Stena Line Duty Free day trips

Not great, when i spend say 300Euro on going over in car i'd get 300 points, which equates to 3euro off next booking, show your boarding pass on board for all purchases and get points that way too (excl booze and smokes)

Something else i tend to get on way home, i go to guest services and get a cabin for 20quid, tea/coffee making facilities in there, your own bathroom with shower, nothing like the Irish Sea rocking ya to sleep

Any recommendations of places to bring two 5 year olds while over for the day? Thinking of booking

Well anywhere within an hour's train journey from Holyhead

Bangor is slightly less grim. But that's really not a recommendation either.

Any reason you couldn't buy 2 day returns and stay overnight in Wales and not use 2 legs?

Coming in at €34 where if I book a short overnight stay on their site it's €62 (2×42 and then some discounts applied)

We're forever using 2 day trips for family visiting us or us visiting them

Like my daughter will come over from Wales on a day trip and pay 16, she just doesnt go back on return leg, will then book another day trip going home from Ireland

When i go over in car i will take kids in car wit me and wife will board as a day trip passenger, same on return leg, saves about 50quid a time

Has anyone ever tried to use their children duty free alowance for Alcohol. I have looked several places and while revenue state restrictions for under 15s for the monetary value of goods the alcohol allowance is listed per person. Strictly speaking I don't think its illegal for U18s to drink at home with their parnets so why would they not have an allowance.

"If you are under 17, you are not entitled to tobacco or alcohol allowances."

https://www.revenue.ie/en/customs/individuals/info-travelling-duty-free/from-outside-eu/rules.aspx

Nope, not once and my family and I have been doing it for some time, when they coming here it's normally 2 or 3 days, when we go over there its normally 5.

Nothing in T&C, that I could see anyway, in saying that you HAD to use return journey

How much is a pint onboard?

Another option is to do sail and rail - head to somewhere in UK (London, Oxford, Stratford, Liverpool) for a few nights and do the duty free on the way back. Win win of a nice mini break and cheap duty free in the way homeZ

Can you stay on the boat and come back on the next crossing or do you have to leave and check in again?

Stena day trip to Holyhead / Conwy

Arrived at T2 at 7am, loads of parking available. €9 for 24 hours. Ticket machine takes both coins and card.

Checked in, was only asked for my name, didn't have to show my ticket or ID.

Boarded bus from terminal at 7.50.

Ferry left on time. It wasn't busy; there were plenty of seats available.

There are a plenty of 3 pin sockets dotted around the seating areas.

Great selection of duty free on the Adventurer on way out. Much better that what was offered on Irish Ferries Ulysses last month.

Any of the staff I had dealings with were all very pleasant.

Some on line comments are going on about how the Adventurer is showing its age, I couldn't fault it, it was spacious, clean and comfortable. I can't comment on the cabins.

The free wifi is more than good enough for browsing, but not for YouTube etc. You can pay think it’s £4 for the crossing.

Docked at holyhead around 11.45, there were about 50 foot passengers, and we cleared security by 12.15.

When we arrived they were checking everybody ahead in the Q for ID, there was a couple ahead of us that were stopped and brought into a side room, we were then just waved on, no checks for the rest of us....

I got the 1.30 train to Conwy (£17.30 for return ticket). There are power and USB sockets at seats with tables and USB sockets at the regular seats.

Conwy is a "request" station, when the conductor checks your ticket from Holyhead make sure you tell him that you want to get off there. On the way back from Conwy you have to signal to the approaching train, like you would for a bus, otherwise it won't stop.

Had a nice relaxing afternoon there, fish and chips, did the walls walk and visited the castle, finished it off with a pint in the George and Dragon pub before getting the train back. All the locals I met were genuinely sound.

Checked in at Holyhead, they didn't ask for ID, just my surname... Again the ferry left on time.

The Estrid also has a great duty free, much better choice of food than the adventurer. Like the Adventurer they only opened for 1 hour 15 min.

On a quiet crossing I don't think you need to pay extra for the lounges, the public areas are spacious and comfortable.

When we got back to Dublin, there was a drug sniffer dog checking everybody, and Garda checking all ID's, didn't see any customs officers.

@skibum thanks for the info. What time train did you get back to Holyhead?

How was the duty free shopping experience?

Sounds like something different as you said. It's something I can see myself doing over summer.

Is the train tickets OK to buy with cards/cash or is it a UK leap card job?

Serious difference in passenger and car prices I see. 😳

Thanks

Holyhead!

I didn't have my passport, my drivers license was accepted.

This is from stena line website :

PASSENGER TRAVEL DOCUMENTS ON ROUTES BETWEEN BRITAIN AND IRELAND

UK and Irish citizens travelling on our routes between Britain and Ireland do not need a passport to travel to Britain or Ireland but are advised to take a form of proof of identity. A valid passport or Irish passport card, photographic driving license, International Student Card, government issued photographic ID card, health insurance/social security photographic ID card, photographic bus/train pass or work ID card with photo will usually suffice.

All the ferry operators want you to have some form. None require a passport.

Its only free travel for Irish and UK citizens at that so there's a lot resting on them deciding you're Irish/British from your name.

Went over last weekend. Out Friday on afterneen ferry and returned on Monday afternoon ferry. Both 2 one day excursion tickets no problem. Got bus to ferry port from Georges Quay (Nolan Coaches €3 each way).

Traveled by train to Chester. Nice journey along the coast.

Better to buy train tickets in advance as it works out cheaper.

£5.60 a pint on board is a rip off as they get that beer at duty free price, So for return journey brought my own drink. Just to be safe I bought 1 pint on board and used glass for my cans.

A pint of Carlburg in Wetherspoons in Chester £2.57.

Had a couple of hours wait in Holyhead which I spend in Edinburgh Castle pub (£3 a pint) beside train station and a 5 minute walk to terminal.

Got 400 cigs on return (yes, I know 200 is limit), so almost a free weekend away.

Will do again.

Yes, do a dummy booking to see if the bus times suit your trip