GROUP TRAVEL CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT RATES

1. Definitions and Application

‘Group Booking’ means a booking for a contract for the carriage on the same crossing by ferry of a group of 10 or more passengers (or such other minimum number as the Company shall from time to time advertise as qualifying for discounted group fares); 
‘Company’ in relation to a Group Booking means either (a) P&O Short Sea Ferries Limited, if you are sailing on a Short Sea route; (b) P&O European Ferries (Irish Sea) Limited, if you are travelling on an Irish Sea route; or (c) P&O North Sea Ferries Limited, if you are sailing on a North Sea route; 
‘Irish Sea routes’ means sailings between Larne and Cairnryan and/or any other routes that may be operated by us across or around the Irish Sea;
‘North Sea routes’ means sailings between Hull and Rotterdam (Europoort) or any other routes that may be operated by us across or around the North Sea;
‘Short Sea routes’ means sailings between Dover and Calais, or any other routes operated by the Company across or around the English Channel;
‘Operator’ in relation to a Group Booking means the coach/tour Operator or an individual making a group booking for and on behalf of any passenger and who discharges the obligations to any passenger included or intended to be included in such Group Booking;
‘Vehicle’ means the vehicle (if any) to be carried by the Company pursuant to a Group Booking; 
‘Group Passenger(s)’ means a person included or intended to be included in a Group Booking, including any employees or agents of the Operator; and
‘The Company’s Terms of Business’ (copy available on the Company’s website https://www.poferries.com/en/terms-and-conditions or available by request by emailing; groups@poferries.com) means the Company’s terms and conditions for the carriage of passengers and any accompanying vehicles and property and any additional terms and conditions contained on the Company’s website.  

2. Nature of Contracts

2.1. The Operator acts as agent for each Group Passenger and as principal in all other respects and confirms that it is duly authorised to enter into the Group Booking with the Company.  

2.2. The Operator undertakes to be responsible for the payment of all monies due to the Company by Group Passengers. The Operator has no authority to bind the Company without express written permission in any separate agreement between the Operator and the Company whereby the Operator is specifically authorised to act on behalf of the Company including issuing tickets.  

3. Booking Arrangements

3.1. When a reservation is accepted by the Company it shall be regarded as a firm ¬booking (unless advised exceptionally). The Operator shall keep the Company fully and promptly informed of any possible reductions or increases in Group Passengers.  The Operator may without cost or refund reduce the number of Group Passengers in a Group Booking to the minimum referred to in the definition in clause 1.2 at any time prior to the cancellation period detailed in clause 4. Any reduction in the number of Group Passengers in a Group Booking made after the cancellation period will be subject to the cancellation charges as specified in clause 4.3.

3.2. It is the Operator’s responsibility to cancel any unrequired bookings. For cancellation charges refer to clause 4.

3.3. The final number of passengers travelling must be confirmed by the Operator:

a) Short Sea and Irish Sea routes: no later than 14 days prior to travel, either by email or telephone; and 
b) North Sea routes: a final cabin list for all passengers must be provided, via email only, no later than 42 days prior to departure, unless otherwise agreed. The Company reserves the right to redeem any unsold cabins 42 days prior to the departure date.

Failure to comply with these requirements may result in the booking being partly or entirely cancelled without notice.  

3.4. Invoices will be based on final passenger numbers and vehicle size. Should these increase, at any time up to and including the day of travel, additional costs will be incurred and be invoiced for. No reduction in fares will occur as a result of a decrease in passenger numbers and vehicle size, once final numbers have been confirmed.  

3.5. Subject to the provisions of clauses 3.2, 3.10 and 3.11, fares are only guaranteed once you have been issued a reference number. 
 
3.6. You are not entitled to any refund as a result of currency fluctuations between the date our fares were published and the date of your departure.   

3.7. An environment surcharge will be applied at time of booking. Fuel surcharge will be set in the month prior to travel. The fuel surcharge applicable will be determined at P&O Ferries sole discretion. In exceptional circumstances, P&O Ferries may increase the applicable fuel and environment surcharge prior to your travel date. The fuel surcharge will apply to Coach/ Minibus leg(s) and will be collected prior to your journey as appropriate.

3.8. We reserve the right, at our absolute discretion, to amend our tariff calendar and fares. 

3.9. Bookings may be based on provisional schedules and vessel disposition, which could subsequently change.  In the event of such a change you will be advised of the alternative options available. 
Although we will use commercially reasonable efforts to provide you with your contractual booking, situations may occur which result in changes being made. By way of example only, we may adjust itineraries and schedules, delay departures or arrivals, or cancel a ferry crossing due to casualty, weather, port congestion, difficulty docking, labour problems, medical emergency, the need to render assistance to others, governmental or insurer directives, passenger or employee injury or illness, schedule delays or changes by third parties, conflicting charter schedules, repair and maintenance requirements, fuel or other shortages, or damage to the Ship, or damage to other means of transportation, roads, tracks, bridges, docks, equipment or machinery. Furthermore, the Master of the Ship may, in his/her sole discretion, elect not to proceed in the ordinary course. Consequently, we cannot guarantee the itinerary (including time of sailing from or arrival at any port or that all ports will, in fact, be called at).   

