Wave hello to bargains with our round-up of ferry cruises that are sailing from the UK as part of National Ferry Fortnight
Our collection of the best deals to book before May 20
ENJOY the freedom of the open road when you holiday by ferry this year.
It’s National Ferry Fortnight, when operators encourage us to take to the water with a host of tempting offers.
Here, LISA MINOT rounds up the best of the deals available to book before May 20.
Find out more at .
FRANCE
Ferries are one of the easiest and cheapest ways to enjoy a holiday in France. They are brilliant value and extremely easy for families and those looking to explore in their own car.
From the short Dover to Calais route to longer, more relaxed journeys to Normandy and Brittany, taking the boat to France means being able to pack the car with kids, as much luggage as you can squeeze in and having the luxury of the open road on arrival.
DFDS has up to 54 daily sailings from Dover to Calais and Dunkirk, with two new ships on the Dover-Calais route.
There’s a dedicated children’s area on all ships as well as a bar, shop and variety of restaurants.
For National Ferry Fortnight, the company offers an onboard meal voucher up to the value of £20 that is valid on your outbound journey on selected return crossings on the Dover-Calais, Dover-Dunkirk and Newcastle-Amsterdam routes. See .
Brittany Ferries has a “kids go free” offer, valid on selected daytime sailings from Poole, Portsmouth and Plymouth before August 31.
Up to three back-seat child passengers go free, saving a family of five up to £150 on a return fare. See .
The same firm has great deals on self-catering getaways for next Easter, with a detached cottage in a Normandy forest from just £123 a head for a family of four.
Or if you fancy a chalet camping break there is a choice of resorts in Brittany and the Western Loire. Four nights including ferry travel start at £79 per person for a party of four ().
MOST READ IN TRAVEL
IRELAND
Ireland’s natural beauty is ripe for discovery by car. Explore sleepy villages, jaw-dropping coastal highways and lively cities at your own pace.
Irish Ferries has some great joint travel and accommodation offers for families including hotels offering a third night stay free, cottage holidays with a second week free and more than 1,400 B&Bs.
All offer free child places if you book through Irish Ferries. Stay at Woodstock Demesne cottage in County Wicklow from £583 for five including ferry travel.
See .
Or jump aboard a Stena Line ferry. There’s a great-value deal to historic Waterford from £80 per adult, per night including return crossing from Fishguard to Rosslare and two nights at the Fitzwilton Hotel. See .
SCOTLAND
With fares lower than ever and new legislation meaning prices have dropped by up to 65 per cent on some routes, exploring the many islands of Scotland’s west coast is now better value than ever. Adult fares start from just £3.20 return, making it an ideal self-drive holiday for families and couples.
From great beaches to exploring ancient castles, spotting wildlife including whales, puffins, eagles and dolphins and getting active with great walks, cycling and kyaking, there’s something to appeal to everyone. You don’t even need to take the car to explore.
CalMac Ferries has some great-value day trips, combined rail and sail options and multi-destination Hopscotch tickets.
Whisky lovers will be tempted by the chance to combine different distilleries over a couple of days including Arran, the country’s newest single-malt distillery, before heading to Oban to explore one of the oldest. Both offer tasting sessions and tours. Bring a friend for free when you book a car plus one if you want to travel before October 2017. See .
BELGIUM
Few realise the delights of Bruges, dubbed the Venice of the north, are just an hour’s drive from Calais and less than that from Dunkirk.
Pop across with DFDS from £78 return for a car and up to nine passengers and make a weekend break of it.
Take the kids to Choco Story to taste Belgium chocolate and indulge in more classic snack history at the Chip Museum or visit mega theme park Walibi.
The Flemish coast has up to 67km of pristine white sand to enjoy, so try a spot of kite surfing or sand yachting. See .
NATIONAL FERRY FORTNIGHT ROUTES
THE NETHERLANDS
Exploring beyond the traditional lure of Amsterdam is easy by ferry.
Pop across from Harwich to Hook of Holland with Stena Line and instead head to lively Maastricht.
Take a boat trip to discover the city, with its dozens of churches lining the streets. Go underground and visit the caves of St Pietersburg, a labyrinth of more than 20,000 tunnels that served as a refuge for residents in World War Two.
Prices are from £127 for two travelling by car. See.
Thrill-seeking families can explore the fantasy-themed Efteling theme park in Kaatsheuvel. All the attractions are based on ancient myths, legends, fairytales and folklore.
A five-night break costs from £184 per person and includes ferry crossing from Newcastle to Holland with DFDS as well as tickets and accommodation at Efteling’s Bosrijk Village self-catering lakeside cabins.
See .
You can also save up to 20 per cent on a Center Parcs in Holland with Stena Line when you book the ferry and accommodation together.
The Zandvoort village is right on the coast and has plenty of child-friendly facilities. Prices are from £180 per person for a week’s accommodation and ferry travel from Harwich to Hook of Holland. See .
ISLE OF WIGHT
The Isle of Wight is close enough for a fun family day out from the south coast. Families of up to five can travel by foot on a day return from £38.60 travelling from Portsmouth or Lymington. Head to Blackgang Chine, the UK’s oldest amusement park. See .
Make a break of it with Red Funnel who have regular services from Southampton. They have a week’s self-catering at Waverley Park Caravan Park from £330 for a family of four including a 25 per cent discount on ferry travel and accommodation. The park is in East Cowes, just a few minutes from the Red Funnel Ferry Terminal, and has great views over the Solent and Cowes Harbour.
There’s also up to a third off a range of attractions if you book at the same time, including Dinosaur Isle, Isle of Wight Zoo and the Seaview Wildlife Encounter. See .
ISLES OF SCILLY
A paradise of subtropical nature and dramatic scenery, the Isles of Scilly have a little bit of everything from rocky outcrops and secluded sandy beaches to romantic castle ruins and bronze age burial sites.
The Isles of Scilly Steamship Group sails from Penzance to St Mary’s on Tresco, the second largest of the Scilly Isles. Prices are from £86 for adults and £45 for children.
For Ferry Fortnight they have a great day-return offer for two adults and up to three children from only £79. See or call 01736 334 220.
TAKING A BOAT JOURNEY HAS REAL DECKS APPEAL
MORE than 39million of us took a ferry trip last year and the benefits for some are obvious.
For those with families, lots of baggage and pets or those looking to take their bikes or bring home a case or two of wine, ferry travel is great for convenience and value for money.
And the facilities on board have been transformed in recent years.
Even on the shortest cross-Channel routes you can expect VIP lounges and silver service restaurants, as well as shops and bars.
On longer crossings, there are cinemas, kid zones, play areas and sleeper lounges with reclining chairs.
Some ferries even have swimming pools, jacuzzis or saunas and on overnight crossings, en-suite cabins to get a good night’s rest.
Animal lovers can also relax, knowing their pets are well catered for in the kennels.
DFDS runs daily overnight cruise ferries from Newcastle and Amsterdam, the Princess Seaways and King Seaways.
As well as four restaurants, new for 2017 is a pop-up restaurant that will be open from May, offering dishes from around the world including Thai curries, Spanish tapas and traditional British pub favourites.
From April to September, passengers on King Seaways can also enjoy hosted deck watches with a trained wildlife officer spotting whales, dolphins and other North Sea marine life.