What to expect when travelling with us

At the very start of this outbreak of coronavirus, we reviewed our systems and procedures to make sure we were following all official guidance from the Government, the NHS and our regulators, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

We installed more hand sanitisers at our ports and on our ships and emphasised the importance of good hygiene to everyone. This includes frequent hand washing, using tissues to catch coughs and sneezes and keeping your distance from others as per the Government guidelines.

Crew members are continually cleaning our vessels and passenger terminals. All our ships are well-ventilated with fresh, not recycled, air, and you can choose to travel on the outside decks of our car ferries (subject to weather conditions) if you prefer.

Wightlink continues to work closely with the relevant authorities including local councils and the NHS through membership of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Resilience Forum.

The safety of our customers and colleagues is our top priority and we are following all the advice and guidance issued by HM Government.

The official advice highlights that the most effective way to avoid contracting the virus is to wash your hands with soap and hot water and practice social distancing. We are therefore reminding travellers and colleagues of the importance of hygiene, such as frequent hand washing, through notices in our bathrooms. We have increased the number of hand sanitisers around ships and ports.

The Government has now removed the requirement to wear a face covering on board our ferries but we will continue to make sure our ships and ports are cleaned frequently and hand sanitisers continue to be available.

To protect others, please do not travel if you are experiencing symptoms of Coronavirus or self isolating.

Please do not travel across the Solent for a COVID-19 test. If you are offered a test on the other side of the water, please request a home testing kit or try the booking service again in a few hours to find one locally to you.

No, customers are required to leave their vehicles after embarkation and cross the Solent in our spacious passenger lounges. There is plenty of room on board for everyone to find seats and respect social distancing.

You will not be allowed to stay in your vehicle if you have breathing difficulties or an auto immune condition as shielding ended on 31 March 2021, by directive of the Government.

Ships are cleaned frequently and to high standards, hand sanitisers are available and there are facilities for customers to wash their hands in both passenger lounges. Everyone over the age of 11 will be wearing a face covering on board.

If you are attending or coming home from a hospital appointment for a serious health condition, such as cancer treatment or an operation, you can request to stay in your vehicle, but you need to tell us at least 48 hours before you intend to travel. You will also need to show proof of appointment by email, letter or text at check in. We will try and accommodate your request, however, it is ultimately up to the Captain to decide whether to allow this on any particular sailing, taking account of the other freight we are carrying and passengers on board. You may be asked to travel at a slightly different time to allow us to meet your request.

We have introduced Customer Service Points at each of our ports, where you will be able to purchase and amend tickets as you would have previously at our Ticket Offices. However, you will still need to apply for Season Tickets and Multilink Passes online.

Any payments made at our Customer Service Points will need to be by card as we are no longer accepting cash.

Our services could be changed at short notice due to the coronavirus pandemic. Please check back to this page, which is updated regularly, for more information before you travel and check our live timetables page.

See the Government website for more information about Coronavirus and advice for travellers.

You can also email [email protected] to ask us any questions related to ferry travel.

Please follow the Government’s guidance on entering England from abroad before planning your travel to the Isle of Wight.