Can you stay in your car on the ferry to Calais?

No, you can't stay in your car during the ferry crossing between Dover and Calais. Once the vessel disembarks, you are not allowed to stay in the car parking deck for safety reasons. However, you can return to your car a few minutes before reaching the port of Calais, following the instructions of the crew.



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If you are thinking of leaving your car on the ship, you will not be able to, and you must park your car at Dover and cross as a foot passenger. If you take your car on the ferry, you drive on, leave the car, join it again when told at Calais and drive off.

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Once the vessel starts with crossing, you will not be allowed onto the car parking deck as most of the large car ferries for safety reasons, do not allow passengers to stay in their cars. But on some smaller car ferries that service shorter crossings, you will be allowed to stay in the car.

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You can't stay in your car for safety reasons. In case of an emergency, like a fire or a collision, you need to be able to evacuate the ship quickly. Most of the time, you need to join rafts located above the car deck.

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You will not be allowed to stay in the car. If you were allowed to leave your car on board, you would have to arrange to catch the same boat on return and you car would continually cross the channel - obviously ridiculous. Car ferries do what they say. You drive on to the ferry in the car.

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Park Your Car on the Ferry You don't want to run the risk that a large wave will make your car roll into other vehicles. Lock all of your doors before leaving the vehicle. Do not, however, turn on your car's alarm system.

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If a vehicle is broken down onboard, the responsibility ultimately is with the owner of the vehicle. The ferry crew is under no obligation to re-start vehicles that have broken down.

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Vehicles must be turned off as soon as you are parked on the ferry vessel or when directed to do so by the ferry crew.

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Generally travelling by ferry is usually considered one of the safest ways to travel. Ferry disasters are very rare, even if the more prominent ones are very memorable. Most ferry accidents are caused by unsuitable weather, overcrowding, and poor vessel maintenance.

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While on the ferry, especially during a long trip, you would most probably like to move around freely without having to drag your baggage with you everywhere. Most ferries have designated luggage areas, where you can store your belongings.

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P&O Ferries advise that if you travelling by car, to arrive at the port 30 minutes before the ferry is due to leave. If you are making the trip by foot, they advise travellers to arrive 45 minutes before.

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Generally, the etiquette for boarding a ferry is to follow the first come, first served principle. This means that people who have been waiting in line for the ferry should board before those who arrive later.

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Once you find your parking spot on the ferry, put your car in park and engage the emergency brake. You don't want to run the risk that a large wave will make your car roll into other vehicles. Lock all of your doors before leaving the vehicle. Do not, however, turn on your car's alarm system.

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Each year somewhere between 800 and 1000 people die in ferry disasters according to Roberta Weisbrod, the executive director of the Worldwide Ferry Safety Association. In the developed world, ferries carrying passengers are relatively safe as we have higher safety standards than the developing world.

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On Oct. 20, 1976, the worst ferry disaster in the history of the United States occurred on the Mississippi River in St. Charles Parish. Seventy-seven lives were lost.

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Find a seat in the middle of the ferry; the lower you are, the better. So stay low (not the upper deck) and sit in the middle. But.. Window seats tend to be better (a tip that might collide with the seat in the middle of the ferry) if you keep your eyes on the horizon.

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