Special Assistance
Lending you a helping hand
Whatever you need we will do our best to help make travel on our services as easy and comfortable as possible for passengers with reduced mobility and special needs.
In addition to mobility and sensory restrictions our disability facilities are available to passengers with mental health problems, specific learning difficulties and medical conditions which may have an impact on day-to-day activities. In order to assist we need be aware of your needs. So please let us know at least 2 days before you travel.
If you are making a booking at our ports and require any assistance, please let our staff know and we will do our best to accommodate.
Below are some links to information to help you plan your trip.
Facilities available and the best way to access them
Sunflower lanyard - Hidden Disabilities
Medical oxygen for personal use
Travelling with a Guide, Hearing or Assistance Dog
Facilities available & the best way to access them
- Wheelchair accessible ports and ships.
- Wheelchairs are available for short term passenger use in our ports and on our ships
- Specially adapted public toilets in our ports and on our ships.
- Dedicated seating areas on our ships.
- Specially adapted cabins on our cruise ferries.
- Hearing loops at all our reception desks on board and ashore.
- Registered guide dogs allowed on the passenger decks.
Please contact us at least 2 working days (48 working hours) before travel commences. Self-identification is the best way for us to help you. If you have reduced mobility your booking will be flagged, and we will try to position your vehicle close to the passenger lift on-board thereby making the transfer from the car deck to the upper passenger deck areas as easy as possible. Send an email to: disabilityofficer@irishferries.com
If you are travelling as a wheelchair passenger, please make sure to add “Passenger with Wheelchair” to your booking.
Please be aware that there are limitations to the service we can reasonably offer and deliver.
During the crossing our crews will be happy to advise and assist. Please contact the reception desk on board
Sunflower lanyard - Hidden Disabilities
If you are a customer with a hidden disability or have a family member with a hidden disability, help is always at hand in our ports or onboard our ships.
Sunflower lanyards
We are pleased to be able to offer you a sunflower lanyard to wear on your journey through our Ports and onboard our ships. Wearing a sunflower lanyard allows our Teams to recognise that you have a hidden disability without you needing to declare it. This allows you to travel independently through the Port and onboard our ships, whilst knowing that if you need any additional support during your journey, any of our Team will be able to support you. Our Teams have been trained to recognise the sunflower lanyard and act accordingly.
How to pick up a lanyard
If you're travelling with ourselves in the near future, we'd be happy to issue you with a lanyard. To allow time to process your request please allow 2-3 working days. A note will be applied to your booking and then the lanyard will be available for collection when you arrive at check-in for your sailing. For imminent travel, lanyards can be collected at the ticket desk in the terminal building.
Send an email to: disabilityofficer@irishferries.com
Ship Information:
HSC Dublin Swift
- There is one wheelchair access platform on board which is situated at the back of the ship.
- The lift goes up to main passenger deck and enters the main passenger deck at the back of the ship which is in the Lafayette Café area.
- It can accommodate wheelchairs up to 1.48m long and 1.1m wide.
- Full time wheelchair users can now access the Club Class lounge on the Dublin Swift.
- To request parking close to the lift onboard, we can only guarantee vehicle placement beside it for full time wheelchair dependent passengers. We will do our best for all other special needs requests but there are limitations to what we can provide.
- To place such a request, please email disabilityofficer@irishferries.com.
- If you are travelling with a mobility reduced passenger or very young children or children with special needs we suggest that you consider travelling on one of the cruise ferries instead as the car deck space is more generous on the cruise ferries and the embarkation and dis-embarkation pace is more leisurely.
- Due to the nature of the fast craft medical oxygen cylinders for personal use are not allowed on board.
Mv Ulysses
- This is a very large cruise ferry. The car deck space is generous and loading is done at an efficient pace.
- There are 4 lifts from the car deck to the passenger decks. If you have pre- requested vehicle placement close to a lift you will be asked at check-in to activate your car hazard lights. Your vehicle will be called on board when a suitable placement beside a lift becomes available.
- There are three specially adapted wheelchair accessible toilets on board – one is on deck 11 close to the Club Class lounge and the other two are on deck 9.
- Club Class on the Ulysses is very suitable for full time wheelchair dependent passengers as a lift goes directly from the car deck to the Club Class lounge which is situated on deck 11.
- There are four specially adapted wheelchair accessible cabins on board. These cabins are situated on passenger deck 10. There is direct lift access to the cabin deck.
- The shop, cinemas and restaurants are on deck 9 - there is direct lift access between all decks.
- There is a special seating area for reduced mobility passengers on deck 9 beside the reception desk.
Mv Isle of Inishmore
- This is a large cruise ferry. The car deck space is generous and loading is done at an efficient pace.
- There are 4 lifts from the car deck to the passenger decks. If you have pre-requested vehicle placement close to a lift you will be asked at check-in to activate your car hazard lights. Your vehicle will be called on board when a suitable placement beside a lift becomes available.
- There are two specially adapted wheelchair accessible toilets on board – one is on deck 7 and the other is on deck 8.
- The Club Class lounge is on deck 11. There is no lift from deck 9 to deck 11 so Club class is not suitable for full time wheelchair dependent passengers. The Club lounge is accessed by stairs – approximately 40 steps.
- There is one specially adapted wheelchair accessible cabin on board. This cabin is situated on deck 9 close to the lift.
- The shop, restaurant, lounge bar and café are on deck 7 and 8.
- There is a special seating are for reduced mobility passengers in the motorist lounge on deck 7.
