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Travel and regulations7 min readUpdated on August 5, 2026

Travelling by ship and ferry with a pet: booking and documents

How to plan a ferry crossing with a dog or cat: onboard accommodation, documents to verify, and managing heat and seasickness during the crossing.

Audience
Pet owners
Species
Dog, Cat, All species
Scope
Italy, European Union, Valid everywhere

The ferry is the means by which islands and coasts are most often reached on holiday, and for many families it is also the animal's first crossing. Unlike the train or the plane, where the rules are fairly uniform, on a ship each company decides its own: where the animal may stay, whether it is allowed in a cabin, whether dedicated areas exist, which documents the route requires. This means the same question has different answers depending on the route and the carrier, and that finding out after booking is often too late. The onboard accommodation in particular decides much of the animal's welfare during the crossing and cannot be changed once you have sailed: understanding it beforehand is the most important part of planning, even more than the documents, which still need careful checking.

Onboard accommodation changes everything

The difference between a calm crossing and a difficult one lies almost entirely in where the animal spends its time. The options offered vary a great deal from ship to ship, and not all are available on every route. Knowing them in advance lets you choose the combination of company and ticket best suited to your animal instead of settling for what is left.

Accommodation types and what they involve
AccommodationWho it suitsWhat to check
A pet friendly cabinAnimals that struggle with separation or long crossingsLimited availability, often to be booked early
Dedicated area or kennelAnimals manageable without the owner beside themVentilation, shade and the chance to visit
In the car on the garage deckShort crossings in mild weatherThe garage can become very hot and closed
On deck on a leadCalm dogs on short daytime routesShaded spots, water and crowding
Carrier in common areasCats and small animals in a carrierThe company's rules on permitted areas

Documents and rules to verify beforehand

The documents needed depend on the route more than on the vehicle. A crossing within one country requires fewer formalities than one touching another State, but the company's rules add to those of law, and both must be checked.

  • Identification of the animal by microchip and an up to date health document: they are the basis for any route, and indispensable if you cross a border.
  • If the route links different countries, the international travel requirements apply by sea too, including vaccinations and timeframes to respect before departure.
  • The company's rules on carrying animals, which set permitted accommodation, use of a muzzle, lead and carrier, and must be read on the specific ticket.
  • Any obligation to book the animal's place in advance and separately from your own, because cabin or dedicated area places are limited.
  • The conditions for large animals or for several animals, which some companies regulate differently from a single small animal.

The practical rule is to verify everything directly with the company before buying, and not to rely on what held on another route or in another season. For journeys touching several countries, the health and document requirements of international travel remain the reference even when moving by sea, and must be prepared with the lead time they require.

Heat, seasickness and management during the crossing

A crossing combines two stressors that rarely coincide on land: the movement of the ship and, in summer, the heat. Preparing for both makes the difference between an animal that sleeps most of the journey and one that arrives worn out.

  1. Manage the meal before boarding

    A large meal right before leaving encourages seasickness. Better a light meal a few hours ahead, always leaving water available.

  2. Bring water and your own bowl

    Onboard, access to water is not always guaranteed. Having water and a folding bowl lets you give the animal regular drinks, especially in the heat.

  3. Seek shade and air, avoid the hot enclosed spaces

    A dog on deck is better off in a shaded, ventilated spot. Sun exposed surfaces burn the paws and an enclosed space with no air exchange is the biggest risk.

  4. Plan for toileting on long routes

    On crossings of many hours the animal cannot get off. Check whether there are relief areas aboard and get the animal used to a mat beforehand if needed.

  5. Talk to the vet about anxiety and seasickness

    If the animal suffers a lot from movement or travel anxiety, the vet can suggest a strategy. Nothing should be given on your own initiative before leaving.

For animals that have never travelled by ship, a short crossing as a trial before a long one is an investment that pays off. It lets you see how they react to the movement and the noise of the engines, and to adjust the chosen accommodation before finding yourself out at sea for many hours with no alternatives.

Getting ready before boarding

Much of the outcome is decided on land, in the days before departure. Arriving at the port with everything ready avoids the hasty decisions made at the boarding desk, which are rarely the best for the animal.

  1. Book the animal's accommodation in good time, because cabin and dedicated area places sell out early in high season.
  2. Gather and carry the health documents, keeping a digital copy that is easy to show in case of a check.
  3. Give the animal some exercise before boarding, so it arrives aboard more inclined to rest than to agitation.
  4. Prepare a dedicated bag with water, bowl, lead, a muzzle if required, a toileting mat and something familiar that smells of home.
  5. Note the boarding and disembarking times and the company's rules, so you need not look them up at the last minute with the animal on a lead in the crowd.

Keeping health documents, route rules and times together in one place you can consult makes the boarding day much simpler. At the company desk, with a queue behind you and the animal sensing the tension, having everything ready means being able to give your attention to the animal rather than to hunting for a piece of paper.

Frequently asked questions

Can the animal stay in the cabin with me during the crossing?
It depends on the company and the route. Some ships offer pet friendly cabins, but they are limited in number and tend to sell out early in high season, so they should be booked well in advance. Others do not provide them at all and place animals in dedicated areas or kennels, or admit them only on deck on a lead or in a carrier. Since the accommodation decides much of the welfare during the journey, it is best to verify it with the company before choosing the route, not after buying the ticket.
Are special documents needed for the ferry?
For a crossing within one country you normally need microchip identification and an up to date health document, plus the company's transport rules. If the route links different countries, the international travel requirements also apply, including vaccinations and timeframes to respect, exactly as for other means of transport. The safest thing is to check directly with the company and with the official sources on the destination's entry requirements, with the necessary lead time, because some health steps take weeks.
How do I manage heat and seasickness aboard?
For heat the priority is shade, air and water always available, avoiding enclosed spaces with no air exchange, starting with the garage deck, which during the voyage can become dangerously hot and stays inaccessible. For seasickness, a light meal a few hours before rather than right before leaving helps, and for animals that suffer a lot from movement it is worth discussing it beforehand with the vet, who can suggest a suitable strategy. Nothing should be given on your own initiative, because many products meant for people are unsuitable or dangerous for animals.

What to do next

Before booking, check with the company where the animal will be able to stay, because the onboard accommodation cannot be changed en route and decides much of the welfare. Prepare microchip and health documents, adding the international travel requirements if the route touches another country, and never leave the animal shut in the car on the garage deck. Bring water, a bowl and something familiar, manage the meal and the heat, and if the animal suffers from movement discuss it with the vet beforehand.

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