Ferry to France

nimdanigol

Hi,

We are looking to go on our first break away with the kids to France on the Ferry in Sept. As with flying I am a bit nervous of the ferry except I have never been on a boat!

How secure is travelling on ferries? do they have security onboard etc?

Any info will help with the nerves!!!

Thanks

coylemj

What kind of onboard security are you talking about? The ferry is a very safe place, lots of families with kids running about, backpackers, couples with no kids and groups of singletons. The doors to the decks tend to be heavy affairs (to stop them blowing in and out) so it's highly unlikely that your kids will be able to get out on deck without you.

Your cabin is allocated to you when you book, then when you board you go straight to the cabin where the door will be open and the key will be on one of the bunks. So you can lock the door and you're as secure as you'd be in a hotel. Most people go to bed reasonably early as there is usually a lot of driving to be done when you land in France.

If you've read about fights breaking out between football fans on the ferries to Scotland or England, you can forget about that carry-on, the ferry to France is a completely different environment.

shanec1928

The ferry to France in September should be fairly quiet.

Stephen15

nimdanigol wrote: »

How secure is travelling on ferries? do they have security onboard etc?

It is generally fairly safe. There is no airport style security you just need your passport but I don't think there's any issues with safety or security.

It may be easier to fly and rent a car. Personally I wouldn't be a big fan of the ferry myself as I didn't a very a good nights sleep when I got to France it's not for everyone I guess but I wouldn't let that stop me giving it a try but just bear that in my mind.

skybox2014

September is a quiet time to travel on the ferry. In all my years doing this trip we have never had any safety concerns.
The most dangerous part of the boat is the toddler play area beside the cafe - don't leave younger children unattended! Some of the bigger kids can be too rough.

Otherwise it's a pleasant enough journey.

Carawaystick

If you haven't been on a ferry before,
You can't access your car during the crossing, so you need to pack a bag to bring to your cabin with whatever you need during the trip ( clothes/book/food)

It's safe onboard, don't worry, enjoy your holiday.

Lord Glentoran

I can’t think of any ferry, including the Northern Ireland - Scotland ones, that would descend into Good Ship Venus type shenanigans. Airports are far more lairy places than a boat would ever be.