UK Ferry Tickets

If you are planning to go on holiday over the Christmas period and have decided to travel by ferry then you have made a good choice. Not only are you doing your bit for the environment but you are less likely to face the delays that you may have had you chosen to fly over the holiday period. Of course, turning up to the ports at Christmas time without planning properly is never a good idea and there are more elements of your journey that you need to plan at Christmas than at any other time of year, and not all of them may occur to you.

There would be nothing worse than going to the port and being delayed or turned away because you have failed to plan for your Christmas ferry trip, aside from maybe finding yourself stranded when you get to the Continent. As such, the list of hints and tips below will help you to get your house in order, so to speak, before you travel:

• Book your tickets in advance. There are enough cheap tickets available on the Internet for you not to rely on last minute cheap fares. Christmas is a busy period because many head out of the country for the festive period. As such, do not risk waiting around at the port for an extended period of time because you are not guaranteed passage without a pre-booked ticket.
• Make sure that you only take what you need. Not only do over-laden cars cost you more for petrol but they could also cost you more for the ferry. All ferry providers reserve the right to charge you for extra weight and can even turn you away from the ferry itself in extreme cases, thus getting your holiday off to a really bad start. You may be taking presents with you but make sure that your car is safe to drive and light enough to pass inspection.
• Always check the weather at your destination. It may be cold and clear here, but you never know what you are going to find the other end. There may be snow that makes driving conditions difficult and you should be prepared for that. There is nothing like a car crash to ruin your holiday. That may sound harsh, but it really is the worst case scenario.
• Plan plenty for the kids. If you are taking your children with you and don’t plan to keep them entertained on the journey then you may feel stressed when you get to your destination. Keep them occupied in the car and you can relax throughout your time away.
• Read the ferry guidelines. Make sure that you are fully aware of all the information given to passengers before you go because they may have issued weather warnings, specific guidelines for travelling on full ferries or other information that governs how you are to travel.

Above all, you will want to get your Christmas break off to a great start so a few hours planning will definitely come in handy and help you to achieve that.

Guest Article by Louise Crowley

Monday, December 15th, 2008