With ‘flight disruptions’ still fresh in the memory and ‘slow travel’ showing no signs of losing steam, according to a research study by Rome2Rio, a growing number of holidaymakers are looking beyond airports entirely, and ferry routes are emerging as one of the best alternatives. The study analysed internal search figures to reveal routes that are booming in summer 2026.
Ireland-France
The online multimodal transport search engine Rome2Rio's standout story is the brand-new France-Ireland ferry route, as searches for the Boulogne-sur-Mer to Cork service exploded by 2,307% between Q1 and Q2, climbing from just 91 searches to over 2,100.
The Irish start-up operator, Hibernia Line, which only launched in June, as Afloat also reported, with its year-round crossing to continental Europe, marks the first international passenger and car ferry service to the French northern port in 15 years (see passenger-only Saillink’s Strait of Dover service and a trial run of the new English Channel service set for September).
Bypass-Brexit Boom
The broader Boulogne-sur-Mer to Ireland corridor saw a similarly dramatic rise of 1,406%, jumping from 258 to nearly 3,900 searches, as travellers cotton on to a new way of reaching the Republic and vice versa to mainland Europe without transiting through the UK land bridge.
Afloat adds that, given the post-Brexit scenario that led notably to the nearest rival to Hibernia Line, DFDS, previously inaugurating initially a freight-only Dunkirk-Rosslare Europort route in early January 2022, following the formal ratification of Brexit.
However, initial demand for the Hibernia Line was low, according to Ships Monthly, with both freight and passenger bookings below expectations. Despite this setback, numbers have begun to steadily rise in recent weeks, as the Cork-based company remains confident that the route run by two ro-pax vessels will succeed in the medium to long term.
In addition, Afloat highlights that Brittany Ferries has increased sailing capacity following the withdrawal by Stena Line almost a year ago, leaving just Irish Ferries as the remaining operator in this market with France but using Dublin and not Rosslare or Cork.
Beyond Ireland
The Adriatic Sea is having a moment, as searches connecting Croatia's Istrian coast with Venice, Italy, climb sharply. This suggests travellers are increasingly basing themselves on the Croatian coast and hopping across to Venice for day trips rather than the other way around.
On a related note, Afloat brings attention particularly to a former B&I Line car ferry, M.V. Connacht (built 1978, in Cork), which, during its almost 50-year career among operators, served Croatian operator Jadrolinija as their Dubrovnik, running to Italian ports.
Until ultimately, the veteran vessel under its final name, Akdeniz, last week, arrived at Aliaga, Turkey, to be scrapped at one of the world’s largest shipbreakers. This leaves Jadrolinija, with its large fleet, running with its oldest conventional large ferry, Marko Polo (not to be easily confused with cruise ship Marco Polo), as Afloat reported scrapped.
Travellers are increasingly searching for crossings that turn the journey into part of the trip itself, from new links to established island-hopping routes, which Afloat also highlights. Jadrolinija, aside from Adriatic service to Italy, operates an extensive coast inter-island network within Croatia.
Lake Crossings
Lake crossings are trending as searches for getting from Lake Como to Lugano grew by 1,211% as visitors combine a ferry hop across Lake Como with an onward leg into Switzerland, connecting two of Europe's most photogenic lakeside destinations in one trip.
Global
Further afield, journeys combining flights with island ferries are surging—Kuala Lumpur to Krabi-area searches rose by 584%, reflecting a booming Malaysia-Thailand island-hopping trend, while the Busan to Sasebo corridor (via the well-established Busan-Fukuoka ferry) grew by 545%, tapping into a wave of interest in Japan-Korea multi-destination travel.
Some lesser-known border crossings also saw a notable wave of interest: the Chetumal to San Ignacio route rose by 196%, highlighting demand for this Mexico-Belize corridor among overland travellers, while searches around the Cartagena-Panama crossing (long used by backpackers to bridge the Darién Gap) climbed by 154%, pointing to Colombia-Panama as an emerging adventure-travel route.
These surging searches reflect a broader shift in how people are choosing to travel. Searches for "slow tourism" and "experience-based travel" have seen a breakout over the last year.
As travellers increasingly prioritise experiences over convenience, ferry travel is becoming more than simply a way to reach a destination. Overnight crossings remove the stress of airport hassles, allowing passengers to travel with greater flexibility, taking their own car, avoiding baggage restrictions, and accessing scenic routes that encourage them to slow down and enjoy the journey itself.
For road trips and multi-country vacations, the crossing is becoming a more tempting option than flying due to its combination of benefits.
