Do babies travel free on P&O Ferries?

Yes. Infants and toddlers under 4 travel free on all three routes, but you must include them as passengers when you book. P&O says charges may apply on mini cruise bookings ( Dover–Calais passenger information )

What age counts as an infant?

Dover–Calais and Cairnryan–Larne bookings use infant 0–3 . Hull–Rotterdam splits it into infant 0–1 and toddler 2–3 . A child ticket covers ages 4 to 15

Is there a luggage limit?

No. By car, take what fits; on foot, take what you can carry, but you must keep it with you ( travel information )

Is there baby changing?

Yes. P&O says all of its ships have baby changing, and so do its port terminals ( family travel )

On Hull–Rotterdam , P&O lists child cots in selected cabins . Ask when you book. P&O's cabins are only on this overnight route

Can we have rooms next to each other?

Yes on Hull–Rotterdam. Interconnected cabins link two cabins (up to 6 people ), each with its own bathroom; book them by emailing customer.services@poferries.com

Is there food for children?

Yes. Restaurants have children's menus and family meal deals, and the Hull–Rotterdam ships have The Kitchen buffet

Is there a play area?

Dover–Calais ships have a play space with a play ship and interactive screens; Cairnryan–Larne has a children's space , plus a summer Kids' Club for ages 5 to 11

Does my baby need a passport?

For France and the Netherlands, yes: every child, including babies , needs their own passport. Cairnryan–Larne is domestic, so UK residents need ID, not a passport

Is there a pregnancy limit?

Dover–Calais and Cairnryan–Larne: medical certificate after 38 weeks . Hull–Rotterdam: certificate after 28 weeks and no travel after 34 weeks

P&O Ferries with a baby

P&O Ferries sails three routes from Britain: the short Dover to Calais crossing, the overnight ferry from Hull to Rotterdam, and Cairnryan to Larne between Scotland and Northern Ireland. For families, the headline is simple: children under 4 travel free on every route, and there are no luggage limits, so the pushchair, travel cot and car seat can all come. Here's what P&O itself says, route by route, with links so you can check.

Everything below comes from P&O Ferries' own UK site, plus GOV.UK, checked October 2026. Rules and facilities change, so check before you book.

Key facts

Short answer: On P&O Ferries, babies and toddlers under 4 travel free, but you must add them as passengers when you book (charges may apply on mini cruises). There are no luggage restrictions, and every ship has baby changing. On Dover–Calais the crossing takes about 90 minutes; check-in closes 60 minutes before departure by car and 90 minutes on foot. On the overnight Hull–Rotterdam ferry a cabin is included, child cots are available in selected cabins, and interconnecting cabins for up to six are booked by email. Every baby needs their own passport for France and the Netherlands.

Quick answers

Question	Answer
Do babies travel free on P&O Ferries?	Yes. Infants and toddlers under 4 travel free on all three routes, but you must include them as passengers when you book. P&O says charges may apply on mini cruise bookings (Dover–Calais passenger information)
What age counts as an infant?	Dover–Calais and Cairnryan–Larne bookings use infant 0–3. Hull–Rotterdam splits it into infant 0–1 and toddler 2–3. A child ticket covers ages 4 to 15
Is there a luggage limit?	No. By car, take what fits; on foot, take what you can carry, but you must keep it with you (travel information)
Is there baby changing?	Yes. P&O says all of its ships have baby changing, and so do its port terminals (family travel)
Can I get a cot?	On Hull–Rotterdam, P&O lists child cots in selected cabins. Ask when you book. P&O's cabins are only on this overnight route
Can we have rooms next to each other?	Yes on Hull–Rotterdam. Interconnected cabins link two cabins (up to 6 people), each with its own bathroom; book them by emailing [email protected]
Is there food for children?	Yes. Restaurants have children's menus and family meal deals, and the Hull–Rotterdam ships have The Kitchen buffet
Is there a play area?	Dover–Calais ships have a play space with a play ship and interactive screens; Cairnryan–Larne has a children's space, plus a summer Kids' Club for ages 5 to 11
Does my baby need a passport?	For France and the Netherlands, yes: every child, including babies, needs their own passport. Cairnryan–Larne is domestic, so UK residents need ID, not a passport
Is there a pregnancy limit?	Dover–Calais and Cairnryan–Larne: medical certificate after 38 weeks. Hull–Rotterdam: certificate after 28 weeks and no travel after 34 weeks

