Ferry from Calais to Dover in December

foot passengers

There is only one ferry company left which take foot passengers from Calais to Dover. The rest are restricted to car or mixed heavy goods trucks and cars. You will need to take the P and O. On their webpage they give a (purportedly real but who knows - its advertising) account of a foot passenger on a day trip. I have to disagree with the statement that the crossing is an hour. On P and O it is minimum of 90 minutes with an absolute minimum check in of 45 minutes on top of that. I have been on ships all over the English Channel, the Irish Sea, and other waters. You might be lucky. I wouldn't consider using a Channel ferry in December unless I just rocked up and saw that it was a rare mirror sea. The Channel often gets fog in November and December. Any particular reason you want to take the difficult route rather than the easier ones?

Meri - you can get choppy seas, and even if you are on a huge boat, if you're going to get seasick anyway... you will get seasick. I am a lover of taking ferries, and especially across the English Channel, because it gives such a great perspective on how amazing it is that such a short distance to travel separates such vastly different cultures/countries as England and France. I also like to pretend I am William the Conqueror - hah! :-) Seriously, I think it would be a fun thing to do if you've never done it, but despite the short distance and large, solidness of the boats, if you are a delicate sailor, I would think twice.

Probably choppy. You should take Dramamine just before boarding. That's what I used to do when the only way to go across was boat or hydroplane.

I've taken a Channel ferry in December. One of the most sick I've even gotten. And I wasn't the only one... You can only imagine the state of the restrooms and the floors throughout... Not saying your crossing will be anywhere near that bad. But none of us can predict the weather.

Thanks everyone for your input and advice. that is exactly what I was afraid of...and we need to be in London by 22 December so we can't "wait it out" for smooth water. really appreciate all your answers!

Echoing Douglas' experience with a crossing from Oostend to Dover (or Ramsgate or somewhere) on a long ago Boxing Day. It was absolutely horrible. I did not get sick but that was because my brother and I (early 20's at the time) stood outside in the rain so we would not have to smell the results of everyone else's seasickness. The crew basically came thru and dumped sand on the piles of sickness in the aisles. The bathrooms were totally inaccessible due to mess. This style of clean-up may obviously have changed, but I would not ever do a crossing in the winter. BTW, the re-telling of the experience has become a favorite family story...including my 94-yr-old Mom with dementia, who very clearly remembers this!

Probably I'm missing something, but why not take the train? It's about 3 hours to London that way, and you don't have to worry about rough seas.

If you will take the Eurostar you need to organize your tickets NOW. They never go down in price, only up. You are talking about prime holiday time to please don't dawdle.

The only reason for the ferry was to be able to see more, rather than be under the water in the Chunnel. But I definetely think we will consider the train instead! Maybe the ferry will be another trip! I've only been to Europe and UK in late fall and winter. Sounds like a summer trip in the future! thanks all!

And if you've never been on a high-speed train before, it's pretty cool hitting speeds close to 200 mph but never lifting off like you would in a plane. Like so many things, the first time is the best time! I can't recall exactly how much time we spent under the channel...probably just 20 minutes. Even at high speed, you can enjoy the scenery outside.

Meri, If you were intending to take the ferry from Calais to Dover in the summer, then I would say go ahead, assuming you had the time. But, as others have pointed out here, presumably, it could be a lot more chancey in mid-December with the weather. In Dec. for the mere convenience take EuroStar. I am not adverse to going by ferry, did it three times (once crossing from Folkestone to Boulogne) but they were all in the summer. The weather wasn't a factor...relatively, except it did get choppy leaving Hamburg for Harwich back then in 1987. I thought it was kind of neat watching the waves splash across the deck.

I understand your rationale, but chances are you won't see much in December. It'll either be rainy, foggy or dark. Or you'll be in the restroom bent over... I'd take the train.

On the Eurostar you are under the channel for a very short time. You will be surprised. The remainder of the 150 minutes you can look out the window as France and then England flashes by.

Meri, If you are seasick-prone, just ditch the ferry and go with the train. Painless and avoids problems. It reminds me of another fellow traveler here 3 or 4 months ago who was asking how to take a night train while mentioning she couldn't sleep with movement and usually got in bad mood if not having a fulfilling sleep, yet still was agonizing of a mere transportation decision for the sake of having the experience. Those ferries are just transportation, they are not touristic attractions, they are not particularly picturesque, historical or else. Just a means of getting from Calais to Dover, and nothing else. Skip them altogether.

You also really don't miss much by taking the train as you are under the Channel for only 20 minutes.