Ferries
Sea Crossings.
The Ferry is increasing in popularity as the transportation of choice for many airline-weary travellers. With airport security rules and long queues making air travel less palatable than it used to be, many are seeking more relaxed ways to travel, and make their holiday budget go a bit further.
Ferries are much improved on the services of years ago. They have restaurants, comfortable lounges, shops and entertainment areas. There are options to take a private cabin for longer trips, or overnight trips - which can feel like a mini-cruise. The crossing can be a great adventure for the family, or a romantic start to a holiday for couples.
There are plenty of benefits to travelling by ferry. For one, you can take your own car, packed with all the things you need without having to worry about luggage weight, carry on luggage restrictions, or packing liquids in little containers. With the introduction of the budget airlines, ferries have had to drop their prices to stay competitive and attract customers back, so it can also be a very economical way to go.
Shoppers will be pleasantly surprised at the variety of shops onboard for just about anything they could want. There is often help at hand for foot passengers as heavy shopping can be carried to the terminal, or carried to cars on the decks.
Travelling by car opens up the option to choose whether to take the fast route, via motorways, or the more scenic routes where you can take your time and absorb some of the local atmosphere. There are a multitude of choices of gateways to reach your destination, whether it be Ireland, Northern Ireland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Poland or Spain.
Another significant benefit of ferries for many travellers is being able to take the family pet along, usually for a small charge or sometimes free. The introduction of the Pet Passport scheme has made it very easy to use the ferries without worrying about quarantine or expensive kennels. The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) makes it possible for cats, dogs and ferrets to be taken between the UK and certain other countries without quarantine. Most ferry routes allow pets to be carried to France, Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands. It is estimated that one company carries close to 100,000 pets in a year.
Give yourself a pat on the back for using ferries too, as travelling by sea is said to be one of the most efficient methods of transport. Travelling by ferry produces fewer greenhouse gasses than air travel, plus heat produced by the engines is used to heat hot water and make fresh water.
Although Duty Free is no longer available on most ferry routes, the ferries tend to have wines, spirits, beer, cigarettes and tobacco at competitive prices, often as much as 30% cheaper than in the UK.
The freedom offered by ferries means that families can go on holiday in their own car with the family pet and even take the caravan or camping trailer. Motorcycle riders and cyclists can also take advantage of the service and begin their holiday as soon as they hit terra firma on the other side.
With the range of ferry services and routes available from all round the UK it is definitely worth considering for your next holiday. One word of caution, if you are not familiar with driving in other countries we recommend starting with a visit to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website for tips and advice about driving in your destination country and other useful travel advice.
Don’t forget the other essential items, like Travel Insurance and European Vehicle Breakdown Cover.
Web Sites:
Animal Health
Pet Travel Scheme
