Stena Line Group 

Excellent customer service from the booking through to travel. The Stena agent was patient to ensure my elderly mother’s needs were met by booking times and facilities available; fantastic support once we arrived in Holyhead and in Dublin too.A real sense that they take accessibility issues seriously. Consistently reliable comms via text messaging throughout. An all round superb experience!

I recently travelled on the Cairnryan to Belfast route with Stena Line and was genuinely impressed. The whole experience was smooth and stress-free from start to finish.

The Stena Plus Lounge made a big difference – priority boarding, a quiet and comfortable space, and good service throughout. It really added a premium feel to the trip.

One thing that stood out was how easy it was to manage my booking online. I needed to change my car registration and was pleasantly surprised to find I could do it quickly, with no handling fee, something many other operators still charge for. I also had to make a last-minute change to my ticket, and the cost was minimal and clearly explained.

Everything felt straightforward and customer-focused – exactly what you want when travelling.

Would I use Stena Line again? Absolutely. They’ve earned my trust with their reliable service, flexibility, and attention to detail. Highly recommended.

Overall, the trip went fine—no disasters or major issues—but the experience left a lot to be desired due to a mix of odd decisions and avoidable inconveniences.

For starters, upgrading to Stena Plus isn’t possible online. You either have to call customer service it submit a form if you don’t book it initially (which most people understandably won’t want to do) or upgrade onboard. On our busy Sunday crossing, there was no space left by the time we tried onboard—again, not a huge deal, but it became more frustrating when we realized how few seats were available elsewhere. There were hardly any places to recline, so many passengers camped out at the restaurant area and ended up trying to sleep hunched over tables.

The food service also seemed poorly timed. Hot meals were closed after about an hour into what was a 3.5-hour journey, and the duty-free shop closed halfway through. Why? It seemed unnecessarily restrictive, especially since there’s not much else to do during the trip.

Boarding felt disorganized. We arrived well before many others but watched as people who came after us boarded ahead. Perhaps they were premium passengers, but it looked like the lines were just taking turns—no clear priority or order.

Up on deck, the engine noise was quite loud and, for some reason, half the outside area was roped off, limiting the views. Letting passengers spread out and enjoy the sea air and views would’ve helped ease the overcrowding inside.

Ordering food was slow but manageable—I just got some chips—and I couldn’t even buy a snack from the vending machine because it wouldn’t accept my card.

Disembarkation was frustrating. We weren’t allowed to our vehicles for quite a while after docking, and since the lift was broken, everyone was crammed into the stairwell. Before that, passengers were packed into the hallway waiting for the doors to unlock. When we finally got off, the vehicle exit was smooth, thankfully, but I noticed foot passengers struggling uphill with heavy bags. Is there really no shuttle?

To sum up: the basics are all technically there, but the whole experience felt plagued by strange decisions and unintentional issues. Why close food service early? Why no reclining seats for regular passengers? Why make things harder than they need to be? It just felt like unless you already knew all the tricks, you were in for a subpar experience.

We had accidentally booked our ferry the wrong way round. We only had a flexi on one way but the team switched it round for us anyways with a small additional fee. Many companies would just make you book again so really appreciated, great customer service.
Kept us calm with a really easy process. 10/10.

Don’t know why I’m wasting my time writing this as Stena don’t care. 25 years travelling on the Cairnryan Belfast route up to 12 times a year. I’m a “gold extra” member whatever that stands for as the service and rewards that you receive are getting worse by the month. No issues with the staff just corporate greed. Used to have premier -gone, priority boarding - gone, access to extras -gone, pet travel - extra charge and limited, timetable now late is the norm, however cost -up and up and up. It has now reached the point that we are traveling Ryan Air next time and may even try an alternative ferry! What a claim to fame. Good luck.
Brian

We paid for premium which cites express boarding and disembarking we were the last to be let disembark, would not pay for premium service again

Horrible service

They don’t respect the time schedule written on their site.
I’ve arrived at 7:45 and the gate was closed and I saw the ship leaving before 8am.

When I’ve asked to exchange the ticket they said it’s not possible because I should have been there at before 7:30 as it’s written on the ticket.

When I said I never received my ticket nor email with the confirmation they didn’t believe me, I’ve told them that I have the bank statement to prove the payment and even told them the name of the person that sold me the ticket at what time.

