Freighter Cruising an Option for Adventurous Travelers

Jan. 7, 2011— -- Readers often ask about the possibilities for ship travel beyond the usual big-line cruise options. One reader asked about domestic travel:

"Is it possible to book passage on a commercial ship from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon? Who would you contact?"

The short answer is that it isn't possible. But if you like the idea of travel on a commercial ship, several agencies specialize in freighter travel in other areas of the world.

The Domestic Problem

As far as I know, no freighter line carries passengers between two U.S. ports. American law prohibits foreign-flag shipping lines from carrying passengers between ports in the U.S. without an intervening stop in a foreign country. That law applies to cruise ships as well as to freighters, and it's the prime reason that the mass market cruise lines -- which generally operate under foreign flags -- don't offer cruises linking various U.S. ports.

That law, designed to "protect" domestic passenger shipping and shipbuilding, has virtually eliminated both -- a prime example of unintended consequences.

I know of no domestic shipping companies that provide for passenger services on coastal shipping or shipping to or from Alaska or Hawaii. The only way you're likely to get a ship from Los Angeles to Portland is if one of the inland waterways cruise lines has to send a ship to or from Los Angeles for some reason.

If you like the idea of freighter travel, you'll have to leave the U.S.

Freighter Travel Basics

Some large freight ships -- especially modern container ships -- offer cabins for a few paying passengers. But crossing an ocean in a cabin on a big ship is about the only similarity between freighter travel and a conventional cruise:

Typically, freighters carry no more than 12 passengers -- that's the limit for ships without full-time onboard doctors -- with up to six double cabins or maybe a few singles. Some ships offer only double beds. Others have twins as well. Cabins are often quite a bit larger than on typical cruise ships. Many are two-room suites.