Modern Car Ferry at the Eastern Docks

Up the loading ramp

On the car deck of a modern ferry

Breakfast in the Carvery
On the boat deck

The pictures on this page show something of what it was like to cross the Channel in 1999.  Contrast these pictures with those of the 1920s.

The pictures on the left are of a modern, roll-on roll-off car ferry, operating from Dover Eastern Docks to Calais.  These vessels are like floating towns, with 3 car decks and 3 passenger decks, restaurants, bars and shops, amusement arcades and play areas for the children.  Some of the ferries on the longer runs even have a small cinema on board.

Below are two different types of car-carrying vessels - the hovercraft and the seacat.

Hovercraft leaving harbour

Hovercraft like this one have been carrying cars, coaches and passengers across the Channel from Dover to Calais and Boulogne for over 30 years.

They were finally withdrawn from service on cost grounds in October 2000.

Seacat entering harbour

The Seacat is a relative newcomer to the cross-channel route.  This one operates on the short sea crossing from Dover to France.  There is also a Jetfoil service to Belgium.

Built in New Zealand, one of these craft won the Blue Riband for the fastest Atlantic crossing on its way to the UK.

On the sun deck - compare this with the 1920's version