FOR LOVERS of the sea, freighter travel provides an alternative to generally higher-priced travel on cruise ships or liners. Freighter travel is not for everyone – you must have a lot of time available. Departure dates and ports are subject to change at very short notice, which can wreak havoc with a two- or three-week vacation. Most freighter trips are of at least three or four weeks duration, even without delays.
You have to be pretty self-sufficient to travel by freighter, since entertainment on board is usually non-existent and facilities like libraries may be limited. It helps if you like the sea a lot, because freighters usually take longer than passenger ships to cover the same distance.
Another problem with freighters is that they usually carry very few passengers, and if you don’t like the other people aboard you may be in for a bad time. Freighters are normally smaller than passenger liners and may be less stable in rough seas, so they are not advisable for anyone who tends to be seasick.
Another disadvantage is that you generally have to book a long time in advance. Since freighters usually do not carry doctors, they often impose an upper age limit for passengers. They may also require a certificate of good health for passengers above a certain age.
Despite the caveats, freighters can provide a unique and enjoyable travel experience. Cabins on passenger-carrying freighters are often larger and more luxurious than on passenger ships, food is usually good, and ports are often off the beaten track. Furthermore, you may get a chance to find out a lot about how a ship operates. For certified ship buffs, freighter travel can be a delight.
Freighter Cruise Services of Montreal serves as a clearing house and booking agent for a number of passenger-carrying freighters. Among its current offerings are a round trip on a Yugoslav freighter with various stops in the Mediterranean. Rates are reasonable, starting at $1,920 U.S. for a 45- to 50-day trip in double cabins with private bath. This works out to under $50 a day, a far lower rate than you can normally find on liners.
It also offers a South Pacific cruise of about 40 days with rates starting at $3,100 U.S. on a luxury-type freighter with a swimming pool and movies. Other offerings include sailings to Australia, South Africa and South America from East Coast ports.
It is possible but not easy to book freighter trips yourself. Consult books on freighter travel, or call the shipping lines that advertise in daily newspapers to determine whether they carry passengers. If you travel by freighter you probably won’t have to worry about how much luggage to take. One of the joys of ship travel is that you can take a lot of clothes and not have the hassle of dealing with frequent packing and unpacking. You unpack when you board the ship, then pack before you leave, and that’s it.
But for those occasions when you have to travel by plane or train, the lighter you can travel the better, in both money and energy expended.
For a long time, budget travellers have been advised to travel light. Nowadays, it is becoming ever more necessary as the number of porters in airports, railway stations and ports dwindles. When you can find them, porters are often rude and sometimes extortionate. This seems to be a particular problem in Italy and some parts of the Near East.
Luckily, it is becoming easier to travel light. With the new collapsible carry-on suitcases made of very durable synthetic material similar to that used in parachutes, you don’t even have to check your luggage. This saves a lot of time, and means you don’t have to worry about lost bags.
Being able to carry your own bags – and it isn’t hard with the new lightweight kind – means you don’t have to search for and pay porters, you don’t necessarily have to take taxis, and you are generally much freer to move about.
One of the larger carry-on bags that fit easily under an airline seat plus a duffel bag should be sufficient to see you through a two- to three- week trip. The bags hold a surprising amount, and since they are flexible you can usually fit in purchases acquired along the way.
Obviously you won’t want to pack garments of linen, silk or any other kind of fabric that wrinkles easily in these collapsible suitcases. Knits and synthetics of various kinds are the fabrics that travel best. For women, the knit dresses of Diane von Furstenberg travel very well and suit many occasions. They aren’t cheap unless you can pick them up on sale, but for frequent travellers they can be a good investment.
