Passenger Freighter Travel Review

In order that a discussion of passenger-freighter travel be most useful, I'm going to try to sum up my entire experience, the pros and cons, specifically as it relates to the flying experience. They are the same in that they are methods of long-distance transportation, but of course, due to a few drastic differences between them, often one is far more appropriate than the other.

Cost:
Let's start with the categories where passenger-freighter travel (let's just say PF from now on) falls behind. It's more expensive. The voyage from Montreal to Liverpool cost about $2000 Canadian - far more than an equivalent flight would cost. And for those thinking it (and many of you do), no, it's not possible to work your way there; there are more trained crew people than there are jobs, and based on my experience, they contract people from Eastern Europe and Southern Asia for the work (probably a cost-effectiveness thing). The contracts these people are on has them working anywhere from 4 to 12 months straight, before they can return home and wait for another contract. As such, and since it requires a lot of training, it doesn't seem like a position conducive to a curious young person from a rich country.

Time:
Here, again, where PF falls short (depending on how you look at it). My voyage took just over 7 days to cross the Atlantic, much longer than an equivalent plane. The added time, however, has a few benefits, including - no jet lag, since you're updating your time as you go, instead of all at once - and a real appreciation for the actual distance you're crossing. You can't get this appreciation with flight, which is, for all intents and purposes, a magical teleportation pod that you step into in your home country, and out of somewheres else. But, yeah, it's longer, and if you have a short vacation time, it's probably time you're unable to afford if you're only looking at transportation as a means to an end.

Customs:
This is tricky to evaluate. Upon our arrival in Liverpool, three customs agents came onboard to ask me typical customs questions. They were actually from the airport, but were called in for this purpose. It was me, them and the captain, sitting at a table on the boat. They were very friendly, but they drilled me. I assume it's because they see that someone is side-stepping the airports, and they want to know why. If I were paranoid about terrorists, I might think the same thing. They even went as far as to call my cousin here in London, who I told them was hosting me. They drilled me about what I did with my apartment while I'm away, how much money I have, all such things. Again, friendly, but tough. All I can say is, it was far more personal an experience than with flight.

Comfort:
Here's where the scales tip. I had my own room, with a bed, bathroom (with shower), TV, DVD player, plenty of outlets, writing desk, couch and mini-fridge. I was a mighty king. But a gentle king. I also had the freedom to up and walk around wherever and whenever I wanted - even late in the night, I could run down to the mess hall for a snack or up to the bridge for a nice view. On an airplane, there are times you can't even get up to go to the bathroom.
Now, motion - I didn't get full-on motion sickness, per se, though my appetite was strongly affected, quite negatively. It could have been other things though, including the fact that the smell of the kitchen was a little off-putting to my palette. When eating certain dishes, or in my room, I pretty much had my appetite back.
If you're someone who gets motion sickness, I can only imagine this would be a week-long nightmare.

Friendliness:
Here again, where PF shines, in my opinion. There's no get-you-in, get-you-out of air travel. There's no assumption of terrorism when you ask questions, get up, or take pictures. Everyone I encountered was friendly, even the customs agents, as I mentioned. I had free access to the bridge, and could ask whatever I wanted. I got a tour of the engine room and the deck, and it was quite an experience. Hands-down, PF wins here.

Experience:
Well, if you've never flown before, flying can be a fun experience. Likewise, if you've never been onbaord a large ship before, PF can be a fun experience. If you're curious, ask questions, and explore, you'll have a great time. Watch the ocean pass you by. See the vastness of it all. Touch real awesome equipment. It was a great adventure, I'd say.

All in all, I can see how it's not a method of transportation for everyone - but if you're even a little curious about it, then just try it. You're paying for the adventure, and the fact that you can cover great distances is a beneficial side-effect. Can't say it's all good, since there were certainly times when I was bored, but I think had I been better equipped with media on my computer, I could have been just fine. I got lots of reading and writing done, so it was great for my productivity.

If there are any other questions anyone has, let me know, and I can maybe answer.