Irish Ferries Reviews 

1,043
TrustScore 2.5 out of 5

2.5

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Considering 168 reviews, most reviewers were unhappy with their experience overall. Customers frequently reported severe delays, prolonged waiting times at ports, and a complete lack of communication or operational assistance from the team during disruptions. Many people also complained about excessively high prices across onboard facilities and completely unresponsive customer service when trying to resolve urgent booking problems. Some reviewers were happy with the welcoming staff, efficient assistance, and straightforward booking process experienced during their trips. Travelers additionally mentioned enjoyable onboard dining options, clean facilities, and comfortable travel conditions during their successful crossings. Consumer feedback highlights that these positive aspects provided a pleasant alternative despite the widespread operational challenges.

What people talk about most

Service

Reviewers mention ambiguous feedback about service, with many customers experiencing frustrating delays, long... See more

Staff

Consumers find staff to be ambiguous, experiencing a wide range of differing behaviors. While many reviewers... See more

Price

Clients share ambiguous opinions on price, with some highlighting competitive rates and significant savings... See more

Customer service

Customers consistently note negative experiences with customer service, highlighting a complete lack of... See more

Booking process

People report ambiguous experiences with the booking process, with opinions sharply divided. Many consumers... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Dublin - Cherbourg route was on time with no hassle and ease of boarding. Food on board in the Boylan's Brasserie was fine for evening meal (Steak and Guinness Pie) on this route although disappoin... See more

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

It is a bit overpriced to travel but you can justify it with we get to have the car and book last min etc. However the overpricing on the ferry is close to thievery, chocolate bar in the vending machi... See more

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

There was a one hour delay in disembarking from ferry on 08/05/26. No acknowledgement of the delay, no apology or communication of any kind from the captain or any member of staff. A total disgrace an... See more

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

I see there are reports of there being no lifts on one of the Irish ferries. The Isle of Innismore has got two customer lifts but they don't both cover all levels hence when one breaks down there ca... See more


Company details

  1. Ferry Service
  2. Port Operating Company
  3. Terminal point

Written by the company

Whether travelling for business, leisure, or to visit loved ones, Irish Ferries offers an exceptional travel experience shaped by its award-winning hospitality and commitment to helping passengers “Sea Travel Differently.” Our modern fleet provides outstanding onboard comfort, featuring spacious lounges, high-quality dining options, and excellent customer service. Passengers travelling in the premium Club Class lounges can enjoy panoramic sea views, complimentary refreshments, and priority boarding for an even more relaxed journey. Across the Irish Sea, Irish Ferries operates its popular vessels Ulysses, James Joyce, and Dublin Swift - the only fast craft operating on the Dublin to Holyhead route. In addition, Isle of Innisfree provides a daily service between Rosslare and Pembroke. The Dublin to Cherbourg overnight route is served by the award-winning cruise ferry W.B. Yeats alongside the economy service, Isle of Inisheer. The W.B. Yeats accommodates up to 1,800 passengers and offers 440 comfortable cabins. Guests can also enjoy a premium dining experience at the elegant Lady Gregory Restaurant, alongside the excellent amenities available across all cruise ferries. Since launching its Dover to Calais service in June 2021, Irish Ferries has expanded its presence on the English Channel, operating the Isle of Inishmore and Oscar Wilde on up to 20 daily sailings.


Contact info

2.5

Poor

TrustScore 2.5 out of 5

1K reviews

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1-star

No recent history of asking for reviews

This company hasn't invited customers recently, so reviews may not be representative

Replied to 18% of negative reviews

Typically replies within 2 weeks

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2.5

All reviews

(1,043)

187 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Never disappoints

Never disappoints - the ease of boarding and passage over the Irish Sea and disembarking - Irish ferries is my carrier of choice

11 April 2026
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Hi Maggie,

Thank you for such a strong endorsement - “never disappoints” is lovely to hear.

Great to hear we remain your carrier of choice. We look forward to your next trip with us.

— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Excellent service nice comfy ship no…

Excellent service nice comfy ship no hassle the best ferry we've been on.
Easy to book easy to change bookings good staff polite and helpful.

11 May 2026
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Hi Sheila,

Thank you for the great feedback. Lovely to hear your crossing felt easy and comfortable, and that the crew looked after you well.