Routes from Britain

Crossing	Time	With a baby
Dover – Calais	About 90 minutes	Car or foot; play space; Club Lounge add-on
Hull – Rotterdam	Overnight, about 11 hours 30 minutes	Car or foot; standard cabin included; cots in selected cabins
Cairnryan – Larne	About 2 hours	Car or foot; children's space; UK domestic route, no passport needed

Dover to Calais

This is P&O's short Channel crossing and the one most families use for a driving holiday in France.

Check-in closes 60 minutes before departure by car and 90 minutes on foot. These are the latest times you can reach check-in after security, so P&O advises allowing plenty of time for security and peak traffic.
Some flexibility. P&O's flexible tickets let you travel within 4 hours either side of your booked time, subject to space.
Everyone leaves the car. Once parked, you go up to the passenger decks; nobody can stay on the vehicle deck during the crossing.
On board: a play space for kids with a play ship and interactive screens, and the free Deep Sea Pioneers app, a digital scavenger hunt. In peak seasons there's live children's entertainment (not on Tuesdays or Wednesdays).
Club Lounge: open 24/7 with a buffet and drinks included, at £29 per person. P&O doesn't publish a separate price for babies, so check the total before you add it.
At the port: the passenger services building after check-in has toilets, cafés, vending machines and free Wi-Fi.

On foot with a baby

Foot passengers check in at the Dover terminal and travel by shuttle bus to the EES border facility and on to the ship. P&O says all luggage must be carried on board (there's no baggage reclaim), and on arrival in Calais foot passengers disembark about 30 minutes after docking. P&O doesn't say how pushchairs are handled on the shuttle bus, so ask when you book.

There's no free parking at the Port of Dover, only short-stay drop-off points. Since 27 July 2026, a Stagecoach bus links the port with Dover Priory station.

Border checks at Dover

P&O says the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) checks on Dover–Calais happen before departure in Dover. Children under 12 aren't fingerprinted, but they can be photographed. Our EES with a baby guide explains what to expect.

Hull to Rotterdam (overnight)

The overnight ferry suits families heading for the Netherlands, Belgium or Germany from the north of England, and your baby can sleep through most of it.

Times. The ferry usually leaves Hull at 20:30 on weekdays and 20:00 at weekends, taking about 11 hours 30 minutes. Check-in opens at 15:00, boarding starts at 16:00, and check-in closes 90 minutes before departure.
Cabin included. Every booking comes with a standard cabin, which P&O says is compulsory for foot passengers because the crossing is overnight. Standard cabins have 2 or 4 bunks with ladders to the top bunks, an en suite shower and toilet, bedding and towels.
Cots. P&O lists child cots available in selected cabins. Ask for one when you book, as not every cabin has one.
Interconnected cabins. Some Premier 2-berth and 4-bunk cabins link to a standard 2-bunk cabin, for up to 6 people. Each has its own bathroom, and you book them by emailing [email protected].
Noise. P&O warns that some standard inside cabins are above the Irish Bar, so there may be some noise. Worth asking about if your baby is a light sleeper.
Lifts. P&O mentions accessible parking near a lift and asks you to request any special assistance when you book, so ask then if you'll need a lift with a pushchair.
Food. The Kitchen buffet and The Brasserie, with children's menus. P&O says pre-ordering meals before you sail can save up to 10%.
Arriving. The return ferry reaches Hull at about 07:30 on weekdays and 08:00 at weekends.

Getting from Europoort by coach

There's no public transport to or from the Europoort terminal. P&O sells coach transfers to Amsterdam (about 1 hour 30 minutes) and Rotterdam (about 45 minutes), leaving the port at 09:30 on weekdays and 09:45 at weekends. P&O says you'll need to bring a car seat for a baby or child under 135 cm. Children up to 3 don't need their own coach seat and can sit on a parent's lap, but P&O advises giving every child their own seat with a car seat or booster.