I’ve bought my ticket on the spot the evening before departure and the young lady that sold it to me never said that the gate closes at 7:30 nor that it’s possible that the ferry will depart before 8 AM.

I would like to thank you the Stena Line customer assistance in Ireland.
I had a problem with Direct Ferries, because I've changed my sailing date and the app cancelled my accommodation.
After a whole day trying to solve the problem, the Direct Ferries told me that I need to pay again the accommodation.
It's unfair because I've paid already.
The Direct Ferries employee looked like a robot, he was saying the same thing without stop, you need to pay again, didn't matter what I explained for him and trying convincing me that it was my fault.
Luckily I call the Stena Line and Mrs. Lyndsay understood my problem and in a few minutes it was solved.
Thank you very much Mrs. Lindsay, you are very professional, helpful and the most important for a customer service, you listened me.
The customer service arouthe world needs employees like you!
Daniel Abrahāo

Last week I was returning from Belfast on the fast ferry. I arrived in time to find my 11.30 ferry cancelled but I had automatically been booked on the 3.30. Inconvenient but these things happen.
Went back at 1pm as now bored to find a long queue. Being on a motorcycle I rode to near the front and waited. After about an hour we were told that the ferry still had technical issues and that the 7.30pm ferry was also cancelled.
Not good, not good at all.
The lady told us that they did hope to get a ferry running, most likely around 8.30pm but no guarantees. If we wanted to take a chance we could book in and wait, which we decided to do.
We waited in a nice room when at 4pm someone came rushing in to tell us they were loading. As I went back to my bike the official announcement came and we all loaded on, and the ferry left about 4.39pm docking at about 7pm.
So this was a trying situation but every person I spoke to was polite and gave as much information as they could. When I was strapping the bike down it was clear how stressed everyone was but this did not effect their behaviour to us.
We were given a £10 food voucher which paid for a coffee nd biscuit and would have made a good contribution to a meal had I been hungry.
Yesterday I received an apology email and. 50% discount on my next trip to Belfast. I probably won’t use it as I have no plans to return, but I do appreciate the gesture.
One star knocked off because although it didn’t affect me it did seem unfair. On the outward journey from Cairnryan those that arrived first were loaded last, and those that were last and late, were loaded first. So by the time the early arrives got to the restaurants the queues were really long, and the late comers were rewarded with no queues.

As a foot passenger, the whole experience is pretty hopeless. The terminal in Fishguard is a very long walk from the main road, likewise on the way back. Being bussed onto the ship both there and back is pretty poor and being made to wait for ages after docking to disembark is frustrating especially so late at night. Why can't foot passengers walk on and off the ship like cruise passengers and like transfers in the good old days?The experience at Rosslare is worse, trains don't meet the boat, so miseed my connection, there's much hanging around. Booked a train but was confined on the ship until after it had departed and there are only 3 a day. The foot connection from ship to train is terrible anyway. You obviously don't care about foot passengers. Due to the din on board, couldn't hear any of the announcements. Food on board, awful, only had a cup of tea (Brittany Ferries much better). Travel 18th-21st July.

Awful Ferry Service , Continously Running Late , Avoid if you can

I arrived for the 20.30 sailing Holyhead to Dublin. I was first in the queue 17.30. I had a choice of booths 1, 2 or 3. I picked 1. When the came to open, they opened booths 2 and 3 and left everyone in my row, who had arrived first, to try and move into the lane facing booth 2. I also had the same problem at Hoek of Holland. Row 3 goes nowhere and you are dependent on people in rows 2 and 4 to let you filter in. A weird way to treat customers.

Always travel with Stena to the Hoek at least twice a year. Going out overnight on the Britannica there was no problem, however coming back on the Hollandica not so nice. Firstly when we were boarding all the lines of cars were given the green light to board, what utter mess that was. Secondly breakfast was a complete and mess. They used to have 1 member of staff to take your pre booked breakfast pass or you could pay to have the breakfast, but now I tried to order just a few things on the cooked breakfast and it was a nightmare, the man didn’t seem to have a clue. Then my husband ordered his and we were given a device that vibrated and make a noise when the meals were ready. More staff were there bringing the food to out table, food was not very hot either. A member of staff were trying to deliver a meal it went on the floor. A lot of people did not eat much and a lot was wasted. Utter Chaos. We are traveling again late November, won’t be having a breakfast. Also the towels are not big enough to have a couple of showers.

