Children, pets, baggage & bikes

Everything you need to know about travelling with children, pets, bags and bikes

Children, pets, bags, bike and extra items 

Travelling with your vehicle

If you're travelling with your vehicle, there’s no limit to how many bags or items you can carry in or on your vehicle. We do have a few height restrictions on several of our ferries. If you are travelling with roof racks and gear on top, you’ll need to book an open deck vehicle space, contact the Customer Service Team to ensure your vehicle has been booked correctly.

If you have bike racks, kayaks or building supplies that hang over the length of your vehicle, you’ll need to book a vehicle space the entire length of the overhang.

Travelling as a foot passenger

If you’re travelling to Waiheke Island and walking onto the ferry, you’ll need to carry your own baggage.

If you’re travelling to Great Barrier Island, walking onto the ferry, carry on allowance is one small bag and one handbag/laptop bag. We recommend you put all the essentials for your trip into this bag (i.e. phone, camera, wallet, reading glasses, book or tablet and any medications you require during your trip).

Our Health & Safety policy states that no crew or team member can assist with any overweight baggage (max 32kg) at any time – it’s just not safe for them to do so.

Travelling with Children

If you’re travelling as a foot passenger, you’re welcome to bring a car seat or stroller – just ask one of our crew where to stow them during your sailing. For the wellbeing and safety of young children, we recommend you travel with one adult for every five children when travelling in a group.

We strongly recommend that a parent or guardian accompany passengers under 14 years of age on all services. Children under the age of 7 years must be accompanied by an adult passenger at all times. Children aged between 7 and 12 years inclusive may travel alone when a Parent and or Guardian completes an 'Unaccompanied Minor' form online or at check-in.

Children between the age of 0-4 years travel free of charge and must still have a valid ticket or booking confirmation to travel.

Child fares are available for those between 5 and 15 years inclusive. Proof of age may be requested by SeaLink crew and or staff at time of reservation or boarding.

Parents or guardians are solely responsible for the behaviour of their children at SeaLink terminals and on board SeaLink vessels.

Baggage allowance for the Great Barrier service

There is a check in allowance of 2 pieces per person. These items can vary and include, suitcase, backpack, chilli bin or banana box. All baggage must be secured in our baggage truck or bins while we are sailing to keep all of our passengers safe.

Additional baggage for Great Barrier Island

SeaLink offers you the option of excess baggage (with a maximum of 2 extra pieces) subject to space being available. Charges will apply for additional luggage, surfboards, bikes, kayaks, and animals.

We recommend you book and pay for additional baggage, bikes, surfboards or any other extra’s before arriving at check-in, especially during December, January and all holiday weekends as space is limited. This saves you time in the check-in queue as our team can have your booking finalised and tickets ready for collection.

Travelling with a bike

If you are taking a bike we recommend it is equipped with lights, especially if you intend to ride early in the morning or after dusk as the roads are narrow and winding with many blind corners.

We recommend booking early and advising the team that you have a bike on arrival to ensure we have space to store it (note this can change right up until the departure time). Larger groups with bikes will need to book a car space as well to accommodate the bikes. 

See here for further terms and conditions around travelling with bikes with SeaLink.Adventure Capital ebike tour on Trig Hill on Waiheke Island

Travelling with a surfboard

Pack your surfboard as you would when you travel on an airline. When travelling to Waiheke Island, ask the crew when you board, where to store these items. When travelling to Great Barrier Island, there is a charge for a surfboard.  All care is taken when loading items into the baggage truck or bins, but items can move during sailings so it’s best to have your board protected. 

Travelling with a kayak

If you’re travelling with a vehicle and the kayak is either in or on the vehicle and it overhangs, there is an additional charge. You will need to book a space for the total length of your car and kayak.

If you’re travelling as a foot passenger to Waiheke Island, we cannot accept loose freight at the terminals. Please book your kayak as freight using our SeaLink Logistics services.  If travelling as a foot passenger to Great Barrier Island, please book on your kayak when you make your booking. The Customer Service Team can assist you with costs and check-in instructions.

Travelling with my pets

Dogs are permitted to travel on the ferry on the outside decks.  Only a registered guide dog or assistance dog will be permitted to travel in the passenger lounge with their owner. Cats can travel to Waiheke Island either in your vehicle or in an approved animal carrier cage. 

With our Waiheke Island service you are best to travel on one of our sailings that takes 45 minutes as these ferries have a seating area for passengers on the outside deck which is more suited to travelling with dogs.

With our Great Barrier Island service there is a charge to travel with your dog. There is a small seating area alongside the cafe on the vehicle deck. DOC ask that you keep any dogs under control, if you cannot leave them at home. However please be aware that dogs are not permitted on DOC conservation land, as unsupervised dogs are a risk to wildlife on the island.

Please note: Restrictions apply on dangerous goods sailings.  All passengers must travel in the passenger lounge or upper decks and will not be permitted to stay in their vehicles with pets. Please avoid dangerous goods sailing times if you wish to remain in your vehicle with pets.

Lost property

Make sure you name your personal belongings and preferably include your email or mobile contact number so we can contact you about any misplaced items. 

If you think you’ve left something on one of our ferries, telephone or email our Customer Service Team as soon as you realise, so we can attempt to locate and return your belongings to you.