Yes the fare price difference is huge, but we've found it's definitely worth it just to cut down on U.K. driving stress.

Patka

The price difference for Hull as opposed to Dover works out because

Dover Calais is roughly 2 hours and they can fleece you in the on board shop

Hull to Zebrugge is an all night sailing where you can have a cabin (personally recommend this) and then you hit Holland early doors and are refreshed for a long drive

But we tend to drive from home to a campsite near Dover have a nice rest then take the train

Yes I know it costs more but is far quicker than the Ferry taking roughly 45 minutes from Check in Especially when you add in time difference for France

You can be in the Centre of France in 5 hours or on the Med coast in 12
which if you look at the Hull crossing it's actually possible like the tunnel
Whereas you need to get an awfully early Dover ferry to do it then you'd be totally wasted if you tried

We're just ouside Glasgow and we use the Rosyth to Zeebruuge crossing as it is so much less stressful to drive on the continent than it is to drive the M6. I'm not suggesting you head north to Rosyth but would say that the extra cost of sailing to Zeebrugge is certainly worth it to us. There's nothing worse than coming off a ferry on the south coast at the end of a great holiday only to have to face a very stressful 450 mile drive home.