Freighter Cruising?

[johnastovall]

Has anyone here done a freighter cruise? I would be interested in hearing about it. I'm thinking about a very long one at some time in the future as a way of doing a re-set on life.

[carrbowl]

sounds interesting!!!

[veritus]

That looks awesome! I am reading it right that for the entire trip in some of the cabins it's only 9,000 Euros? That's really not bad if you think about what it is.

[Bruce M. Morris]

Years ago when I lived in Singapore, my family talked about doing that as an alternative to straight air travel, but never got around to actually doing it. The practice has been around a long time, the variable being the condition of the cabins in the freighters.

[J Eddington]

That is my idea of a cruise. But that sure looks like the way to go. I could never get on one of those cruise lines that are little Las Vegas's on water.

[preames]

John,

This looks like an more intriguing alternative...http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2008...-to-north.html

Amazing stuff!

You can book your trip here...http://www.quarkexpeditions.com/our-fleet/our-fleet

[johnastovall]

Cold and I are a null set.

[Night Owl]

Years ago, our family (mom, dad and I....not my wife and I) considered a short freighter cruise on the Great Lakes. Never materialized, though. If I had A) the time and B) the scratch to do the long cruise in your OP, I'd jump on it like a duck on a junebug.

[110240]

not cheap and nearly impossible to get on. whybother Better try crewseeker.com and get yourself a job as a deck hand on a boat in the carribean or someplace good. theres some bomber boats and crossings out there. Even tall ships has to be better than a freighter. You dont need any sailing experience just know if someone tells you to "pull the red rope" you pull it. fairly simple :) Make sure as always common sense prevails and you check your boat and captains credentials. Also normally you can get your flight to the boat and food for free if you find a boat that need you enough. Theres heaps of forums for this type of thing. When you write to them realise theyre checking a ships email, and its annoying if you write too much the first time. Please dont reset your life on a freighter you will only come back with your ears ringing. heaps of cheap and good places out there (mexicos/nicaragua/perus on your doorstep... so cheap, so goooooood) mate, you just gotta take the first step on the adventure!!!

[johnastovall]

Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru are not on my list of good places but rather to be avoided.

What you are suggesting sounds far to much like work to me. I'm looking for boring and a place where one can look forward to the next chapter of a Trollope novel.

[Mike G]

I've known a few people on other forums that have done freighter cruises and they all enjoyed them, but they also didn't go into it expecting a 4 star pamper me cruise, they wanted to be alone with the basics taken care of. The stays in ports are longer giving you more time to explore, the ports are much less of the time tourist traps, you see more of the real world.

[toverman]

I think this sounds like a great way to see the world and have one's passport stamped a few times. Like Janice said above, I don't see myself on a typical cruise. This would be nearly perfect, if only I could get that much time off at once ...

[SCone]

Ever looked at taking a train around the country? Pretty reasonable trip cost.

[johnastovall]

Originally Posted by SCone

Ever looked at taking a train around the country? Pretty reasonable trip cost.

Want to get out of this country. If the Euro and Yen weren't so strong, I would consider a Eurrail or Japanrail unlimited travel pass. I've used both and they worked well. Nothing like in the '60's playing train roulette just go to the station and go where ever the next train was headed.