Taking a van on the Spirit of Tasmania: what to know

Our crossing in a nutshell

We sailed overnight from Geelong to Devonport with Ron in January 2026, on the old ships (Spirit of Tasmania I). It was our first time ever taking a vehicle on a ferry, and we were a bit nervous. We booked recliner seats to save a bit of money, and came back to Victoria on a day sailing about three weeks later.

"The whole experience was really good." That was our verdict the next morning, even after a night in the recliners.

Honestly, we loved it. People told us the crossing would be boring, and we couldn't disagree more: a roast dinner, a drink in the bar, a film, and a whole ship to explore once it went quiet. The one thing we'd change is where we slept, and we'll come to that.

Before you book

Measure your van

This is the big one. You book by vehicle type, length and height, and the measurements are checked at check-in. Get it wrong and you may have to pay extra, or in the worst case not be able to board.

• Length includes everything attached: towbar, bike rack, spare wheel, drawbar, gas bottles on the back.
• Height is the tallest point, including roof racks, solar panels, boxes, kayaks or bikes.
• Measure the van as it will be on sailing day, fully packed.

Ron is about 6 metres long and just under 3 metres tall, which put him right at the limit before the next, pricier category. So measure carefully, roof gear and all, because a few centimetres can make a real difference.

Standard vehicles are up to 6.0 m long and 2.0 m wide, with separate fare categories for vehicles under and over 2.1 m high. Campervans and motorhomes have their own categories. Check the current categories on the official fare structure and measure your vehicle pages before you book.

Recliner or cabin?

We booked about seven weeks before we sailed, and both cabins and recliners were still available. We chose recliners to keep costs down. Then, in the boarding queue, other travellers started telling us horror stories about the recliners, and we got cold feet. We tried to switch to a cabin at the last minute, but by then they were all taken. Our advice: make your mind up when you book.

• Recliners: wide seats with a foot rest, a small pillow and a blanket, allocated in a dark, quiet lounge. Everyone was respectful, but we woke up every 45 minutes to an hour. It started warm and got chilly, so pack socks and a layer.
• Cabins: private, with an ensuite, and a proper bed.

We can't speak for the recliners on the new ships, but if most people tell you not to book recliners, they're probably not all wrong. We got very little sleep. If you want a good night's rest, book a cabin. The money we saved cost us a day in Tasmania: we arrived so tired that we parked up and slept for most of it.

Day or night sailing?

We did one of each: overnight on the way there and a day sailing on the way back. The day sailing was smooth and easy, and we didn't bother with recliners. We used it to get some editing done: there were plugs to charge our laptops, and Wi-Fi if you want to pay for it.

Travelling with a dog?

We don't travel with a pet, but we saw the kennels on the vehicle deck on the old ships. As dog lovers it was hard to see them in there. So we love that the new ships let dogs stay with their owners in pet-friendly cabins. It feels like Spirit of Tasmania really listened to what passengers were asking for.

Sailing day

Before you get to the terminal

• Use up your fresh food. We spent the days before eating our fruit and veg (see biosecurity below).
• Give away plants. We had to hand over a plant we'd been looking after. We wish we'd given it to someone before we left.
• Use up spare petrol. Petrol jerry cans have to be empty, so plan your last fill-up.
• Pack an overnight bag with toiletries, medication, chargers, a warm layer and socks. With a vehicle you're allowed one carry-on bag. You can't get back to your van once you're at sea, and the vehicle decks are locked.
• Turn your gas off.

Check-in

We got to the Geelong terminal about an hour early. Check-in itself was quick and the staff were really friendly.

Check-in opens between 1.5 and 2.5 hours before departure and closes strictly 45 minutes before. Arriving early doesn't get you on first. Vehicles are loaded by size and type, so the order is set by the crew, not by when you turn up. Just make sure you're there in your check-in window. See the official sailing day information page.

Biosecurity check

Next came the biosecurity check, with the usual declarations about gas, plants and food. We were also asked about honey, jerry cans and firearms. They had a look in the van, at the fridge and the cupboards, but it was much less in-depth than we expected. We did have to hand over our plant. It's mostly an honesty system, it was all very straightforward, and the staff were lovely. They liked Ron, which obviously helped.

What you can't take into Tasmania (check the full list, it's longer than this):

• Fresh fruit and vegetables, including potatoes, fresh herbs, garlic, ginger and onions. Cooked, frozen, canned, preserved or commercially dried is generally fine.
• Honey: unfiltered honey and honeycomb from outside Tasmania aren't allowed. Commercially filtered honey generally is.
• Plants, soil, seeds and some animal products and seafood.
• Your vehicle, bikes and gear should be free of visible soil and mud.

