The small passenger capacity is due to lack of medical staff on board. Todays passenger freighters are mostly containerships, french and german, with 2025 international officers and crew on board, and 2 to 6 passengers max. You will likely dine with the captain and officers of the ship, though direct contact with the crew is also part of the experience. Jan 07, 2020 new zealand freighter travel, londonbased cruise people, and maris freighter cruises. It is always more expensive for a single to book a double cabin and always cheaper per person for double occupancy of a double cabin. No matter where you book, the average daily cost on a cargo ship will be between. Info on freighter travel cost, and how you can take a cruise on a freighter ship.
Book your passage, either through the travel agency or directly through the shipping companys agent or manager. Cruising on a container ship freighter expeditions. Slowtravel specialist in freighter travel worldwide langsamreisen. You can spend the day on deck in a lounge chair, reading your favorite book with no disturbances. Can i work on a freighter for all or part of my passage. Apr 17, 1983 because polish ocean, like most freighter lines, carries no physicians on its vessels, it imposes an age limit of 72 on its passengers, and those over 62 are required to provide a certificate from.
The popular oldschool romantic notion of showing up penniless at a dock with a rucksack and then earning your passage by swabbing the decks will have to remain in robert louis stevenson novels. Oct 18, 2018 the specific length of your stay will depend on the ship line. Jan 06, 2011 most freighter lines have minimum and maximum ages for passengers. Restructuring continues, creating new alliances, particularly on the worlds number one and two trade routes. How to book passage on a freighter the new york times. Often, tramp voyages have passenger rooms and travelers can book them. The last few years the markets have been stormy for the shipping industry, with the overcapacity and low freight rates exacerbating each other. A wellkept secret in these days of airport anxiety is that it is still possible to book a regularly scheduled sea passage to most parts of the world. Meet the man who has spent three years travelling the world for free. Some people will choose to spend several months traveling across the ocean and even around the world. Check with the freighter line for an estimate of how stable the ship will be in the conditions of seas typical during your intended season of travel. Whether a cargo ship has 1 or 101 passengers onboard, it will still sail and. Freighter travel costs and questions gonomad travel. A voyage on a cargo ship can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.
In this article youre going to learn everything you need to know about booking a cargo ship travel adventure. Freighter travel specialists in cargo passenger travel. Cargo vessels usually take no more than 12 passengers along, as by. Many ships will have accommodation for fewer than 12 passengers it is quite common for only 23 people to be onboard you could even have the entire ship to yourself. West coast to australianew zealand and return takes about 46 days. Freighter travel is virtually the only way to travel across the caspian sea and is a very common way to travel across the black sea. Many ships only have 2 to 4 cabins so you will usually need to book up to 6. Freighter cruising an option for adventurous travelers abc news. Below is a report by one of our clients about her experience of travelling on container ships. We are able to offer voyages on several different types of vessel such as container ships, bulk carriers and carvehicle carriers. The senior cutoff age ranges from 70 to 85 years, depending on the shipping line, and seniors over 65 may need a doctors. The cost should include any port fees, room and meals. Freighter travel is here to advise you on all aspects of cargo travel and to assist you in planning a trip to remember.
Most passengercarrying freighters have a maximum capacity of from one to twelve passengers. You must be under 77 or 80 depending on the shipping line to do a cargo ship cruise. They give an additional spirit to your sabbatical year or help people in special situations, such as after a burnoutsyndrome to get the required break. We dont offer package voyages there are so many options available to you that we like to create a personalised itinerary to suit your needs. Freighter travel is a less crowded alternative for crossing a sea or ocean, not using airplanes or commercial cruise ships or ferries. Heres an excellent video about international shipping from the ted talks series.
Feb 04, 2008 part 1 of a macgellan report featuring a tour of a container freighter ship at sea south of australia january 31, 2008. Only one company, polish ocean lines, maintains an office in the united states for booking passengers. The ship docked in busan at 11 am and departed at 6 pm, just long enough to load and unload containers. Slowtravel specialist in freighter travel worldwide. This may have been possible decades ago, but not anymore. Yes, booking passage on a cargo freighter is completely different from a cruise ship. Its relatively inexpensive compared to other cruise ships and easy to do as more and more freighter companies come on board to offer passenger service. This site has evolved over the past three years, based mainly on my own experiences aboard ship and in dealings with agents, shipping companies, and the officers and crew of several ships. Booking a cargo freighter ship cruise is not quite as simple as booking a normal cruise. Freight tickets are usually cheaper than cruise ship prices, and availability is limited to fewer fellow travelers, usually around 10 people.
How many passengers are typically carried on a freighter. Cruise the world on freighters, from coastal and island specialties to one way ocean crossings and around the world cruises. Traveling by freighter is a great way to see the sights of alaska without the hurry and congestion of commercial cruises. Trip auction aboard the saginaw bidding ends august 1. Walking past a huge international shipyard twice today got me thinking about freighter travel. Freighter travel for everybody travelling by freighter offers a good opportunity for people with fear of flying. Whether a cargo ship has 1 or 101 passengers onboard, it will still sail and use just as much fuel, making your journey almost completely carbon neutral. Continues roundtrip voyages are offered, as well as longer one way voyages, between the continents only. Rose george, the speaker, took passage on the maersk kendal to learn about ocean freight shipping on a container ship. A typical freighter only can accommodate about 20 passengersand many take even fewer. Passengers are likely to meet some of the crew and get a peek into the nittygritty of shipboard life.
