There’s a certain ritual to travel these days.
You book the cheap flight. Then you pay for your seat. Then you pay to breathe. Then you squeeze your worldly belongings into a suitcase the size of a cereal box and pray the zipper holds under pressure like it’s sitting an exam.
And just when you think you’ve made it, you’re in Gate 42B, shoes off, dignity gently packed away, a voice comes over the tannoy: “Your flight is delayed due to weather/maintenance/a butterfly on the runway.” Cue another £7 croissant.
But what if… hear us out… you didn’t have to fly?
Why Taking the Ferry Just Feels Better
Look, we’ve all made jokes about ferry travel. It’s what your nan used to do on her annual coach trip to Calais. It’s the thing school trips were made of, bad sandwiches, card games, and that one kid who couldn’t handle open water.
But adult you? Adult you deserves the slow burn of ferry travel. The kind where:
- No one weighs your bag like it’s contraband.
- You stroll onto a vessel with your car, your snacks, and your questionable playlist.
- You sit on an actual chair. By a window. With legroom that doesn’t require yoga training.
Plus, the sea. Have we mentioned the sea? It’s right there. Being dramatic and romantic and blue, while you sip tea and pretend you’re in a BBC period drama.
Why Ferry Travel Slaps (Yes, Even Now)
Let’s break it down. Ferries have some wildly underrated perks that no one’s shouting about, so we will.
1. Pack Like It’s 1999
You want five pairs of boots and that full-size shampoo? Go for it. Nobody’s judging. Your car isn’t charging you extra per kilo, and no one’s measuring your bag with a sad little metal frame.
2. Actual Food That Isn’t Wrapped in Sadness
Ferry food? Surprisingly decent. Like, actual hot meals with knives and forks and the ability to sit down and chew. It’s not served in a box shaped like a UFO, and it doesn’t cost your mortgage deposit.
3. Fresh Air, Real Views
Airports are just windowless limbo zones with overpriced perfume. Ferries give you decks. Horizon lines. Gulls (okay, not a plus for everyone). And a chance to feel the wind in your hair like a windswept sea captain who made great choices.
4. Built-In Chill Time
Driving onto a ferry means no endless queues, no security pat-downs that get a little too personal, and definitely no running to gates like you’re in a low-budget action movie.
You Haven’t Lived Until You’ve Napped in a Ferry Lounge Chair
There is no nap quite like a ferry nap. The ship hums. The sea rocks you gently. Someone’s child is crying in the distance, but it’s ambient, not urgent. You’re wrapped in a coat you didn’t need to take off for security, and everything is fine.
You wake up. You’re closer to your destination. And you didn’t have to elbow a stranger out of the way for overhead locker space. Bliss.
Travel for People Who Want to Actually See Stuff
Ferries give you access to places planes don’t. Small coastal towns. Hidden villages. Seaside cafes that serve fish so fresh it probably filled out a job application that morning.
Whether you’re hopping to France for wine and pastries or exploring parts of Ireland and Scotland that feel like time forgot them, in the best way, ferry travel makes the journey part of the adventure, not just the bit you suffer through to get there.
It’s Not Just for Boomers and Backpackers
Ferry travel has quietly levelled up. Think faster check-ins, better lounges, comfy seating, and WiFi that doesn’t ask for your blood type. You’ll find families playing cards, couples clinking pints, cyclists resting their legs, and a surprising number of people who brought their pets.
Yes, pets. Your dog can come aboard. No traumatic goodbyes or frantic boarding kennel calls. Just you, your furry pal, and some very good sea breeze sniffs.
TL;DR: More Chill, Less Chaos
Travel doesn’t have to be a gladiator sport. Ferry life is:
- Slower, in the best way.
- Calmer, by design.
- Surprisingly affordable.
- Way more “main character energy” than you expected.
Next time you’re plotting your next UK escape or continental hop, don’t overlook the humble ferry. You might just find your sea legs, and a better way to travel that doesn’t involve taking your belt off in public.
P.S. There’s no baggage weight limit, no turbulence, and zero chance of ending up in seat 34B next to someone eating boiled eggs. Just saying.
