Guide
Taking a dog on the ferry to Sicily
Where your pet stays during the crossing, which papers you need and how to book properly
- GNV and Grimaldi Lines carry dogs and cats
- Pet cabins and kennels are limited, register your pet when you book
- Your pet may not stay in the vehicle during the crossing
Entry requirements
What your dog needs for Sicily
Sicily (Italy) follows the standard EU rules. Note: Sicily is a leishmaniasis risk area.
EU pet passport
ISO microchip
Rabies vaccination
Leishmaniasis risk
Taking dogs and cats on the ferry
Table of Contents
Dogs and cats are allowed on every ferry to Sicily. Because all the routes to Palermo run overnight, eight to twenty hours depending on the port, the question of where your pet spends that time matters more than on any short crossing.
Where your pet stays
GNV has pet friendly cabins with linoleum floors that are disinfected daily, plus kennels and marked exercise areas on deck. Grimaldi Lines carries travellers with a pet in inside and outside cabins on every ship, fitted with a linoleum floor, an odour absorbing hygiene mat and matching bed linen; small animals up to six kilograms travel in their own carrier, and there is separate accommodation for larger ones.
On the outside decks your dog may walk with you on a lead and muzzled. Animals are not allowed in restaurants, reclining seat lounges and public lounges.
Leaving the dog in the car is not an option
The vehicle deck is closed for the whole crossing. On an overnight sailing that means many hours without access, for you as well as for your pet. Anyone who arrives without a booked pet cabin, hoping to leave the dog in the car, has a problem at check-in. The same applies to a hire car picked up at the airport.
Register the pet when you book
Pet cabins and kennels are scarce on every ship. So enter your pet when you book, online or through a travel agent. For the pet cabins the operators also require a hygiene kit, which is available on board.
Papers
The EU pet passport with the microchip number and a valid rabies vaccination is compulsory. The routes to Sicily run within Italy, so there is no border control, but the papers are checked at check-in all the same, and without them the animal does not board. If you are arriving from outside the EU, check Italy's entry requirements for pets before you travel.
What belongs in your hand luggage
Because you cannot get back to the vehicle during the crossing: lead and muzzle, water and a bowl, food for the whole journey, waste bags, a blanket and the papers. In the Sicilian summer water is the most important item, as the vehicle decks, where the kennels stand on some ships, heat up badly.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Common questions on this subject.
Is my dog allowed on the ferry to Sicily?+
Yes. GNV and Grimaldi Lines carry dogs and cats on all routes to Palermo. The pet has to be registered when you book, and adding it afterwards is not always possible.
Where does my dog stay during the crossing?+
In a pet cabin, in the kennels on board or on a lead and muzzled on the outside decks. Small animals travel in a carrier; Grimaldi Lines draws the line at six kilograms, and above that there is separate accommodation on board. Animals are not allowed in restaurants and reclining seat lounges.
Can my dog stay in the car?+
No. The vehicle deck is closed for the whole crossing, for you as well as for your pet. On the overnight sailings to Palermo that is eight to twenty hours, depending on the route.
Which papers does my pet need?+
The EU pet passport with the microchip number and a valid rabies vaccination. The routes to Sicily run within Italy, so there is no border control, but the operators ask for the passport and the vaccination record all the same and check them at check-in. If you are arriving from outside the EU, check Italy's entry requirements for pets before you travel.
What do I have to take for the overnight crossing?+
Everything your pet needs, because you cannot get back to the vehicle: lead and muzzle, water and a bowl, food, waste bags, a blanket and the papers. At GNV and Grimaldi a hygiene kit is also required for the pet cabins, and it is available on board.
What changes if I travel with a motorhome?+
Nothing for your pet: it may not stay in the motorhome during the crossing either. What applies to the vehicle itself is on taking a motorhome on the ferry.