| Motoring Discussion > Ferry crossing | Miscellaneous |
| Thread Author: Rudedog | Replies: 21 |
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New Sun 2 Jun 13 22:58
Ferry crossing - Rudedog
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I've just returned from what was a rather pleasant day trip to France via a ferry crossing from Dover. The only one thing that put a bit of dampener on the end of the day was the return trip from Calais, our boat was sailing at 1850 and check-in was at 1820, as we had finished our shopping in Cite Europe we set off at 1730 and reached the port by about 1750 and that's where our troubles began. We then sat in the line for the UK passport control and watched as the minutes slowly ticked by, there were about 10 cars in front and it took 40 minutes before it was our turn, this meant that when we got over to the P&O check-in at 1832 and we were told that we had missed the 1850 boat and would be put on the 1955 crossing. My wife was quite upset about this as the weather had started to change and she was petrified of a bad crossing. Is this kind of delay getting through UK passport normal/expected? |
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 08:51
Ferry crossing - WillDeBeest
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I take it you've not flown into Heathrow on a weekday evening recently, RD. Last few times I did (to T5, but it could apply to any of the others) the EU queue completely filled the blue-ribboned area and was spilling back towards the gates. To UKBA's credit, they noticed the problem and opened some more desks (whether by finding extra officers or by redeploying some from other queues, I couldn't see) and the queue moved faster than I expected. It still took 20 minutes to get through; galling when I've made it into Kenya, including applying and paying for a visa, in four. |
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New Tue 4 Jun 13 12:00
Ferry crossing - Meldrew
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| How lucky you were WDB! last time there was a major problem at LHR T5 the assembled multitude started slow hand-clapping and singing popular songs like "Why are we Waiting? etc. The reaction of Border Agency was to call the police to quell the threat of Violent Disorder, some time later a few more desks were opened. I was thru Gatwick a couple of weeks ago and the EU/electronic passport queue was short but not working well - people were giving up and joining the plebs! |
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 08:56
Ferry crossing - TeeCee
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>> Is this kind of delay getting through UK passport normal/expected? >> I cross the channel regularly and have only seen that once. I got stuck behind a carload of Poles who thought that their holiday snaps qualified as "Photo ID". 15 minutes of arguing later they were taken out of the queue to one side for the full treatment. |
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 09:36
Ferry crossing - Bromptonaut
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This weekend would have been particularly busy because of the half term holiday, sounds as though passport control were having problems of some sort if it was taking 4 minutes per vehicle to check EU passports. Calais is now used by My Ferry and LD/DFDS as well as P&O which may affect need to vacate berths promptly. Usually sail from Dunkerque rather than Calais. The UK passport check is certainly more thorough then the French one leaving UK but probably only 2-3 minutes to read all four chipped passports. Further checks made in the assembly area concentrate on smuggling of goods or people. Last couple of times there's also been a electronic sniff test - apparently for explosives. Couple of years ago they got us on in spite of turning up at last minute and realising we'd booked the previous day's 18:00 service. Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Mon 3 Jun 13 at 09:37
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 09:42
Ferry crossing - Mapmaker
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You can shop in France on a Sunday? At Cité Europe? You sure? en.citeeurope.com/W/do/centre/opening-hours |
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 09:47
Ferry crossing - Bromptonaut
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>> You can shop in France on a Sunday? At Cité Europe? You sure? >> >> en.citeeurope.com/W/do/centre/opening-hours Not routinely open on a Sunday but Ouverture Exceptionelle is a fixture several times a year. Not just the Sundays around Xmas listed on the page MM links to. The restaurant section is, IIRC, open every Sunday. Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Mon 3 Jun 13 at 09:50
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 10:02
Ferry crossing - WillDeBeest
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| Not sure I've even seen these UK passport checks on the French side. Last year we did Tunnel out (no passport check but security sweep under car and swab of steering wheel) and Saint-Malo home (passports counted and opened at BF check-in.) Does being checked in France allow you to drive straight off and out at Dover? |
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 10:34
Ferry crossing - jc2
