grow, we remain committed to providing a safe and enjoyable journey for all our passengers and we are delighted to be able to offer our customers the opportunity to travel with their pets. Pets are a huge part of many of our customers’ lives and we understand how important it is for them to be able to take their furry family members with them on their travels. Over the past year, we have seen more and more tourists opting to bring their pets along with them on holiday, and are choosing ferry travel as an accessible and safe voyage for their pets. Particularly since Covid, people are spending so much more time at home and are finding it harder to leave their pets for longer periods.”
Along with its Rosslare-Bilbao route, Brittany Ferries offers pet-friendly travel options across the three destinations the company serves in France between Rosslare Europort and the Port of Cork which include Le Havre, Cherbourg, and Roscoff.
