When contemplating a move to Madeira, one of the primary concerns is how to transport your pet and car to the island. Fortunately, Grupo Sousa offers a comprehensive solution by operating cargo ships from mainland Portugal to Madeira, providing accommodations for passengers along with their pets.
Information provided here is from my personal experience of a one-way journey from Lisbon to Madeira. Grupo Sousa also operates from Porto to Madeira. Presumably, the process is similar.
Booking Process
To secure passage for yourself, your pet, and your vehicle:
- Send an email to comercial-gslines@gruposousa.pt (and also copy carolinanunes@gruposousa.pt), detailing your requirements and preferred travel dates.
- A week before your desired departure date, Grupo Sousa will confirm availability.
- Once confirmed, you can proceed to book and pay for your cabin and vehicle space. Payments are done by Multibanco reference, or MB Way or Bank transfer with IBAN and SWIFT.
Shipping Information
- Passenger Cabin: Enjoy a comfortable cabin for yourself and your pet, with meals provided during the two-day journey. Cost: €225 (€180 for passage, €45 for personal accident insurance).
- Vehicle Transport: Ship your car (EU-registered vehicles only) from Lisbon to Madeira for €440. Drop off your vehicle in Lisbon and collect it from the port in Caniçal, Madeira. No luggage allowed in the car.
- Cargo Shipping: Transport your belongings separately. Pack and deliver your cargo to the Logislink warehouse in Lisbon. Cost: €55 per cubic meter. Pay by cash or card on the spot.
Process Details
- Passenger Cabin:
- After sending the email to Grupo Sousa, you’ll be instructed to acquire Personal Accident Insurance (€45) from Fidelidade. Ensure clear communication between Fidelidade and Grupo Sousa to meet requirements. I strongly suggest you to walk into a Fidelidade office, tell them what you need and make them call Grupo Sousa. It is highly unlikely that your travel insurrance will cover this and even if it does, it is questionable whether GS would accept it.
- A crate or transporter for your pet is mandatory for boarding.
- I paid 180 euros for a one-way trip from Lisbon to Madeira for myself and my dog, including 6 meals for me.
- It’s almost a two-day journey with three meals provided daily. Food options are limited, but satisfactory. You are responsible for feeding your pet.
- The cabin resembles a hotel room, equipped with a bed, desk, chair, clothes cabinet, and full-size bathroom. Amenities include unlimited bottled water, snacks, and motion sickness medicine. No entertainment except for the constant sound of the engine. There is no WiFi in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and mobile phone signal is lost after about an hour or two.
- You can bring one piece of luggage weighing up to 20kg. In addition to my suitcase, I brought a backpack with my laptop, a bag of dog food, a food bowl, a water bowl, and the crate. No inspections of my luggage were conducted, and there was ample room in the cabin.
- Vehicle Transport:
- Only EU-registered vehicles are eligible for transport.
- Shipping my SUV to Madeira cost €440. No additional insurance is required by Grupo Sousa. It’s up to you to decide if you need the insurrance for your car.
- Check with your insurance provider regarding coverage for cargo ship transport on the deck of a cargo ship (not inside a container!).
- Deliver your car to the dock in Lisbon a day before departure. Park your car at the designated area upon arrival.
- Leave the car and the key with the staff, who will board the car. Ensure the car is empty of any luggage.
- Collect your car from the port of Caniçal, Madeira the day after it arrives. Present your paperwork at the office, collect the car keys, and drive away.
- Cargo Shipping:
- Pack your belongings safely and deliver them to the Logislink warehouse in Lisbon. It’s a bit of a drive north from the airport.
- It is your responsibility to pack your stuff in boxes, suitcases, bags, whatever, and make sure that it’s safe for transportation. Fragile stuff – your responsibility. Make sure you’re not shipping dangerous goods.
- No prior appointment is necessary. Drive through the gate, park your car, and approach the staff in the office.
- Complete a form detailing the items you are shipping. Wait for an SMS. How long – it depends. Could be half hour, could be 2 hours. Or longer. Make sure you’re checking your phone regularly.
- Upon notification, proceed to the loading area and reverse park as close as possible to the loading platform. Prepare your items for shipping on the wooden pallette they provided. Wrap it with the foil they give you.
- The shipping cost from Lisbon to Madeira is €55 per ton/m3 with a minimum of €20 per shipment.
- Your packages can be of any dimension and you can have any number of packages. They will measure your stuff right there on the spot and add up the dimensions of each parcel. They are very accurate and fair with their measurements. They will tell you the total volume and multiply it by 55. So, if you have, for example, 0.8 cubic meters of stuff, that would be 44 euros.
- Payment can be made in cash or by card at the office.
While the process may appear intricate, it provides a convenient means to relocate with your pet and vehicle to Madeira. For further details, read about the sailing experience and determine if this journey aligns with your needs.
For additional inquiries, reach out to Grupo Sousa at comercial-gslines@gruposousa.pt.
Best of luck with your move!
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