With such close proximity to the UK, one of the best ways to travel is the ferry to Guernsey. Although the UK offers an abundance of flights with daily routes from multiple airports, travelling by ferry may offer greater convenience to some travellers. The phenomenal ferry service provides great connections as an alternative option to travelling by air and offers a hassle-free journey with great facilities onboard. With departures from two UK ports and numerous sailings per week, travelling to Guernsey by ferry is a (sea) breeze.
Sailing to Guernsey
Sailing across the English Channel to this breathtaking island has many benefits including no luggage limits, the option to drive your own car and the ability to take four-legged friends on holiday with you.
One of the greatest benefits of travelling by sea is that there are fewer restrictions than travelling by air. For those who travel with their own car, there is no luggage limit meaning you can take everything you could want or need for your Guernsey holiday without worrying about overweight baggage.
This is also a great perk for foot passengers as Condor Ferries offers a generous 25kg luggage allowance, considerably greater than airlines offer as standard. Foot passengers may also find travelling to Guernsey by sea more affordable than travelling by air.
Another great benefit of travelling by sea is that no one gets left behind. Every member of the family can tag along on your Guernsey holiday as pets are permitted to travel by sea.
However, possibly the best perk of holidays to Guernsey by ferry is the option to transport your own vehicle to the island. No need to worry about car hire or public transport, you can take your own car with you when travelling with Condor Ferries and enjoy exploring the island in the comfort of your own vehicle on arrival.
Not only does a holiday in Guernsey by ferry offer fewer restrictions and greater freedom, the slower pace of travel is great for those truly looking to unwind. Depending on the departure port, sailings take between 3-7 hours and are a beautiful, relaxing experience for those who love to travel by sea. With multiple sailings per week from two of the UK’s busiest ports, the connections to Guernsey by sea are incredible.
Condor Ferries to Guernsey
Holidays in Guernsey by ferry are made easy thanks to the exceptional service provided by Condor Ferries. Condor Ferries is the only ferry operator currently offering sailings from the UK and offers two UK departure ports. Regular sailings are available from both Poole and Portsmouth allowing you to enjoy the flexibility of up to ten sailings per week running daily throughout the summer months. Condor Ferries also operates additional sailings throughout school holidays and seasonal periods in addition to the regular schedules.
Arriving into Guernsey’s St Peter Port, the island’s capital and main cultural hub, you are transported directly to the heart of Guernsey. Foot passengers will find this of great benefit with easy access to the centre whilst drivers will be on the Esplanade road that runs along the east coast within minutes.
Vehicles travelling via Condor Ferries can enjoy unlimited luggage whilst foot passengers have a generous 25kg baggage allowance. Foot passengers are also permitted to travel with one bicycle, perfect for a Guernsey cycling holiday. Additional larger items such as camping equipment can also be carried for an extra charge.
Condor Ferries also permits pets on board all its services between the UK and Guernsey so the whole family can enjoy holidays to Guernsey by ferry. Pets travelling in a vehicle can travel for free whilst pets travelling with foot passengers can be carried for an additional charge.
Benefits of Travelling to Guernsey with Condor Ferries
Free Amendments – Journeys with Condor Ferries are fully flexible so if your plans change, you can easily amend your Condor Ferries booking for free up to 48 hours before your departure. If there is a fare difference, you only need to pay this with no administration fee on top.
Take Your Vehicle – No need to bother with car hire or navigating public transport in Guernsey, take your own car with you and enjoy the freedom, comfort and flexibility of exploring the island in your own vehicle.
Pack More – Travelling with Condor Ferries offers you greater luggage allowances than travelling by the air. Vehicles have no luggage restrictions giving you the freedom and flexibility to take exactly what you need with you whilst foot passengers can enjoy a generous 25kg included in the fare.
Bargains – Save up to 40% off UK high stress prices from your favourite brands when travelling on board. Enjoy discounts across fragrance, beauty, tech, gifts, confectionery, wines, spirits and tobacco.
Pet Friendly – The whole family can join your Guernsey holiday when travelling with Condor Ferries as pets can travel too.
Guernsey Holidays by Ferry from Poole
For those looking to travel by boat to Guernsey from Poole, Condor Ferries offers a quick and efficient service direct to St Peter Port. The Condor Ferries route from Poole is the quickest sailing from the UK to Guernsey with a travel time of approximately 3 hours. Four sailings per week are offered year round, increasing to daily sailings in the summer with additional sailings covering school holidays and seasonal periods.
Sailings are available on the Guernsey ferry to Poole Friday to Monday via fast ferry Condor Liberation. Condor Liberation is a high speed ferry that is one of the most recent additions to the Condor fleet, significantly cutting down on journey time and for such a quick sailing, Poole to Guernsey ferry prices are highly affordable.
Condor Liberation has the following facilities on board:
- Assigned Seating
- ATM
- Baby Changing Facilities
- Casquets Bistro (Cafe)
- Costa Coffee (Served at Island Bar and Horizon Lounge)
- Duty Free Shop
- Horizon Lounge (Premium Lounge)
- Information Desk
- Island Bar (Bar Service)
- Kids Zone (Children’s TV Room)
- Ocean Club (Premium Lounge)
- Outside Decks
- Smoking Area
- Toilets/Accessible Toilets
- Wifi
Guernsey Holidays by Ferry from Portsmouth
The Portsmouth to Guernsey car ferry operated by Condor Ferries offers an approximate journey time of 7 hours on board Commodore Clipper. The Portsmouth route offers a wider year-round service with up to six sailings per week which also increases to daily sailings throughout the summer, school holidays and seasonal periods. The Commodore Clipper offers a slower journey time as a conventional ferry but does not compromise on facilities and experience.
