First ferry crossing: a checklist for drivers who have never done it

A first ferry crossing goes wrong in one of three ways: the wrong terminal, a missed check-in window, or a vehicle that does not fit the booking. All three are avoidable with a checklist that takes ten minutes to work through.

The process itself is simple and forgiving. Ports handle thousands of first-timers a day and the signage is designed for people who have never done it.

Before you book

Measure the vehicle, including roof box, bike rack and tow bar. Book the correct category rather than the cheapest one.

Check the passport validity of every passenger, including children and infants.

Check the pet documents if you are travelling with an animal, and the vet appointment if one is needed.

Check the destination’s driving requirements: warning triangle, hi-vis vest, headlight converters and winter tyres in season.

Choosing the sailing

Work backwards from the arrival time you need, not forwards from the departure you like.

Add 90 minutes of check-in, the crossing time and 20 minutes of disembarkation.

Take the sailing before the one that just fits. The buffer is the whole point.

On a route with one sailing a day, consider whether you can afford to miss it.

What to put in the car

Passports, booking reference and vehicle documents, all in the passenger compartment.

A bag for the crossing: snacks, water, medication, chargers and something to do.

A blanket and warm clothes in winter. Port delays happen and the car is the only shelter.

Cash and a card. Some port facilities take one and not the other.

The night before

Check the sailing status on the operator’s site. A cancellation announced the night before saves a wasted drive.

Check the weather and the traffic forecast for the approach road.

Charge the phone and download the booking confirmation as a PDF.

If you are staying near the port, confirm the hotel’s parking arrangements and the check-out time.

Getting to the port

Use the terminal name rather than the postcode. Large ports have several terminals and the postcode often lands at the wrong one.

Follow the ferry signs from the last 10 miles, not the satnav’s final instruction.

Allow 30 minutes more than the route planner suggests for the final approach. Port roads are slow and sometimes closed.

If you are early, you will be held in a lane. That is normal and better than being late.

At the barrier

Have the booking reference ready and the window down. The booth staff will ask for the registration.

Passports are usually checked after the barrier, not at it, but keep them accessible.

You will be given a lane number. Write it down or photograph it.

If the booking cannot be found, park in the marked area and walk to the ticket desk. Do not block the lane.

Waiting in the lane

Stay with the car. Loading is called by lane and the call is not repeated.

Use the toilets before loading. There are none on the vehicle deck.

Take everything you need for the crossing out of the boot now, not on the ramp.

Watch the marshals rather than the other drivers. They are loading to a plan.

Driving on board

Follow the marshal’s hand signals at walking pace. The ramp is steep and often wet.

Leave a car’s length between you and the vehicle in front. The gaps allow the crew to move between rows.

Switch off the engine, apply the handbrake, leave it in gear and take the key.

Note the deck and the stairwell letter. Photograph the boarding card.

On board

Go up to the passenger decks immediately. The good seats go in the first ten minutes.

Find the toilets, the café and the outside deck before you settle. A two-minute walk saves an hour of wandering later.

Listen for the announcement about the return to the vehicle deck. It comes 15 to 20 minutes before arrival.

Keep the boarding card and passport with you, not in the car.

Arriving and disembarking

Go down promptly when the announcement is made. The stairs get congested.

Wait for the deck hands to signal before starting the engine.

Do not overtake on the ramp. The exit order is fixed and cutting in causes accidents.

Follow the exit signs to the road you need, not the one the car in front takes.

Driving on the right

France and most of Europe drive on the right. The first roundabout after the port is where people make mistakes.

Headlight beam deflectors are required in France, and the ferry shop sells them if you forgot.

Speed limits are in kilometres per hour and are lower than British limits on secondary roads.

Priority to the right applies in France unless signs say otherwise, which surprises British drivers in towns.

What you need in the car in Europe

A warning triangle, a hi-vis vest for each occupant, and a first aid kit in some countries.

A spare bulb kit and headlight deflectors in France. A fire extinguisher is required in some countries.

Vehicle registration document and insurance certificate, plus a letter of authority if the car is not yours.

GB stickers or number plates with the country identifier. The rules changed but the requirement to be identifiable did not.

Coming back

Check the return check-in time, which is usually 60 minutes before departure.

Allow for the border queue on the French side, which is longer than the outbound one in peak season.

Keep the fuel receipt and any shopping receipts for customs, in case you are stopped.

Check the UK import rules for food before filling the boot with cheese.

Common first-timer mistakes

Booking a foot passenger ticket and arriving with a car. The change is treated as a new booking.

Arriving at the wrong terminal in Portsmouth, Stockholm or Helsinki, all of which have several.

Forgetting that France is one hour ahead, which makes a 14:00 sailing 13:00 on a British watch.

Leaving the passports in a suitcase in the boot, which cannot be opened in the lane.

Foot passengers on a first crossing

The process is simpler than for a car: check in at the terminal desk, clear security and border control, then walk or take a bus to the ship.

Arrive 45 to 60 minutes early at a large port, 30 at a small one.

You carry your own bags up the ramp, so pack less than you would for a flight.

The walk to the berth can be 300 metres, and the ramp is steep. Allow time for it.

What the crossing is actually like

On a short route, the ship has a café, toilets, a lounge and an open deck. The crossing passes quickly.

On a long route, there are restaurants, bars, shops and cabins. It is closer to a small hotel than to a bus.

The ship moves more than you expect in open water and less than you fear in sheltered water.

Most first-timers are surprised by how calm it is. The ones who are not are usually on a fast craft in a swell.

The things nobody tells you

The vehicle deck is closed during the crossing, so everything you need comes up with you.

The announcements are hard to hear in the lounges, and the return-to-car call is the one that matters.

Ports are cold, windy and short of seating, particularly in winter.

The duty-free shop is cheaper than the port but not cheaper than a supermarket ashore.

What to do if something goes wrong

Missing the check-in: park, go to the ticket desk, ask for the next sailing. It costs a fee, not the trip.

A vehicle problem: tell the marshal before the ramp. They can move you aside.

A document problem: go to the ticket office immediately rather than arguing at the barrier.

A delayed sailing: stay near the car and listen for announcements, or check the operator’s site on your phone.