DFDS with a baby
DFDS runs some of the busiest ferry routes out of Britain: Dover to Calais and Dunkirk, Newhaven to Dieppe, and the overnight crossing from Newcastle to Amsterdam. With a baby, the big wins are no luggage weight limit, room to walk about and, on the longer crossings, a cabin for naps. The rules differ a lot by route, so here's what DFDS itself says, route by route, with links so you can check.
Everything below comes from DFDS's own UK site, its FAQs and its booking terms (updated February 2026), plus GOV.UK, checked October 2026. Rules and facilities change, so check before you book.
Key facts
Short answer: On Dover–Calais and Dover–Dunkirk you must travel with a vehicle (no foot passengers), fares are priced per car with up to five people, and there's no luggage limit, so the pushchair, travel cot and car seat can all come. There are no cabins to book on these short crossings, but there is a toddler play area. On Newhaven–Dieppe, foot passengers are allowed and travel cots are permitted in every cabin. On the overnight Newcastle–Amsterdam ferry, travel cots are only allowed in Commodore cabins, so ask Guest Services for bed rails instead, and under-3s eat free in both restaurants. DFDS advises against travelling beyond 32 weeks of pregnancy.
Quick answers
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can I take a baby on foot from Dover? | No. DFDS doesn't accept foot passengers on Dover–Calais or Dover–Dunkirk; you need a vehicle (DFDS FAQs) |
| Does my baby add to the fare? | Dover fares are quoted per car plus up to five people. DFDS doesn't publish an infant fare on the pages we checked, so add your baby when you book and check the price shown |
| Is there a luggage limit? | No weight limit on any route. By car, the limit is what fits safely in your vehicle; on foot, you must be able to carry your own bags (Preparing for your trip) |
| Can I bring a travel cot? | Newhaven–Dieppe: yes, in all cabins (or book one with DFDS). Portsmouth–Jersey: one travel cot per cabin. Newcastle–Amsterdam: only in Commodore cabins, and even then space is tight |
| Are there bed rails? | Yes on Newcastle–Amsterdam. DFDS offers bed rails for children and infants; ask at the Guest Service Centre on board |
| Can a baby share our cabin? | Yes. A cabin can hold its number of berths plus one child under 4 (DFDS booking terms) |
| Do babies eat free? | On Newcastle–Amsterdam, infants aged 3 and under eat free in the buffet and the North Sea Bistro; ages 4 to 11 pay a lower price |
| Is there a play area? | Yes: a toddler play area on the Dover ships, a children's play area on Newhaven–Dieppe, and a soft play Kids' Club plus a free Pirates' Club on Newcastle–Amsterdam |
| Is there a pregnancy limit? | DFDS advises against travel beyond 32 weeks (28 weeks on a high-speed service) and may ask for a medical certificate after that |
| Is there a doctor on board? | No. Crew are first aid trained, but there are no medical facilities on board, so DFDS recommends travel insurance |
Routes from Britain
| Crossing | Time | With a baby |
|---|---|---|
| Dover – Calais | About 1 hour 40 minutes, up to 30 sailings a day | Vehicle only; play area; no cabins |
| Dover – Dunkirk | About 2 hours, up to 24 sailings a day | Vehicle only; play area; no cabins |
| Newhaven – Dieppe | About 4 hours, sailings daily | Car or foot; 50 en suite cabins; travel cots allowed |
| Newcastle – Amsterdam | Overnight, about 16 hours 45 minutes | Car or foot; en suite cabin included in the fare; Kids' Club |
| Portsmouth / Poole – Jersey | Channel Islands routes | Car or foot; one travel cot per cabin on Portsmouth–Jersey |
DFDS's Amsterdam terminal is at IJmuiden, on the coast west of the city. DFDS lists bus transfers for foot passengers at both ends.
Dover to Calais or Dunkirk
These are the quickest DFDS crossings, and the ones most families use for a driving holiday in France.
- Car only. Foot passengers aren't accepted on either Dover route.
- Fares per car. DFDS quotes its Dover prices per car with up to five people, so a baby travelling in your car is part of that booking.
