Cruising on a freighter?
May 10, 2016 | 7:41 pm
#2
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At least 3 lines. Biggest one is probably CMA-CGM (taking pax is a policy of the company's founder and there's no security- screw 9/11 and all that security cr@p) with some 75 ships that take passengers (grand total of <1,000 pax a year). Other lines that do include Hanjin and Hamburg Sued.
See the thread about trans-oceanic crossing a page or two back.
See the thread about trans-oceanic crossing a page or two back.
May 11, 2016 | 12:06 pm
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http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cruis...c-cruises.html
YVR Cockroach's trip report linked in that thread is amazing.
YVR Cockroach's trip report linked in that thread is amazing.
May 11, 2016 | 8:13 pm
#5
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YVR Cockroach's main thread - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...dai-china.html
My TR from a long ago freighter cruise - http://gardyloo.us/freighter.htm
My TR from a long ago freighter cruise - http://gardyloo.us/freighter.htm
Sep 6, 2016 | 9:57 pm
#6
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One hazard of travelling on a freighter is being stuck due to port strikes, or, as a recent example, the line's bankruptcy. Hanjin, a Korean line (owned by the same corporate parent as KE FWIW), went insolvent over the weekend stranding the goods, crew and possibly passengers on 85 ships. You still have to pay even if stranded onboard!
Sep 7, 2016 | 7:51 am
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One hazard of travelling on a freighter is being stuck due to port strikes, or, as a recent example, the line's bankruptcy. Hanjin, a Korean line (owned by the same corporate parent as KE FWIW), went insolvent over the weekend stranding the goods, crew and possibly passengers on 85 ships. You still have to pay even if stranded onboard!
Freighter travel interests me. The joys of sea travel minus the odious "cruise culture."
Sep 7, 2016 | 8:00 am
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Article in the NYT about this recently:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/21/tr...minnesota.html
Agree completely; the Great Lakes cruise in the article looks very interesting.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/21/tr...minnesota.html
Agree completely; the Great Lakes cruise in the article looks very interesting.
Sep 7, 2016 | 8:08 am
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Have you ever done a regular cruise? I thought I'd be bored, and not particularly interested in "cruise culture," but the two I've taken (Alaska and Valparaiso around the Horn to BsAs) were great. You really can get off to yourself as much as you want and read or relax; food is easily available, and the whole thing is fairly economical. You can take or leave the social aspects as you choose. These days, there's no need to "dress for dinner", etc.
Sep 7, 2016 | 8:17 am
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Article in the NYT about this recently:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/21/tr...minnesota.html
Agree completely; the Great Lakes cruise in the article looks very interesting.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/21/tr...minnesota.html
Agree completely; the Great Lakes cruise in the article looks very interesting.
Sep 7, 2016 | 9:55 am
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Difference is, you may not be able to get off the ship, and the airlines don't keep charging you the extra time you are onboard. The Hanjin ships are just anchored off shore as no ports want to take them in case they don't get paid.
Sep 7, 2016 | 10:52 pm
#12
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Here's a story of being stuck onboard a freighter of a bankrupt line. Ship is moored outside Japan's territorial waters. Helicopter charter, anyone?
http://vancouversun.com/news/nationa...food-and-water
Another Hanjin ship was stranded outside YPR's container port for over a week.
http://www.thenorthernview.com/news/392451351.html
http://vancouversun.com/news/nationa...food-and-water
Another Hanjin ship was stranded outside YPR's container port for over a week.
http://www.thenorthernview.com/news/392451351.html
Sep 8, 2016 | 5:11 am
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Certainly freighter cruising wouldn't be for everyone. Less adventuresome fusspots who fret about the unlikely event that the line goes broke would be well advised to stick with major market lines where they can embrace the "cruise culture," wave their napkins over their heads as the baked Alaska is marched in and smuggle liquor on board like they did going to a high-school sock hop.
Sep 8, 2016 | 6:56 am
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Strand Travel in the UK used to do it but they've just retired.
This company supposedly does it
http://www.cruisepeople.co.uk/
This company supposedly does it
http://www.cruisepeople.co.uk/