We shall not be liable to you in any circumstances in contract, tort (including negligence or breach of statutory duty) or otherwise howsoever and whatever the cause thereof for any loss of profit, business, contracts, revenues or for any special, indirect, or consequential damage of any nature whatsoever. Nothing in this clause shall operate to limit or exclude our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence or that of any of our employees while acting in the course of their employment; or fraudulent misrepresentation or fraudulent concealment; or any liability which cannot be limited or excluded by law.

3.10. It is the responsibility of the Operator to quote the correct account number or promotional code at the time of booking. No refunds will be given where a booking is incorrectly priced as a result of no or an erroneous account number being quoted by the Operator.  

3.11. Any bookings made on a route for which Contract Rates have not been agreed will be made at published group rates.  

3.12. Operators with a credit account will be invoiced accordingly.  The Company will send to the Operator a statement showing all balances outstanding in respect of bookings made.  

For monthly accounts statements will be sent by the Company.  Payment terms require payment of the total balance shown to be outstanding on each statement to be received by the Company by the 15th day of the month following that to which the statement relates.  
For weekly accounts, statements will be sent by the Company.  Payment terms require payment of the total balance shown to be outstanding on each statement to be received by the Company by the last day of the week following that to which the statement relates.  
For Operators with a cash account, payment is due 28 days for Short and Irish Sea routes, 42 days for North Sea routes before the outbound departure date, except if travel (for either the outward or return journey) takes place on a Premium sailing date, when payment is due as defined under clause 3.13.

3.13. All group bookings travelling on Premium sailing dates, on all routes, must settle 100% of the booking value at least 3 months in advance of outward departure date.

3.14. Promotional and published fares of fixed duration only apply if the number of passengers travelling is the same on both journeys. Bookings with different numbers of passengers on the outward and return journey as well as cross route, cross season and cross year bookings will be charged at the sum of two one-way journeys for the relevant booked sailings. Contract Rates are only available when any additional conditions, including but not limited to, times of travel, vehicle types, duration of stay are strictly adhered to.  Failure to observe these conditions will result in a supplement being required prior to travel.  Space is only guaranteed on the booked sailing. P&O Ferries reserves the right to charge £150 / €165 at the port, if you fail to check-in for travel on your booked sailing. Space on an alternative sailing is subject to availability at time of check-in.

3.15. Both outward and return legs of a booking will be automatically cancelled if the outward leg is not used. If an outward or return leg is not used by a Group Passenger(s), the Operator will be liable for any difference in the applicable fare. 

3.16. Group bookings made on the day of travel, at the port, are subject to space availability and will incur a £200 supplement to published and contracted group rates.

4. Cancellations & Amendments

4.1. If the Operator cancels a group booking, cancellation charges are payable to the Company as follows:

Non-Premium sailing dates:
a) Short Sea routes: 50% for bookings cancelled 8-28 days before intended travel and 100% for bookings cancelled 7 days or less before intended travel or if there is a no-show.
b) North Sea routes (also see clause 4.4): 50% for bookings cancelled 15-42 days before intended travel. 100% for bookings cancelled 14 days or less before intended travel or if there is a no-show.
c) Irish Sea routes: 50% for bookings cancelled 8-28 days before intended travel and 100% for bookings cancelled 7 days or less before intended travel or if there is a no-show.

Premium sailing dates, all routes:

d) No cancellation charges for bookings cancelled more than 3 months before travel.
e) 100% if cancelled less than 3 months before travel.

4.2. Prebooked meals cancelled 7 days or less of scheduled departure time incur 100% cancellation charge. 

4.3. Amendments to bookings will be as follows:

a) All Routes, Premium sailing dates: Any amendments to bookings on Premium sailing dates may not be made without incurring the following cancellation charges: 
I. No cancellation charge if amended more than 3 months before travel; and
II. 100% cancellation charge if amended less than 3 months before travel.

b) North Sea route, non-Premium sailing dates: Amendment to route, date and time within 42 days of scheduled departure, will incur an amendment fee. In addition, any increase in fares will be charged if applicable, and no refund will be issued in the event of a price decrease. Cancellation of a booking leg (outward or return part of journey) within 42 days of travel: no refund will be issued.

c) Short and Irish Sea routes, non-Premium sailing dates: Amendment to route, date and time within 28 days of scheduled departure, will incur an amendment fee. In addition, any increase in fares will be charged if applicable, and no refund will be issued in the event of a price decrease. Cancellation of a booking leg (outward or return part of journey) within 28 days of travel: no refund will be issued.

4.4. On all routes, bookings will only be cancelled in full when a request is received and acknowledged by email from the Operator. Amendments to passenger numbers, cabins and meals may be made via the telephone or by email.

5. Legal Compliance, Documentation & Passports

5.1. It is the Operator’s responsibility to check and fully comply with all the necessary rules for entry to the different countries. We refer to the website of the following UK Government web page www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.

5.2. It is the Operator’s responsibility to ensure that the coach driver or party leader provides all and any documentation requested by the Company for all Group Passengers.

