Isle of Man Steam Packet Company

Name: Isle of Man Steam Packet Company
Address: Passenger Terminal, S Quay, Heysham, Heysham, LA3 2XE, GB
Telephone: (01624) 661661

Heysham

Courtesy of Isle of Man Steam Packet Company

WHERE

Heysham

What it’s like

A ferry crossing to the Isle of Man from Heysham, with an onboard play area to keep kids busy and a proper check-in routine to plan around.

This is the ferry link between Heysham and the Isle of Man, and the crossing itself is the day out. Onboard there's a play area, so younger children have somewhere to burn through the journey rather than sitting still, and there's a café for the inevitable snack stop. It's not a quick hop across a lake, this is a proper sea crossing, so factor in a chunk of the day either side of it.

Check-in matters more here than at most attractions. Car drivers need to be there 45 minutes before sailing, foot passengers 25 minutes, and turning up late with a car full of bags and a toddler is not the start anyone wants. Booking is required, and if your plans shift, online bookings can usually be amended, though fees or fare differences can apply and some offer fares can't be changed at all.

Parking at Heysham Port is £12 for 24 hours, and the site is upfront that space is limited, so if you're driving down on a peak day it pays to get there in good time. If you're arriving on foot or by train, Heysham Harbour station is a minute's walk from the terminal, which makes the whole thing far less stressful than wrestling a car through the port.

One thing to watch for is the TT Festival period, when terminal opening hours shift to follow the sailing schedule rather than the usual timetable, and car parking can't be pre-booked at all. Outside of that, day sailings run late morning through early afternoon, with an overnight sailing window too if you're doing this as more of a proper trip than a day out.

Facilities

Booking required

Café

Food on site

Toilets

Need to know

Booking: Check-in required. 45 minutes prior for car drivers, 25 minutes for foot passengers
Parking: £12.00 per 24 hours at adjacent Heysham Port Car Park
Getting there by bus or train: Heysham Harbour train station 1 minute walk

Foot passengers only need 25 minutes check-in, much less hassle than driving on
Heysham Harbour train station is a one minute walk from the terminal
£12 a day for port parking, and it does fill up
TT Festival changes both terminal hours and parking rules, so timings shift

Plan your visit

Do we need to book in advance?

Yes, booking is required. There's no walk-up option listed, so sort tickets before you turn up.

How early do we need to arrive?

Car drivers should be at the terminal 45 minutes before sailing, foot passengers 25 minutes. Cutting it fine with a car and kids is not worth the stress.

Is there parking at the terminal?

There's a car park next to the port at £12 per 24 hours, but space is limited. During the TT Festival you can't pre-book it at all.

What is there for kids to do on the crossing?

There's a play area onboard, plus a café if hunger strikes partway through the sailing.

Can I change my booking if plans shift?

If you booked online through an account, you can log in and amend it yourself, though fees or fare differences may apply. Some offer fares can't be amended, and if you booked through an agent you'd need to go back to them.