- No luggage limit. Everything stays in the car, so bring the full-size pushchair, travel cot and spare nappies.
- Arrive early. Check-in closes 60 minutes before departure, and in high season DFDS advises allowing a further 120 minutes before that to get through the border controls.
- Some flexibility. With an Economy ticket you can travel up to 4 hours either side of your booked sailing at no charge, subject to space. Premium tickets allow any sailing within 72 hours.
- Parking near the lift. Lifts are available; if you want to park near one (useful with a pushchair and a sleeping baby), tell DFDS when you book.
On board: DFDS says the play area on the Dover ships has equipment designed for toddlers, and there's a free treasure-hunt app for older children. The 7 Seas Restaurant and Lighthouse Café are open 24/7, with the Horizon restaurant open from April to August and in UK school holidays. The Premium Lounge is open to all ages, but everyone in your party needs the add-on.
There are no cabins on the Dover routes, so plan feeds and naps around the 100- to 120-minute crossing. If your baby sleeps well in the car seat, a short crossing is the easy part of the trip.
Border checks at Dover
French border checks, including the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), happen at Dover before you leave the UK. Children under 12 aren't fingerprinted, but they can be photographed. Our EES with a baby guide explains what to expect at the Port of Dover.
Newhaven to Dieppe
This four-hour crossing suits families heading for Normandy from the south coast, and it's the only DFDS route between England and France that takes foot passengers.
- Cabins: 50 en suite cabins with 2 or 4 bunks, a shower and WC, available for a small extra cost.
- Travel cots: DFDS says travel cots are permitted in all cabins. You can bring your own or book one with DFDS when you make your booking.
- Accessible cabin: a two-berth cabin with a 90 cm door, which DFDS says is easy to get into with wheelchairs and prams.
- Play area: the ship has a children's play area, quiet lounges and outdoor decks.
- Food: the Maupassant self-service restaurant serves dishes especially prepared for children.
- Check-in closes 45 minutes before departure; allow an extra 90 minutes in high season.
On foot with a baby: bags larger than 56 × 45 × 25 cm go in baggage trolleys in the terminal and are loaded separately, and you can't get them back during the crossing. You're limited to one piece of hand luggage per person, so pack nappies, milk, wipes and a change of clothes in that bag. DFDS doesn't say how pushchairs are handled on the shuttle bus to the ship, so ask when you book.
Newcastle to Amsterdam (overnight)
The overnight cruise ferry is the most baby-friendly DFDS route, with a cabin, restaurants and entertainment.
- Cabin included. The fare includes a standard inside en suite cabin. Economy cabins sleep 2 to 4 in bunks; sea-view cabins sleep up to 5 in bunks; double-bed cabins are aimed at couples.
- Sharing with a baby. A cabin can take its number of berths plus one child under 4, so a baby can share with you without needing their own berth.
- Travel cots: Commodore cabins only. DFDS allows travel cots only in Commodore cabins because of space and health and safety rules, and warns that even those are tight. It offers bed rails for children and infants instead; ask at the Guest Service Centre when you board.
- Food. Infants aged 3 and under eat free in the Explorer's Kitchen buffet and the North Sea Bistro. Children aged 4 to 11 pay less in the buffet, and a child's place in the Bistro is £12.95. You can bring your own food and soft drinks, but only to eat in your cabin, not in public areas.
- Medicines. DFDS will store medication if you arrange it with the Guest Service Centre.
- Play. A soft play Kids' Club with toys and cartoons, and a free Pirates' Club run by a children's entertainer on every departure.
- Times. Check-in in Newcastle starts at 14:00 and closes at 16:15 for the 17:00 departure. The return leaves IJmuiden at 17:30 (check-in closes 16:45).
- Lifts. Some decks can't be reached by lift once the ship sails (deck 5 on King Seaways, deck 4 on Princess Seaways). To park near a lift, tell DFDS when you book and check in by 15:00.
- Foot passengers board through an air bridge rather than up a ramp.
