To E-mail The Cruise People about a Cunard Line Voyage

(please send name, address and phone number for quickest reply)

North Atlantic Routes

Weekly - HAPAG LLOYD - EUROPE/CANADA ROUTE (mv JONNI RITSCHER, 22,200 dwt tons, 6 passengers, mv's VALDIVIA and VALENTINA, 22,200 dwt tons, 2 passengers) - Between Liverpool, Antwerp and Montreal.  An account of a typical Trans-Atlantic voyage in a container ship on the Montreal run can be found at Samuel Smith's site Cruise on the CP Honour.

Twice Monthly (April/November)  -  PZM POLISH STEAMSHIP COMPANY (mv's ISA, ISOLDA, ISADORA, IRYDA, IRMA, 35,600 dwt tons, 6 passengers each) - Amsterdam (IJmuiden) to Cleveland and Burns Harbor, IN (for Chicago). Round voyages also available.

Mediterranean Routes

Every 27 days -  NSB FREIGHTER CRUISES - MED/US GULF ROUTE (mv's MSC ALESSIA and MSC FLAMINIA, 85,825 dwt tons, 5 passengers) - Between Naples, La Spezia, Valencia, Sines (Portugal), Freeport (Bahamas), Veracruz and Altamira (Mexico), Houston, New Orleans, Port Everglades and Savannah, return via Barcelona and Gioia Tauro.

Every 28 days (April/October)  - HAPAG LLOYD - MED/CANADA ROUTE (mv BARMBEK, 16,000 dwt tons, 8 passengers) - Between Valencia, Livorno, Cadiz and Lisbon and Montreal.  

Every 32 days -  MELFI LINES - MED/CANADA  ROUTE (mv MELFI IBERIA, 20,175 tons, 6 passengers) - Between Genoa, Barcelona, Valencia and Halifax, return via Havana, Naples and Livorno to Genoa.

Every 35 days -  HANSA - MED/US  ROUTE (mv ITAL OCEANO, 35,000 tons, 2 passengers) - Between Genoa, Fos (Marseilles), Valencia and Lisbon and New York, Norfolk, Savannah and Miami, return via Malta, Taranto and Livorno to Genoa.

Every 77 days -  NSB FREIGHTER CRUISES - MED/US ROUTE (mv IBN SINA and AL FUJAIRAH, 42,000 dwt tons, 8 passengers) - Between La Spezia, Fos (Marseilles), Barcelona, Valencia and New York, Norfolk and Savannah and return via Valencia and Genoa to La Spezia.

Mediterranean/California Route via Suez and Pacific Ocean

Fortnightly -  HANJIN & SENATOR LINES (m/v HANJIN AMSTERDAM, m/v HANJIN ATHENS and m/v HANJIN BRUSSELS, 1 Owners, 1 Double and 1 Single cabin, swimming pool, maximum 5 passengers, 68,800 tons and m/v PEKING SENATOR, m/v PENANG SENATOR and m/v PORTLAND SENATOR, 4 Double cabins, swimming pool, maximum 8 passengers, 63,645 tons) - Between Naples, La Spezia and Barcelona vis Suez, Port Kelang, Singapore, Hong Kong, Yantian, Osaka and Tokyo to Long Beach and Oakland, and return.

Caribbean Routes

Weekly -  CMA CGM THE FRENCH LINE - EUROPE/FRENCH ANTILLES ROUTE (mv's CMA CGM FORT ST GEORGES, FORT ST LOUIS, FORT ST PIERRE and FORT STE MARIE, 28,000 dwt tons, 12 passengers) - Between Dunkirk, Rouen, Le Havre and Montoir and Fort de France, Martinique, and Pointe a Pitre, Guadeloupe, and return.

Every 10 days -  HORN LINE - EUROPE/CARIBBEAN ROUTE (mv's HORNBAY, HORNCAP and HORNCLIFF, 12,880 tons, 12 passengers, also mv's ALICANTE CARRIER and SEGOVIA CARRIER, 17,500 tons) - Between Dover, Antwerp and Le Havre and Fort de France, Martinique, and Pointe a Pitre, Guadeloupe, and return - also serving Cartagena, Colombia, and Puerto Limon, Costa Rica.

Every 12 days -  CMA CGM THE FRENCH LINE - EUROPE/ST MARTIN/TRINIDAD ROUTE (mv's CMA CGM ARISTOTE, CMA CGM HERODOTE, CMA CGM HOMERE and CMA CGM PLATON, 21,250 dwt tons, 6 passengers) - Between Rotterdam, Tilbury, Rouen and Le Havre and St Martin, French West Indies, and Port of Spain, Trinidad, and return - also serving Cayenne and North Brazil ports.

Every 20 days -  NSB FREIGHTER CRUISES - EUROPE/CARIBBEAN ROUTE (mv CMA CGM ESPERANZA and m/v CMA CGM FORTUNA, 32,100 dwt tons, 2 passengers) - Between Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg and Le Havre and Kingston, Jamaica, and return - also serving Cartagena, Santo Tomas, Puerto Cortes and either Puerto Limon or Puerto Moin.

Note: Passage tickets are issued by shipowners, which may differ from the operator. Payments are accepted in Pounds Sterling, Euros or US Dollars.

Important: Non-US & Canadian passengers entering the USA by freighter require a Valid US Visa.

1. How much will it cost me to cross the Atlantic ?  Firstly, you shouldn't think of sea travel as a way to beat an air fare - it isn't. Unlike flying, it can be a richly rewarding experience. You should expect to pay a minimum of $1,450 to $1,500 per person each way, depending on the route and the cabin.  Sea travel is only cheaper than flying when you consider the many days you will spend on board (compared to a hotel stay ashore) with three full meals a day and a private cabin. And drinks on board cargo ships are not only tax and duty free, but also profit free (what we call bonded stock).

2. Can I take my pet or my vehicle with me?  Those wishing to take with them their pets can once again do so on board Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2 between New York and Southampton. Shipment of vehicles needs to be arranged with an outside company as vehicles are not carried on Queen Mary 2 and container ships will not accept vehicles as accompanying baggage.  A company called TransGlobal Logistics, with depots in both Europe and North America, can arrange shipment of your vehicle to many destinations worldwide and at reasonable rates.  Please follow the link below to their web site:

3. Can I work on board to lower my fare?  Briefly, No. Thirty or forty years ago crews numbered 39 to 49 people but today, with automation, crew size is more like 21, so don't even think about asking if you can work your way over. There aren't enough jobs to go round for the real seamen.

4. What about single (and female) travellers?  Freighters have the great advantage of being inexpensive for single travellers, often with no single supplement for single cabins. And single women may travel without fear - the crews of these ships are accommodating and welcoming - most of them have wives and girlfriends at home. Single female travellers are among the more important groups who travel this way.

5. How quickly can I sail across the Atlantic?  Relax. You won't get there in just 5 days. Most Trans-Atlantic freighter voyages take 10 to 14 days and even Queen Mary 2 takes 6 days. The fastest Trans-Atlantic freighter passages are between 8 days and 10 days, but passages of 12 to 14 days are not uncommon.

6. How accurate are sailing schedules?  Dates for Queen Mary 2 and cruise ships are unlikely to change unless there is a realignment of schedules. Container ship sailings are usually year-round, but dates are subject to change due to cargo or weather. Take care to make flexible arrangements, eg. changeable flight tickets and allowing time for connections.  Tramp sailings depend on cargo and are less reliable than container ships.

Last Revised 11th August 2008