The Isle of Man is a popular tourist spot; a picturesque island close to mainland England which is usually reached by ferry. In fact, you can travel to the Isle of Man directly from Belfast. The journey starts at the port of Douglas, one of the Isle of Man’s larger ferry ports which is situated close to Douglas town centre.

All year round, crossings to and from Belfast are made by the Isle of Man’s premier ferry operator, the Steam Packet Company. You can choose either conventional ferries or Fastcraft ferries which shorten the journey time (2 hours, 25 minutes) but are a little more expensive. Note that the Fastcraft option is only available during the peak season in mid summer. Conventional ferries can take up to four hours.

The ferries are fully equipped to provide for those with disabilities, all though passengers should make a request to the ferry company for any special requirements when making their reservation.

When you are on a ferry for four hours, it is important than the journey is comfortable. Luckily the ferries which operate this route are spacious with good seating and plenty of space to move around. You can purchase a range of refreshments on board including food and drink. Please be advised that it is not permitted to smoke cigarettes on these journeys. Fastcraft ferries also provide refreshment but there is less opportunity to move around the vessel.

Over two million passengers go through Belfast ferry port every year. So as you can imagine, there are extensive facilities at the port, including refreshments, ATMs, public call boxes and toilets. Good parking facilities are available at both ends of this route. However, as you would expect, parking at Belfast port may be quite expensive for people who are planning to leave their vehicle for several days.

Tags: Belfast, Douglas, England, Isle of Man