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.

We've just returned from Brittany. Got a cabin for the overnight outbound crossing. But didn't bother reserving for the daytime return, there were plenty of seats around, we nabbed a set of 6 outside the cinema so we could sit there while the kids watched a film (or the first 30 minutes of a film for my DD before she came out of the cinema looking white as a sheet, it was a rough crossing!). Then just took it in turns to go for a walk, food etc so that we held onto the seats.

We always do the tunnel.

(Although we travel to family in the Netherlands)

I've had people tell me about the overnight ferries from Harwich.

The prices are UNREAL! Someone paid £800 for a cabin?! Tunnel we are always less than £100 each way and can use Tesco vouchers.

Sure the drive is a bit shorter the other side (2 hours less) but the boat takes HOURS compared to 35 minutes on the tunnel.

I can't fathom why people favour such a big spend and such a slow method of transport compared to the tunnel and a little bit extra driving.

(When it's further afield I do get it more.)

We alway booked a cabin so that the driver could have a proper rest. Especially on the longer day crossing.

Just a quick heads up. We have often travelled with Britanny Ferries and had tea and coffee making facilities listed but they haven't actually been there.

We did get the TV though.

I actually prefer night crossings because we do Plymouth to Roscoff, which is long. However we always book a cabin. You aren't stuck in it for the whole trip and you can read lounging on a bunk. In fact I usually end up sleeping better on a day run, after a slap up meal, than at night!

Is it cheaper to book the ferry earlier?

I've done ferry crossings many times and it's never occurred to me to a book a seat! I think only once has it felt too crowded to fair easily find a seat. I think the bookable seats are in an area of the ferry where you wouldn't really want to seat i.e. not near big windows, tables, refreshments. I thought the seats were more of a cheap alternative to cabins for overnight crossings. For a night crossing I book a cabin.

Because you get to see the White Cliffs?
Because it's nice being on a ferry.
It's a relaxing start to the holiday?

I like a ferry crossing. Watching the boats on the sea, seeing France approach.

Going by ferry also saves two hours on our side of the channel (it's two hours further to Folkestone compared to Portsmouth). We do use the tunnel for northern France / Belgium / Netherlands though.

Me too

Can I ask if the cabins have windows ?

Yes if you get an outside one. We always do as I can’t bear inside cabins

Same, and to dump our stuff. They are so cheap on day crossings too

Maybe, but it’s only DH who uses it. He is the driver so has a couple of hours nap. The rest of us don’t even go in it.

When we drive over to the house in Ireland we always get a cabin no matter what time of day! Own toilet and shower, snacks and hot drinks and most importantly - peace and quiet!

We once got a cabin when we were doing a late-ish ferry crossing (but not an overnight) and had small kids. They are pretty cheap for daytime/evening crossings. But we found we didn't really use it and didn't bother again. Much prefer being out and about in the ferry rather than stuck in a tiny cabin. Love being out in the fresh air and looking out to sea.

There's no tunnel between Ireland and Great Britain but I would love that option if there was!

When we booked a ferry in summer they were all booked up. It was an evening crossing and it was fine!