Recently travelled from Liverpool to Belfast over night, the air con was on all night, some passengers were very cold, other passengers very noisy and had no consideration for other passengers.

The doors to the lounges being slammed shut as passengers were entering and leaving. There should be signs on the doors "Please close the door quietly".

The same situation on the return journey on the over night back to Liverpool, very uncomfortable journey all together.

Although we were first in the queue, we boarded almost last. This meant that by the time we had walked from bottom deck to Deck 6(Lifts not working and 70 years old)there were no seats left for our 3 HR journey.
We had to pay an extra £26 pounds to sit in a recliner lounge.
Not impressed with my first and last trip with Stena
Not to mention that the remainder recliner seats did not have a view of the screens, supposedly an additional attraction. ☹️

The new loyalty tiers is a mockery to the loyal customers that have spent their hard earned money.
Stena have reduced the value of their loyalty scheme and increased the prices.
What a shame Stena, hang your heads. Life is hard enough right now, it used to be a treat to travel with Stena, you used to be one of the good companies that valued repeat business. No longer the case. Booooooo

Subject: Urgent Policy Review Needed for Passenger Comfort on Stena Line
Dear Stena Line Management,
I am a frequent traveler with Stena Line, regularly crossing the channel, and I feel compelled to share my recent experience on the journey from Hook of Holland to Harwich on July 9th. Typically, this trip takes around 7-8 hours, a duration that can be quite taxing, especially for families traveling with children.
On this particular voyage, I encountered a rather disconcerting situation. As I attempted to catch some much-needed rest, I was abruptly awakened by staff members who insisted that I could not sleep in the public seating area. This policy struck me as utterly absurd. When utilizing public transport—be it a bus, tube, or taxi—passengers are afforded the basic courtesy of resting in their seats without fear of being disturbed.
To be roused from slumber in such a manner is not only inconsiderate but also deeply frustrating. While I understand the intention behind encouraging passengers to book private cabins, it is simply impractical for families traveling during the day. For parents, the challenge of managing children while also seeking a moment of respite becomes nearly impossible.
I urge you to reconsider this policy. It is essential to foster an environment where passengers can feel comfortable and at ease during their journey. The current approach not only detracts from the overall experience but also alienates loyal customers who expect a certain level of respect and understanding.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I hope to see positive changes that prioritize passenger comfort in the near future.

I will NEVER Book with these again,,I tried to make an Amendment for my booking from Dublin to Holyhead,the Seats on these Ferries are the most UNCOMFORTABLE I have EVER encountered on a ferry,so I was Amending my booking so that me and my wife could have Reclining Seats in the quiet area,,the app quoted me £32,,,but I had to wait for an Email to pay for them,,but when I recieved the Email,,it had risen from £32 to £46 but for some reason,it was declining my card,so I had to ring them and when I rang,it had risen again BUT TO A WHOPPING £86,,so they we're trying to charge us £14 each per Hour to SIT IN A RECLINING CHAIR,,,this is my first time using Stena Line,,I usually book with IRISH FERRIES and in future,,THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WILL BE DOING,,,AVOID THIS RIP-OFF COMPANY AT ALL COST,or use them at your own peril and you WILL LEARN YOURSELF!

I had a booking with Stena Line for a 4 AM departure, but delays on the motorway had made the journey impossible. Ultimately, I arrived a few minutes late, still within check-in time, but no alternative method to reach the ferry was given. Apart from that, I bought the cheaper ticket, and that couldn't be refunded. I would avoid this company as they don't provide any solution for anyone that arrives within the last period of the check-in time.

Recently I have travelled to both Dublin and Belfast, booked in as freight. I have to say the food we get is pretty good and portion size is nothing to complain about. Staff are always friendly and polite and the truckers lounge is great on all ships. My only criticism would be that the red bench seats on the "Adventurer" are a little uncomfortable and updating these would be an improvement. Holyhead port could do with a rethink, takes way too long getting traffic out of the port. All in all the 4 ferries I have used have been great.