Ferry travel offers a "door-to-door" service

Ferry travel offers a "door-to-door" service for passengers who choose to take their cars away with them, according to one expert.

The Passenger Shopping Association (PSA) claimed that because ferry ports do not have the same extent of security checks as airports and offer better entertainment features, this mode of transport is "more pleasant".

William Gibbons, director of the PSA, said: "You have got door-to-door advantage, you leave your house in the vehicle which is your transport for the entire trip.

"You don't have to worry about parking your car at the airport, transfers to the airport. In the car border controls are seamless."

He added that ferries also allow passengers to avoid the "cattle pen" queuing systems which are integral part of the airport check-in process.

Furthermore, passengers travelling by boat can "eat, drink, shop, relax [and] sleep" while they are onboard, as opposed to being stuck in one seat on a plane.

Research conducted by the Port of Dover last month found that 90 per cent of holidaymakers find ferry ports more flexible than airports and 70 per said that the former mode of transport was better for those on a budget.