The best family ferry crossings are the ones where nobody is digging through a rucksack looking for a missing snack while the car deck doors are closing. Ferries are generous with luggage — no liquid limits, no scales at the gate — which is exactly why it is so easy to overpack. The trick is to separate what the crossing itself demands from what can happily stay in the boot.
Everything below fits into one wheeled cabin bag plus a small rucksack per adult. Print the checklist near the end, tick it off the night before, and the morning becomes a matter of loading the car rather than solving puzzles.
Documents and the dull-but-essential bits
Start here, because nothing else matters if you are turned away at check-in. Have your booking reference to hand — on paper as well as on a phone, since signal at ports can be patchy — and check the operator's requirements for ID well in advance. Some routes ask for photo ID for every passenger, including children; international routes usually mean passports. Requirements differ by route and operator, so read your booking confirmation rather than assuming.
If you are travelling with a child and only one adult is present, some operators and border authorities may ask for additional documentation. Check with the ferry company before you travel and, if anything is unclear, take proper advice — it is far easier to answer a question at the desk than at the gate.
Keep in a single pouch
- Booking confirmation and boarding passes
- Passports or photo ID for every passenger
- Travel insurance details and EHIC/GHIC card where relevant
- Any prescription medicines, in original packaging
- A written note of cabin number and car registration
One bag that never leaves your side
During the crossing the car deck is closed, so anything you might need for the next few hours has to come upstairs with you. That includes the wait before boarding, which is often longer than anyone expects. Pack as though you will be standing in a queue for an hour and sitting in a lounge for two.
Inside the bag: a thin jumper or fleece for each person (outside decks are windy even in summer), a spare set of clothes for babies and toddlers, baby wipes, tissues, a bin bag for rubbish or wet clothing, and a small first-aid kit with plasters and any regular medication. Add a folded tote bag — useful for the shop, the cafe, or the sudden redistribution of everyone's belongings.
Food, drink and the realities of the cafe queue
Ferry food has improved enormously, but the queues at popular sailing times can be long and the prices are what you would expect on a captive audience. Bringing your own removes the stress entirely. Fill reusable bottles after security-free boarding — most operators have drinking water available — and pack food that survives being squashed.
- Sandwiches or wraps made the night before
- Fruit, oatcakes, breadsticks, plain biscuits
- A flask of hot water or soup for cold crossings
- Cartons of juice and a couple of treats for emergencies
Check your operator's terms if you plan to bring your own alcohol, as many restrict it, and avoid strong-smelling food if you are in a cabin.
Entertainment that lasts longer than ten minutes
On a short crossing, the ship itself is the entertainment: find the outside deck, watch the wake, spot other ferries and look for dolphins. On longer routes, you will need a plan for the middle hours when novelty fades.
Pack a small card game, a deck of cards, sticker books, a couple of favourite small toys and a notepad with crayons. Download films, audiobooks and games before you leave home — onboard Wi-Fi can be slow and mobile data abroad may cost extra. Bring headphones for each child and a power bank, and charge everything the night before rather than in the car.
One bag of "new" items — a comic, a puzzle book, a packet of stickers — can carry a whole crossing if you produce them one at a time.
Seasickness and general comfort
Motion is usually felt least in the middle of the ship on a lower deck, so aim for a seat there rather than in a forward lounge with a view of the horizon moving. Fresh air helps, as does looking at a fixed point on the horizon. Reading and screens tend to make matters worse.
Eat something light before boarding rather than travelling on an empty stomach, and avoid heavy, greasy meals. Pack sick bags, wipes and a change of clothes within reach. If you are considering medication for yourself or a child, speak to a pharmacist or GP beforehand about what is suitable — remedies designed for adults are not automatically appropriate for children, and some cause drowsiness. Anyone with an existing medical condition should seek proper advice before travelling.
The printable family ferry packing checklist
Documents: booking reference, ID or passports, insurance details, medicines, cabin number and car registration.
Hand luggage: jumper per person, spare clothes for little ones, wipes, tissues, bin bag, first-aid kit, tote bag, power bank and charging cables.
Food and drink: reusable bottles, sandwiches, fruit, biscuits, juice cartons, flask, treats.
Entertainment: cards, sticker book, small toys, crayons and notepad, headphones, downloaded films and games.
Comfort: sick bags, travel blankets or pillows, suncream and hats for deck time, a light waterproof jacket.
Baby kit: nappies, changing mat, bottles, formula or expressed milk, muslin squares, dummy, pram or sling.
Before you leave the house
Charge phones, tablets and the power bank. Check the operator's recommended arrival time and add half an hour for a family of five. Load the car so the cabin bag is the last thing in and the first thing out — you do not want to be unpacking the boot on a windy quayside. Agree a meeting point with older children in case you separate on board, and remind everyone which deck and cabin you are in.
Finally, keep the checklist in the glovebox. Next crossing, it takes ten minutes instead of an hour, and you will still be the person who remembered the sick bags.
Photo: 652234 / Pixabay