Transatlantic Freighter Travel with Bike, Spring 2005
 

Hello All

I am so very very happy to have found and joined this site. As I am leaving this spring for the ultimate journey I am sure it will be a godsend along the long long way.

I've been trying to find transatlantic passage by sea from the east coast of North America to Europe, preferably southern Europe, with me and my bike, a 1979 BMW R100T. I'm looking for sea passage because, well, as far as I'm concerned, the slower the passage, the richer the experience, ya know what I mean?

At first I was trying the cruise ships, but after extensive surfing and telephoning I found that only Cunard's Queen Elizabeth allows vehicles, and right now that ship is off going RTW , and she isnt doing Transatlantic W>E passage again until spring, 2006.

So I moved on to http://travltips.com/freighterdirectory.html a travel agency that specializes in getting travelers on freighters, handling many lines which go just about everywhere. Prices are ok, about $100us/day, but travltips claims not to handle bikes at all, and have told me to find a "freight forwarder". I'm still in commnication to find out if I can get myself and my bike on the same boat, so as to avoid any of the horror stories we've heard concerning lost bikes.

As she'll be my home for who knows how many years, I'm not about to split up with my bike.

Anyway, I'm just wondering if anyone has any updates or info for me concerning getting on a boat.


Thanks and safe passage for all.

cat

[This message has been edited by Universalcat (edited 25 January 2005).]

You can catch a boat from South America:
http://www.grimaldi-freightercruises.com/

Thanks, Chris.

Grimaldi seems like an excellent resource.
Maybe I'll head south before I head east.....

Try http://www.2wglobal.com/www/WEP/index.jsp They run car haulers from Europe to USA etc. They go back nearly empty. A motorcycle is quoted at $400 on their web page, but when I actually went to their agent in Tacoma, WA and talked to them I found that additional charges (bunkerage, fuel, etc.) would nearly double that and that any port charges (+/- $200) would be on top of that. The agent I spoke with was very friendly and helpful (he is also a biker) and commented that a, not uncommon, labor dispute could hold up the bike in a port for months. He didn't outright say it but I could tell that for this type of cargo he would have recommended that it be shipped by air if he would not have gotten in trouble for it. And when all the extra costs are added up, air is not much more expensive and a lot quicker.

I discussed this with Grant last Sept. at the HU Meeting and Grant said (paraphrased) "Docks are great for storing cargo, it can be hard to get your bike out of a dock. Airports want cargo picked up and removed to make room for more. Fly it!"

'cat, if you are determined to follow up on the sea frieght you can call EIMSKIP their port of call is New York. They have a website Search under their name, they will take it on LCL basis and some of their ships will take passengers depending on the time of year and route, but you have to box it. The schedule is on their website. The last time I did any pricing it was about $1200.00 Cnd. transatlantic Vs. $1500 by air. You saw the advice about this I take it, and it's the best way by far in my experience, if you time it right you can fly on the same aeroplane with some airlines which use combi aircraft, but.... Once you get to the UK you can go by ferry to ports in Spain, France, wherever you want. Alternatively you can ship the bike with Eimskip to ports in northern europe and go by road.
I did a trip from eastern Canada to UK, Spain, Portugal and the French Pyranees last spring. If I can help give me a mail.
Jim in Newfoundland

A crazy idea is forming in my mind: what about shipping your bike to Iceland? During the summer months car ferries go to Scotland via the Faeroe Islands.

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Salut from Southern France, the bikers' paradise,

Peter.

Salut all

I hadnt thought about the possible complications of getting the bike released from the receiving port.

I imagine that that only applies to a crated bike, no? I'm assuming that if the bike isnt crated, and is in a garage with other vehicles like on Grimaldi, than you just ride off and go through customs?

That is the way the QE II has it set up, I believe.
But if it's crated, it's probably going to be treated as cargo, and that could be a lot more complicated, involving potential dock holdups and other problems.

Im going to contact the freighter company link that Bobkat posted, well see what their setup is like.

uc
i have no schedule or limitations, other than the weather, so I am seriously considering the Grimaldi route.

Eimskip only seems to offer passenger service between Iceland and N.Europe:

www.eimskip.com/grein.asp?cid=112&aid=300

They take your bike as well: http://www.smyril-line.com/

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Salut from Southern France, the bikers' paradise,

Peter.

Like Eimskip, Smyril only offers passage between N Europe and Iceland, I'm coming from N America.

Peter, where in Southern France? I grew up between Nice and Monaco.

C'est trop beaux, la Cote D'Azur.

peace

Yes, I meant freighting or flying the bike to Iceland. There are no roro services to or from anywhere in NAm that I'm aware of. Even if you want to go with Grimaldi you have to fly or ship across the Darien Gap to get to SAm.

However, just found this one: http://members.aol.com/CruiseAZ/freighters.htm

We're in Cagnes-sur-Mer, the other side of Nice. Have been here 6 years and will hit the road again in June.

We don't actually like the coast, really, cause we think it's spoilt. But we love the back country.


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Salut from Southern France, the bikers' paradise,

Peter.

I shipped my moto from New York City to Southampton on the QE II in 2002. It was a pleasant trip - simply ride on, ride off as far as the bike was concerned - but it is very expensive.

Cunard's fee for taking the motorcycle along in the garage is about the same as the cost of air freighting the motorcycle over the same route using Motorcycle Express. Cunard's fee for the passenger end of the deal (meaning, you and a cabin for you) is about the same as a business class air ticket.

It was a delightful trip, and I am glad I did it, but it is not economical.

Here's a link to a post I made about that trip: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb...ML/000196.html

[This message has been edited by PanEuropean (edited 22 February 2005).]

I contacted Cunard after reading your post, Pan.
Unfortunately, the QEII is currently on the other side of the world and will not be running West to East Transatlantic passage until spring 2006.

As far as Grimaldi is concerned, shipping from Panama to Columbia to avoid the Darien Gap is not a problem. I was bicycling in Panama and Costa Rica for 3 months last spring, and met many people who had made that passage by boat, several with motorcycle or bicycle, for around $150.

However, I don;t feel called back down south right now, and am still trying to find a departure point from NE America. Brazil is about 5000 miles out of the way...

Ive been to the Freighter People site several times and have yet to find what I'm looking for.

[This message has been edited by Universalcat (edited 07 March 2005).]

Just an update for any future searchers seeking transatlantic passage from north america on a ship with their bike:

I've followed every lead, talked to every agency listed on this site and elsewhere, called every cruise line, and contacted some feight lines direct.

There is currently only one way to cross the Atlantic by sea with your bike, from West to East, ride on/ride off without having to crate it. That is on Cunard's cruise ship, the QEII.

You can certainly ship a bike in a crate on a frieghter, but the chances of you also getting passage on the same freighter are near impossible.
Even if you could get on the same ship, the bike would still have to clear customs as cargo, meaning possibly weeks of delays in the port of arrival.


Alas.
If anyone knows this to be false, for a fact, please PM me.

Looks like even the QEII isnt happening anymore either. Just got this email reply to a request:

"Dear Mr. Universalcat,

Please be advised we no longer transport any vehicles due to safety issues.

Best regards,
Cunard World Club"

[This message has been edited by Universalcat (edited 14 March 2005).]