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| Uk passports are always checked at Calais;no immigration checks at Dover but still Customs. |
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 10:36
Ferry crossing - Bromptonaut
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>> Not sure I've even seen these UK passport checks on the French side. Last year >> we did Tunnel out (no passport check but security sweep under car and swab of >> steering wheel) and Saint-Malo home (passports counted and opened at BF check-in.) Does being checked >> in France allow you to drive straight off and out at Dover? No passport check on arrival at Dover but you do go through a 'Customs Hall' where some vehicles are diverted into a side area* for a thorough search. Previous to that there's ANPR and CCTV examinstion of vehicle and occupants which no doubt helps inform decisions to stop. *Saw one vehicle stopped there with six foot square by two foot high stack of tobbaco pouches stood behind - presumably contraband. Personal consumption sonny? tell that to the Judge!! |
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 10:01
Ferry crossing - Mike H
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| We use Dover/Dunkirk regularly several times a year, no problems at Dunkirk. IIRC we've never had more than a couple of cars in front of us, and never waited more than 3-4 minutes. |
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 10:46
Ferry crossing - sherlock47
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Have things changed at Calais? Historically (Dec2012) I thought that you went thro the operators checkin before passing thro French Police and then UK BA checks. It was that way at Dunkirk for years as well. |
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 11:05
Ferry crossing - Bromptonaut
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>> Have things changed at Calais? Historically (Dec2012) I thought that you went thro the operators >> checkin before passing thro French Police and then UK BA checks. >> >> It was that way at Dunkirk for years as well. While there's a French frontier/customs presence in departures area at Dunkerque there are no routine checks. I think the UK border control is after DFDS check in but cannot remember. At Dover the French frontier control is before check in as is security (explosives sniff etc). After check in you go straight to the designated waiting lane for your sailing. |
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 10:58
Ferry crossing - ....
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>> Is this kind of delay getting through UK passport normal/expected? >> Don't ever come into the UK through Hull, we came through on Sat 18th May, two desks open to handle an overnight ferry from Zeebrugge. Over an hour from rolling off the ship to getting through passport control - it took around 4 minutes to scan our four UK passports. The passports had already been checked in Zeebrugge. As has already been mentioned you roll off in Dover through customs, no passport checks why do they have to recheck the documents in Hull? It's not like the ferry stops anywhere to take on extra people/vehicles. Eurotunnel on Thursday and Saturday last week, seconds to get through passport control. |
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 11:13
Ferry crossing - Bromptonaut
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>> Over an hour from rolling off the ship to getting through passport control - it >> took around 4 minutes to scan our four UK passports. The passports had already been >> checked in Zeebrugge. Is there a UK Frontier force (or whatever it's called this week) in Zeebrugge or is that an outbound check from Schengen? Although we have UK checks at Brussels Midi and Paris Nord with reciprocal checks at St PAncras there's apparently a reluctance to extend these so as to facilitate through services to, for example, Amsterdam and Koln. This would imply further outstationing of Border Force staff which presumably carries a cost. Suggestion is that arrivals may instead have to queue airport style on arrival in UK. |
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 15:28
Ferry crossing - Rudedog
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Thanks all, sounds like we were unlucky, indeed I forgot to mention that the UK car in front of us got pull over at the UK passport which added to the delay, I can only imagine that the two people either didn't have passports or that they were out of date because the lady officer was wagging her finger at them and was still ranting down the internal phone when we got to her (she swiftly slammed the little window closed so we couldn't hear any details). Maybe this happens a lot because we technically should have been charged extra by P&O because I had bought the basic ticket which only allowed me to travel on the exact ferry timing. I think I would have been very miffed if I had been charged an extra £20 for the privilege of being allowed back into my own country! |
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 16:14
Ferry crossing - FocalPoint
