10 things you should know before taking the ferry to Europe or Great Britain

As a Belgian who lived in London, I took the ferry from the UK to France every three weeks to visit my parents. My husband and I would drive down to Calais on Friday after work and take the 8PM ferry out to Calais – and later Dunkirk (more about this later on).

As very frequent travellers – I lived in London for over 2 years, we obviously have a lot of experience taking the ferry. I have collected 10 tips, tricks and things you should know before taking the ferry to or from the UK, whether you depart from Calais or are going to Dunkirk.

PS: Yes! I would recommend getting a European Driving Kit if you haven’t already. You can buy one here.

Choose Your French Port Depending On Your Destination

One of the biggest mistakes we made when travelling from the UK to Belgium was automatically choosing to go to Calais. Calais is the most famous ferry port in France because it is the closest point to the UK and the biggest ferry port.

But as we were going to Belgium it would actually make more sense for us to take the ferry out to Dunkirk – 40 km closer to the Belgium border. Not only are the ferries to Dunkirk cheaper, they are also a lot less busy. Making the change from Calais to Dunkirk was eye-opening and life changing.

If you are looking to go deeper into France you might want to look into taking the ferry from Portsmouth near The New Forest. With boats to Le Havre, Caen, Cherbourg, Saint Malo, and even Santander or Bilbao for those of you who want to go to Spain, you can save a lot of time in the car and on the road. I have made a post about Portsmouth and all the ferry destinations from this Hampshire city.

If you want to look up the cheapest ferries from A to B, I would recommend using Omio. I always use them for my ferry and train tickets as they display all companies and offer the cheapest rates. So if you want to go from Dover to Calais, you enter Dover and Calais and click on the Ferries tab.

You Can Take A Ferry Earlier And A Ferry 2 Hours Later

Joshua and I often were waaaay too early in Dover. Instead of having us wait for 2 hours, the amazing staff of DFDS would always try to put us on an earlier ferry.

Because the ferries to Dunkirk were always very quiet and often very empty, there was always room for us!

When you are driving down to the port to take your ferry and you are scared you won’t make it due to sudden bad traffic, you will be relieved to know that DFDS will put you on a later ferry for free! Obviously, you can’t just arrive three hours late because that boat will have sailed. (pun intended) If you are late more than 2 hours you will normally have to pay for a new ticket. If you think you are going to be more than 2 hours late, please call your ferry company to see whether they are willing to make an exception.

If you are stuck, you can always book an Airbnb in Calais or a hotel in Dunkirk.

Don’t Bother Going For Priority Boarding

When booking your ticket you will notice you will be able to upgrade to priority boarding. Honestly – Joshua and I never thought it was worth it. It never took us longer than 20 minutes to get off the boat (and that was at a very busy bank holiday when the boat was PACKED) and most of the time it took us 5 minutes to get waved through the exit from the time the first cars were unloaded.

If your 5 to 15 minutes are worth the upgrade – go for it, but most of the time it absolutely isn’t.

On the DFDS boat to Dunkirk I would definitely not go for priority boarding as it is often not very busy and the boat is unloaded very quickly.

But what about customs? You want to be first to avoid queues, right?

Not really. Customs picks out cars at random and waves the rest of the cars through. This means that if you touch down in the UK or in France you can just drive off the boat and onto the motorway. No customs checks unless you are chosen at random – and priority boarding won’t influence this.

Priority Boarding costs £10

Don’t Bother Booking The Lounge Either

You might know that Joshua and I are massive lounge enthusiasts. I absolutely LOVE airport lounges and would 100% take a lounge on the boat if it were the same experience – but it isn’t.

The onboard lounge provides you with 1 (one) glass of prosecco, soft drinks, tea, coffee, juice etc, pastries, newspaper, macarons, plug sockets and sea views. You have the availability to order food (which you have to pay extra for) but reading the reviews I would not risk it.

In the onboard tax free shop you can buy a bottle of wine for less than £5, a pack of Coke/Fanta cans for £3 and loads of nice snacks which will literally last you the whole ferry trip. Josh and I have done it many times!

Lounge access starts at £12 per person but it often is between £14 and £20 depending on availability.

Don’t Order Drinks In The Cafe But Go To The Shop Instead

I think we only ever bought drinks once in the little café on board of the ship – and that was on our very first trip by ferry. Later on I discovered that for the price of 1 pint of cider in the cafe I could buy 6 cans (not refrigerated though) of a bottle of red wine in the little shop.

Loads of experienced ferry travellers go to the little shop rather than the bar to buy their drinks. They might not be as cold as they would have been in the fridge – but it will save you a lot of money!

As for the wine: bring some plastic cups or buy small bottles (they often have a 3 for £5 offer) which will allow you to buy a bottle of wine in the shop and drink it during your passage.

Go With Dfds Rather Than P And O

This is a tip I give a lot of people. Go with DFDS. They are cheaper, friendlier, better, cleaner, nicer, cheaper on board… than P&O.

