Daytime Ferry from The Netherlands to The UK With A Dog

Options for travelling from mainland Europe to the UK on a ferry with a dog as a foot passenger are limited. My preference is the Netherlands-to-Harwich service departing from Hook of Holland (Hoek van Holland). The other option is a crossing from Dieppe in France to Newhaven on the south coast of England. We had previously travelled on the night ferry for an overnight crossing as we slept; however, on the return leg it was an afternoon crossing.

Interrail pass holders get a 30% discount on this ferry crossing, which is a bonus. However, I think it’s a real shame that Eurostar doesn’t allow pets, despite the trains on either side of the channel welcoming them. We felt less pressure to book early on the day crossing, as a cabin is not compulsory for daytime ferry crossings on this route.

Ferry Crossing Netherlands to UK Details

There are two crossings on this route daily, one daytime and the other an overnight trip. The daytime crossing departs at 14:15 and takes 6.5 hours, arriving just before 8 pm. The overnight crossing departs at 10 pm and takes 9.5 hours, arriving in Harwich at 6:30 am. Departing the boat takes a while, so realistically I would add 1-1.5 hours onto the arrival time if booking onward travel. You can book or find out more information on the Stena Line website.

Getting to Hook of Holland

Our journey was from Houthem St Gerlach near Maastricht in the south of the Netherlands on the train using an Interrail pass. The first was to get to Maastricht’s main train station to head north. There were loads of train options to Rotterdam. In Rotterdam, you need to change to take the metro that goes directly to the ferry port. This was a pleasant journey. Although we were cutting things fine, everything ran smoothly.

Hook of Holland Ferry Port in The Netherlands

Arriving at the ferry port by the metro makes things rather simple. You are very near the entrance. The area near the entrance had places to walk the dog, ideal to empty him before the crossing. There were also places for refreshments and shops nearby; however, on this occasion we needed nothing.

Passport control was a bit more complex with a dog. We needed to wait for someone to scan his microchip and check that he had the required tapeworm treatment. I suspect that post-Brexit this may change slightly, but not as badly as I feared. After dealing with the dog, it was time to get tickets and a passport to get on board.

There is a series of sloped tunnels that gradually rise to the foot passenger entrance to the ship. This is a pleasant stroll where you can also look through the windows to see the ferry and the vehicles loading up.

Boarding The StenaLine Ferry With a Dog

When boarding, the crew directed us to the kennel deck just like before, to get the dog comfy before leaving him. This was quiet again, but pleasant to have the kennel to ourselves to settle the dog. We left him with the bed, his toys and fresh water from the taps in the kennels.

They also have another outdoor deck for walking the dog so they can pee or poo. They also provide poo bags for passengers to clean up after their pets. The deck is rather pleasant, with great views, and it lets the dog do his business.

The Ferry Journey to England

After dropping the dog in the kennels, it was time to head to the human section of the ferry. On arrival, they offered us a space to leave the backpacks in a sealed cage. This was to be locked for the duration of the crossing. A great idea. I slipped out my day pack with a laptop, a hip flask, and a phone charger.

The first port of call for me was the outside area to watch us departing the Netherlands and a bit of boat spotting. They had benches and table seats here to sit and enjoy the views and relax after a lively journey from the deep south of the Netherlands.

It was a wintry day; the ferry’s internet is rather expensive, so with over six hours to kill, the laptop was a saving grace. We found an office area with plugs to sit in. This had nice tables and executive-style chairs. I flitted between a spot of blogging and playing Command & Conquer, both of which didn’t require the internet.

There is a shop on board selling booze, gifts and chocolates, ideal for a quick snack while travelling. The ferry also had a bar and restaurant options. The restaurant at the front was where I had an afternoon meal. Here there were some interesting signs about porpoise spotting. These got my attention, and I moved seats to see what I could spot as we travelled.

Halfway through the journey, we took the dog out for a walk on the potty deck for a comfort break. After, I had a few shots of tuica on the deck and watched the sea go by. The 6.5-hour crossing flew by in the end.

Disembarking in Harwich, UK

We had to wait for a while to leave the boat with the dog and then collect him from the kennel deck. Back down the ramped corridors to get back into the UK proper. The passport check was pretty simple, as were the pet passport checks. Sadly, because of Brexit, that was the last time the dog’s passport was valid. On the next trip, there will be new hoops to jump through. As it was a late one, we had booked a guest house in Dovercourt, a nice place nearby.