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Cargoship from Western Europe to the Caribbean. Cargoship from Western Europe to the Caribbean.
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Photo by George Guille, It's going to be a long 300km... Bolivian Amazon

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by George Guille
It's going to be a long 300km...
Bolivian Amazon



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  #1  
Old 2 Feb 2023
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Cargoship from Western Europe to the Caribbean.
Hello everyone,

I am currently trying to find out if it is still possible to cross the Atlantic on a cargoship.
It was in pre-Covid days, but up-to-date information is now both sketchy and scarce.
I'd like to board a Caribbean ( think Guadeloupe or Martinique ) or Central America-bound one ( think Panama ) with my bicycle sometime in the fall, from any harbour in Western Europe.
CGM CMA here in France used to have a few berths available but from what I gathered they are not operating any longer.
Would anyone happen to have any leads ?

L.
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  #2  
Old 3 Feb 2023
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Seems to still be possible? https://voyagesencargo.com/lines/car...orthern-europe
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Old 3 Feb 2023
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Yes, but there is also this page on the same site :

https://voyagesencargo.com/fr

It is clearly stated that all passages are still suspended until further notice.
I will try to give them a call early next week to clear the matter.

I contacted a German travel agency whose business is ( was ? ) mostly the sale of berths/cabins on cargoships but they are currently not back operating on transatlantic routes.
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  #4  
Old 7 Feb 2023
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I called them up.
CMA CGM won't accommodate any passenger this year.
Supposedly that is a Covid-related issue .
I will keep searching elsewhere.
L.
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  #5  
Old 7 Feb 2023
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A trip on a cargo ship would not be my first choice, when I´d want to cross the atlantic with my bicycle. Nice sea view is spoiled by living in a steel cube for weeks among busy people. Pricing was shameless like one way in the range of a first class Lufthansa return ticket (which would include bicyle transport), last time I searched for it.

There are - at least in the german speaking part of the internet - many website connecting people who want to work on sailboats and yachts just for the leg they need a lift for.

This old tradition is called "Hand gegen Koje" in german, which translates "hand for a bunk". Some offer paid jobs on board for - slightly - experienced sailors, some seek for company or just offer bunks to share costs.

Here is a - just quickly googled, there a more suitable certainly - english website with such offers: https://www.crewseekers.net/opportunities/

Before the times of the internet, people just showed up in bars, famous among sailors as meeting points on the route from the Iberian peninsula, Canary Island and the Azores, to leave a note.
Like you can still do at Peter´s Cafe, even online nowadays:

https://www.facebook.com/petercafesport/

Enjoy your trip
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  #6  
Old 8 Feb 2023
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Thanks for your input TodoTerreno.

Western Europe to the Caribbean lasts around 10 days on a direct cargoship. It's not that long really if you bring books or stuff to read/write/work on the computer .

I did it several times in the past ( some of my crossings between the Indian Ocean islands in the 90's ) and I enjoyed it.
You are basically free to roam aboard, you can stretch your legs and even jog if you wish :-)
As far as I am concerned I'd rather sail than fly, travel slow than travel fast.
It ain't cheap for sure, you are looking at $130/day, but it is full board.
This kind of money wouldn't even get me a very decent hotel and 3 meals a day here in France.

Hitching a lift on a yacht is another -albeit even slower- option.
In my experience it is hit and miss, but I am not writing it off.
I'd have to be in the Canary Islands from November through February to maximize my chances, though.
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