Anyone do or know someone who has done travel using cargo ships?

Posted by TheIvanKeska@reddit | Shoestring | View on Reddit | 23 comments

Now for those that don’t know i don’t me traveling inside a shipping container or something dumb like that. I mean a lot of cargo ships have a limited passenger space, or atleast did maybe thats changed. And i wonder if anyone has utilized this method before because when i looked at it years ago it was slower travel but insanely cheap for long distance travel and could take a lot of stuff. Anyway any do this and if so how was it, and have things changed at all recently in how it works, price, availability, and such?

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SpaceJungleBoogie@reddit

It was my dream, to feel the wide open ocean, endless waves and the wildest starry night... but sadly pandemic hit as I was saving some money aside, and now it appears like a dead end. At least I couldn't find anything else apart a few cargo ships leaving or going to UK. Let us know if you find something!

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beringiaz@reddit

You saw this: https://www.cargoshipvoyages.com/ I am looking at a trip from Europe to Africa. Hope you can find something to live out a dream.

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sugar_ballz@reddit

How did you go with this website? we're they able to help?

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Important-Worker9091@reddit

I've contacted them several times and received no responses

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Life-From-Scratch@reddit

Get qualified as a merchant marine cook and get paid to travel.

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111623@reddit

Do you have any advice on how to get started on that? I’m already a cook with pretty good international experience

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SaskatchewanManChild@reddit

Check out bayt.com for foreign jobs as a starting point.

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Interesting_Pirate85@reddit

I went from Philadelphia to Auckland by container ship. Was a fantastic experience. You definitely need to enjoy your own company but I loved it. This was pre Covid and I’m Not sure they have restarted since then

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valeyard89@reddit

Most cargo ships stopped taking passengers during Covid and haven't restarted. Even when it was possible it was always way more expensive than flying.

https://www.cargoshipvoyages.com/

WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS, DEEP SEA INTERNATIONAL VOYAGES ARE NO LONGER POSSIBLE AS MAJOR SHIPOWNERS AND/OR THEIR CHARTERERS HAVE INDEFINITELY WITHDRAWN FROM THIS ACTIVITY.

No transatlantic voyages
No Australia/New Zealand/Europe voyages
No Europe/South America voyages
No transpacific voyages
No round the world voyages
No voyages in around Asia or Oceania

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kchro005@reddit

maybe it was less expensive in a time before it was corporatized and booked online

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valeyard89@reddit

That and pesky regulations like insurance liability.

Ships are all automated these days and run on bare minimum crew. This isn't the days where you can jump on a tramp steamer from Rangoon and work for your passage.

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BalkanPrinceIRL@reddit

I never did this as a tourist, but I have done it for work. Since I wasn't part of the crew, I can't imagine my experience would be much different than someone booking passage. It is "relaxing" in that there's not a whole lot to do. It's not a cruise line going from one fair weather destination to another, so if you encounter bad weather, you could spend a lot of time below deck. My accommodations were much larger than anything you would get on a cruise ship though, so that was something. I dined with the Captain and senior officers every night who spoke English and was glad for the conversation as none of the crew spoke English. If you're a solitary person who enjoys a good book (or two) it's not a bad experience.

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111623@reddit

Sorry but how did you get the job? Do you have any advice for someone who wants to get into that?

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Lopsided_Age5590@reddit

I did. Charleston to Klang, Malaysia, and Philly to Sydney, Australia. It was life changing, very hard, and I would do it again in a moment. Typhoons. Pirates in Yemen. Endless time, sky, and boredom. I wrote a book and made two shows worth of artwork (I’m a pro artist)

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Debasering@reddit

It was hard? You didn’t have to do anything besides exist lol

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jbh1126@reddit

sounds amazing, did you shoot any photos

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EVRider81@reddit

Did a travel agency course way back,never took it up as a job,because internet booking..Recall being interested at the mention of the option of ocean travel on a cargo ship, there were agencies listed for those interested ..

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trane_88@reddit

I did Le Havre to Charleston. All the other posts are correct. It is not cheaper than flying. Some other stuff to note, you will have to do your research/booking I believe 6mths in advance. Booking will be slow, it's not like buying a flight and getting a ticket right away.

Closer to the date of departure you will need a medical assessment, to see that you're physically fit for the ship. You will need to phone your "point of contact" person, whenever the ship is loaded up it will depart - could be earlier, could be later than your "departure date".

But the cool thing, you get to wander the ship, see the mechanical workings, go up to the bridge and watch the captain dock, stand at the bow and feel the massive pitch.

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