Safer sleep: The Lullaby Trust recommends your baby sleeps in their own clear, flat space. As a travel cot isn't allowed in a standard cabin, decide before you book whether to pay for a Commodore cabin or use a lower bunk with bed rails. Our camping with a baby guide sets out the same safer-sleep principles.
Passports and ID
France and the Netherlands
DFDS says passengers with invalid travel documents will be turned away at check-in, with no refund. For British passport holders, DFDS and GOV.UK say your passport must:
- have been issued less than 10 years before the day you enter the EU, and
- be valid for at least 3 months after the day you leave.
Every baby needs their own passport. See our baby passport guide and apply early.
Passenger information
Advance passenger information is mandatory for everyone travelling to and from the UK, babies included. DFDS's current guidance says this is now collected at check-in when passports are scanned, rather than through an online form 24 hours ahead. One older DFDS page still mentions the 24-hour form, so follow whatever your booking emails ask for.
Jersey
Jersey is in the Common Travel Area, so there are no routine immigration checks from the UK. DFDS still recommends carrying a valid passport or recognised photo ID. If you sail on to St Malo, the EU passport rules above apply.
Travelling without the other parent
DFDS's age rules cover teenagers travelling alone, not babies. UK law still expects you to have permission from everyone with parental responsibility to take a child abroad. Our consent letter guide explains what to carry.
Baby milk and food
You can't take meat, milk or products containing them into the EU, but GOV.UK lists exceptions that include powdered baby milk and baby food (GOV.UK France entry requirements). Coming home, GOV.UK allows up to 2 kg per person of powdered infant milk or infant food, which must not need refrigeration and must be in branded, unopened packaging unless you're using it (bringing food into Great Britain).
Pregnancy
DFDS welcomes pregnant passengers but points out there's no doctor on board. It advises against travel beyond week 32 (or 28 weeks on a high-speed service), and after that it may ask for a medical certificate confirming you're fit to travel. DFDS also recommends travel insurance that covers complications. Our travel insurance for babies guide covers what to check.
Asking for help
If you need assistance, DFDS asks you to tell it when you book, and no later than two working days before you travel. Ask then about parking near a lift, cabin access and anything else that makes the day easier with a pushchair.
Checklist before you sail
- Book a vehicle for Dover crossings; foot passengers can't travel.
- Add your baby to the booking and check the price shown.
- For Newcastle–Amsterdam, decide between a Commodore cabin (travel cot allowed) and bed rails in a standard cabin.
- For Newhaven–Dieppe, book a cabin and bring or book a travel cot.
- Ask to park near a lift when you book, if you'll want one.
- Check every passport, including the baby's, against the 10-year and 3-month rules.
- On foot, pack the essentials in one hand-luggage bag, because larger bags are out of reach during the crossing.
- Allow the extra time DFDS recommends in high season: 120 minutes at Dover, 90 minutes at Newhaven.
Sources
- DFDS: customer service FAQs (foot passengers, luggage, travel cots, bed rails, cabin occupancy, lifts, medical facilities, assistance)
- DFDS: travelling with kids (check-in times, play areas, Newhaven cabins and travel cots, pregnancy)
- DFDS: preparing for your trip (passports, advance passenger information, luggage, Jersey ID)
- DFDS: check-in and boarding (Newcastle and IJmuiden times)
- DFDS: Dover to Calais (crossing times, sailings, fares per car, vehicle only) and Newhaven to Dieppe (four-hour crossing)
- DFDS: Dover to Calais family travel (restaurants, Premium Lounge)
- DFDS: Newcastle to Amsterdam (crossing time, departure times)
- DFDS: Newcastle to Amsterdam cabins, dining with children and Kids' Club
- DFDS: passenger booking terms and conditions (updated February 2026: cabin berths plus one child under 4, pregnancy)
- GOV.UK: France entry requirements (passport validity, baby milk exception)
- GOV.UK: EU Entry/Exit System (checks at the Port of Dover)
- Lullaby Trust: safer sleep on holiday
- GOV.UK: bringing food into Great Britain (infant milk allowance)
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Last checked and updated: · Kiddieko · How we check facts
