Ferry travel with puppy

[StillBelieving2]

Has anyone any experience travelling by ferry with a new puppy?
We're planning to take home a new puppy next month, but already have plans to stay in Ireland for Christmas. Puppy won't be old enough for all vaccinations (we're going to my parents and will be able to keep her inside/away from others) but this means we cannot get a pet passport for Ireland. We can travel more free to Belfast however any pet cabins on board during Xmas week are already fully booked. This means puppy would need to stay in the ferry kennels, which feel terrifying for a dog only weeks old and unsure of health risks - or staying in our car. Which feels wrong, but deemed safe by the ferry. They disapprove of letting you back down to the car during crossing unless exceptional circumstances which I hope this would be but expect a quick check is all. The crossings around 2-2.5 hours.
What are people's thoughts? Cancel Christmas?! 😅 We also have a 3 year old so its not the ideal option...

You need to stay at home. Apart from the journey not being suitable, Christmas away from the home the pup knows at such a young age would likely be v upsetting for it.

Absolutely do not do this. Poor puppy will be unsettled enough as it is being in a new home that it has barely had chance to settle into before you leave it alone on a big scary ferry!!!

This will be terrifying for such a young dog.

Make other plans.

We had expected to be able to book a pet cabin so the puppy could stay with us, but agree settling her into our home is probably the best idea before any tavelling.

I can already hear the comments about a dog tying us down 😅🤦‍♀️

Is it Stena? What about the pet lounge? You are meant to keep them in a crate but at least they are beside you the whole time. The kennels on the ferry are utterly miserable so mine stayed in the car. I travelled at night so slept soundly anyway.

I really wouldn't do that journey with a puppy. Not just the kennel issue (which would be a no anyway), but the whole trip would be overwhelming for such a young dog. I think it'd be best to stay at home this year.

I left my dog in the car - he saw the car Asan extension of our house - he hates the motion but the car was always associated with us. I wouldn’t have done a kennel.

Do you have any family or friends that could take on the puppy while you’re away? I wouldn’t cancel a trip abroad but you definitely can’t take the puppy- no vaccinations mean he could get very sick

Ps op just reread the op, maybe think about not getting the puppy? Just suggesting it but you did say I can already hear the comments about a dog tying us down. This is only the beginning, and you have a three year old child, it’s a lot to take on

However hard you are imagining this will be, quadruple it. The poor puppy will be miserable and terrified, wherever you leave it for hours. In the car it will end up likely covered in poo, in the crate. The whole trip would be unsettling. Don’t underestimate the benefits of giving your new dog time to settle into your family.

Don’t travel with the puppy. It will be terrified. You will likely inflict a fear of travel/engine noise/crates/cars that cannot be undone.

When you get a puppy you make sacrifices. These reduce as puppy grows, but when they are tiny they tie you down far more than a human child.

This is something you have to accept, work with and you will see the results in a happy, balanced dog in a year or two.

Thanks everyone, I think cancelling the trip is the sensible option. We lost our rottweiler last year who was a complete mummy's boy so fully aware of the sacrifices/work involved. Was just hoping for a miracle suggestion 😅

Cancelling is really sensible. Just to add to my post - I’ve done the crossing to Belfast literally hundreds of times. It’s never 2.5hours! Even if they leave early they just go slower so you arrive at exactly the same time each time. Plus it’s total bedlam at Xmas - there are invariably huge delays due to the number of people crossing and the car park is just full of people walking around waiting for their dogs to toilet. Mine was over 1 when I first took her. Next year just book it as soon as you can to get the pet lounge! (Ie v v soon for next Xmas!)

Thanks @IHeartFridays wouldn't have imagined a year in advance!!
Very good point about delays, that I'd also forgot about - last year we were faced with delays after the storm destroyed the Holyhead port and we were re-routed. Total nightmare without having a dog to worry about Christmas at home it is!