Overview

We took this ferry from Aberdeen to Lerwick with our motorhome. From booking to arriving, we had a very positive experience. This was our first overnight ferry since becoming a wheelchair user and also with my assistance dog, so we were quite nervous about how it would go.

Transport & Parking

Getting to Aberdeen, apart from it being an extremely long drive north, was easy. The port is actually quite small and it was very easy to follow instructions on where to go. We reminded them at check-in that I'm a wheelchair user and needed lift access. They boarded us first and put us right next to a lift.

Access

There is a lift from the car deck to decks 5 (cabins) and deck 6 (restaurants). Getting around inside the ferry was pretty easy. Getting out onto the deck was really difficult. I had to get out of my wheelchair and hubby had to lift it over the threshold whilst holding a very heavy door open. There is only one small deck, which doubles as the smoking area. There is more deck upstairs but there is no lift there, just a flight of steep metal steps. Getting my assistance dog to toilet on the deck took ages. She didn't feel like it was the right place to go. We had taken a piece of artifical grass with us, but in the end, she weed without it. I feel like they could make this easier by putting in some kind of permanent pebble or artificial grass pit with a hose or something. The accessible cabin was great - perfectly functional, with a wet room. There are grab rails everywhere, partly because of rough seas (though our crossing was calm). In the restaurant, they put us in a quiet area to one side, where seats could be moved and it was nicer for us and for my assistance dog.

Toilets

There is a changing places on deck 6, which was spotlessly clean and very functional. It is easy to get to from the restaurant. The ensuite wet room was also good. The toilet and shower have grab rails. It is basic but does the job. The shower was hot and had good pressure. It has a shower head that you can take off its hook and use by hand if you want to.

Staff

All staff were fab! Our two main shoutouts go to the people who helped us board and the restaurant staff. They really wanted to make sure everything went smoothly.