Please Report Any Security Check Problems When Boarding Ferries ex UK

[scragend]

I did Dover-Calais with bike and tent last month. Went through completely unchecked.

A while ago now but I went from Newcastle to IJmuiden and back in June. Likewise, no checks at all. There were lots of cyclists on the ferry both ways and I didn't see anyone on a bike being stopped and checked.

Passport stamped in and out?

Yes. When I said no checks, I meant security checks. There was passport control and our passports were stamped in both directions.

[scragend]

Certainly into and out of Netherlands using Harwich/Hoek ferry passport stamped in and out of Netherlands. No questions or checks of Covid vaccination record, no checks on where are you staying and no checks of adequate funds.

Ian

Same experience coming into/out of the Netherlands at IJmuiden earlier this month: passport stamp and a (friendly) question about my intended destination, but no covid or security or funding checks.

On checking in at Newcastle, our vaccination documents were checked because it was still a requirement to enter the Netherlands. I can't remember whether the Dutch also checked them on arrival at IJmuiden. I suppose that's all irrelevant now though as it was months ago and the restrictions on entering the Netherlands have, as of today, been removed.

I've never been asked for proof of funds or accommodation, regardless of my mode of entry (air, bike, car). Usually get asked how long I intend to stay.

[MrsHJ]

Friday 2 September overnight ferry leaving Plymouth - quite a lot of checking (security) going on and there seemed to be some delays (presumably customs) for those coming off. Almost like they were focusing on that ferry. No checks for me though,
Saturday 3 September. Quick and easy access to Roscof France, just a passport stamp. Didn’t see any evidence of customs in action.
Saturday 17 September. Roscof- no checks for me going into port except for passport stamp. Some caravans etc being pulled aside for checks (security I assume).
And into Plymouth- no checks except a quick one at passport control and customs looked to be closed.

Darn, I could have taken the sharp knife for picnics. My regular camping cutlery set did the job though.
I realise this is a no news report but sometimes that’s useful too.

[RobinS]

Darn, I could have taken the sharp knife for picnics.

I don't really understand where the myth that you can't transport a sharp knife comes from. Over several decades now we have been stopped at security for ferries many times, in cars, campervan and on bikes. A very common question to be asked is "Do you have any firearms or big knives?" Always answer yes. Then go on to explain that we have big knives for cookery purposes. Sometimes they ask to see them - in a car once with a friend I opened the back and showed security my 10inch cooks knife, then friend said he had one as well! As long as they are tucked away in the back in a car, in the kitchen in the campervan, or in one of the main panniers (not your carry on board barbag) it's absolutely fine.

[Jdsk]

Darn, I could have taken the sharp knife for picnics.

I don't really understand where the myth that you can't transport a sharp knife comes from. Over several decades now we have been stopped at security for ferries many times, in cars, campervan and on bikes. A very common question to be asked is "Do you have any firearms or big knives?" Always answer yes. Then go on to explain that we have big knives for cookery purposes. Sometimes they ask to see them - in a car once with a friend I opened the back and showed security my 10inch cooks knife, then friend said he had one as well! As long as they are tucked away in the back in a car, in the kitchen in the campervan, or in one of the main panniers (not your carry on board barbag) it's absolutely fine.

It isn't purely a myth.

For example Brittany Ferries state:
Any other item considered dangerous weapon such as bows and arrows, knives (including chef's knives, multi-tools), swords etc. must also be declared prior to departure and will be treated in the same manner as firearms and ammunition.
https://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/info ... le-liquids

The great value of sharing experiences in this thread (and its predecessors) is that we can learn what happens in practice.

Jonathan

[ANTONISH]

Darn, I could have taken the sharp knife for picnics.

I don't really understand where the myth that you can't transport a sharp knife comes from. Over several decades now we have been stopped at security for ferries many times, in cars, campervan and on bikes. A very common question to be asked is "Do you have any firearms or big knives?" Always answer yes. Then go on to explain that we have big knives for cookery purposes. Sometimes they ask to see them - in a car once with a friend I opened the back and showed security my 10inch cooks knife, then friend said he had one as well! As long as they are tucked away in the back in a car, in the kitchen in the campervan, or in one of the main panniers (not your carry on board barbag) it's absolutely fine.

From our recent experience at Portsmouth the security official took random bags from four bikes and searched them.
He took away four small knives for further inspection., we had to go through an airport type scannner - I had to take off my shoes because the cleats set it off.
I didn't see any motor vehicle occupents similarly inspected- I didn't see any bags from motor vehicles being removed and opened for inspection. It isn't absolutely fine.
When I travel by car there is usually only a cursory inspection - nothing removed - I once had to lift the bonnet for an inspection of the engine compartment.
I'm convinced that there is a special treatment for cyclists and it's on the UK side.

[scragend]

When I travel by car there is usually only a cursory inspection - nothing removed - I once had to lift the bonnet for an inspection of the engine compartment.
I'm convinced that there is a special treatment for cyclists and it's on the UK side.

