Offers

Freighter Travel

„All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware." (Martin Buber)

Since the pandemic, there are only a few active routes left.
Unfortunately, it does not look as if operations will return to normal.


Belgium - Finland

8 day round trip
or one way cargo travel

Route
Belgium -
Finland
Vehicle transport possible

from 600 EUR

-- learn more --

Netherlands - England -
Iceland

Freighter round trip from
Rotterdam to Reykjavik

Route
Netherlands - England -
Iceland - England -
Netherlands

from 100 EUR per day

-- learn more --

Germany - Spain - Morocco

21 day cargo ship round trip
to Morocco and back

Route
Germany - Netherlands - Great Britain -
Spain - Morocco - Spain -
Great Britain - Germany

from 1.995 EUR

-- learn more --
South pacific Islands Freighter travel route with the Aranui 5

French Polynesia

Explore the South Sea by
mail ship aboard the Aranui 5

Routes
East Polynesia,
Tahiti,
Marquesas Islands

from 3.020 EUR

-- learn more --
Freighter travel route New Zealand - Pitcairn

New Zealand - Pitcairn

Travel to Pitcairn
by Supply Ship

Route
Tauranga -
Mangareva -
Pitcairn

from 3.725 EUR

-- learn more --
Freighter travel route Germany - South Africa

Germany - South Africa

Travel with the Cargo ship to
Walvis Bay or Cape Town

Route
Germany - Belgium -
Namibia - South Africa - Netherlands -
Belgium - Germany

from 95 EUR per day

-- learn more --

Cargo travel situation: Due to the consequences of the pandemic, only these few active routes remain.
Unfortunately, it does not look like operations will return back to normal.

Until further notice, only the routes listed above and below are available.

The European round trips from Hamburg or Barcelona are popular. While your ship is engaged in cargo operations in the various ports, you have time to explore the surroundings. If you take your bike with you, you are independent and flexibly mobile.

21-day round trip Hamburg - Canary Islands - Morocco - Spain:
An exciting journey to the Canary Islands and ports in southern Spain awaits you. The turquoise water stretches out in front of the mighty grey city walls of Cadiz, and there is much to discover.
Even from a distance you can make out the largest mosque in the world on the shore of the "white city" of Casablanca. A walk through the winding old town, the medina, will transport you to the world of the Orient.
Spanish ports may vary depending on the itinerary, but Santa Cruz on Tenerife and Las Palmas on Gran Canaria are always key ports of call. This trip promises a variety of fascinating impressions and experiences.

28-day round trip Hamburg - Antwerp - Le Havre - Tangier - Casablanca - Agadir - Rotterdam - London Gateway - Hamburg:
A fascinating liner service connecting the northern continent with the ports in Morocco. Agadir spoils visitors with a pleasant and mild climate all year round. The wide, golden beach invites you to take a walk and, in summer, to take a refreshing swim. A must is a visit to the lively fishing port of Agadir and the winding old town of Casablanca, if time permits. Ports may vary depending on the itinerary, but Casablanca and Agadir are fixed ports of call and are visited on every trip.

28-day round trip Barcelona - Casablanca - Algeciras - Tangier - Vigo - Leixoes - Lisbon - Tangier - Valencia - Barcelona:
A varied round trip in the Mediterranean that starts in Barcelona and takes you to Morocco before you circumnavigate the entire Iberian Peninsula and explore numerous ports!
In Leixoes, you can easily reach the market hall and the city centre with its diverse shops and cosy cafés on foot. Regardless of which terminal your ship docks at, both the northern part with its beautiful beaches and the southern part of the city are easily accessible.
The port of Leixoes is fascinating: unlike most other ports, the largest container terminal is located at the back of the port. This means that your ship must first pass through a long port channel and an imposing bascule bridge.
Casablanca and Tangier can even be visited twice during this voyage, giving you even more opportunities to explore these fascinating ports.

Freighter voyage Hamburg - South Africa:
Four impressive general cargo/multi-purpose vessels invite you to a fascinating voyage from Hamburg to South Africa.
This extraordinary voyage offers the possibility to be booked either as a complete round trip from and to Hamburg or as partial routes between Hamburg - Antwerp - Walvis Bay/ Namibia - Cape Town/ South Africa - Durban - Cape Town - Rotterdam - Hamburg, depending on your individual preferences.

