Why wouldn't you book a seat on a ferry?

[Tiredofthewhirring]

Just back from France, six hour crossing. Many passengers strewn on floor/lobby chairs acrosss the boat rather than paying £5 each for a reserved reclining seat!

Such a tiny sum for greatly increased comfort, given the overall cost of the ferry is hundreds of pounds.

Tell me, why wouldn't you book a seat????

Honestly whole families tucked in corners guarding their seats outside the duty free shop etc.

There are more passengers than reclining seating, so maybe the passengers wanted to book a seat or cabin but there was no availability.

It’s not rocket science

@BrightLightTonight

But that's not the case. There were LOADs of spare seats in the reserved lounges on both our crossings

So no, not rocket science. But I'm allowed to be curious

Always, always have a cabin! Somewhere to dump your stuff, crash out, have a snack or a drink in peace and comfort. And they’re even more worthwhile if the weather is a bit rough.
(Talking about Brittany Ferries crossings to France and Spain)
As a pp said these crossings are not exactly cheap so forking out a bit more for a reclining seat in a quiet, secure area is a no-brainer. Obviously cabins are dearer but still well worth it, especially if you’re travelling with kids.

We always book a cabin-this trip we’ve booked one with a kettle, tea and coffee and a tv. You don’t have to lie down, you can sit up and the commodore ones have armchairs. It’s worth it for us on a daytime crossing as we have somewhere quiet, private, hot drinks and our own loo.

@SiobhanSharpe

But how do you read or watch a film on a lower bunk comfortably?

Wow, every day a school day

I would have assumed ferry crossings were about £20

And that you sat in your car the whole way

Well you don’t pull down the top ones so you can sit or recline on the lower ones

I hate the reclining seats, I'd rather sleep on the floor with my roll mat and sleeping bag (though I usually pay for a cabin as it's typically a 7 hour overnight crossing plus you board up to an hour before, essential when you have to drive the other side.)

Ah we were on the afternoon crossing. The garages were rammed. 5 rows of cars, rather then the 4 rows marked out - cars were straddling the lane dividers and we could barely open doors. It was very busy on the boat and the most people I've seen unwell before.

We always book cabins but then we have a journey either to/from Scotland so need to get a decent rest.

I never book for daytime ferries btw, why would you?

We have had a holiday both last year and this using this crossing, may half term so pretty busy. We’d never book seats because my 3 kids wouldn’t sit in them for more than 3 minutes! They’re constantly getting up, going to the arcade, cinema, getting food, etc. When they are sitting down; they want a table to play games and draw on, or they’re sharing the iPad and need to sit clustered around it not in a row. Plus they’re fairly noisy and constantly bicker and I’d rather not be subject to the looks from other ferry users who’ve paid to sit somewhere. On our last trip the lounges with those seats seemed to be just older couples; not young families so I just didn’t feel like it was a place for us to be! we never find it that difficult to find somewhere to sit and then if some of the kids want to wander around one of us adults just stays there. Plus it adds £50 to our holiday cost. Anyway those are my reasons!

I did the Caen crossing a couple of weeks ago. No point paying for a seat IMO. If you want one there are two or three other lounges with reclining seats available free. I sat in one for a couple of hours while the DC were in the cinema. We had a cabin too but DH napped in that as he did most of the driving.

However, there is usually an expectation that the lounge areas remain quiet so people who want to chat/play games etc probably prefer to be sat elsewhere.

We always book a cabin. Last month on 8am sailings, we both went back to bed for a sleep, and I had a shower before getting back in the car ready for our onward travel.

Yes, that is me.
I hate a ferry, just looking at them gives me nausea.
Hats off to seafarers. I have done many a ferry a la France but no more. Air is required

Well, we don’t put the top bunks down these days, (kids flown the nest) — they stay closed against the wall . The TV is wall mounted quite high up at the foot end of the beds. And you don’t have to lie down — you can sit or recline on the bed or on the chair that is also provided.

They might be all booked up. This is what happened the time I booked reclining seats. I also wanted not to have to guard them or to try and sleep with people walking by

It's been a few years now but I remember the daytime cabins were pretty good value. Much easier to dump your stuff there or to get away for a rest. Not sure it would occur to me to book a seat as like to wander round a bit if a long crossing. You always find a seat somewhere.

When I was in my 20s, I did Holyhead - Dun Laoghaire (Dublin) a fair few times.

We didn't book seats as:

• the best seats were in the Irish bar. If you hurried, you could get a sofa, which 2 skinny 20-somethings could lie down on quite comfortably.

-failing that, the seats weren't bad. They didn't recline but there was beer nearby which was more important to me at the time

• failing that, the floor. At the time, I'd rather be able to stretch out on the floor than be restricted in a seat. I couldn't understand why anyone would pay for a seat. Now nearly 50, suffice to say my priorities have shifted somewhat!

I’ve done that crossing and thank goodness we booked a cabin. It was very choppy. Being able to lie down made all the difference.

I had no idea this was even a thing. If I’d booked a ferry crossing I wouldn’t know to book seats too.

Funnily enough, I have the opposite view, having done overnight to Cherbourg and then a day ferry back from st Malo this summer. We got hardly any sleep on the way, mainly due to 4 year old DD waking up at frequent intervals yelling "argh! I can't see!!!" The drive the next day wasn't fun! We quite enjoyed the trip back though (with another cabin for all the reasons pp have listed)

I have to be moving around and mostly outside otherwise get very sick... so we've always just been ship nomads shuffling around.

I did many day crossings with my parents back in the day (Harwich - Hoek or Felixstowe - Zeebrugge) and we never booked seats or cabins - it would honestly never occur to me to do so now!

Depending on who you're travelling with, sometimes one of the beds in the cabins converts to a settee - which is nice.

For a day crossing, I'd book the lounge, and get the free food/drink. For a night crossing, I've done cabins (preferable), and the lounge (you get in quick and bagsy a sofa/couple of chairs - it's not great, but it's survivable)

If I was saving money though, I absolutely wouldn't bother booking anything (especially the travesty that is the Stena Hygge lounge - seats pre-reclined at an uncomfortable, unadjustable angle, and the squeakiest ceiling ever - I slept better upright in a chair in the lounge), I'd just hang out in whatever seats there were (the ferries I go on, I'd never seen someone stealing seats if you got up !)