Port of Dublin
Ferry Routes and Cruises
(Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland)
Dublin port has four main ferry routes to Britain and France operated by four ferry companies.
Daily services are offered to Liverpool, Holyhead and Mostyn in the UK, while the Isle of Man is on the Dublin-Liverpool route and there is a service to Cherbourg in northern France in the summer.
Dublin to Holyhead Ferry Services
Irish Ferries and Stena Line operate the Dublin-Holyhead route and have the world's largest car ferry, the Ulysses. There are two crossings per day aboard the Ulysses with an approximate journey time of 3 hours, 15 minutes. There is also a fastcraft service operated by Irish Ferries that takes 1 hour, 50 minutes. This runs four times per day. Stena Line's Stena Adventurer makes two return trips to Holyhead per day with a one-way journey time of 3 hours, 45 minutes. The Port of Holyhead is located in the west of the Isle of Anglesey, North Wales, and handles a huge amount of traffic every year from Ireland; facilities are comprehensive.
Dublin to Liverpool Ferry Services
P&O Irish Sea is also a major car ferry company and operates a twice-daily cruise ferry service to Liverpool from Terminal 3 of the port. The approximate crossing time is 4 hours, 30 minutes. In addition, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company has a twice-daily, year-round service to Liverpool which also takes 4 hours, 30 minutes. There is a fastcraft service in the summer that only takes 2 hours, 45 minutes. Liverpool has one of the UK's principal ports and commendable facilities, with a new, state-of-the-art terminal at Birkenhead.
Dublin to Mostyn Ferry Services
P&O Irish Sea operates a twice-daily service to Mostyn in Wales from Terminal 3. This is a longer journey at 8 hours, 20 minutes. Although the Port of Mostyn has limited passenger facilities, it is located near the popular city of Chester.
Dublin to Cherbourg Ferry Services
P&O Irish Sea also operates a once a week ferry to Cherbourg in northern France from Terminal 3. However, this only runs in the summer months. The Port of Cherbourg serves more than a million passengers annually and its service and facilities are good and include a bureau de change, newsagents, a café, convenience store and excellent disabled facilities.
Dublin to Douglas
Isle of Man Steam Packet Company also operates a seasonal summer service to the Port of Douglas in the Isle of Man from Terminal 1. This service then continues on to Liverpool. Douglas Port is located in the heart of the city and is classed as a major port with excellent facilities, including many shops and a quality café in the Departure Lounge of the Sea Terminal.
