@StuartG has been in near-constant phone conversation with DFDS, which these days rund the ferry. Apparently they want to reserve capacity for cars on a key holiday weekend, so have very limited capacity for cyclists and pedestrians and are currently unwilling to release more space.
Given where the bikes are put on that ferry, a decision that more bikes=fewer cars can be made only by a complete numpty who has never set foot on the boat or asked the loading gang if there is any effect at all.
I assume this is the Normandie Express, which does have rather smaller capacity than the slower ferries? And would point out Eurostar backtracked on the bike policy change, I had no bother getting Mr Gravel on a train to Brussels and neither did Sonia.
