Looking at the DFDS website, it says to allow 90 minutes from entering the port of Dover to arriving at their check in desk. Check in closes 45 mins before departure . Does this mean you need to arrive at the Dover port 2hrs 15 m before your booked ferry or you won't be on time?
Does anyone have experience of the queues in the last couple of days, please? Is it this bad?
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Yes, that is what they are saying, but even if you arrive at checkin just in time to get onto ferry they will let you through. At the moment it's impossible to guess how long the checks will take but outside weekends the delay should not be too long but at weekends even 90mins may not be long enough.
The ferries are being quite flexible though & will usually put you on the next available sailing. This would include the sailing before your booking if you arrive early & find the delay minimal.
The P&O website will give conditions at the time. Busy periods shipping out from Dover will be earlyish mornings, early evenings & all weekend, expect most delay then. Middle of the day/afternoon & late night/early hours expect least delay.
We came home last Thurs, arrived at Calais around 1800hrs for 19.55hrs ferry & it took about 40mins to get through immigration. Queues move at erratic speed. They scan passports & need to see faces of everybody in car. With some cars they seem to do an extra check on passports which takes several minutes while queue stands still.
Some cars then have their contents checked but this happens after car is through barrier so does not delay queue.
Post last edited on 15/08/2016 07:57:30
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Came thru Saturday afternoon and agree with opensauce, we were early enough for the ferry before ours but it was full and ours was twenty minutes late. Note if you are delayed they will put you on the next 'available' ferry, that does not necessarily mean the next ferry.
We went through Dover on Friday evening, passports weren't even looked at until we got to PO check in, sailed through customs checks, weren't stopping anyone, the biggest hold up was the PO check in booth, they only had 3 open, we queued for about 30mins, they then opened two more and things started moving smoothly.
Fingers crossed for return !
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I drove down Jubilee Way at 09.30 on Tuesday and looked across to the passport control booths. There were only about 6 vehicles at the 2 booths that were open, and roads approaching the docks were very quiet.
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Topic: Dover checkin time