Biosecurity inspections happen before boarding at Geelong, with random checks at Devonport. If you're not sure about something, declare it. See Biosecurity Tasmania's guide to travelling on the Spirit of Tasmania.

Gas bottles and jerry cans

We carry portable Companion gas bottles from Bunnings. They were checked at the pre-boarding inspection and were fine. The one thing they looked for was that each was properly sealed, with its plastic cap on. Our jerry cans had to be empty, so we used up our spare fuel before the crossing.

The official rules, in short (from Spirit of Tasmania's carriage of dangerous goods page, checked 31 October 2026):

• All gas must be off for the whole crossing. Gas bottles must be upright, secured and within their test date.
• Gas bottles fitted to campervans, motorhomes and caravans are checked and tagged with a "HAZARD" tag, and must stay off until you've left the port.
• Small gas canisters and cartridges can stay in your vehicle in limited numbers, in their original packaging with the manufacturer's cap on.
• Jerry cans: petrol and other fuel containers must be empty and dry. Diesel is the only fuel you can carry, in approved containers up to 50 litres with a proper sealing cap.
• Loose gas bottles inside a standard car or its boot have to come out and travel separately. There are limits on how many and what size of bottles you can carry, so check the page and declare anything you're unsure about.

Driving on

Vehicles were sorted into lanes by size. We boarded at about 6 pm for our evening sailing.

Our top tip: when you park, note your deck number, colour and side. Ron was on Deck 5, blue, starboard, and we had no trouble finding him in the morning.

On board (old ships)

This is what it was like on the old ships (Spirit of Tasmania I). The new ships have a different layout and new venues, so treat this as a flavour rather than a map.

Out on deck

We'd heard nightmare stories about Bass Strait, but both our crossings were smooth and calm. We know we got lucky. The ship posted the sea conditions by reception (a swell sheet with the forecast), and the onboard shop sold seasickness tablets if you need them.

Food, drinks and a film

The food was excellent. On our night sailing there was a carvery, and as two Brits who love a Sunday roast, we were in heaven. There were several bars, so we had a beer and a glass of wine and chatted with other travellers before bed. One of the bars had live music, and there was an arcade too.

We also went to the cinema, and afterwards the ship was quiet and lovely to wander around. In the morning, the lights came on and the wake-up call went out at around 5:15 to 5:30 am, and only one bar was serving coffee that early.

Arriving in Devonport

Decks are called back to the vehicles one at a time. Drive-off was held up a little by someone on our deck who wasn't at their car, so be ready when your deck is called. We were off by about 6 am, in the rain. After a night in the recliners we found a riverside campground nearby on WikiCamps, parked up and slept for most of the day.

There was no random biosecurity check for us at Devonport, but they do happen, so keep everything you declared easy to get at.

Coming back to the mainland

The way back was easy. We don't remember having the same checks heading to Geelong. That fits with what Spirit of Tasmania says: the strict quarantine conditions are for entering Tasmania, and the same conditions don't apply when you travel to Victoria. There may still be restrictions on some plants, plant products, animals (including honey bees) and weeds, so check the Spirit of Tasmania FAQs and Agriculture Victoria's interstate rules if you're bringing anything like that back.

What's changed with the new ships

Here's a quick summary of what's different, based on Spirit of Tasmania's own pages and news reports (checked 31 October 2026):

Things that may still be changing: some official pages still say pet-friendly cabins will be bookable "late 2026", while a September 2026 media release says the full range of accommodation, including pet-friendly cabins, went on sale from 16 September 2026. The timetable may also change. Always check the official site before you book.

Fares

We don't list prices here because they change with the season, your vehicle size and your seat or cabin. There's no secret trick that we found: there's one way to book, through Spirit of Tasmania, and the price is the price. Just keep an eye out for deals, and book early if you want a cabin. Use the official fare structure page and the booking tool for an up-to-date price.

Our tips

• Measure your van fully loaded, and book the right category.
• Decide on a cabin or recliner when you book. If you want a good night's sleep, book a cabin.
• Eat your fruit and veg, give away your plants, empty your petrol jerry cans and turn your gas off before you arrive.
• Pack an overnight bag with socks and a warm layer.
• Note your deck, colour and side when you park.
• Enjoy the ship. The crossing is part of the trip, not just a way to get there.

How long to spend in Tasmania

Give it longer than you think. We booked two weeks, because everyone told us the island was small and you could see it in a fortnight. We strongly disagree! We extended to three weeks and it still wasn't enough. We'd recommend 4 to 6 weeks, so you can fit in the north-east coast too. See everything we did in our Great Lap guide.

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