Dubai-owned ferry company P&O is introducing a new “Sleep Lounge” facility on its historic overnight route between Hull and Rotterdam, allowing passengers to book a reclining chair and rest during their 12-hour sailing.
The new lounge will come into service on North Sea crossings from 13 July 2026, offering 36 bookable seats. Customers choosing to book the facility will also be provided with a complimentary blanket, plus storage lockers and USB charging points for their belongings and devices, gaining comfort and convenience in what Time Out is describing as “business class flight-style” seats, without having to splash out on a private cabin.
Announcing the development, P&O Ferries said the Sleep Lounge formed part of its expansion of “the range of experiences it offers passengers on the North Sea route between Hull and Rotterdam.”
Departing at 8:00 pm from Hull, passengers aboard the service will retain the usual possibility to book a cabin, but the growing range of experiences on offer includes onboard dining, bars, coffee shops, World Duty Free shopping, and entertainment, which are all options open to passengers who use the Sleep Lounge.
Louisa Bell, chief commercial officer at P&O Ferries, said: “Every journey is different, and we want customers to have the choice of options that work best for them. Whether they are travelling with friends, heading away for a short break or starting a longer trip into Europe, the Sleep Lounge is another way to make the crossing while experiencing the atmosphere and facilities that come with travelling by ferry.”
Tickets for foot passengers between October and December are priced from £47 per person (€54) each way, with a top up of £25 (€29) giving access to a Sleep Lounge recliner. Meanwhile, travellers taking their car with them on the ferry can do so from £121 (€140) for one vehicle, one passenger and one reclining Sleep Lounge seat, depending on dates and availability.
The new P&O facility comes amid travel industry reports that suggest premium services are increasingly helping to prop up profits for airlines and hotel groups. Analysts and CEOs have described seeing “K-shaped” growth and late bookings as consumers navigate geopolitical uncertainties, high oil prices, and disincentives such as tightening US immigration policy or the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System.
On top of those market conditions, P&O is still suffering financially and reputationally from the mass sacking of 800 workers who were replaced by agency staff in 2022. The move led to UK government investigations, was widely criticised, and is reported to have cost the company £47 million (€54 million), leading to ongoing bailouts from Dubai-owners DPWorld.
