Travelling by ferry with your children
Travelling by ferry with your kids can be a great family friendly way of crossing the channel and it has the benefit of being able to take your own car. This not only helps you save on car rental at your destination but you also will find it easier to occupy children on a boat than on a plane and you do not have the same packing restrictions.
As long as they are not too prone to seasickness, children can have great fun exploring the ship and ferries nowadays are generally family friendly with children's play rooms, video rooms, shops, games rooms, soft play areas, baby changing facilities and restaurants.
On the downside, ferry travel can be expensive particularly if you are taking your car and ferry travel on foot is generally a much cheaper option. We have partnered with a ferry to the worldwide leader in ferry bookings to provide you with a wide range of ferry options and you can book ferries here on our site.
You can book ferry travel here with aferryto who search multiple operators for great value and choice.
Top tips when booking your ferry holiday
Check waiting times and journey times as there can be a considerable difference between slow speeds and express crossings.
Your ferry crossing may not allow you to reach your destination directly and you should choose a route that will make your car journeys from home and abroad shorter. It is easier to occupy children on board a ferry than in a car.
Keep an on-board bag which you can access. It is your essential item, as you are unlikely to have access to your car during a crossing. Check out our packing list for suggestions.
If you are planning to take the night ferry, ask whether or not cots are provided and if not bring your own. Try to stick to your usual evening routines.
Adventurous toddlers may need a harness or reigns.
If your journey is anything over four hours we would suggest you book a cabin for some privacy and sleep if overnight or if you are travelling at sleep time. They are relatively inexpensive. Kids love the idea of sleeping on a boat and the bunk beds are always a big hit.
If you are on a night crossing, restaurants and bars may be closed so do look into this. Drinks and snacks can be expensive and so consider bringing your own.
The video arcades and slot machines can big be a big draw so you need to set the ground rules with your children.
Safety on board is always an issue and you should make sure that children receive age-appropriate supervision.
We have prepared some articles on what to pack, what to bring on a journey as well as several lists on how to entertain the children while you're travelling through the various ages and hope these are helpful.
You will find lots of family friendly travel tips and advice in our research and advice section to help you book the right family holiday. Check out also the experiences of other parents and travellers in our parents forum and add your own experiences as we are a great believer in real parent's experiences as the best measure of whether somewhere will suit you for your family holiday.
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