Refund Policy

This Refund Policy sets out the terms and conditions under which Irish Ferries processes refund requests, cancellations, and exchanges. Please read this policy carefully before making a booking. By completing a booking on irish-ferrles.com, you agree to the terms outlined below.

This policy is governed by Irish consumer protection law, including the Consumer Rights Act 2022, the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980, the European Communities (Protection of Consumers in Respect of Contracts Made by Means of Distance Communication) Regulations, and applicable EU passenger rights regulations. Under applicable Irish and EU law, passengers booking travel services online are entitled to a 14-day cooling-off period in certain circumstances, as further outlined below.

1. Contact Information

For all refund-related enquiries, please contact our Customer Services team using the details below:

2. Eligibility Conditions for Refunds

A refund may be issued in the following circumstances:

• You cancel your booking within the applicable timeframe as specified in this policy.
• Your sailing or service is cancelled by Irish Ferries due to operational, technical, weather-related, or other circumstances beyond your control.
• There is a significant change to your booked sailing (e.g., a change in departure time of more than two hours, a change in departure or arrival port, or a significant reduction in service quality).
• You have been incorrectly charged for a booking, an add-on, or a supplementary service.
• Your booking was made under a refundable fare type, as indicated at the time of purchase.
• A technical error on our platform resulted in a duplicate booking or an incorrect charge.
• You are exercising your statutory rights under applicable Irish or EU law.

Refunds will not be issued where none of the above conditions are met, where the booking was made under a non-refundable fare type, or where the request falls outside the timeframes set out in this policy.

3. 14-Day Cooling-Off Period

Under Irish and EU consumer protection regulations governing distance contracts, customers who purchase certain services online may be entitled to a 14-day cooling-off period during which they may cancel without providing a reason and receive a full refund.

However, please note that the right of withdrawal does not apply to transport services for a specific date or period of performance, in accordance with Article 16(l) of the EU Consumer Rights Directive (Directive 2011/83/EU), as transposed into Irish law. This means that ferry bookings for specific departure dates are generally not covered by the standard 14-day cooling-off right.

Notwithstanding this, Irish Ferries may, at its discretion and subject to fare type, offer cancellation flexibility beyond statutory requirements. Please review the specific terms of your fare type at the time of booking.

4. Cancellation Policy

4.1 Customer-Initiated Cancellations

If you wish to cancel your booking, the following terms apply based on the time of cancellation prior to the scheduled departure:

The above schedule applies to standard and flexible fare types. Non-refundable, promotional, or special offer fares are not eligible for any refund upon customer-initiated cancellation unless otherwise stated at the time of purchase.

4.2 Company-Initiated Cancellations

If Irish Ferries cancels a sailing, you will be entitled to:

• A full refund of all amounts paid for the cancelled sailing; or
• Re-routing to your destination at the earliest opportunity under comparable conditions, at no extra cost; or
• Re-routing at a later date of your convenience, subject to availability.

In the event of a company-initiated cancellation, Irish Ferries will contact you via the email address provided at the time of booking.

5. Non-Refundable Items and Services

The following items and services are not eligible for refund under any circumstances, unless there is a proven error on our part or a statutory right applies:

• Non-refundable and promotional fare bookings (as designated at the time of purchase)
• Administration fees and booking fees
• Credit card or payment processing surcharges
• Optional add-ons that have already been consumed or used (e.g., onboard meal packages, entertainment passes)
• Travel insurance premiums purchased through our platform
• Pet travel surcharges where the service has been provided
• Cabin upgrades where the upgraded cabin has been occupied
• Port taxes and government-levied fees that are non-recoverable by Irish Ferries
• Bookings where the passenger has already boarded or partially used the service

6. Partial Refunds

Partial refunds may be issued in the following circumstances:

• Where a cancellation is made within a timeframe that entitles the customer to a percentage refund (as outlined in Section 4.1 above).
• Where a booking includes multiple passengers or vehicles, and only some components are cancelled.
• Where a service was partially delivered due to circumstances attributable to Irish Ferries (e.g., significant delay resulting in failure to reach the intended destination).
• Where a booking includes both refundable and non-refundable elements; only the refundable portion will be returned.

