Travelling with your dog: the calm cabins on the 'Cecilia Payne'

If there is one destination we particularly love for travelling with a dog, it is Menorca, the island of nature and tranquillity.

 

And tranquillity is precisely what this journey is all about, as on this occasion we are sailing with Baleària to try the pet-friendly improvements introduced on the fast ferry Cecilia Payne, which connects Alcúdia and Ciutadella in an hour and a half. The aim is for animals to travel calmly, so that their owners can enjoy the crossing without worrying about how they are doing.  The initiative is supervised by Amparo Fortea, an ethologist and specialist in canine psychology.

 

The first new feature we find is that part of the deck is reserved for dogs and their owners, separated from the rest of the passengers by a door. This exclusive area includes a small artificial-grass dog-relief area and a post where dogs can mark their territory and relax.  Calming pheromones are also released into the air. These synthetic hormones are used to treat canine anxiety. When dogs detect them, they interpret their surroundings as safe and feel less stressed. Everything here is designed for a peaceful journey!

 

Another difference we particularly liked is that there are no set visiting hours, so we can see our dog at any point during the crossing. A crew member also stays with the pets throughout the journey. In our case, the same young man was there on both the outward and return crossings, and it was clear that he loved dogs. He was so affectionate with Lana that, when we reached port, she wanted to stay with him.

 

The calm cabins

In addition to the dedicated deck, which prevents passing passengers from disturbing the dogs, the relief area, the pheromones and unrestricted visiting hours, the feature that truly gives the pet-friendly project its name is the 'calm cabins'. Although they are available alongside traditional cages, this type of canine accommodation has one distinctive feature: a limited field of view, which allows the animal to monitor its entire visible surroundings without remaining on constant alert. They also provide extra comfort, protecting our best friends from both heat and cold thanks to individual ventilation and temperature control, as well as an insulating resin floor. Drinking bowls and water are always available in the area too.

 

When booking a ticket with Baleària , we must specify the number of pets and the size of the cage. Dogs must always board on a lead and with all their documentation in order, and their boarding pass must also be shown to the crew.

 

For now, the initiative is a pilot scheme available exclusively on the fast ferry Cecilia Payne, although the shipping company is working on a project to improve the pet area on this route and roll it out across its entire fleet.