Cargo ship cruises are the most likely way to get from point a to point b on a low carbon dioxide level for experiencing a freighter cruise around the world for instance. We have a couple of such questions on the site, but not many. Passenger freighters voyage list maris freighter cruises. Cargo ships usually offer single, twin or double bed cabins. Cargo ship voyages is not the supplier or organizer of these voyages, acting as booking agent only of the shipping company. All you need to know about booking a cargo ship cruise. No, you are not on a standard commercial cruise ship. Many questions about freighter cruises are answered. Ill also tell you about my own trip across the pacific ocean on a cargo ship. Maris freighter cruise and travel club intl, offering voyages from coastal and island specialties to oneway ocean crossings and aroundtheworld cruises. Cargo ship travel things you should know freighter expeditions. Niall doherty founder and lead editor at ebiz facts. If youre happy to pay for your trip aboard a cargo ship, follow these steps to make a booking.
You absolutely cannot work aboard a cargo ship in exchange for passage. A word of advice to the cargo ship traveler, be flexible. Becoming a crew member on a modern cargo ship requires years of study and training. Below is a report by one of our clients about her experience of travelling on container ships by heather c. An around the world voyage lasts generally 80 to 100 days or more. For example, here is a voyage that my wife and i really like duration 27 days for 2700.
Twelve is the magic number, since those carrying more than twelve are required to have an onboard physician. So, if you are someone who is prone to motion sickness, think carefully about booking passage on a cargo ship. One of the most unique ways to travel to alaska is by freighter, or cargo ship. Win a trip on aboard an interlake freighter drawing september 16, 2011 winner. It is not overstating it to say that some people think that freighter cruising is a life changer. May 04, 2015 in fact, heres a youtube video from mrmf22 chronicling his trip across the ocean as a passenger on a cargo container ship. But if a quiet, slower paced, more intimate way of travel and the opportunity to learn and experience different cultures around the world sounds interesting to you, then maybe youll want to consider booking. Cruising on a container ship freighter expeditions unique. Many people are surprised when they find out that freighter travel is often more expensive than flying and i just looked at the website of the australian company freighter expeditions and found most of the trips listed even more expensive. If you are travelling on a freighter for the first time, a short trip is recommended as it is vastly different from passenger ship cruising. Freighter travel plan and explore your cruise around the world. Big kanu in indonesia indonesian sea trek malaysia to china plus short. The average length of a freighter voyage is 40 to 50 days, though there are some shorter trips available last a couple of weeks. We have teamed up with hamish jamieson at freightertravel nz, based in napier, new zealand, who have a register of almost every passenger carrying cargo ship in the world and provide a worldwide booking service for freighter ship cruises.
You can travel from one port to another or around the world by freighter. But if a quiet, slower paced, more intimate way of travel and the opportunity to learn and experience different cultures around the world sounds interesting to you, then maybe youll want to consider booking passage on a cargo freighter. There are cruise ships that get around the act by taking on passengers in ensenada, mexico or vancouver, canada. Tips for booking passage on a freighter ship its a. Freighter travel is a less crowded alternative for crossing a sea or ocean, not. How to book a freighter cruise freighter expeditions. Most freighter passengers are retired, and many are women.
The ocean travels from halifax to montreal three times a week. Shorter trips will run for a few weeks, which is likely the case with great lakes freighter cruises. Schedules can, and very often do change and when that happens, you will need to hop on and off more than one ship during the trip. The passage conditions of the shipping company are valid, binding and nonnegotiable. The golden number in freighter travel is 12 this is the maximum number of passengers that any ship can carry without having to have a doctor onboard. Crossing the ocean on a cargo ship the art of manliness. Container ships ply every ocean, and passengers can book intercontinental passage on both east and westbound cruises. Container ships, the most common freighters, only transport packaged goods in huge multicoloured metal containers. Travelling on a cargo ship is a unique experience, offering an exclusive and authentic insight into the world of commercial shipping. The beginning of my journey crossing the pacific ocean by container ship.
Freighter travel is a cheap alternative to flying on a plane. This is the most frequently asked question i get via email. You might want to look into whether or not you can find freighter travel from either of those two cities. The sea of containers atop the cargo ship docked in busan, south korea. How to travel by cargo ship around the world transitions abroad. International law restricts the quantity of passengers to 12 unless there is a doctor on staff, a luxury not found on freighters. Maris freighter cruise and travel club around the world cargo. Unfortunately due to covid19, no freighter ships are taking passengers at this time and we cannot book any journeys for you. Travel by freighter to europe, mediterranean, south pacific. Cargo ship cruises how to book passage on a freighter. Hamish jamieson freightertravel nz 248 kennedy road, napier, new zealand. Cargo ship cruises are the most likely way to get from point a to point b on a low. Whether you love the sea, are conscious of your carbon footprint, dont like.
Just remember to book your passage in advance because you cant just show up at a port to jump on a ship on a whim. How to travel by ship from america to europe usa today. Many of us prefer that experience to a highly orchestrated shipboard experience. In these regions, ships may have to wait for days to be given access to the final port, facilities are bad, you likely have to bring your own food, and service is sporadic and unreliable you will have to check.
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