When we were still taking the Dover-Calais route we would travel with P&O because they are well-known and have a recognisable branding. I did not know anything about DFDS and was a bit hesitant booking with this company.

Once we decided that taking the ferry to Dunkirk would actually save us precious time, we HAD to pick DFDS as they were the only ones servicing this route. I have been in love with the company ever since!

There Are Plugs All Over The Ship

Want to bring your laptop on board or charge your phone? There are plugs all over the ship. You will find free plugs at the back of the ship near the slot machines. There are two or three slot machines standing against the wall next to the exit to the outside deck and smokers’ area. You will find free plugs here although you will probably have to sit on the floor.

You can also find free plugs in the windows. Yes! That’s right. Have a look at the top of the windows. Hidden away behind a latch you will find a plug. There will be a plug every three or four round windows.

If you are not able to find a seat by the window you can also look at the restaurant area against the outer wall.

Do Not Convert Money On The Ship – In Cash Or By Card

Converting money on the ship is actually rather expensive. You will get more out of your money doing it at home or in Europe/the UK. I have seen some very bad exchange rates and I would not recommend anyone to take those rates at face value.

Choose Wisely When Paying By Card

When you are paying by card on the ship, choosing the right currency might save you a lot of money. When the sales clerk asks you whether you would like to pay in Euro or in Pound, you should always choose your local currency (Euro or Pound) or, when these are not your local currencies, choose for Euro.

DFDS is a European company and I have noticed that the prices favour the Euro rather than the pound.

Tax-Free Does Not Always Mean ‘A Good Deal’

When you are taking the ferry, you might be tempted to go and have a look at the beauty products and perfumes in the little shop I mentioned before. And although I always wander through (mostly out of boredom or when I am picking up some wine or soft drinks), I have never been blown away by the prices. In fact: the prices in here are actually the same as they are in the UK. You can look it up!

The shop is coining on the fact that the call of “tax free shopping” will convince some poor sods that there are deals to be done, and they try to bait passengers into boredom buying.

If you really want a certain perfume or cream, I would do some research into the prices. The shop in the boat sometimes does deals at which you might be able to pick up your favourite perfume at a nice little price – but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

If you want to buy wine in France, stop off at one of the many shops and wine warehouses in Calais. You can find out more about these here.

Travel from UK to France FAQs

To help you plan your trip from UK to France by Ferry, we have put together a list of frequently asked questions you might want to see answered!

What is the best way to get from the UK to France?

There are many ways to get from the UK to France. The most common ways are by ferry, Eurotunnel, or airplane.

If you are travelling by ferry, the most common route is from Dover to Calais. This journey takes around 90 minutes. You can also take a ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre, which takes around 6 hours.

If you are travelling by Eurotunnel, the journey takes around 35 minutes.

If you are travelling by airplane, there are many airports you can fly into. The most popular airport is Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.

You can book your trip via Omio.

What are the most popular routes for ferries between the UK and France?

The most popular routes for ferries between the UK and France are Dover to Calais, Portsmouth to Caen, and Portsmouth to Le Havre.

What are the sailing times for ferries between the UK and France?

The sailing times for ferries between the UK and France vary depending on the route. For example, the crossing from Dover to Calais takes around 90 minutes, while the crossing from Portsmouth to Le Havre takes around 4 hours.

How much does it cost to take a ferry from the UK to France?

The cost of taking a ferry from the UK to France varies depending on the route, operator, and time of year. For example, a crossing from Dover to Calais with P&O Ferries during the summer may cost £39 for a foot passenger, £69 for a car and driver, and £129 for a campervan or caravan. Prices will be higher during peak periods such as school holidays.

You can book your crossing via Omio.

Are there any special considerations to take into account when travelling by ferry from the UK to France?

There are a few things to consider when travelling by ferry from the UK to France:

– Make sure you have all the necessary documents for both countries, including passports and visas (if required).

– Check in advance for any travel warnings or advisories that may be in place for either country.

– Familiarise yourself with the ferry company’s policies and procedures, including check-in times, baggage allowances, and so on.

– Allow plenty of time for your journey, as there can often be delays when travelling by ferry.

– Be prepared for different weather conditions in each country – pack accordingly!

Do I really need a European driving kit when going from the UK to France?

There is no legal requirement to have a European driving kit when going from the UK to France. However, it is recommended that you have one as it can be useful in the event of a breakdown or accident.

If you are found not to have certain things included in the European Driving Kit such as a reflective triangle or breathalysers, you might be fined.

You can buy your European Driving Kit here.

What is included in the European Driving Kit?

The European Driving Kit is the perfect way to be prepared when driving in Europe. The kit includes Eurolites Headlight Adaptors, Warning Triangle, Hi-Visibility Vest, Magnetic UK sign, Universal Bulb Kit, Twin Pack NF Approved Breathalyser & Zipped Canvas-Style Carry Bag. This is the perfect way to be prepared and have everything you need while driving in Europe.

You can get it here.