It’s not that I hate flying. I just hate what flying has become.
The endless queues, overpriced food, stressful security checks, cramped legroom, and the feeling that your holiday starts only after you survive the airport. For a while, I thought that was just how modern travel worked — inconvenient but necessary. Until I tried something else.
I booked a ferry.
Not because I was trying to be poetic or romantic about the sea. I was just looking for a less exhausting way to cross over from the UK to mainland Europe. And to my surprise, what started as an experiment turned into my go-to travel method.
The calm before the trip
There’s something different about showing up at a ferry terminal. You’re not scanning for liquid limits or desperately looking for boarding gates. You’re just… boarding. You walk on with your bag (or your car), find a seat or a cabin, and that’s it. No turbulence. No cramped knees. Just the steady sound of the sea.
I remember my first trip with P&O Ferries — Dover to Calais. I didn’t expect much. But the moment I was on board, I realized I had room to stretch, access to actual food (not a plastic-wrapped sandwich), and I could stand outside and breathe in fresh air. Try doing that mid-flight.
Travel becomes part of the holiday
That first ferry ride made me realize how much we treat travel like a chore. Something to endure, not enjoy. But ferries are different. You’re not just getting from one place to another — you’re floating there. You’ve got time to think, talk, read, look out at the waves. It’s slow, but in a good way.
I once took a night ferry to Rotterdam and woke up to the sight of the Dutch coastline. Showered, had a quiet breakfast onboard, then stepped off the ship already rested. No jet lag, no scramble for cabs, no post-flight headache. Just me, my bag, and a head start on my day.
P&O Ferries has a few routes that actually work well if you’re trying to avoid the busy airport routine. Especially if you’re travelling with family or your own vehicle. You load up, board, and drive straight off the ship when you arrive. It’s all so… low effort. In the best way possible.
When getting there is the point
Flying gives you a deadline. Be here at 2PM, land by 4PM, make the train by 6PM. But ferry travel gives you breathing room. You’re not stuck watching the clock. You get to slow down. Not just physically, but mentally.
It’s also oddly social. On a ferry, you see other people reading, playing cards, napping in corners. It feels human in a way planes don’t. You don’t get those awkward elbow wars or the pressure to stay in your seat for hours. You’re free to move. Sit by the window, walk outside, have a drink. Just… exist.
And the view? Not clouds, but sea and sky and shorelines you’ll never notice from 35,000 feet. Once, on a ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge, I spent an hour just watching the sun drop below the water. No phone, no notifications. Just a chair and a moment.
Not always faster — and that’s okay
People always ask me, “But isn’t flying quicker?” Yeah, it usually is. But honestly, the extra time hasn’t felt like a loss. It feels more like taking back part of my trip that I used to waste being annoyed. The journey now feels like part of the experience — not something I’m trying to skip over.
And if you plan well, especially with flexible routes like those offered by P&O Ferries, it doesn’t throw off your schedule much. Overnight crossings are especially practical — you sleep while you travel, and you arrive ready to go.
It’s not for everyone — but it’s for me
I’m not saying ferries are the fix for every kind of trip. If you’re going long haul, flying still makes sense. But if you’re hopping across to France, the Netherlands, or Ireland? This is worth trying.
It’s especially useful if you want to bring your car, your bike, or more luggage than what budget airlines allow without making you mortgage your house. And for families? It’s a lifesaver. Space to roam, food that isn’t a granola bar, actual places to sit.
I still fly sometimes. But I’ve stopped defaulting to it. I check ferry routes first. And if there’s a crossing that works, I take it. Every time.
There’s no status symbol here. No luxury flex. Just a better, quieter, easier way to get where I’m going — without needing to recover once I arrive.
P&O Ferries reminded me that travel doesn’t have to be rushed to be worth it.
And maybe that’s something we all need more of.
