Traveling the High Seas on a Low Budget

Many who travel set out with expectations of moving fast and spending big, however when traveling by freighter line, these expectations are pleasantly unmet. Departing on a freighter voyage entails many of the amenities that one might find while traveling on a cruise ship, but at a pace that is a true travelers dream.

A recent article by Maggie Freleng about freighter travel on GoNOMAD.com stimulated my deepest desires as a traveler; to relax and to enjoy my myself and my surroundings. Not being surrounded by “neurotic tourists”, but instead by crew members from across the globe seems like a pretty good way to avoid many of the pitfalls that are often inherently included in traveling by large commercial cruise lines.

The diversity in the composition of the crew offered a rich variety in both company and cuisine, which created a comfortable environment while offering delicious samples of ethnic foods. As well as a good environment, one can also find themselves steering away from the more conventional cruise ship activities like water slides and Tiki bars, and find themselves partaking in more
wholesome travel activities such as watching the dolphins swim next to the ship and watching the sunset over the bow of the ship.

Traveling by freighter gives a traveler the best of both worlds; time to relax between the hectic beauty of the port cities, as well as good company to travel with. The third, and perhaps most underrated value of all when traveling by freighter is a look through the porthole into the the industry that provides our global economy with all of its goods.

From Brisbane Australia to the Philippines; from the U.K. to the U.S., everything we own is being shipped by freight lines. Virtually all of our possessions and provisions are transported by these behemoth freight ships, and for less than one hundred dollars a day; we as travelers have the opportunity to do what we love best, while riding on the back of the boats that make the world turn.