Steam Packet Drops Cash Payments at Ports – But Not Everyone’s On Board

In a move to ‘improve efficiency, security, and customer convenience’, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company is ditching cash payments at its ports from next week.

If you’re heading through Douglas, Heysham, Liverpool, Belfast, or Dublin, you’ll need to tap, swipe, or wave your phone to pay for tickets.

But don’t panic—cash will still be accepted onboard for those mid-journey cuppas and questionable impulse buys in the gift shop.

According to the Steam Packet, cash payments now make up just 1% of ticket sales, so this is all about moving with the times. Managing director Brian Thomson says the change ‘aligns with wider industry trends’ and will make transactions faster and more secure.

But there’s another reason behind the move—according to the Department of Home Affairs, the Isle of Man Constabulary has found that cash payments for tickets have been exploited by criminal gangs trafficking drugs and money.

So, in addition to being a tech upgrade, this is also being framed as a crime-fighting measure.

Still, not everyone’s thrilled about the shift away from cash.

Similar changes to benefit and pension payments on the island have already caused controversy, and this latest move is likely to hit older travellers and those without access to digital banking the hardest.

The deadline for cash-paying passengers to adapt is March 27, 2025. Love it? Hate it? Got strong opinions on the death of cash? Let us know—hello@gef.im.