5.3. Collective passports & NATO travel orders must be declared, via email, at the same time as the provision of final passenger numbers, as stated in clause 3.3. Failure to do so will result in delayed or potentially missed departure. When travelling on a collective passport, all named passengers must be travelling on board the same coach (not split over several coaches).

5.4. In the event that a passenger travelling with the Operator is found by the border authorities of a respective country to be travelling without the correct documentation required for entry into that country or if the required information in relation to a passenger has not been provided by the Operator to the Company, and if the border authority implements a financial penalty on the Company for such failure, the Company reserves the right to charge the Operator the amount of such penalty. The Operator shall pay the amount of the penalty within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice from the Company.  

5.5. For the purposes of passenger registration, the Operator is responsible for and undertakes to provide, prior to travel, the names, gender, date on birth, age category, any special care/needs (in the event of an emergency) and any other information the Company deems reasonable for all drivers and Group Passengers.  Passenger registration documents are available on our website https://www.poferries.com/en/travel-information/group-travel#route. Should the border authority implement a financial penalty on the Company for failure by the Operator to provide such information, the Company reserves the right to charge the Operator the amount of such penalty. The Operator shall pay the amount of the penalty within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice from the Company.

On Short Sea routes, the coach driver or party leader is responsible for registering all passenger details required by the Authorities onto the P&O Ferries Group Scan app (available on Apple Store or Google Play Store), prior to arrival at each departure port.

In addition, the coach driver or party leader is responsible for ensuring that all passengers are accounted for and identified at the point of embarkation and disembarkation. Failure to undertake checks may result in costs being applied to the Operator. Should the Company be financially penalised under this clause, the Company reserves the right to charge the Operator the amount of such penalty. The Operator shall pay the amount of the penalty within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice from the Company.

The Operator shall draw the attention of all passengers and drivers to the Company’s privacy policy, a copy of which is available on the Company’s website www.poferries.com or available by request by emailing; groups@poferries.com explaining that all Group Passenger and driver’s personal data that is processed by the Company will be handled in accordance with this policy.  The Operator shall also obtain the consent of any passenger or driver in providing special care/needs data as this information may be used by the Company for the purposes of providing such person(s) with any assistance they may require.

5.6. All contracts between the Company and the Operator and between the Company and a Group Passenger are on the terms of the Company’s Terms of Business ( available at www.poferries.com) these  Group Travel Conditions of Contract Rate and your individual contract rate agreement, which are deemed to be included herein and receipt of a copy of which is acknowledged by the Operator.  

5.7. The Operator undertakes to be responsible for the behaviour, conduct and wellbeing of all Group Passengers. The Company reserves the right to refuse return travel to an individual Group Passenger and/or their entire party if in the sole view of the Company, a Group Passenger’s behaviour or conduct is unacceptable. 

5.8. The Operator undertakes to be responsible for all complaints made by the Group Passengers and shall use best endeavours to settle the complaints amicably. The Operator further undertakes to inform the Company of all complaints as soon as they occur or as soon as practicable following the incident.  The Operator shall keep the Company informed of all measures taken by the Operator to settle such complaints. Should the Company advise the Operator on a course of action in relation to a particular complaint, the Operator shall follow the Company’s instructions in full and failure to do so may prejudice any rights of recovery.

6. Supporter Groups (Short Sea and Irish Sea) and Single Sex Groups

6.1. The Company may permit Supporter groups at its sole discretion   to travel on all routes. For all routes, Supporter Group Steward Packs are available on the Company’s website at www.poferries.com and must be signed and emailed to the Company before any bookings can be confirmed. Any undeclared Supporter groups will be legally bound by the Supporter Group Steward Pack and may be refused travel by the Company at its sole discretion. 

6.2. Supporter groups are subject to the following special conditions:

a) Each coach must have two nominated Stewards; and
b) All reservations MUST be confirmed in writing.  

CONDITIONS OF CARRIAGE FOR SUPPORTER GROUPS DOVER TO CALAIS

7. Youth Groups

Youth and Child party organisers are required to appoint Group Leaders to be responsible for the supervision of their party at all times, who would also be instructed to report to the information desk on board immediately on embarkation.  Group Leaders are solely responsible for the behaviour and safety of children on board the vessels. Group Leaders should download, sign and brief to their group our code of conduct available on the Company’s website www.poferries.com. We will not allow anyone under the age of 18 years to purchase tobacco, cigarettes, wines or spirits from any of our onboard shops, bars or food outlets. Natural exuberance from -children is to be expected but the dangers of disruptive behaviour whilst on board should be explained to your party prior to boarding.  We also request that the comfort of, and courtesy to, other passengers is respected at all times. The Company reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to refuse any bookings requested on behalf of such groups.   A Youth or Child party is defined where 50% of the total passengers are 0 -15 years of age.

8. Foot Passenger Groups

We do not carry Foot passenger groups on our Short Sea routes. All groups must travel in a coach.

Conditions of Group Rates and Group Travel should be read in conjunction with P&O Ferries full Terms of Business. Please visit www.poferries.com and click on Terms and Conditions.

You can download a copy of our Group Travel Terms here.

01 July 2026