Freighter Cruise Vacation Ideas

A freighter cruise vacation is the perfect vacation idea for many people. You may be wondering "What the heck is a freighter cruise vacation?"

Well, first you need to picture a large ocean-going ship whose primary purpose is to transport freight from port to port around the world. This freight is typically carried in large boxes the size of a tractor trailer rig you see on the highway. But don’t let that turn you off.

The point is that these ships go all over the world. So someone got the bright idea to set the ships up with passenger accommodations and provide the opportunity for people to cruise the world along with the cargo.

Does anyone actually do this? You bet!

Lots of people find this to be superior to the standard cruises offered by the mainstream cruise lines. But is it for you? The typical freighter passenger cruise is:

A free-spirited independent traveler.

Prefers to make their own decisions about how to spend time on a cruise.

Likes to do their own planning and organizing of shore visits.

Is flexible enough to handle the possibility of a last-minute schedule change.

Enjoys some privacy on their cruise.

Has a taste for a little adventure and something out of the ordinary.

If this fits you then you may be a perfect candidate for a cruise vacation on a freighter.

Accommodations on a freighter cruise are excellent and are often comparable to a five-star cruise ship. With typically only about a dozen passengers aboard, you get close attention from the crew.

One of the fun parts of the cruise is watching the loading and unloading of the cargo. The small Tahiti port has only a few cranes and the huge containers are wrestled into position by the crew.

While the Singapore port has miles of docks with monster cranes to efficiently handle the masses of ships and cargo containers. It all makes for a fascinating part of the freighter adventure cruise .

The cruising atmosphere on a freighter is informal and fellowship with your shipmates and crew is easy. On a conventional cruise you may dress for dinner each night, watch lavish shows and graze at endless buffets.

With a cruise on a freighter you are more likely to dress in shorts and sandals and chat with the captain and crew over one of the ample and nourishing meals served three times a day.

One of the best companies that offer freighter cruises is Maris Freighter & Specialty Cruises. They’ve got transatlantic cruises to Northern Europe or Central and South America.

Transpacific cruises to Australia, the Far East and the South Pacific. They have 15-day and 18-day around-the-world cruises as well as a number of specialty voyages on mail, supply and vintage cruise ships.

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