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Yes, I think you were unlucky. In the past few years, in several Channel crossings, I've had one "boot check" at border control on returning to the UK - at Dunkerque - but to be fair it involved an estate car with a covered load area that could easily have concealed 3-4 people, and that is clearly what they suspected. It was just, "Stop here, sir. Would you please open the tailgate for me?" and it took maybe all of two minutes to satisfy them. No other stops/checks or major hold-ups caused by others in many crossings. However, this evening I'm due back into Heathrow in a few hours and am not relishing the prospect. Last edited by: FocalPoint on Mon 3 Jun 13 at 16:16
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 17:18
Ferry crossing - Ted
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We were well turned over at Poole 20 odd years ago. 5 door Nissan Patrol and 17ft caravan. 3 kids, 17/15/9 yrs. I had the exact allowance in booze X 3 and about 200 cheroots for myself. First, I had to take the folding bike off the towbar. Then they emptied the boot which had all the gear ( wrong word ) in it...awning, chairs and all the bottles well stashed against rattling. Of course, I had to put it all back while they attacked the caravan. The car came next, even the top of the air filter was removed. They threatened to take the kids to a private room and search them. I told them they'd have to get a magistrate out of bed first, so that didn't happen. I assume it was a drugs search, you couldn't get a hooky bottle of Scotch in the air cleaner ! The vehicle queuing next to me was just went straight through, a converted coach, hand-painted psychodelic fashion with pot plants in the windows ! Put a damper on the whole holiday. Just waved away 2 hours later with no apologies or explanation after a very rough crossing and with a campsite to find at midnight. Always just been waved through on the bike, both Hull and Dover. Probably due to the fact you can't get a couple of illegals in your top box. Ted Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 3 Jun 13 at 21:23
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 20:23
Ferry crossing - CGNorwich
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The staff at the UK passport check at both Calais and Dunkirk are a pretty miserable lot. On a number of occasions there has been what seems to be a totally arbitrary delay and no reason has bever been given. I did enquire as to the reason a couple of times but never got an answer beyond a sullen grunt. At the end of the day they have the power to delay you and they will although I have never misses a ferry as a result of their antics. A year or two back in Dunkirk we had the car checked by border agency staff for illegal immigrants. One of the women officers was so huge that had a couple of illegals done a runner I doubt she could have got more than 10 feet in pursuit |
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 20:52
Ferry crossing - Bromptonaut
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>> The staff at the UK passport check at both Calais and Dunkirk are a pretty >> miserable lot. On a number of occasions there has been what seems to be a >> totally arbitrary delay and no reason has bever been given. I did enquire as to >> the reason a couple of times but never got an answer beyond a sullen grunt. >> At the end of the day they have the power to delay you and they >> will although I have never misses a ferry as a result of their antics. >> >> A year or two back in Dunkirk we had the car checked by border agency >> staff for illegal immigrants. One of the women officers was so huge that had a >> couple of illegals done a runner I doubt she could have got more than 10 >> feet in pursuit I suspect that they're trained to be chary of being seen as too human - think US Border staff for a model. All sorts of things can cause delay. Did you hear the one about the UK plated Focus occupied by an Englishman, an Irishman, a Scot and two Lithuanian girls? Then there's the UK chipped passports that got a 'check' message from the computer. And that's before the clots like my BiL who manage to get out of the UK on an expired passport.... That big lass at Dunkerque would stop dead any 'runner' who collided with her while exiting the vehicle. There's nowhere to run to unless illegals can swim like the thorepedo.... Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Mon 3 Jun 13 at 20:55
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New Mon 3 Jun 13 21:31
Ferry crossing - Kevin
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>I suspect that they're trained to be chary of being seen as too human - think US Border staff for a model. Wasn't that training incorporated into the public sector induction course a few years ago? ;-) We came through LHR T4 at 6pm last Wednesday and were greeted as usual. A sullen expression, passport slapped back on the counter and an unintelligible grunt. You know what service to expect though. The signs saying "Abuse of our staff will not be tolerated" are a dead giveaway. |
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New Tue 4 Jun 13 09:14
Ferry crossing - Bromptonaut
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>> Wasn't that training incorporated into the public sector induction course a few years ago? ;-) I ignored that segment. Probably why my career's flatlined for the last 25yrs!! Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Tue 4 Jun 13 at 09:18
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