Is it Value Upgrading to the DFDS Premium Lounge?

December 19, 2022

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wooden table with two champagne glasses filled with prosecco with a grey pouffe behind and the large DFDS Premium Lounge behind that filled with grey and burgundy leather sofas with cream walls.

A evaluate of the DFDS Premium Lounge on their Dover to France ferries, that will help you determine if it’s price upgrading.

Taking the ferry might be one of many quickest and most budget-friendly methods to journey between the UK and France. However that doesn’t imply the entire expertise has to really feel funds! With DFDS, you may splash out on a few upgrades to make your journey that little bit extra particular. One among them is the Premium Lounge.

That is particularly good when you’re taking a particular vacation or travelling to rejoice an necessary event. The welcome glass of prosecco is a very good contact!

In case you’re taking a DFDS ferry from Dover to Calais or Dunkirk and like a little bit additional consolation, upgrading to the Premium Lounge could be price it. Hold studying for my evaluate, and to search out out precisely what the improve will get you…

My journey to Calais was supported by DFDS Seaways (together with the Premium Lounge improve). However DFDS didn’t ask for this evaluate, and all phrases and opinions are my very own – as at all times!

What’s the DFDS Premium Lounge?

The DFDS Premium Lounge is an unique, non-public lounge space on sure ferry routes. It’s an elective improve whenever you journey by ferry between Dover and Northern France with DFDS.

a large empty lounge area on a ferry on a sunny day with blue sea and blue sky visible out of the windows on the right. the lounge has a light brown carpet and cream walls and cieling and is fillwed with cream and burgundy leather armchairs.

In case you’ve upgraded, you’ll be given an entry code whenever you test in for the ferry. As soon as on board, you should utilize the code to entry the lounge – which is separate from the remainder of the ferry for some beautiful peace and quiet.

Inside, there are many cozy seats, with a mixture of sofas, armchairs and desk seating. A number of the sofas have longer, lay-flat chaise sections – nice when you want a fast energy nap after an extended drive to the ferry terminal! There are additionally a number of snacks and cold and warm drinks obtainable, and a welcome glass of prosecco.

emily sitting on a grey sofa next to a window on a ferry with blue sea visible out the window on a very sunny day. She is wearing black jeans, a white and black striped long sleeved top, and gold sunglasses which are reflecting the sunlight while she sips prosecco and looks out the window with her blonde hair down around her shoulders.

How a lot does it value?

In case you guide prematurely, you may improve to the Premium Lounge from €18pp every approach.

What’s Included?

A glass of prosecco
Cold and hot drinks
Snacks together with pastries, biscuits, and macarons
Free WiFi
Massive display screen tv
Charging factors

Which DFDS Routes have a Premium Lounge?

The Premium Lounge is out there on the Dover to Dunkirk and Dover to Calais routes with DFDS. Longer routes, corresponding to Newcastle to Amsterdam, are served by bigger “cruise ferries” which have completely different amenities and providers.

From Dover to Calais the journey time is about 90 minutes, whereas Dover to Dunkirk is roughly 2 hours.

close up of a white mug on a plate with four macarons. there is a bright bluechair at the table and the background is out of focus but shows cream sofas and a cream wall in the DFDS Premium Lounge.

My Assessment of the DFDS Premium Lounge

I travelled with DFDS from Dover to Calais for a brief break with my dad – testing the Christmas markets and benefiting from the duty-free procuring onboard to select up my Christmas celebration drinks at discount costs!

It was my first time travelling with DFDS, and I used to be actually impressed with how easily every little thing went. We have been fortunate sufficient to have Precedence Boarding, which is one thing that I extremely suggest when you’re travelling at a busy time – we have been proper on the entrance of the ferry, and first off once we arrived at Calais.

However even with out Precedence Boarding, the check-in and boarding course of was extremely fast and simple. And all of the DFDS employees have been tremendous pleasant and environment friendly.

the DFDS Premium Lounge on a sunny day with light brown carpet and cream walls and cieling and multiple cream and burgundy leather sofas and armchairs scattered about. there is a circular wooden table in the foreground and a couple of small decorated christmas trees on tables in the background.

At check-in, we got the entry code for the Premium Lounge. As soon as on board, we headed straight as much as test it out!

The code opens a door, then there’s a set of stairs main as much as a separate part of deck. So the Lounge felt utterly reduce off from the remainder of the ship, and was a lot quieter than the general public areas on board.

The Amenities

I beloved how peaceable the Premium Lounge was. Though it’s a reasonably large space, with seating for numerous friends, there have been solely a handful of us in there once I travelled (on a December weekend). So it was beautiful and quiet.

I additionally beloved my welcome glass of prosecco, which I sipped while watching the ship sail away from Dover. It made the expertise that little bit extra particular: good for a deal with vacation!

Once we sat down, the attendant provided us drinks, and introduced my dad a cup of tea and a biscuit. However the snacks and drinks are additionally self-serve. It’s fairly a small space however there was a fairly respectable choice, with espresso machines, teas, just a few completely different fruit juices, and canned smooth drinks.

a long grey counter with self serve snacks and drinks, from left to right there is a white cake stand with glass lid containing several colourful macarons, another white cake stand with pastries, a large chilled section full of glass water bottles and canned soft drinks, a wooden box with assorted tea sachets and a large electronic coffee machine

By way of snacks, there have been biscuits, a small choice of pastries, a fruit bowl, and a big plate of macarons. These final have been my favorite – I ate approach too many!

One other perk of the Premium Lounge is that it comes with its personal bogs, that are often quieter than the others on the ship! So that you’re much less more likely to must queue.

I didn’t want to make use of the plug sockets, however these are one other actually helpful contact. I additionally didn’t watch the TV, which was tuned right into a sports activities channel (nor did any of the opposite friends). It was good to have some background noise, however personally, I would favor music.

For me, the largest promoting level of the lounge is its peaceable environment and comfortable chairs. It’s undoubtedly a extra stress-free house than the busier public areas on the ship!

Calais beach on a very cold day in december with frost on the white sand and a DFDS ferry on the blue sea in the background beneath a mostly clear blue sky. — *Wintery morning in Calais!*

Conclusion: Is it Value it?

Each time I write a evaluate for one thing I used to be gifted as a blogger, I ask myself “would I pay for this myself subsequent time I guide?”. And on the subject of the DFDS Premium Lounge, the reply is undoubtedly sure.

In case you fancy a bit of additional consolation, some peace and quiet, and people free snacks and drinks, I believe it’s undoubtedly price upgrading to the Premium Lounge in your DFDS ferry crossing.

emily sitting in a cream leather armchair by a window on a ferry wearing black jeans and a navy blue and white striped long sleave top holding a glass of prosecco and looking out the window with her long blonde hair down. DFDS Premium Lounge review.

For households and funds travellers, it’s maybe not price it. However for a particular journey, a romantic getaway, and for enterprise travellers who need to get a little bit work achieved on the crossing… I’d say it’s price contemplating the improve.

The remainder of the ship could be very good. There’s loads of seating within the restaurant and snack bars, and naturally, the onboard Responsibility-Free store to maintain you occupied! In case you’re travelling on a funds, you completely don’t want to pay for the improve. In any case, the crossing is often underneath 2 hours, so it’s not precisely an extended journey.

BUT – the improve is barely about £15 every approach, so it’s not an enormous splurge for entry to a extra cozy and peaceable a part of the ship! Plus you get free snacks and drinks for that value.

I actually loved my expertise within the Premium Lounge and would completely pay for the improve once more, particularly if the journey was for a special day.