North Atlantic Routes

Weekly (April/November only) - INDEPENDENT CONTAINER LINE (mv's INDEPENDENT ACCORD and CONCEPT, 20,000 dwt tons, 2 passengers each, mv INDEPENDENT PURSUIT, 20,000 dwt tons, 6 passengers and mv BONAVIA) - Between Antwerp,  Liverpool and Philadelphia and Wilmington NC (Note: Embarkation at either Antwerp or Liverpool, disembarkation at Antwerp only, where there are fast Eurostar connections to London St Pancras).

Twice Monthly (April/November only) - 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). Tramp voyages from the Great Lakes. Round voyages also available.

Every 35 days -  MEDITERRANEAN SHIPPING COMPANY (mv MSC TANZANIA, 63,645 dwt tons, 8 passengers) - Felixstowe, Antwerp, Le Havre and New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and return to Felixstowe via New York and Bremerhaven.

Every 15 days -  MEDITERRANEAN SHIPPING COMPANY (mv MSC FLAMINIA and mv MSC ILONA, 85,825 dwt tons, 5 passengers) - Felixstowe, Bremerhaven, Le Havre and Charleston, Savannah, Freeport, Veracruz, Altamira, Houston, New Orleans, Freeport, Savannah and Charleston, and return to Felixstowe via Antwerp.

Occasional Last Minute Sailings - RICKMERS LINIE - PEARL STRING ROUTE (Nine vessels, each 30,000 tons, 6 passengers) - Between Houston and Philadelphia and Antwerp and Hamburg, eastbound only and subject to space availability on the month of sailing only. Ports subject to change.

Read an account of a typical Trans-Atlantic voyage in a container ship at Samuel Smith's site Cruise on the CP Honour.

Note:  There are no longer any Transatlantic freighter passenger services to or from Canada.

Mediterranean Routes

Every 21 days - CMA CGM & F LAEISZ (mv CMA CGM AMBER, 57,900 dwt tons, 4 passengers, and mv PONA, 37,570 dwt tons, 4 passengers) - Between Fos sur Mer and New York, Norfolk, Savannah and Miami, return via Algeciras, Malta, Gioia Tauro, Livorno and Genoa to Fos sur Mer.

Every 41 days -  F LAEISZ - MEDITERRANEAN SHIPPING COMPANY (mv MSC UGANDA, 63,550 dwt tons, 8 passengers) - Between Naples, La Spezia, Valencia and Sines (Portugal) and Boston, New York, Baltimore, Norfolk, Savannah, and Charleston, and return via Valencia and Gioia Tauro.

Occasional Last Minute Sailings - Every 52 days - ZIM INTEGRATED SHIPPING (mv ZIM ONTARIO, 63,640 tons, 6 passengers) - From Haifa, Livorno, Genoa and Tarragona to Halifax, New York, Savannah, Los Angeles and Oakland and from Savannah, New York and Halifax to Tarragona and Haifa. East Coast sailings are bookable only three weeks in advance.

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

Autumn sailings -  P&O CRUISES - SOUTHAMPTON/BARBADOS (mv VENTURA 15 nights 22nd October from £1,259 inside £1,584 balcony £1,699 balcony, m/v OCEANA 15 nights 25th October from £1,209 inside £1,454 outside, £1,649 balcony, m/v AZURA 15 nights 29th October from £1,789 pp balcony,) - all fares per person and including flight back.

Spring sailings -  P&O CRUISES - BARBADOS/SOUTHAMPTON (mv VENTURA 13 nights 12th March 2011 from £1,249 inside £1,574 outside, £1,799 balcony, m/v OCEANA 14 nights 14th March 2011 from £1,149 inside, £1,474 outside £1,649 pp balcony, m/v AZURA 13 nights 19th March 2011 from £1,309 inside £1,669 balcony) - fares per person and including flight out.

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 about $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 (which has to be 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 is call bonded stock).

2. Can I take my pet or my vehicle with me?  Those wishing to take with them their pets can 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 do not accept vehicles as accompanying baggage.  TransGlobal Logistics, with depots in 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 cargo ship crews numbered 39 to 49 people but today, with automation, crew size is more like 21, so don't even think about asking. There aren't enough jobs to go round for the real seamen.

4. What about single (and female) travellers?  Cargo ships 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 (7 days eastbound in 2010). 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.

To E-mail The Cruise People about a Transatlantic Voyage

Last Revised 31st August 2010