We normally aim to get to Dover about 1hr before the crossing time. Depends on when you are going but even in July this year it only took a few minutes . Normally it's just a quick look at the passport and you are through. Speedferries don't carry as many vehicles as the normal ferries so usually you also get through the ticket check in booth pretty quickly . If you get to departure really early there is a snackbar and shop to spend a bit of time and money but it is nothing special.

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Pippy

passport checks take only a few minutes at Dover. The packing of the boat takes up most time as it only has one door and so it is not a RO-RO! Be prepared for one of the most bizarre parking experiences of your life as the crew pack the vehicles in at every imaginable angle and then the delight of untangling your car to get it off the boat at the other end. The last few on in Dover have to reverse off the boat at the other end!

Also there is no 'duty free' shop on board so you can't stock up on booze or fags during the crossing. They do have a shop at Boulogne for the return journey but to be honest the booze is as cheap in my local Tescos and again they don't sell cigarettes.

Briar, you can forget the new Speedferries, they will not accept Caravans, so it has to be P.O or Seafrance into Calais. with regards to Passport Control, please allow that little bit of time because if you are pulled into the Shed, it is all out of the car and they inspect your Vehicle while immigration are having a look at your papers etc. I was on a Coach last weekend to De Panne and not only the French immigration pulled us the English did as well and we missed our ferry cutting 50 mins off our day out. Tonyt

Thanks for the replies folks.

Appears to be a smooth enough hop on to the ferry.

Just hope the 'fickle finger of fate' doesn't point at me Tonyt.

BTW. Anyone planning to use Speedferries in the next year might want to take advantage of the current offer :-

"10,000 open SuperTickets at £27 one-way for a standard car + 5

Travel between 1 November 2006 - 30 October 2007- even on the most expensive peak summer sailings."

But hurry as the offer expires on 25 October 2006.

They will probably offer it again they have done 2 or 3 times this year, though it was only £25 each way the first time. I've bought my tickets for next year already.

When I was crossing this summer I heard a rumour that they were going out of business at the end of the year.