Travelling with 8 month old twins, advice please!

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Hi, we live in Jersey, Channel Islands and want to travel with our twins for the first time back to England to visit family. It will be a two week trip staying at two different houses with relatives. We can either travel by ferry (4 hours) or plane (1 hour). We need a car the other end. The cheapest option by far is the ferry, taking our own car but the time means we arrive at 7pm followed by a 2 hour drive. 4 hours on a ferry is a long time to keep tired 8 month olds happy! The plane is easier but so expensive (at least twice as expensive) with car hire, car seat hire, etc etc. anyone got any advice or experience please? Thanks x

Just go by ferry. They will be fine and probably sleep.

I flew half way around the world with my twins when they were 12 months and it was ok.

Car, you can load everything in it. It is amazing how much stuff you require travelling. The idea of having twins on a plane and occupying them at the airport sounds hard work but other twin mums may have some ideas on that?

Will you be able to borrow some stuff at each house, just so that you don't have to cart it all around? Even one travel cot at each house is a help?

We live in Austria and first travelled back to the UK to visit both sets of parents when our twins were 8 months old. We also did a week in one place and a week in another. We flew, as the drive from us to Calais takes about 12 hours then we have another 2 or 3 hours from Dover - it just seemed too much for them at that age. The airport and flights went brilliantly, although I worried myself crazy over it beforehand! They cried a little when we first boarded, I think because it was so hot before the aircon started. Also on landing they were a little tearful - a combination of ears and tiredness. A dummy or bottle should help a little with their ears. Everyone from airline staff to security people to the baggage handler who put up our buggy on the tarmac when our hands were full, were really helpful when they saw us travelling with baby twins, and that was Ryanair through Stansted!!
Since the people we stayed with were our parents, we asked them to get supplies in, so we didn't have to bring nappies, wipes, baby wash, food, medicines, muslin squares etc etc etc with us. There was still heaps to take, but if you are staying with family I guess you'll be able to get laundry done. Although we flew we also needed a car and travel seats. My parents/sister borrowed travel cots and car seats from people they knew - would that be possible for you? My Dad has a decent sized car so we paid £20 to get me on his insurance for a week and for my parents to hire a small car for a week, which cost £100 odd, and saved us a lot of money hiring a family sized car.
If you go for the ferry,and arrive at 7, will they fall asleep in the car and then you can transfer them into bed when you arrive at your relatives place? We have never tried this with ours, but have friends who do this with their twins without problem.
Whatever you decide, good luck, and although I am a great one to talk (born worrier) try not to stress about it, it'll be fine!

Definitely go by ferry, it's not so loud, none of the whole ear popping thing. If they cry, you can go sit with them in the car and not worry about hem disturbing others. It's far far far cheaper. You've got your own car which always feels nicer and more at home that if you rent one. You also don't have to worry about returning it at the end of the week and forgetting something that you urgently need in one of the back pockets or something because its your own car so you've got it a there. They gt their own carseats and stuff! Trust me, very would be so much easier and so much less stressful!

Absolutely go by ferry. Flying with twins is a PITA. On the ferry you can walk around and play. And by the time you've checked in and hung around the time differential wont be that great.

I would say ferry. You can always use the buggy on board and walk them around to nap/ calm them. They will also
Have space to sit/ lay on a blanket on the floor etc. and everything can be ready loaded

You waste loads of time at airports anyway. So 1 hrs flight turns into 3 hrs by the time your there at least hour before and it takes ages getting everyone off plane and through security ( no buggy either until after security).

We fly almost evey month with now two toddlers and it's fine, but I would take car/ ferry if the option was there