Ferries Find Favour As Summer Bookings Surge

Summer holiday bookings by ferry are soaring as cost-conscious travellers snap up low price fares to the Continent.

So far this month, P&O Ferries reports a ten per cent jump in bookings for August driven by dire weather at home and a realisation that ferry fares are at an all time low.

"There may be a credit crunch but people are fed up of doom and gloom and are finding ways to go abroad without breaking the bank," said Sarah Staughton, head of marketing at P&O Ferries.

"People know a good deal when they see one. We've got fares from £37 for families to take their cars across the Channel this summer if they fancy a bit of sun in the south of France. They're going for it, taking control of costs by tailoring their own trips."

P&O Ferries is now looking to top last year's total of ten millionpassengers and 1.7 million cars carried across its route network.

Planning for growth, the company has just announced plans to invest £285 million to build the two largest ferries ever to serve the Dover - Calais route, entering service from 2010.