PETS ON BOARD

Pets On Board

All the information you need to know if you are travelling with your pet.

- Travelling by ferry with a pet

If you are travelling with your 4-legged friend, you will be happy to know that all ferry companies allow pets on board, but certain regulations apply.

• Passengers must specify at the time of booking that they will be travelling with a pet.
• Your pet must have an valid pet passport.
• Pets cannot travel unaccompanied.
• Pet owners are responsible for their pet’s care, safety and hygiene.
• Pet owners are solely responsible for any possible harm or damage caused by their pet to any third party.

Visually impaired passengers may travel with their guide dog, in accordance with the international and EU regulations (Article 11.5 of Regulation (EU) No. 1177/2010), at no extra cost but the ferry company/travel agent must be informed at the time of booking.

Depending on the company and ship you are travelling with, you will find special facilities (kennels) on board for dogs and cats, while some companies also offer a specific number of cabins where pets are allowed (pet cabins). Other pets such as hamsters, birds, rabbits are allowed also but must remain in their carriers/cages at all times.

Pets are not allowed indoors (bars, restaurants and other public areas) or in vehicles (unless you have booked camping on board), while access to the vehicle deck is forbidden during crossings. While walking on the open decks, pets are required to wear a muzzle and be on a leash, accompanied by the pet owner or guardian. The pet owner or guardian is held fully responsible for the care, safety and hygiene of the pet and for adhering to all laws and regulations related to the above.

Cabins where pets are allowed are indicated as PET CABINS in the online booking system.

Pet Travel Declaration Questionnare

Based on the existing legislative framework (article 18 § 7 of Law 4830/2021 / Official Gazette Issue A' 169/18.09.2021, it is mandatory for passengers traveling with animals to declare them when booking / issuing their tickets, in order to be recorded in the electronic booking system.

Issuing of tickets for pets is mandatory, and the following data are required/recorded:

• Pet Passport number or Pet Health Certificate number
• Category of Animal (e.g. Companion, Therapy, Assistance)*
• Size of Animal (Large > 10 Kg or Small <= 10 Kg)
• Class (Pet in cabin / Pet in kennel / Pet on deck)

Escorts must have the pet’s health certificate with them at all times (residents of the European Union must also have the pet’s official EU Pet Passport with them), follow all boarding procedures and be responsible for the care, safety and hygiene of the pet throughout the journey. Cats, dogs and ferrets must have proof of vaccination against rabies.

Minoan lines - domestic

Guidelines for the transportation of pets

It is now mandatory to record the details of companion or service animals that are to be transported by ships, in the passenger reservation and ticketing system of each company, in the special field for recording the marking-identification details of the companion animal's health booklet or passport.

Download the relevant statement entitled "PET TRANSPORTATION DECLARATION FORM / FOR PASSENGER / ANIMAL / ESCORT / OWNER" which will state the name of the vessel, the trip date, the ports of departure and arrival, the details of the passenger (owner / animal companion) and his/her ticket number, the animal identification number, the type and number of the animal's health booklet or passport, the weight of the animal and whether the prescribed vaccinations have been carried out.

The completed declaration form must be signed and handed over to the ship's finance officer upon boarding.

1) Pets must be vaccinated and accompanied by their newly updated health card / passport, which must be presented to the crew prior to boarding.

2) Large pets must be leashed/chained and muzzled. They can only stay in specially designed passenger cabins (pet cabins) or in specially designed areas (pet kennels) on the ship's deck. Their passage is carried out by stairs or corridors while being transported to and from he aforementioned specially designed areas.

3) Small Pets (<10 kg) are allowed to stay in all public places (e.g. outdoor areas, air seat rooms, lounges) inside their transport cage and as long as they do not create a nuisance. Also, small pets can stay in the specially designed passenger cabins (pet cabins) or in the specially designed areas (cages) on the ship's deck (pet kennels).

4) Assistance dogs (e.g. guide dogs for the blind), provided they are wearing a leash/harness, can travel with no need for a pet carrier or muzzle, regardless of their size. Assistance dogs can also accompany their owners to the accommodation areas if they have the relevant certificates.

5) Pet owners will be responsible for their pets’ food and hygiene, as well as for any personal injury or material damage that they may cause.

Minoan lines - international (Link)

Pets are considered to be the animals listed in Annex I of Reg. (EU) No 576/2013. Each ship has a certain number of places in cages; alternatively, it will be possible to bring the pet in the cabin with the owner, by purchasing the on-board service called pet kit. Animals that are not in a pet carrier or in a special case are not allowed to enter the lounge or common rooms, only on the outside decks of the ship. Dogs must be kept on a leash and muzzled at all times; otherwise, boarding may be denied. Animals are not allowed inside accompanying vehicles while sailing. Passengers must provide food for their pet, while water is offered on board. The passenger must look after the animal personally and is obliged to remove excrement, or anything else, produced by the animal.

Any damage to the ship, persons or property caused by the animal must be paid for on the spot by its owner. The passenger is responsible for vaccinations and all necessary documentation for travelling and disembarking in the country of destination. For domestic journeys, registration in the canine registry (registered microchip) and a certificate of good health issued by a veterinarian are required. A European Pet Passport is required for transport between Schengen countries or from a Schengen country to a non-Schengen country.

Dogs, cats and ferrets brought into the EU from Tunisia and Morocco must be identified by a microchip or clearly readable tattoo, if affixed before 03/07/2011. The documentation to be presented at the time of embarkation is as follows: health certificate in accordance with Annex IV of the Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 577/2013, copy of the certificate with the animal's electronic identification data, copy of the certificate with the rabies vaccination data. In addition to the rabies vaccination, these animals have to undergo what is known as 'antibody titration'.

For up-to-date information on the transport of pets, we recommend consulting the Italian Ministry of Health website and the European Union website before purchasing and before travelling. If passengers arrive at check-in with an animal not mentioned on the ticket, the port agent will check the availability of places on board and collect the fare, issuing a ticket. Blind passengers may travel accompanied by a guide dog, in accordance with national (Italian Law no. 376 of 25 August 1988), international and EU regulations (article 11.5 of EU Regulation no. 1177/2010) at no additional cost. The guide dog may travel in the cabin with the passenger. The presence of the guide dog must be reported at the time of embarkation.