Ferry from Hollyhead to Dublin

learnerplates

I maybe traveling back from London next weekend, Sunday 29th, by car, there'll be 3 adults.
Should I book tickets in advance or chance it on the day?
Does the ticket price shift like airlines? presently it's around 200 euro, I'd hate to spend the cash and then not take the ferry.
Is there usually availability on Sundays this time of year?

Which ferry is best this time of year? there's a fast one!

How long is the commute from London to Hollyhead?

Captain Trips

There are two fast ones: one from Dublin Port (the Irish Ferries Jonathan Swift) and the other from Dun Laoghire (Stena Line Fastcraft).

Both take just over and hour and a half. Stena leaves usually at 11:00, Irish Ferries at 0845. Hence, get the 0845, you arrive in Holyhead at around 1030, and would be in London by around 3pm, briskly, depending vastly on where in London you are going.

Both companies have websites which list travel delays and weather problems - not much at this time of year compared to Dec/Jan. Both companies will text you if there are any delays (not typical).

However, the Jonathan Swift is much smaller, and if there are delays due to weather for it, the Stena Fastcraft will still go as it is much bigger, BUT, it leaves later, so you take that risk/time chance. Stena is slightly faster - 99 mins they say, but maybe 10 mins quicker I would estimate.

Prices don't work like airlines, but are expensive-ish. You can happily book the day before for the same price as a week before. However, if you book a few months in advance, you could see a good 20% off the price, but it's not like Ryanair witht the price going from 1.99 to 249 in a day. More like, Fastcraft price going from €108 to €138.

The Ulysses is a monster and will always sail even in bad weather, it is the largest car ferry in the world and is basically huge (!) - but slow, at over 3.5 hours sailing, but it leaves at 0800, so you arrive around the same as the Stena Fastcraft.

If it was me, at this time of year I would try and get the 0845, as then by lunchtime you will be likley past Birmingham, and will be in London area by mid-afternoon (about the same length of a drive (time wise) as Dublin Cork used to be.

Buying online saves around €10, so it's obvious that buying in advance is okay, but it's no prob to do it the day before price wise.

Sunday's is the same as any other day really, they have a regular schedule.

Dub13

learnerplates wrote:

How long is the commute from London to Hollyhead?

I did it on a bike a few weeks back,it took me about 4 1/2 hours.

learnerplates

Thank captain that's a comprehensive view.
It's the return journey from London to Dublin I'm inquiring about, we're flyin over and maybe boating back.

Maybe we should drive back to Hollyhead on the Saturday eve in order to get the 08.45 on Sunday morning, this leads me to another question, what is Hollyhead like, are there any good/cheap hotels to stay in?

Dub13

Here is the Hotel I was going to stay in if I missed my boat,Link

learnerplates

Yeah that's the style.
What's Hollyhead like, there'll be 2 lads with me, they could be expecting entertainment as a reward for the long trip:rolleyes:

Dub13

Don't expect anything much in Hollyhead to be honest its a bit of a kip nothing in it.

learnerplates

grand thought as much.

patsyh

Get the 02.45 ulysis(big irish ferries ferry). Usually works out cheaper, plus you'll save the hotel fare and its quite so youll get some sleep. you should also miss most of the dublin rush hour traffic as you should be driving up the quays by after 6am

Dub13

The ulysis is not quite when there is/was a match on,I was on it last week and it was packed.

patsyh

Dub13 wrote:

The ulysis is not quite when there is/was a match on,I was on it last week and it was packed.

matches at 3am

BuffyBot

patsyh wrote:

matches at 3am

People coming home from...

Dub13

patsyh wrote:

matches at 3am

I and hundred's of other Irish Liverpool fans were at the LFC Vs PSV game a couple of weeks ago,the game was over around 22:00 we had time for a couple of pints in Liverpool before heading to catch the 02:50 sailing.