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In a related question we've discussed the practicalities of hitchhiking on a car headed towards the ferry between France and UK, where @DJClayworth wrote:

A quick check on the most basic ferry of all, Dover-Calais with P&O, reveals that the cost of a car is the same no matter how many people are in in it. Simply check the price on this site and vary the number of people. I suspect that most other routes are the same.

However you do have to book the number of people, so your plan to hitch a ride is unlikely to work. And security considerations would probably prevent it happening anyway.

What happens if you book a car ferry for 2 people, but then show up for the DFDS or P&O ferry with 3 people? Is it possible to add an extra passenger as you drive onto the ship? If the answer is yes, what is the fee to do so?

Related question about adding extra passengers in advance on the web: Can I add passengers later for free to my booking for the DFDS Dover-Calais / Dunkirk ferry?

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You won't be allowed on the ferry:

When traveling to and from the UK, it is now mandatory to provide Advance Passenger information. This is a requirement that is needed for each person prior to travel from the Government of the country you are travelling to and from and must be completed no less than 24hrs prior to travel.

There might be exceptions but for this one I think it's impossible. Doubt you can hitchhike this way.

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    The source for this appears to be the DFDS FAQ on advanced passenger information, which should be fairly reliable. But something doesn't add up: their answers to questions about changing details or what to do if you're having issues submitting where make it clear that passenger information can be collected (and/or corrected) at the port at check-in. You can also buy tickets less than 24hrs in advance.
    – Chris H
    Commented Jun 11 at 12:02
  • Indeed so. The DFDS FAQ about Advanced Passenger Information contains this clear statement: "You must submit your Advance Passenger Information details no less than 24 hours before sailing." If enforced, this would prevent addding a passenger during the 24-hour period before departure.
    – DavidRecallsMonica
    Commented Jun 11 at 14:22
  • @DavidRecallsMonica but then how does this work if you buy a ticket less than 24 hours prior to departure?
    – JonathanReez ♦
    Commented Jun 12 at 3:38
  • @JonathanReez I don't know. Perhaps the FAQ is inaccurate. Perhaps when you show up with a bought-within-24 hours ticket, DFDS turns you away. If there's really a UK law or regulation requiring passenger information to be submitted to the government in advance, and DFDS ignores it, DFDS would (presumably) be in trouble...so perhaps there's really no such regulation. Many possibilities exist.
    – DavidRecallsMonica
    Commented Jun 12 at 16:45
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    I've emailed DSFS, lets see what they say. From what I've seen with airlines the APIs stuff can be amended at the very last second with zero problems: travel.stackexchange.com/questions/79636/…
    – JonathanReez ♦
    Commented Jun 12 at 16:58

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