We look forward to welcoming you on board again.

— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I use Irish Ferries every time i go to Ireland have been for many years out and back.

I use Irish Ferries every time i go to Ireland have been using for years out and back. Although a long drive from Portsmouth.

13 April 2026
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Hi Patrick,

Thank you for travelling with us over so many years - that kind of loyalty genuinely means a lot.

We’re glad to have played a small part in your trips between Ireland and the UK. We look forward to welcoming you on board again soon.

— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We love Irish Ferries rather than P&O …

We love Irish Ferries rather than P&O or DFDS.
for more or less the same price we can go Irish Ferries which is more relaxed and they have the option of a crossing in Club Class.

18 May 2026
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Hi M V,

Thanks for the great feedback. Brilliant to hear you enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and Club Class experience.

We hope to see you on board again soon.

— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Inexpensive

Inexpensive, reliable, What's not to like?

22 May 2026
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Hi Brendan,

Thank you for your kind words “inexpensive and reliable” is exactly what we aim to deliver. It’s great to hear your experience reflected that.

We hope to welcome you on board again soon.

— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Calais to Dover

Travelled on the Isle of Inishmore ferry. Me wife two beagles. The Irish ferry staff at Calais were nice. The boat itself has obviously been around a while but the crew were very friendly especially a young lady in the pet den area called Marianna. She made a proper fuss of the beagles. All in all the journey was great.

16 June 2026
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Hi Anthony,

Thanks for sharing your experience. Great to hear you enjoyed the crossing and that our crew, especially Marianna, made such a positive impression.

We look forward to welcoming you (and the beagles) again soon.

— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I may not be as fussy / discerning as…

I may not be as fussy / discerning as other customers but i had a very good experience travelling with Irish Ferries. Yes foods a bit pricey but there's the savings on the duty free help with that. Our Ferry was delayed but we were kept well informed via texts. All the staff I came into contact with were friendly and helpful— or looked like they could be,

15 May 2026
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Hi Alan,

Thanks for your feedback. Glad to hear the crew and communication during the delay made a positive difference.

We appreciate your comments on onboard food and drink pricing as well, and will be sure to share this with the relevant teams.

— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Perfect

Perfect. On time, clean and beautiful, kind staff. Comfy cabin, lovely deck. Only one flaw, food and drinks are too expensive

6 April 2026
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Hi Laura, delighted to hear your sailing was comfortable and that the crew made a positive impression. It’s great to know you enjoyed the cabin and deck as well.

We appreciate your feedback on food and drink pricing and will be sure to share this with the relevant team.

We look forward to welcoming you on board again soon.

— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I had a very good experience

I had a very good experience travelling as a wheelchair user in a car when the weather forecast was very poor and the sailing was in doubt. Communications between the operator and I were very good and timely. I was offered alternative sailings and updates on the original sailing which which I boarded and which sailed early to avoid the weather. Boarding was fine and the sailing was very comfortable with good facilities for disabled passengers.

10 April 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Irish Ferries

Hi Rosamund, thank you for such a thoughtful review. We’re especially pleased to hear that communication worked well for you, particularly given the weather conditions.

It’s great to know you felt supported throughout and had a comfortable and accessible journey.

We really appreciate you sharing your experience and hope to welcome you on board again.

— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Coast to Coast in Club Class - Cosy!

We often travel over the Irish sea to visit family and friends on the Emerald Isle!

Sailing on Club Class we love the priority boarding and the large array of food and drinks on offer in the lounge. It is replaced and topped up all through the voyage by the nice, friendly and efficient crew.

The booking process is really simple.

We did give Stena Line a go last year but unfortunately, their lack of the hubby's favourite wraps have been a major fail - sticking with Irish Ferries in future!

14 May 2026
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Hi Deborah, thank you for your continued support - it’s always great to have you travelling with us.

We’re delighted you enjoy Club Class, from priority boarding through to the lounge offering, and that the crew help make each trip enjoyable.

We look forward to welcoming you on board again soon.

— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great prices

Great prices, very professional staff /crew, very helpful with my wife in a wheel chair, Love Irish ferries Club Class, great choice of food and snacks, timings are great for us. just all round great service

15 May 2026
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Thank you for the great feedback - delighted the team, timings and Club Class experience all worked well for you.