Commodore Clipper has the following facilities on board:
- Assigned Seating
- ATM
- Baby Changing Facilities
- Casquets Bistro (Cafe)
- Casquets Lounge Bar
- Duty Free Shop
- Information Desk
- Kids Zone (Children’s TV Room)
- Ocean Club (Premium Lounge)
- Outside Decks
- Smoking Area
- Toilets/Accessible Toilets
- Wifi
Guernsey Holidays by Ferry from St Malo
In addition to the two sailings departing the UK to Guernsey, Condor Ferries also operates a further sailing to the island from St Malo, France. Sailing to or from St Malo is quick and easy with a short 1 hour and 55 minute journey time on board Condor Voyager. Whether you are travelling to Guernsey from Europe or looking to extend your holiday with a short trip to France, the ferry from St Malo to Guernsey is an excellent choice with five sailings a week.
Condor Voyager has the following facilities on board:
- Assigned Seating
- ATM
- Baby Changing Facilities
- Casquets Bistro (Cafe)
- Costa Coffee (Served at Island Bar and Horizon Lounge)
- Duty Free Shop
- Horizon Lounge (Premium Lounge)
- Information Desk
- Island Bar (Bar Service)
- Kids Zone (Children’s TV Room)
- Ocean Club (Premium Lounge)
- Outside Decks
- Smoking Area
- Toilets/Accessible Toilets
- Wifi
Requirements to Travel by Sea to Guernsey
Individual Travel Requirements
As part of The Common Travel Area, individuals holding UK and Irish citizenship enjoy unrestricted travel to and from Guernsey without requiring a valid passport for immigration purposes. However, Condor Ferries requires a form of identification for boarding, accepting various forms of photographic identification in lieu of a passport.
Failure to present photo ID during check-in renders passengers ineligible for boarding. For children below 16 years old, travelling without identification is allowed if accompanied by an adult passenger who can verify their identity but all over the age of 16 must have a valid form of ID.
Condor Ferries accepts the following forms of photographic identification for domestic sailings:
- 1. A valid passport
- 2. An expired UK passport (up to two years after expiry)
- 3. Valid EU or Swiss national identity card
- 4. Valid full or provisional driving licence
- 5. Valid armed forces identity card
- 6. Valid police warrant card/badge
- 7. Citizen Card or Civilian Card from www.citizencard.com
- 8. Valid firearm certificate
- 9. Valid government-issued identity card
- 10. NHS SMART card
- 11. Electoral identity card
- 12. NUS card (National Union of Students)
- 13. University/college ID card
- 14. Council-issued bus pass
- 15. Young Scot card
- 16. Disabled badges featuring the holder’s photograph
- 17. Certificate of Competency issued by the government (must be photographic)
- 18. VALIDATE UK PASS (photographic proof of age cards)
- 19. CPP Guernsey ID card
- 20. Guernsey 18+ card
Only original forms of identification are accepted and digital copies are not valid. Foreign nationals may require a passport and/or proof of VISA for boarding Condor Ferries to Guernsey. Those travelling from the UK who are not UK nationals and have an alternative passport should confirm travel requirements with Condor Ferries and entry requirements to Guernsey.
Fit to fly certificates from a registered GP may be required to travel after 28 weeks of pregnancy. Condor Ferries does not permit travel for passengers beyond 34 weeks of pregnancy. Individuals with pre-existing health conditions are also advised to seek medical advice and may also require a fit to travel document before travelling.
It’s essential to note that Guernsey does not have access to the NHS and therefore purchasing adequate travel insurance before visiting is highly recommended. European Health Insurance Cards are also not valid in the Channel Islands.
Vehicle Travel Requirements
If you are planning on travelling to Guernsey from the UK by ferry with your own vehicle, specific regulations apply.
UK residents driving their personal vehicles from the UK to Guernsey must possess a valid and complete UK driving licence. For non-UK citizens driving from the UK without a UK-issued licence, an international driving permit may also be required in addition to a valid licence. All vehicles must also be insured and it’s advisable to have breakdown coverage.
Upon entry into Guernsey, all cars should display a country identifier at the rear of the vehicle, incorporating both the country’s letter code and flag. If the licence plate already includes a country identifier, an additional sticker is not required.
It’s important to note that, effective September 2021, the GB sticker is no longer valid for UK vehicles. To comply with both UK and European legal requirements, a valid UK sticker is not required. Older UK vehicles displaying a licence plate identifier such as ‘GB’ or ‘EU’ need an extra UK sticker in alignment with the most recent guidelines.
Pet Travel Requirements
Condor Ferries permit the transport of pets on all services between the UK and Guernsey. Pets travelling by vehicle can travel free of charge and must remain in the vehicle throughout the sailing. Pets travelling with foot passengers can travel for an additional charge and must travel in a cage that meets RSPCA requirements and are not permitted in the passenger lounges.
As Guernsey is part of The Common Travel Area, no documentation is required for pets travelling from the UK to Guernsey and a pet passport is not required. However, it is law for all dogs to be microchipped and it is recommended that your pet is fully up to date with vaccinations prior to travel.
Covid-19 Travel Requirements
There are currently no Covid-19 related travel requirements for Condor Ferries sailings from the UK to Guernsey. No restrictions or documentation is required and all regulations are in line with those of pre-pandemic.