MV WB Yeats
- This is a very large cruise ferry. The car deck space is generous and loading is done at an efficient pace.
- There are 5 lifts available from the car deck to the passenger decks. If you have pre- requested vehicle placement close to a lift you will be asked at check-in to activate your car hazard lights. Your vehicle will be called on board when a suitable placement beside a lift becomes available. There is a gangway lift available for foot passengers - goes from gangway deck 7 till deck 10, in service only for gangway operations, not in use at sea.
- There are three specially adapted wheelchair accessible toilets on board – one is on deck 11 Grey stairs, second one is on deck 10 beside the reception desk and another one on deck 10 Purple stairs.
- Club Class on the W.B. Yeats is very suitable for full time wheelchair dependent passengers as a Club Class lift goes directly from the car deck 7 to the Club Class lounge which is situated on deck 10.
- There are four specially adapted wheelchair accessible cabins on board. These cabins are situated on passenger deck 8. There is direct lift access to the cabin deck.
- The shop, cinema, bar, cafe and restaurants are on deck 10 and deck 11 - there is direct lift access between all decks.
- There is a special seating area for reduced mobility passengers on deck 10 beside the reception desk.
- There are wheelchair securing points available on deck 10 and deck 11.
Mv James Joyce
- This is a very large cruise ferry. The car deck space is generous and loading is done at an efficient pace.
- There are 3 lifts from the car deck to the passenger decks. If you have pre- requested vehicle placement close to a lift you will be asked at check-in to activate your car hazard lights. Your vehicle will be called on board when a suitable placement beside a lift becomes available.
- There are three specially adapted wheelchair accessible toilets on board – two are on deck 7 in the Sea Pub and one on deck 8 mid ship.
- Club Class on the James Joyce is very suitable for full time wheelchair dependent passengers as the forward lift goes directly from the car deck to the Club Class lounge which is situated on deck 9
- There is one specially adapted wheelchair accessible cabin on board. This cabin is situated on passenger deck 8. There is direct lift access to the cabin deck.
- Shops are located on deck 7, Restaurant on deck 8, Café /Kids Zone and Club Class on deck 9. All 3 decks are accessible by lift from the car deck.
- There is a special seating area for reduced mobility passengers on deck 7 within the Sea Pub.
Mv Isle of Inisheer
- There is one lift on port side from the car deck to the passenger decks. If you have pre-requested vehicle placement close to a lift you will be asked at check-in to activate your car hazard lights. Your vehicle will be called on board when a suitable placement beside a lift becomes available.
- The shop, restaurant, café, driver’s lounge and additional seating area are on deck 7 .
- There is a special seating area for reduced mobility passengers in the Boylan’s brasserie on deck 7.
MV Isle of Innisfree
- This is a large cruise ferry. The car deck space is generous and loading is done at an efficient pace.
- There are 3 lifts from the car deck to the passenger decks. If you have pre-requested vehicle placement close to a lift you will be asked at check-in to activate your car hazard lights. Your vehicle will be called on board when a suitable placement beside a lift becomes available.
- There are two specially adapted wheelchair accessible toilets on board – one on deck 7 aft by reception area, another on deck 8 aft accessible by blue lift.
- The Club Class lounge is on deck 9. The Club lounge is accessed by stairs or blue lift from car decks to deck 9.
- The shop, restaurant, lounge bar and café are on deck 7 and 8.
- There is a special seating area for reduced mobility passengers in the Boylans Brasserie restaurant on deck 7.
Food outlets
All food outlets are easily accessible to passengers with reduced mobility. Furthermore, each of our restaurants is equipped with movable furniture to suit individual needs.
Medical Oxygen for personal use
Passengers travelling on any of our cruise ferries in a private vehicle may carry a maximum of 6 size "F" or smaller cylinders containing compressed Oxygen UN1072. Passengers must carry a letter from their doctor confirming that they require medical oxygen. The onus is on the passenger to ensure that their own medical oxygen cylinder is in good working order.
Due to the nature of the fast craft oxygen cylinders are not allowed on the Dublin Swift.
Discounts
We are delighted to offer some special % discounts on published fares. Please note that you may only use one % discount per booking.
In Ireland this special discount is available to members of the Disabled Drivers Association (DDA) and the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA). Please send an email to disabilityofficer@irishferries.com with your new booking reference and details of the appropriate organisation and your membership number. The discount will then be applied.
In Britain, members of the disability alliance group Disabled Motoring UK (previously known as Mobilise) receive discounts on Irish Sea and Britain to France routes. Please send an email to disabilityofficer@irishferries.com quoting your promo code which you will have received from DMUK, and your membership number and your booking will then be processed.
If you have a special query regarding on-board facilities or special needs please contact our Disability Officer - disabilityofficer@irishferries.com. Please allow 3 business days for requests. ( Mon to Fri 9 to 5)
| Ships - facilities for passengers with reduced mobility and special needs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ship | Adapted Cabin | Wheelchair | Adapted Toilets | Lifts |
| Isle of Inishmore | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ulysses | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dublin Swift | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| W.B. Yeats | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ports - facilities for passengers with reduced mobility and special needs | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Port | Wheelchair | Adapted Toilets | Lifts |
| Dublin | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Holyhead | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rosslare | Yes | Yes | Ramp |
| Pembroke | Yes | Yes | Ramp |
| Cherbourg | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Useful Links:
Disabled Drivers Association - www.ddai.ie
Irish Wheelchair Association - www.iwa.ie
Mobilise - www.mobilise.info
