Travelling to France with DFDS Seaways

The Stressy’s were on tour last week as we packed up and headed to France as Disneyland Paris was our very exciting holiday destination this year.  As always when we go to France, we opted to take the ferry.  I love travelling by ferry, you have time to mooch around the shop, the cafes are always nice and then you can take to the top deck to watch England disappear and France appear as you speed through the waters.  The other advantage of being able to take the car is that you can fit more things in too which when there are five of you, that can be extremely helpful.

This year we took the trip with DFDS Seaways and this was my first trip with them, so I was interested to see how it would compare. We chose the early ferry (6:00) from Dover and this is the perfect time to travel as it isn’t too busy and we were quickly on to the ferry.  Check in was 45 minutes prior to sailing and we had priority boarding which costs an additional £10 per car each way and means that you are one of the first cars to board and to leave the boat. This is well worth the money as we were able to get aboard the ship and find some nice comfortable seats near the window which were perfect for the children to watch England disappear.

We travelled from Dover to Dunkirk, Dunkirk is only just over 25 miles east of Calais and is ideal if you are travelling to Paris as it only adds about 25 minutes to your travel time.  DFDS Seaways are the only company at the ferry terminal in Dunkirk and this was brilliant as it made getting off the ferry and onto our onward journey quick and easy.  The Dover-Dunkirk crossings operate up to 12 times daily running from very early morning through to late night crossings. Apart from the Priority Boarding, if you have children over 8 or no children at all, you can also pay £8 per person each way to travel in comfort and style in the quiet Sea View Lounge with relaxing seats and wonderful views.  The Sea View Lounge also allow you to have complimentary hot and cold drinks, TV, free Wi-Fi and plug points and free newspapers.  Not one for us this time, but I would certainly bear it in mind for the future. 

Onboard, it wasn’t too busy and there was plenty of space for everyone to sit down and relax.  There was a choice of three cafes; one where you could have a hot meal, one for snacks and sandwiches and another bar where you could get teas, coffees or something stronger. All cafes had options for vegetarians and children.  We all opted for bacon rolls which were delicious after a long drive through the night.

Once we had full tummies and had said farewell to the white cliffs of Dover, we headed off to explore the ship.  There was plenty of space to walk around and we went out on deck to take in some early morning fresh air, there was lots of smoke free zones where we could sit and chill out.  The children were happy to try out the play areas; there was a soft play area suitable for A with a TV to watch if they want to sit and relax and for the older ones there is  an arcade with video games for the screen lovers.

My favourite part of ferry travel is the shop and the DFDS shop did not disappoint. We spent a long, long time browsing the amazing selection of sweets and I enjoyed sampling some of the huge range of perfumes and beauty products before making a mental shopping list of wines I would pick up on the return journey.

The crossing takes two hours but it flew by and we were soon back in our cars and ready to set off to Paris.  You have to have certain things in the car when you are driving in France such as a breathalyzer, reflective jackets or waistcoats and warning triangle for if you break down and of course the headlight adjustment stickers.  All of these are available in the onboard shop and they give you reminders that you need them just in case you forget.

Having had such a nice experience on the ferry over, we were all looking forward to the return journey.  We easily found the ferry terminal as it was well sign-posted and after thorough security checks we were one of the first on board.  It was a 6 pm crossing and a lot busier this time but there was still plenty of room and we sat on the deck with a picnic enjoying the sunshine and we took the chance to talk to the children about Dunkirk and how important it was during the war.

After tea, we found a table inside so that A could do some stickers and we all played Pass the Pigs.  We found a spare table easily and I was really impressed by the brightly coloured decor and the huge windows to admire the fantastic views.

Before we knew it, the white cliffs were in view again and we were homeward bound.

We all thoroughly enjoyed our crossings with DFDS Seaways, I was impressed with the facilities and space, it is very family friendly and the children absolutely loved it which is a huge help when travelling with children.  I would recommend DFDS and will definitely book with them again in the future.  DFDS Seaways do crossings from Dover to Calais and Dunkirk along with a range of other crossings.  See their website for lots of information about the crossings available, special offers, holidays and the onboard facilities and more.

A huge thank you to DFDS for complimentary ferry tickets with priority boarding in return for this review.  All images and opinions are our own.