Crossing guide
What the Dublin to Cherbourg crossing is like
Irish Ferries’ autumn 2026 schedule has afternoon or early-evening departures from Dublin arriving in Cherbourg around midday or mid-afternoon the next day — roughly 19 to 20 hours, allowing for France being an hour ahead. W.B. Yeats and Isle of Inisheer alternate, giving several departures a week, and there are no sailings over Christmas. Check which ship your date uses before choosing a cabin.
Leaving Dublin
France sailings leave from Dublin Ferryport, which Irish Ferries puts about 2 miles from the city centre, with a public bus from the terminal building to the main bus station. Irish Ferries asks passengers with pets to check in two hours before departure, an hour earlier than usual.
Arriving in Cherbourg
The ship lands at Cherbourg, at the tip of the Cotentin peninsula, with the N13 leading towards Caen and the rest of Normandy. Irish Ferries notes trains from Cherbourg to Paris-Saint-Lazare via Caen for foot passengers.
Vessels
Ships commonly used on this route
W.B. Yeats
Typical route vessel; assignment is not guaranteed. Check your booking for the ship actually operating.
Irish Ferries also names Isle of Inisheer, which it describes as a basic service, for Dublin–Cherbourg. The two ships alternate, and their pet arrangements differ.
Dogs aboard
Travelling with a dog on Irish Ferries
Leaving Dublin, the dog cannot stay in the car: on W.B. Yeats it travels in a pre-booked kennel on deck 7, one pet per kennel, and you can visit and walk it at set times. Irish Ferries lists four-berth pet cabins with outside deck access only on Isle of Inisheer, so an alert for a pet cabin on this route usually means an Isle of Inisheer sailing.
- Documents
- Between EU countries a dog needs an EU pet passport, a microchip and a rabies vaccination; after the first vaccination the dog must wait at least 21 days before travelling.
- Tapeworm
- The EU tapeworm treatment rule applies to dogs entering Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway or Northern Ireland, so it is not needed for France. Pets living outside the EU follow different rules.
- Booking
- Pets must be pre-booked, up to five per booking, and check-in with pets is two hours before departure — an hour earlier than usual.
- On board
- Pets must be on a lead, and Irish Ferries requires a muzzle for restricted breeds or where there is a risk of biting.
Carrier and border rules change. Confirm every item with Irish Ferries, the official sources below and your vet before you travel.
Cabin alerts
What SailSoon watches on this route
Irish Ferries monitoring currently covers the next 180 days. Dates further ahead are checked on a rotating schedule. Checks are made for two adults travelling with a car, so other party sizes or foot passengers may see different results. Prices we show are for the cabin or option only, not the full fare, and nothing is reserved for you: book and confirm the total price and pet terms with Irish Ferries.
- Pet-friendly cabins
- Cabins Irish Ferries marks as pet-friendly, when it offers them on the sailing. Check the pet rules and any pet charge on the booking page.
- Premium cabins
- The operator’s premium or deluxe cabin categories, including pet-friendly premium cabins where they exist.
- Standard cabins
- Ordinary private cabins for at least two people, inside or with a window.
- Not monitored
- Kennels, seats, shared berths, deck options and the full fare. Check those directly with Irish Ferries.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long is the ferry from Dublin to Cherbourg?
Roughly 19 to 20 hours. Sailings leave Dublin in the afternoon or early evening and reach Cherbourg around midday or mid-afternoon the next day, French time; W.B. Yeats is slightly quicker than Isle of Inisheer.
Which ships sail from Dublin to Cherbourg?
W.B. Yeats is the usual ship for this crossing. Irish Ferries also names Isle of Inisheer, which it describes as a basic service, for Dublin–Cherbourg. The two ships alternate, and their pet arrangements differ. The ship on your booking is the one whose cabins and pet facilities apply.
Can I take my dog on the Dublin to Cherbourg ferry?
Yes, but not in the car. On W.B. Yeats pets go in pre-booked kennels; Irish Ferries lists pet cabins on this route only on Isle of Inisheer. Check in two hours before departure with your pet.
What paperwork does my dog need for Cherbourg?
An EU pet passport, a microchip and a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days after the primary course. France is not one of the countries that require the EU tapeworm treatment. Check the official guidance before you travel, as rules change.
Does SailSoon alert me to kennels on this route?
No. On Irish Ferries we watch pet-friendly, premium and standard cabins only. Kennel space is not monitored, so check and book kennels directly with Irish Ferries.
Sources
Where these facts come from
- Irish Ferries: Dublin to Cherbourg (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- Irish Ferries: France autumn 2026 schedule (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- Irish Ferries: your trip (check-in) (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- Irish Ferries: our ports (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- Irish Ferries: pet travel on all routes (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- Your Europe: travelling with pets in the EU (reviewed 2026-09-11)
Member alerts
Get told when a Dublin to Cherbourg cabin appears
Create a free account, then set the dates and cabin types you need on this route. We email you when a matching cabin shows up in Irish Ferries’s booking system.
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