Might be a daft question but if for example your ferry leaves at 0740 and check in was open at 0530 - does this mean you can check in, drive on and go and sit on the ferry until it's ready to depart at 740? Or do you check in, park in the lanes and just wait until a set time when they start to load the vehicles? Thanks :)
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If you arrive too early they may just send you round and back out! However they may park you up in the lanes, if you're lucky you may be put on an earlier ferry. They don't hang about at Dover but I don't know about other routes.
Usually they park you up in the check out lanes if you arrive within a couple of hours of your timed departure. If you arrive before this, and it's a busy time, they may send you away elsewhere. It it's not busy they may put you on an earlier ferry crossing. You barely get time to get out of the car and up the stairs, after loading, before the ship is ready to sail again. These things have a rapid turn-around.