Come sail on the Bluebridge Ferry with us!
Have you ever wanted to go on a roadtrip with your dog and yet wondered just how do I do this?
Last year I started planning such a trip and after completing it, my advice is just do it! Set the dates, book the important items and then fill the gaps as you go, even whilst on the trip.
My reason for heading to the North Island… to see Gordo’s mum and siblings of course… Ok, so their humans were getting married and that was definitely almost equal with the main reason.
Question One… Drive or fly? I decided that I would drive and make it a two week (or longer) adventure with Gordo exploring North Island, and that gave me the opportunity to see friends, both new and old.
Question Two… Am I driving all the way? As this is an over 4000km round trip which includes crossing the Cook Strait twice on the Bluebridge Ferry, it was a very simple question to answer as I knew Gordo wouldn’t be a fan of flying, but absolutely loves a roadtrip!
Question Three… The easiest to answer… The Bluebridge Ferry, Dog Friendly Cabin all the way! You’re also able to book a kennel or leave your dog in the car and visit it during the crossing, however, I knew that for Gordo it would be best to have the cabin… Yes, he is a high maintenance dog.
I mentioned my adventure to a friend in Australia and she said - I’m flying over for week too! - so that sealed the deal for a two ish week holiday and a well needed break exploring the North Island.
As I started sharing on Instagram about taking the ferry with Gordo, the questions started coming in and I have to admit, I had a lot of questions myself and now having travelled I’ll answer as many as I can.
Bluebridge have very handy links on their site and they are definitely the first place to go to for information, along with their helpful customer service team - Checking in with Pets and their FAQs.
Questions I had that I’ve now answered…
Preparation…
Backpack, Gordo’s Bag, Snacks…
Took Gordo for a good walk and run before we checked in, as once you’ve checked in you need to stay near your car.
When in Picton, there is a shelter and dog area where you can use the grass or bushes for a pee stop if needed. I found that Gordo didn’t need to go whilst onboard and even lasted until we got to Brisket and Maples house an hour from Wellington.
When in Wellington, if you’re going on an early morning crossing… get your snacks the night before, as nothing was open and I mean nothing! I did leave the car to walk Gordo out towards the road so he could find a bush to pee on, otherwise we mainly stayed in our car.
What do I have to take onboard?
Snacks… I took snacks and a drink for myself and Gordo. You’re supplied a dog bowl and poop bag when you board, along with your room key and have a bathroom where you can fill the water bowl.
They supply towels, bedding and pillows, however, I also took Gordo’s travel bed incase he didn’t want to get up on the bed and a blanket that I could put down for him to lay on which is something that he’s used to at home and out.
I took a book, laptop, chargers and ended up watching Bridgerton… so yes, the onboard Wifi worked well.
Muzzle - I took Gordo’s muzzle just incase it was needed, however, we had lots of space getting on and off which was great and when we went down the hallway or outside there wasn’t anyone else about, which was really handy.
Boarding the Ship
If you’ve booked a Dog Friendly Cabin you’ll be given a sign to hang from your mirror and that allows the team to tell you what lane to park in in preparation for boarding. The work that goes into loading the ship is impressive!
Dog Pawsport - make sure you get your Dog’s Pawsport… this is a great way to keep track of your trips and get some bonus goodies as you keep travelling!
Once you’ve been told to start moving, follow instructions from the team and you’ll be directed to the top of the ship - yes, this is a little scary as it’s quite steep driving up the ramp and yet totally safe.
Those with Dogs in the cabins go on last so that you have your car closer to the door to enter and head along the ship and up to your room. One thing to be aware of, is if it is hot when you’re boarding that the flooring on top of the ship will be super hot… So, in my case I should have waited until the first person with a dog got through the door and then grabbed Gordo and ran across the floor so we covered it as quickly as possible. Once inside, it was covered and fine, it was just the steps from the car to the entrance.
Finding the Cabin
The Bluebridge has signs all the way to the Dog Friendly Area and Cabins, as you get your key and bowl you then keep walking through the door and along the deck. You’ll then get to the Dog Friendly Area, where if your dog does need a pee they have grass pads out for them, head up the stairs, through the doors and down the hall to your room. My rooms were always only a few rooms down from the exit which was really helpful.
Once in the cabin, you really don’t need to leave… However, I went out to watch the goings on and the sights as we left Wellington and the Sounds. As we went across the Strait I think we both just slept… the waves just put you to sleep and yes, I had taken a Sea Legs just in case…
The Dog Friendly Cabins flooring is dog accident friendly… aka no carpet, and this was absolutely fine. One thing I did was moved any bedding and towels I didn’t want to use onto the other bed, hoping that the crew would know they hadn’t been used but also assuming they likely strip each cabin before the next trip.
There are 4 bunks available in a room and you can have 2 dogs with you…
Leaving the Ship
As you come into dock the team have announcements keeping you informed, I packed up our gear and waited for the crew to come by as directed.
What I have learnt, is that people leave the cabins and head outside a lot sooner and if you wait too long the crew will check… but I also did this for Gordo and to not be surrounded with people in a new scenario.
So really, once you hear the announcement you can leave the cabin and head out, watch the scenery and plan your escape to the car. Which again is very easy… just take your steps in reverse, jump in the car and wait for instructions.
I can’t recommend using the Bluebridge more highly, the Dog Friendly Cabin made the trip stress free and the team were absolutely fantastic, and there is definitely no other choice when crossing.
Hope you loved our Ferry tips and we will share more on our North Island adventures, including everywhere we stayed! As we know it can be hard finding dog friendly accommodation.
Do you have any other questions for me? Please ask them below and I’ll happily share my thoughts and experiences.
Anna and Gordo