We appreciate you travelling with us and hope to see you again soon.

— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Irish ferries get five stars based on our experience

Don't understand the negative reviews. We've recently made the return crossing from Pembroke to Rosslare and cannot speak highly enough of the experience. Compared with numerous trips we've taken on cross channel ferries with Brittany ferries and other carriers, Irish ferries were head and shoulders above all of them. Booking process was simple, and we were informed of a delay to our return sailing with plenty of notice (the delay was due to the other operator having a ferry out of action).

6 May 2026
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Hi Diana, thank you for the fantastic feedback, great to hear the full experience worked so well for you.

We appreciate you choosing to travel with us and look forward to seeing you again.

— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

It's ok but not much choice as only…

It's ok but not much choice as only Stena on. The route , food is not great and expensive cabins are like something from 1970 ,apart from that staff friendly and helpful , it's clean as best as they can do considering ship s age , shop doesn't have a lot in it

23 December 2025
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Hi Austin, thank you for sharing your experience. We’re glad to hear you found the crew friendly and helpful, and that the ship was kept clean.

We appreciate your feedback on the food, onboard choice and cabins, and will be sure to share this with the relevant teams.

— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great operator

Great operator. All was perfect. We all loved it.

23 May 2026
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Hi Marek,

We really appreciate the kind feedback. Delighted everything went perfectly and that your group enjoyed the crossing.
We look forward to seeing you again soon.

— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Have used Irish Ferries for a number of…

Have used Irish Ferries for a number of years, service levels, cleanliness and safety are all of a high standard and staff/crew always very friendly.

27 May 2026
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Hi Richard, thank you for your loyalty, great to hear the experience continues to meet your expectations.

We appreciate you travelling with us and hope to see you again soon.

— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We have travelled this route Dover to…

We have travelled this route Dover to Calais many times and Irish Ferries tick our boxes on price and quality. Importantly the food is the best we have experienced on a ferry crossing.

9 May 2026
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Hi Kevin, thank you for the great feedback, delighted we’re hitting the mark on price, quality and onboard food.

We appreciate you travelling with us and hope to see you again soon.

— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Was very good organised

Was very good organised
The staff was very helpful
I did booking very easy and very quick without paying a lot of money. 16/04 /2026
Dublin - Cherbourg

16 April 2026
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Thank you, Lubjana - delighted to hear your Dublin to Cherbourg sailing was smooth, organised and great value. We’ll be sure to pass your feedback on to the crew. 🙂
We really appreciate you sharing your experience and hope to see you again soon.
— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Zero Stars

I’d give Irish ferries Zero stars if I could - I have to press 1 just to write a review of how shit they are. Rude staff at Holyhead with no sense of customer service or politeness. Don’t waste your money only to get pissed off. They are useless with accommodating pets etc. Use stenaline only.

12 June 2026
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Yvonne, we're sorry to read about your experience at Holyhead, especially regarding staff interaction and pet travel.

If you’d like us to look into this further, please contact our customer care team with your sailing date, route and booking reference so we can review it properly: https://www.irishferries.com/uk-en/contact-us/

— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We spent the 1st night of our honeymoon…

We spent the 1st night of our honeymoon roadtrip on board in a suite where our concierge gave us a free bottle of bubbles to already compliment what was included in the room. Lady Gregory was fab if pricey and the club class option is a must if you are travelling WITHOUT kids as its just better

7 May 2026
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Brian, thank you for choosing to spend part of your honeymoon with us - and congratulations 🥂.

We’re delighted you enjoyed your suite and that the onboard team added a thoughtful touch to your trip. Lady Gregory and Club Class are real highlights on our France route, so it’s great to see them mentioned.

Wishing you both all the very best, and we’d love to welcome you on board again.

— Irish Ferries Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Irish Ferries - An Experience you would dream about.

Would highly recommend Irish Ferries, the ship was spotless through out and all staff were extremely helpful and polite, I could not find fault with my experience.

4 May 2026
Unprompted review
Irish Ferries logo

Reply from Irish Ferries

Thank you, Geraldine - great to hear the ship and crew made such a strong impression.

We really appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you again soon.

— Irish Ferries Team

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