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Ferries to Northern Ireland

When booking a ferry to Northern Ireland, look no further than Direct Ferries. We compare ferry prices to Northern Ireland for all ferry operators on the Irish Sea, giving you the best choice at the times and dates that suit you. You can travel to several different ports, Belfast and Larne. We recommend using our price finder to discover the times and prices to suit your journey.

Where can you travel from to Northern Ireland

There are a number of destinations and operators that offer ferries to Northern Ireland. The most popular being P&O Irish Sea with crossings between Larne and Cairnryan in Scotland, this crossing operates 7 sailings a day and takes around 2 hours. Stena Line also provide routes between Belfast and Cairnryan operating 5 sailings per day and taking around 2 hours 22 minutes and also runs a service between Belfast and Liverpool Birkenhead which offers 11 sailings a week and takes around 8 hours. You can also travel between Belfast and Douglas in the Isle of Man, where the Isle of Man Steam Packet ferry runs this route once a week and takes around 4 hours 30 minutes.

Northern Ireland Guide

Northern Ireland is the smallest of the four countries that make up Great Britain, and is situated in the north east corner of the island of Ireland.

Considering its size, the variety on offer in Northern Ireland is quite amazing, from undulating countryside and breath taking mountains, intriguing towns and villages to some of the most vibrant, culturally rich and historical cities. Northern Ireland is one of those destinations that not only promises, but delivers.

Northern Ireland's size makes the country simple to navigate too which means it’s easy to visit the country's best attractions. There are of course many must-see places and sites including the Giant's Causeway, the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, the historic walled city of Londonderry, and aside from the usual attractions of a country’s capital city, Belfast is also the home of Titanic Belfast, the world's largest Titanic visitor experience.

Northern Ireland features excellent fast ferry links from England and Scotland with ferries sailing to the major ports at Larne and Belfast. If you want to travel from continental Europe to Northern Ireland then you can sail from France to Ireland and drive across the border.

Popular Ferry Operators

    • 6 Sailings Daily 2 hr
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    • 5 Sailings Daily 2 hr 15 min
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    • 2 Sailings Weekly 2 hr 45 min
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Northern Ireland reviews

  • "Superferry Indeed!"

    Recently travelled on the Stena Britannica from Harwich to Hook of Holland - and I have to say I was impressed! The ships are brand new so everything was top notch from the restaurants through to the bar areas, drinks were reasonably priced on board as was food in the buffet restaurant - there was also A ‘la Carte style dining however we did not visit there. Cabins were spotlessly clean and well equipped, with wider beds than normal ferries and with the addition of flat screen TVs and free Wi-Fi internet - makes this an above average ferry crossing. I would without a doubt use this crossing again.

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  • "Stena Superfast VIII"

    Travelled 20 February 2012, as foot passenger(non landing daytrip). Impressed by Stena Superfast ferry but distance from check in to boarding ferry is at least 1/4 mile long and i required assistance to get to the ferry because of the long distance to walk. Surely this distance is not ideal for any foot passanger, when terminal was being constructed, did no one take into consideration foot passangers? I had to ask for assistance again on arrival at Belfast. Having to request assistance took away the enjoyment of the trip. Very disappointed with the standard of the food in both cafeterias. The only positive thing from my trip was the willingness and helpfulness of all staff that I encountered.

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  • "Great ferry with a large selection of everything"

    We had a great experience on a day cruise on the Stena Danica ferry. The price was low, it was a bit nostalgic to look out over the sea from this classic ferry. It was a quiet day on board and we had the time to taste the brunch buffet which was nothing extravagant, but very satisfying, fresh and delicious.

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  • "Quick and comfortable"

    For us and our dog the ferry service between GB and Ireland is the quickest and most comfortable option. I don’t travel well on ships, so this short connection is the best for me. Very quick and efficient boarding means this is very pleasant and uncomplicated. The atmosphere on board is lovely, the crew is very helpful and friendly. All in all we can really highly recommend it. We are already looking forward to our next trip to Ireland in May 2012!

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Routes and Ports in Northern Ireland