Safer sleep: The Lullaby Trust recommends your baby sleeps in their own clear, flat space. Ask for a cabin with a cot when you book. P&O doesn't say whether you can set up your own travel cot in a cabin, so check before relying on one.

Border checks in the Netherlands

On Hull–Rotterdam, P&O says EES registration happens on arrival at Europoort, and you'll be directed when you get off. GOV.UK's Netherlands entry requirements say your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before you arrive and be valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area.

Cairnryan to Larne

This two-hour crossing links south-west Scotland with Northern Ireland.

No passport needed for UK residents, as it's a domestic route, but P&O says ID is required. P&O doesn't say what ID it accepts for a baby, so ask when you book.
Check-in closes 30 minutes before departure by car, 45 minutes on foot and 60 minutes if you've booked special assistance.
On board: a children's space, a food court with kids' meals and cooked breakfasts, and in summer the Junior Crew Kids' Club for ages 5 to 11.
Club Lounge: table service and complimentary drinks at £16 per person.

Passports and ID

Every baby needs their own passport for Dover–Calais and Hull–Rotterdam. P&O says EU ID cards are no longer accepted for travel to France or the Netherlands. For British passports, GOV.UK's rules are that it must have been issued less than 10 years before you enter the EU and be valid for at least 3 months after the day you leave. See our baby passport guide and apply early.

P&O is required by law to collect Advance Passenger Information for everyone, babies included, and says you may not be able to travel without it. Have your booking reference and each passenger's passport number, expiry date, date of birth and place of birth to hand.

Travelling without the other parent? UK law expects 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. P&O adds that food and drink bought on board must be finished before you leave the ship.

Pregnancy

Dover–Calais: a medical certificate is needed if you're more than 38 weeks pregnant.
Cairnryan–Larne: the same, a certificate after 38 weeks.
Hull–Rotterdam: after 28 weeks you need a medical certificate covering both journeys, and you can't travel after 34 weeks.

P&O says certificates must be issued within 7 days of travel. Our travel insurance for babies guide covers what to check about pregnancy cover.

Checklist before you sail

Add your baby to the booking as an infant, even though they travel free.
On Hull–Rotterdam, ask for a cabin with a cot, or email for an interconnected cabin.
Request parking near a lift as special assistance when you book.
Check every passport, including the baby's, against the 10-year and 3-month rules.
Have each passport's details ready for Advance Passenger Information.
On foot from Dover, arrive before check-in closes 90 minutes before departure, and keep bags with you.
Taking the Europoort coach? Pack a car seat.
For Cairnryan–Larne, check what ID P&O will accept for your baby.

Sources

P&O Ferries: Dover to Calais passenger information (under-4s free, mini cruise charges, check-in times, API, pregnancy, port facilities, parking)
P&O Ferries: Hull to Rotterdam passenger information (under-4s free, check-in and boarding times, EES on arrival, pregnancy)
P&O Ferries: Cairnryan to Larne passenger information (under-4s free, baby changing, check-in times, pregnancy)
P&O Ferries: family travel (baby changing on all ships and terminals, children's menus, passports for every child, pregnancy)
P&O Ferries: travel information (no luggage restrictions, Hull–Rotterdam cabins, Europoort coach transfers and car seats, EU food rules, Cairnryan ID)
P&O Ferries: foot passenger travel (Dover shuttle bus, disembarkation, Dover bus service, Cairnryan crossing time)
P&O Ferries: standard cabins and interconnected cabins (bunks, en suite, child cots in selected cabins, booking by email)
P&O Ferries: Hull to Rotterdam (crossing time, departure and arrival times) and Dover to Calais (flexible tickets, vehicle deck)
P&O Ferries: on board (play areas, Deep Sea Pioneers app, Junior Crew Kids' Club) and Club Lounge (prices)
P&O Ferries: Entry/Exit System (checks in Dover before departure, at Europoort on arrival)
GOV.UK: France entry requirements and Netherlands entry requirements (passport validity, baby milk exception)
GOV.UK: bringing food into Great Britain (infant milk allowance)
Lullaby Trust: safer sleep on holiday

Back to trains and ferries.

Last checked and updated: 18 October 2026 · Kiddieko · How we check facts

Some links may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more. Specs and prices come from makers' official UK pages (checked 2026-10-16). Always check before you buy.