A handy tip for crossing the Channel

[Halcyon Yachts]

At the moment you are not allowed to cross the channel on a ferry as a foot passenger. This is no good if you are heading over there to bring a yacht back...

To get round this, our delivery skipper and crew went over on their bikes!!!

Dressed in foulies and sailing boots (with no lycra in sight), both customs staff and the staff on the ferry were quite puzzled as to what they were doing!

If you are going to do it this way, I do recommend taking folding bikes!

Pete

 

[LadyInBed]

Nice bit of lateral thinking

 

[Sharky34]

At the moment you are not allowed to cross the channel on a ferry as a foot passenger. This is no good if you are heading over there to bring a yacht back...

To get round this, our delivery skipper and crew went over on their bikes!!!

Dressed in foulies and sailing boots (with no lycra in sight), both customs staff and the staff on the ferry were quite puzzled as to what they were doing!

If you are going to do it this way, I do recommend taking folding bikes!

Pete

Very laudible.
Have you wondered, why the rules regarding f9oot passengers exist, or is it ok to break Covid just to bring something plastic back?

 

[ProDave]

Nice bit of lateral thinking and it shows what a stupid rule that is.

 

[Halcyon Yachts]

Very laudible.
Have you wondered, why the rules regarding f9oot passengers exist, or is it ok to break Covid just to bring something plastic back?

I know exactly why these rules are in place. Due to Covid the numbers of passengers is restricted on each crossing. The ferry company makes more money charging people for their vehicles than for the people themselves. By banning foot passengers they have more scope to take more vehicles and make more money. A bike is a vehicle, so they let you on...

Pete

 

[LONG_KEELER]

At the moment you are not allowed to cross the channel on a ferry as a foot passenger. This is no good if you are heading over there to bring a yacht back...

To get round this, our delivery skipper and crew went over on their bikes!!!

Dressed in foulies and sailing boots (with no lycra in sight), both customs staff and the staff on the ferry were quite puzzled as to what they were doing!

If you are going to do it this way, I do recommend taking folding bikes!

Pete

This used to be the case from Ramsgate .

Most times you just pushed one of the abandoned rusty

 

[LONG_KEELER]

I think this was a case on many ferries even without the Corvid virus.

I couldn't cross from Holland to Harwich one time. Although you could cross on other sailings.

When Ramsgate had a ferry to Belgium I think you needed the minimum of a bicycle to cross.

 

[Mudisox]

But you cannot bring a dog back as a foot passenger, I don't think he can stay in the fitted saddle bag.

 

[DJE]

I once went out on the ferry as part of a delivery crew - three foot passengers and our luggage included a life raft.

 

[[3889]]

But you cannot bring a dog back as a foot passenger, I don't think he can stay in the fitted saddle bag.

Interesting point, that. Last year Mrs Q had to make a 400 mile round trip to meet me at Calais so we could bring the cat back. Wish I'd thought of strapping the cat carrier to the rack of a rusty old bike dragged out of the dock.

 

[dslittle]

But you cannot bring a dog back as a foot passenger, I don't think he can stay in the fitted saddle bag.

You can Dieppe-Newhaven... We did (in their kennels, not in a saddle bag!!!)

 

[Sharky34]

I know exactly why these rules are in place. Due to Covid the numbers of passengers is restricted on each crossing. The ferry company makes more money charging people for their vehicles than for the people themselves. By banning foot passengers they have more scope to take more vehicles and make more money. A bike is a vehicle, so they let you on...

Pete

And less risk of passing covid onto some innocent.

 

[JumbleDuck]

At the moment you are not allowed to cross the channel on a ferry as a foot passenger. This is no good if you are heading over there to bring a yacht back...

To get round this, our delivery skipper and crew went over on their bikes!!!

That has always been the traditional way to go through Eurotunnel as a foot passenger too.

 

[NotBirdseye]

But you cannot bring a dog back as a foot passenger, I don't think he can stay in the fitted saddle bag.

Bike trailer. :3

 

[cherod]

You can Dieppe-Newhaven... We did (in their kennels, not in a saddle bag!!!)

I lnow someone who wants to take dog being told got to be in a kennel , no sorry , no kennels available !!

 

[Sandy]

Had exactly the same problem this summer with Plymouth-Roscoff. Brittany Ferries canceled a booking that was 48 weeks old. Rebooked the exact same crossing with the same cabin with the car! The only difference was that we did not enter the terminal at either end.

 

[dslittle]

I lnow someone who wants to take dog being told got to be in a kennel , no sorry , no kennels available !!

As I understand it, they’ve only got two kennels - you need to get in early!!!

 

[prv]

And less risk of passing covid onto some innocent.

Why?

Pete

 

[Sharky34]

Why?

Pete

Its obvious.

 

[syvictoria]

I know exactly why these rules are in place. Due to Covid the numbers of passengers is restricted on each crossing. The ferry company makes more money charging people for their vehicles than for the people themselves. By banning foot passengers they have more scope to take more vehicles and make more money. A bike is a vehicle, so they let you on...

Pete

Whilst I suspect that is largely true, I actually asked P&O the question back in Sept and this was the response I received:

"In response to your query regarding the temporary suspension of foot-passengers on our Dover-Calais route, we do not yet know exactly when foot passengers will be able to board again as, the company is following and adhering the the government guidelines when it comes to travel safety and security during the global pandemic. We are however, accepting foot passengers, travelling with a bicycle to board as, these passengers are required to board whilst cycling on to the ship. Foot passengers however, embark on to the ship from a different entrance usually and are therefore more at risk of being within closer proximity of each other."

So it would seem that it's access onto the ship that's the limiting factor - officially, at least. We seriously thought about buying bikes for our return to the UK last month, and rather hilariously, the DFDS booking system would seem to default to 2 people and just 1 bike, which could have been interesting! However, in the end, we took a coach from Antwerp to London which, including an 'upgrade' to reserve the top deck front seats, cost just £21 per person! Thank you FlixBus!