I went from Harwich to Hoek in 2020 by car with my bike on a rack on the back. At Harwich they wanted to look in the boot of the car.

"How much trouble would it be to open the boot?"
"Well it would be a bit of a faff."
"OK, never mind then."

So if you want to carry something you shouldn't, put it in the boot and take a bike on the back!

[Psamathe]

When I travel by car there is usually only a cursory inspection - nothing removed - I once had to lift the bonnet for an inspection of the engine compartment.
I'm convinced that there is a special treatment for cyclists and it's on the UK side.

I went from Harwich to Hoek in 2020 by car with my bike on a rack on the back. At Harwich they wanted to look in the boot of the car.

"How much trouble would it be to open the boot?"
"Well it would be a bit of a faff."
"OK, never mind then."

So if you want to carry something you shouldn't, put it in the boot and take a bike on the back!

Many years ago I had similar Portsmouth to Caen except I had my two dogs in the back (hatchback with back seats folded down flat). They asked to search the back, I said fine, dogs will love having a run around the port and they decided not to search the car.

Ian

[ajj]

We are crossing Portsmouth to St Malo next month and wondered if anyone has any experience this year of panniers being checked for sharp knives etc. Or any other useful information, as it is 5 years since our last ferry crossing on bikes. Thanks

[scragend]

We are crossing Portsmouth to St Malo next month and wondered if anyone has any experience this year of panniers being checked for sharp knives etc. Or any other useful information, as it is 5 years since our last ferry crossing on bikes. Thanks

Different crossing so may not be relevant but on Dover-Dunkerque and back last week there were no such checks. There were the usual spot checks of cars but all bikes were waved straight through.

[Sparky56]

Recently crossed from Portsmouth to Cherbourg (5th April 2023) and Caen back to Portsmouth (12th April) on Brittany ferries.

Outbound I was searched and my hand carry bag and bum bag were xrayed. Someone advised me to put my knife etc into the bike which wasn’t searched. The other cyclists (8 of them) weren’t searched at all and were waved through. I’d joined the wrong line.

On the way back we were not searched at all.

Main complaint was that there really isn’t any shelter in portsmouth for cyclists. Massive and empty terminal building — we took our bikes in to be told by an officious guard that bikes not allowed in because they could be a fire risk. Oh and also not to leave them outside becasue they would get stolen. It was raining and windy. After check in there was a kind of open bike shed that we huddled in but very unsatisfactory considering the weather.

On the way back from Caen there was zero shelter in the check in queue (raining, windy) but at least car drivers were kind enough to let us go to the front & there is access to the bar area after check in. We took our bikes inside and there was zero fuss (we were ignored which was fine with us). Then to the actual boarding queue. Zero shelter. Thankfully the rain had stopped so it was just damp and windy.

Another point — on the way out we found that my companion’s pannier rack had been seriously bent over night. Must have been driven into by a fork lift truck or similar. We had parked along the side. So on the way back we found a bike parking spot that was more protected (round a corner where vehicls can’t access so easily)

further point - not cycling related but relevant - when I travelled to the Hook of Holland with my two children (but not their mother) I was asked for some kind of evidence that their mother had allowed them to travel. I had a letter (downloaded from some dutch anti-child smuggling website) plus birth, marriage certificates, which they checked and eventually let us through. Not had this in any other country that i’ve travelled solo with my children (France, Iceland)

[MrsHJ]

I had the child smuggling thing coming into the uk with my daughter. We were travelling as a family but my husband and son had gone through first for some reason. He wasn’t asked as the name on the passports was the same. I didn’t take his name when we got married. Very jobsworth border guard- we were eventually let through. Daughter and I were tempted to demonstrate heredity with matching ear wiggle.

Have gone into and out of Schipol with just son (on cycling trip) with no challenge- maybe because I was a woman? Anyhow I agree- get the documents- you don’t want to spoil your holiday arguing with immigration.

[ajj]

Thanks for your replies, fingers crossed we will be OK.

[MrsHJ]

Nothing to report last night from Plymouth to Roscof.

Approx 50 bikes on board though! (I don’t think that can be a minor source of revenue).

Bit of a delay getting through passport control on arrival- boat arrived at 8. Last cars through passport control around 9.

[pjclinch]

Newcastle to IJmuiden a few days ago they seemed very interested in knives. We're in the campervan so said yes, we have kitchen knives and cutlery, they wanted a look so we opened the back but it was all a bit buried (full of bikes etc.)... What about Swiss Army Knives? Yes, we have one and they wanted a look so after some fruitless digging my wife describes it, "one of those red ones with lots of fold out tools" and that's okay, they seemed to be worried about locking blades.
At this point they felt they'd done their Due Diligence customs check du jour and off we went to sunny Nederland, deciding against hijacking the ferry with a bread knife

Pete.