The amount of any partial refund will be calculated based on the original fare paid for the relevant components, minus any applicable administration or cancellation fees.

7. Exchange and Amendment Policy

If you wish to change the date, route, or passenger details on your booking rather than cancel it, the following terms apply:

• Date changes are permitted subject to availability and may incur a fare difference if the new sailing is more expensive. If the new sailing is cheaper, no refund of the fare difference will be issued unless your fare type expressly permits this.
• Route changes are treated as a cancellation of the original booking and a new booking, and standard cancellation charges may apply.
• Passenger name changes may be permitted in limited circumstances. Please contact our Customer Services team for assistance.
• An amendment fee may apply to each change request, as communicated at the time of the amendment.
• Amendments must be requested no later than 48 hours before the scheduled departure time. Requests made less than 48 hours before departure may not be accepted.

Amendments cannot be made to non-refundable or promotional fares unless otherwise stated.

8. How to Request a Refund – Step-by-Step Guide

To request a refund, please follow the steps below:

1. Gather your booking information: Have your booking reference number, the email address used to make the booking, travel date, and route details ready before contacting us.
2. Contact our Customer Services team: Send your refund request to [email protected] or use the contact form available on irish-ferrles.com.
3. Include all required information: Your refund request should include your full name, booking reference, reason for the refund request, and any supporting documentation (e.g., medical certificate if requesting a refund outside standard terms on compassionate grounds).
4. Receive an acknowledgement: Our team will send you an acknowledgement of your request within 2 business days of receipt.
5. Assessment of your request: Your request will be reviewed against the terms of this policy, your fare type, and applicable law. This process typically takes 5 to 10 business days.
6. Decision notification: You will be notified by email of the outcome of your refund request. If approved, the refund will be processed as outlined in Section 9 below.
7. Refund processing: Approved refunds will be returned to your original payment method within the timeframes set out below.

9. Refund Processing Times by Payment Method

Once a refund has been approved, the time taken for the funds to appear in your account depends on your original payment method:

All timeframes are from the date of approval. Irish Ferries does not accept responsibility for delays caused by your bank or payment provider. If you have not received your refund within the timeframes stated above, please first check with your bank before contacting our Customer Services team.

10. Refunds in Cases of Exceptional Circumstances

Irish Ferries recognises that customers may sometimes need to cancel due to serious, unforeseen events such as bereavement, serious illness, or other genuine emergencies. In such cases, we may, at our discretion, consider refund requests that fall outside the standard terms of this policy.

To request a discretionary refund on compassionate grounds, please contact us at [email protected] and provide appropriate supporting documentation. Each request will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and a decision does not set a precedent for future requests.

11. Dispute Resolution Process

If you are unhappy with the outcome of your refund request, you may escalate your complaint through the following steps:

Step 1: Internal Complaint

Submit a formal written complaint to our Customer Services team at [email protected]. Please clearly mark your email as a Formal Complaint and include all relevant booking details and correspondence. We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 business days and aim to provide a full response within 20 business days.

Step 2: Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

If your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction following our internal process, you may refer the matter to an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) body. Irish Ferries is committed to engaging with ADR procedures where required under Irish and EU law.

Step 3: Online Dispute Resolution (ODR)

For consumers based in the European Union, the European Commission provides an Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform, accessible at https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr. This platform facilitates the resolution of disputes between consumers and online traders.

Step 4: Regulatory Bodies and Courts

You also retain the right to contact the following bodies or seek legal redress:

• Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) – the Irish national consumer protection authority (www.ccpc.ie)
• The Small Claims Court – for disputes involving amounts up to €2,000
• The Courts of Ireland – for disputes exceeding the Small Claims Court threshold

12. Changes to This Refund Policy

Irish Ferries reserves the right to amend this Refund Policy at any time. Any changes will be posted on irish-ferrles.com with an updated effective date. The version of this policy in effect at the time of your booking will govern your refund entitlements, except where a more favourable version is in effect at the time of your request.

13. Governing Law

This Refund Policy is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Ireland. Any disputes arising in connection with this policy shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Ireland, without prejudice to your statutory rights as an EU consumer.