12 Essential Things To Do Before Boarding a Ferry for Smooth Sailing

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Traveling by ferry isn’t the fastest way to get from A to B, but it’s arguably one of the most enjoyable. On a ferry, you can sit back, relax, and watch the world go by as the captain and their team take you to your final destination. However, ferrying can quickly go wrong if you don’t prepare efficiently.

A small mistake, such as leaving your ticket at home or forgetting to pack headphones, can ruin your journey. With that in mind, here are 12 things to do before boarding a ferry to help you avoid making unnecessary mistakes. These tips will help you enjoy a relaxed journey.

Buy Your Ticket

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Let’s start with the most obvious advice we have for you. Before you even think about boarding a ferry, you must purchase a ticket. Without one, you won’t be allowed to board. To avoid any issues on the day of travel, we recommend purchasing your ticket online a couple of weeks or months in advance.

That way, you don’t risk tickets selling out, prices going up, or being unable to purchase a ticket on the day of travel. Like flight tickets, ferry ticket prices are usually at their lowest when booking in advance. If necessary, Booking in advance also increases your chances of grabbing a cabin onboard before they sell out.

We use this search engine to book our ferry tickets. They compare all companies and you get the best deal. You can also find all indirect connections between islands, which makes island-hopping super easy!

Book ferry tickets here

Prepare Your Travel Documents

If you want a smooth journey, you must ensure you have all the necessary documents prepared and organized before you attempt to board your ferry. In fact, you should have everything ready before you leave the house. If you don’t, you might hold up the queue when boarding or, worse, not be allowed to board.

Firstly, make sure you’ve read your ticket details to find out what you need to board the ferry. You might also find details regarding how to use your ticket on your ticket. For example, you might be required to download it to a digital wallet or print it off. Documents you might need alongside your ticket can include a passport, visa, and proof of travel vaccinations.

Pack Light

One of the greatest things about traveling by ferry is often the ability to leave your bags and suitcases in your vehicle. However, that doesn’t mean you should pack your entire wardrobe for your trip. This is particularly important if you’re traveling as a foot passenger. Instead, pack light.

Packing light is an excellent idea because it gives you fewer things to worry about, creates more space in your car, and stops you from carrying too much when you reach your final destination. Another reason we like to pack light is so that we can pick up some souvenirs while on vacation and some duty-free goodies. Sounds like a plan, right?

Purchase Your Snacks

Depending on the ferry operator you’re booked with, you might be able to buy food and beverages onboard, as many ferries have canteens, cafes, and shops. However, it’s not uncommon for smaller ferries to not have any facilities serving food and beverages. Therefore, you should pack your own snacks to avoid disappointment.

As a budget traveler, I tend to pack my own snacks even if I know a ferry has food onboard. I recommend you do the same if you want to save money because food and beverages on ferries are often overpriced. However, I advise against packing foods with a strong odor unless you want to stink out the ferry and annoy other passengers.

Arrive Early

While you don’t have to arrive two or three hours before your departure time like at an airport, you must still arrive at the ferry port in plenty of time to experience a hassle-free and carefree journey. Don’t expect to turn up at the ferry port with five minutes to go and drive or walk straight on board.

Furthermore, the ferry won’t wait for you if you arrive past the departure time. We strongly recommend arriving at least 60 minutes before departure. This will give you plenty of time to check in and board the ferry. If traveling with a pet, you should allow 90 minutes because pets must be checked into the onboard kennels.

Take Sea Sickness Tablets

If you suffer from motion sickness when moving up and down in a boat, take sea sickness tablets before your ferry departs. Generally speaking, you’ll unlikely experience much rocking movement in a large ferry, but smaller ferries are prone to rocking in choppier conditions. Although, you might feel some movement on a larger ferry in harsh storms.

Taking a sea sickness tablet before you set sail reduces the risk of feeling sick should your ferry encounter unfavorable conditions. Take your sea sickness tablets 30 to 60 minutes before departure for the best results. However, this time might vary between sea sickness tablet brands, so read the instructions first.

Slip into More Comfortable Clothing

Wearing comfortable clothes is essential for a ferry journey, especially when traveling for multiple hours or overnight. Trust us, you don’t want to sit in your jeans for several hours or longer on a ferry. You’ll quickly start to feel uncomfortable. You’ll also feel jealous when someone walks past in a cozy Oodie.

While looking good is always nice, feeling good is more important on a ferry. Therefore, we recommend slipping into more comfortable clothing before the ferry departs. You could wear a warm pair of joggers, a top, and a cozy jumper. Oh, and don’t be afraid to go for it with the fluffy socks and a travel pillow.

Go to the Bathroom

Generally speaking, this next piece of advice doesn’t apply to most ferry journeys, as ferries usually have at least one toilet on board. However, I have been on smaller ferries before now, particularly in Asia, that don’t have toilets on board. It’s a good idea to go to the bathroom before you board a ferry, just in case.

That way, if your ferry doesn’t have a bathroom, at least you can sit comfortably knowing you’ve already been to the toilet. You should be able to find out if your ferry has a toilet on the ferry operator’s website. It’s also not unusual for small details like this to be included in your ticket information.

Book Onward Travel and Accommodation in Advance

Things Not To Do on a Ferry Don’t Forget To Pack Snacks — © Maridav / Adobe Stock

One of the most significant downsides to traveling by ferry is the lack of cell service and WiFi. Sadly, cell service and WiFi are unavailable during most ferry journeys, so you have to go without them. In many cases, even when a ferry operator offers WiFi, you must pay for it.

As a result, booking onward travel and accommodation in advance is essential so you don’t reach your final destination unprepared. You might also want to download your favorite playlist, books, and TV shows before departure so you don’t get bored onboard when you have nothing to do. Trust me, I’ve made that mistake before, and it’s not fun.

Charge Your Devices

If you rely heavily on your smartphone or other electrical devices, which, let’s face it, most of us do, make sure you charge them before you get onboard your ferry. The last thing you need when you step onboard a ferry for several hours is a device low on juice. To avoid disappointment, charge the devices you want to use at home before you leave.

Then, avoid using them too much before boarding your ferry so they still have plenty of battery remaining when you set off. You can also pack a battery pack for extra battery. While many ferries have charging points on board, you shouldn’t rely on them because they often don’t work or offer little power.

Pack a Carry-On Bag

Just because you can leave all your belongings in your vehicle on a ferry doesn’t mean you should. We strongly advise you not to do so because there are things you’ll need to carry with you, including money, travel documents, and any medication you require. That said, packing a small carry-on bag is recommended.

A carry-on bag is a lifesaver during a ferry journey, not only because it allows you to carry your travel documents and medication with you. Without a carry-on bag, you can’t take food and beverages, games, books, and other things to keep you entertained onboard. You’ll also struggle to carry all the treats you’ve bought from duty-free without a carry-on.

Check the Status of Your Ferry

Things Not To Do on a Ferry Don’t Jump off the Ferry — © Maridav / Adobe Stock

Unfortunately, ferries aren’t always the most reliable form of transport, especially smaller ferry services in lesser-traveled destinations. All it takes is a change in weather, a delay leaving another port, or a mechanical issue, and your ferry could be delayed for multiple hours or even canceled.

With that in mind, we strongly recommend monitoring the status of your ferry. That way, you can be updated with any changes to your departure time or cancelations and plan your journey to the port accordingly. The sooner you know about cancelations, the faster you can arrange another transport option, communicate with your accommodation, and inform your onward transfer of delays.