Supply Route New Zealand - Pitcairn:
A very special cruise to the world's most remote island, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and 5,000 km from both South America and New Zealand. Once a week, the supply ship brings guests and essential goods from Mangareva in French Polynesia to Pitcairn, where guests can spend a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 11 days. 

More sustainable alternative to a South Sea cruise with the Aranui 5:
The Aranui 5 is a uniquely designed ship that combines the functions of a cargo, cruise and mail ship. She offers all the comfort and enjoyment of cruising in the South Seas while fulfilling her important role as a supply vessel.
During a 12-day mail voyage from Tahiti to the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia, the Aranui 5 not only treats its guests to first-class meals and exciting excursions, but also helps reduce the carbon footprint of these voyages by transporting essential cargo to the remote islands.


Useful general pointers for cargo travel:

Cargo Ship Cruises area good way to get from point A to point B on a low CO2 footprint, but time, planning and flexibility are necessary.

Please note that being flexible is a big requirement when you are planning to travel by freighter. The arrival and departure dates are always estimated, because they depend on the actual cargo loaded in the ports, as well as the weather conditions. Up until a week before estimated departure it's unrealistic to give an exact embarkation time. As a rule of thumb, three days of delay per week of travelling are to be accepted.

In a world where almost everything is readily available in the blink on an eye, this demand for flexibility, this little bit of unpredictability, might just be one of the delights of cargo travel, as freighter journeys also do not start daily, but every few weeks or months.


Freighter Travel for everybody

Travelling by freighter offers a good alternative for people with fear of flying. They give an additional spirit to your sabbatical year or help people after a burnout, to get the required peace and quiet break. They are also great for everyone who prefers a more eco-friendly way of travelling, since the cargo ships move their cargo with or without passengers, so there is not much extra CO2 added on per traveler. 

Freighter Travel is a peaceful, stress- and almost jet lag free way to reach your faraway destination, finding your centre before reaching the shore.


Exploring the slow side of life with Freighter Travels

Freighter Travel are much more than getting from one point to another. They are offering us one of our most precious values: time. Time to rest, time to escape the stimulus satiation of our everyday life. Time to focus on the work on your thesis, your book, or any other project that is important to you. And Time to let go and just let be.

What is the attraction of the vast horizontal scape of freighter travel? What is the allured depth of the seemingly monotonous landscape of the sea on a Cargo Ship Cruise? The answer is as simple as it is deep: it is the switch from our fast moving daily routine to the unknown calm. Far away from phones and internet, away from time pressure and private commitments you will find a new tranquility. It may sound cheesy, but this stopping process of calming down is one of the first steps of finding your inner calm and balance.

Spending the days watching the horizon and oceanic landscapes creates an intoxicating, meditative feeling of freedom. Standing on deck helps you to let the wind blow all the worries of your daily routine away.

While the rest of the world takes part on the daily game of efficiency, speed and peak performances, freighter travel will give you an authentic feeling of the widenes of the planet. Slowly, destinations will come up and pass by. Travelling like this becomes an inner journey. Far away from everything we can get close to ourselves. Creativity is released and well-being improved.


Everyday life on board

Your well-being will be taken care of on board. Most vessels have their own gym and sauna, some even a swimming pool, and the comfortable cabins are often bigger and more comfortable than on a cruise ship. Most cargo ships only have about 3 - 5 passenger cabins, so it's easy enough to avoid fellow passengers if you want to.

You may spend your time reading or watching movies, sunbathing on deck, meeting for a coffee with another passenger or going to the sauna, to the gym or the swimming pool, if available on your cargo ship journey.

If you´re looking for social interaction, you will find it too. You can spend hours on the bridge and ask the friendly officers to explain the technical equipment, or asking for advice for your next excursion ashore. You may join the sociable cargo ship barbecue parties with the whole crew, which take place every now and then.


Stopover and Shore Leaves

Going ashore is a wonderful change during your freighter travel journey. In most cases the shore leaves will last about 8-12 hours, in some cases even up to 2-3 days, plenty of time for you to explore your surroundings.

Please also have a look at our cargo travel FAQ.