What the Holyhead to Dublin ferry is really like: rough seas and delays, seasickness, travelling with kids, safety on board, and what to do when a sailing is disrupted.
On a calm day this is an easy three and a half hours: coffee, a walk on deck, a film for the kids, and Dublin Bay sliding into view. In winter it can be a different story. The Irish Sea is shallow and exposed, and when a westerly storm comes through, sailings get delayed, moved or cancelled. Knowing what to expect takes most of the stress out of it.
Delays and disruption
Weather is the main cause. During a run of bad weather in March 2026, Irish Ferries delayed several Holyhead sailings by three to four hours in a single day, and moved check-in times to match. Technical problems happen too: the same month a Stena Adventurer fault at Holyhead tied up a berth, and a Stena sailing from Dublin was diverted to Birkenhead with coaches laid on for passengers.
The port itself can be the bottleneck. Storm Darragh damaged Holyhead in December 2024 and shut it for weeks, and berth repairs since then have left both operators sharing limited space. That’s also why the Dublin Swift fast ferry didn’t sail in 2026.
What to do: put a mobile number on your booking, check the operator’s sailing updates page on the morning you travel, and don’t book a tight train or flight connection on the far side. If your sailing is cancelled, the operator will move you to another crossing; your rights to refunds and help are set out in its terms.
Seasickness
All four ships on the route are big cruise ferries, and they handle a swell far better than a small fast craft. Most crossings are fine. If you’re prone to it:
- Sit low and near the middle of the ship, where movement is least.
- Look at the horizon rather than a screen.
- Take travel-sickness tablets before you board, not once you feel ill.
- On a night sailing, book a cabin and lie down. It helps more than people expect.
Safety on board
A safety announcement plays after departure. Listen to it once and note where your nearest assembly point is. A few practical rules:
- The car deck closes at sea. Take medicines, chargers, baby things and anything else you need upstairs before you leave the car.
- Outside decks shut in bad weather. If a door is locked, it’s for a reason.
- Note your deck and stairwell. Car decks look identical, and the signs by the stairs are how you find your car again.
- Wait for the announcement before heading down to the car deck at the end.
With children
Every ship on the route has a children’s play area, and three and a half hours goes quickly with snacks and a walk on deck. Agree a meeting point the moment you board, because older kids drift off quickly on a ship this size. Every child now needs their own passport too; see passport rules.
Stena or Irish Ferries?
Both run comparable cruise ferries in about the same time, so most people choose by departure time and price. Our ship guides cover the differences, from Stena Estrid’s newer interiors to the Pet Den lounges on the Irish Ferries ships.