UKC

Hi,
Consulting the collective UKC wisdom.
How early can you check in for ferries (DFDS) at Dover? Be there 90 minutes before is the official line but if I were to get there several hours early can I park up and hang out terminal building?

In reply to Šljiva:
Depending on the company they might just let you on an earlier ferry if they are not booked up. If not then you can just park up and wait, probably nicer though to get away from the port if you have a long time to wait.

In reply to sxrxg:


I once got there very early, i.e. the night before my early morning ferry. I got booted out and came back in the morning. Not sure where the cutoff is.

In reply to 1poundSOCKS: thanks, that was I wondering if I could do. Perhaps shouldn't make that plan. Just not fancying getting up at crack of dawn and then a long drive on the other side.

In reply to Šljiva:

Get a late ferry, park up in France.

In reply to ian caton:


I usually sleep in the car/van in Dover (or in Calais on the way back) because I don't have to get there at any specific time, just to sleep and get up for my ferry. And I usually have to sleep one side or the other. There are places around Dover you can sleep in the car or van, just not the port.

In reply to Šljiva:

I got there a couple of hours early recently and just waited in the queues to board. No problems. I understand they may let you board an earlier ferry if there's room.

In reply to Šljiva:
With DFDS, I think it's standard for them to allow you onto a ferry two hours either side of the one you're are booked onto, if there is space. So in theory you could arrive 3.5 hours early and not have to hang about. A couple of years ago, on the return journey, I arrived at Dunkerque with just over 4 hours to go, and was allowed straight onto a ferry that was about to depart. I think that I was allowed to do this as it was a very quiet crossing, and it's not the norm.

Like 1poundSOCKS, I have turned up in Dover far too early for my ferry, to be directed back out of the terminal and asked to return later to catch the ferry two hours prior to the one I was booked on.

In reply to Šljiva:

About 10 ten years ago we turned up at the French end having left our passports, tickets, and every other form of identification in a caravan in Holland. After a 10 minute chat with a guy in a wee booth we got on the ferry

In reply to aln: I don't really want an earlier ferry, just somewhere to sleep and not keen to stay by the side of the road by myself so any suggestions on that score welcome.

In reply to Šljiva:


There's a campsite (Hawthorn Farm) about 10 or 15 mins drive from the ferry port. Think it costs £15 for the night, so not that cheap on your own.

In reply to Šljiva:

In the scenario I detailed above we didn't have to wait any longer than the conversation

In reply to 1poundSOCKS: worth it not to get up at 4am though thanks I'll have a look.

In reply to Šljiva:

One possibility is to pay a bit more for an open ticket which, although you book a particular crossing, allows you to board the next available ferry - particularly useful for the return trip when you're not sure exactly when you'll return.

In reply to Šljiva:

I get the impression that they will try to get you on an earlier ferry to keep the place clear and manage the queues.

I know I can take the earlier ferry if I wanted but this is about working out where I can get some sleep! I was wondering if that was possible within the port but the campsite mentioned above looks good. Thanks all.