- By Feray Yuksekbas Kavas, Sales Executive, MTS Logistics

What if I told you that there is a great option to travel other than flying, for those of you who hate waiting in line at crowded airports, or those who are tired of paying for extra luggage fees?  Maybe “Freighter Travel” is something for you?

Or maybe you care so much about your precious cargo, that you want to travel with your containers? Sit next to them on the voyage, sing to them when the waters are rough? I am just kidding of course, but Freighter Travel is no joke.  1% of the worlds steamship lines offer cargo and passenger voyages.

When I first heard about this phenomenon I imagined what a unique experience it must be. You will be on a cargo vessel in the middle of the ocean with very small number of the passengers along with you, hanging out with the ship crew and not to mention tons of cargos or thousands of containers on board. Anyhow I found this a very different way to travel and did a little research on it. Here are couple good reasons for why you may want to try this one-of-a-kind traveling experience:

First of all cargo ships may cover less touristic parts of the world compared to cruise ships, so you may get a chance to see more unique and untouched places.

Here is another good reason to be a Freighter Traveler. When you are passenger on a cargo ship you usually get to dine with the Captain or the officers; it sounds cool right? I mean on the airplanes forget about dining, you do not even get to see the pilot. You just hear his announcements time to time from the cockpit. Also if you consider yourself an environmentalist, choosing the cargo vessels is the greenest form of traveling.

The reason being that shipping is the greenest form of cargo transport and you will be considered a tiny part of the container ship’s cargo. Even though you are traveling on a container ship you do not have to sleep in a container…
 Accommodation is generally comfy in the passenger cabins, that are assigned each passenger. All cabins have windows, but don’t get your hopes up for a great view; sometimes the view can be blocked by the containers placed on deck.

Here the best reasons of all, in my opinion: You can bring AS MUCH LUGGAGE AS YOU CAN FIT INTO YOUR CABIN, so for people moving to another country or who like to travel with their entire wardrobe, this might save you a lot on shipping your things by air.

Now that your thinking Freight Traveling sounds kinda cool, you must be wondering how it works? Basically, you are paying a cargo vessel to transport you along with whatever they are carrying across the sea. You can sail from the US and Europe to China, Japan, and India in a container ship. Imagine having your own ship for yourself (+ five to twelve other passengers)  instead of the 5,000 you would have to share a similar size cruise ship with.

Today’s passenger freighters mostly are German or French owned containerships, with international officers and crew onboard, offering accommodations for 4 to 12 passengers. They take maximum 12 passengers on board the vessel because ships are required to hire a doctor if more than 12 passengers are present. When on board the vessel you will be given a small cabin and you will have access to crew facilities, such as the lounge, a mess hall and common areas on the ship. You will be served three meals a day and bed linens and towels will be changed once or twice a week. The fare is paid daily and surprisingly it may not be the cheapest option to travel.

It seems very comparable to cruising however there is the downside: incredibly long transit time. Only people who can afford the time spent on these long trips, can enjoy a different and memorable travel experience. As these are cargo vessels they call more then a of couple ports for loading or unloading cargo, that may can take from 12 to 36 hours. You will need to have all visas for these stops in your passport to be allowed to travel. So prepare well!

Feray Yuksekbas Kavas is a Sales Executive at MTS Logistics Inc. Feray graduated from Istanbul University with a BA.

One of the first questions I routinely get asked when people find out I work aboard ship is “Do You Get Seasick”. I find this question rather amusing considering that no amount of monetary compensation can justify the look I’ve seen on the faces of those prone to this ailment. For those in love with the idea of cruise ship travel but unwilling to step foot off the dock architects in Turkey might have your solution. News.com.au tells us:

Situated between the legendary Toros Mountains and the sparkling turquoise Mediterranean in Göynük, the Queen Elizabeth Elite Suite Hotel & Spa is a five-star luxury hotel in the guise of a massive cruise liner.

The hotel has been constructed on a purpose-built harbour, with ship-shaped villas, swimming pools, bars and vistas, as well as theme park rides.

Inside the 325-roomed hotel, guests can relax in saunas, Turkish baths, shock pools, steam rooms and Jacuzzis, while the spa and wellness centre offers a variety of therapies and treatments. (Photo Gallery – Video)

If you are looking for some more a authentic stationary cruise then you will have to wait for the QEII to reach Dubai, where she will become part of the new Dubai Maritime City. You could also just shop in a ship or visit maritime inspired destinations in a city near you.

For those looking to avoid sea sickness aboard a real ship here are a few tips:

Watch what you eat, avoid unusual smells, stay away from those who are prone to getting sick and, if all else fails, get topside and look at the horizon. Sea Sickness is most often triggered by confusion in your brain so, like most activities aboard ship, the best prevention is a relaxed but occupied mind.

For the full list read our post:

What is Seasickness? And 50 Ways Professional Mariners Tackle it!

• FAA’ s Real Time Flight Delay Status Map: LINK
• Seat GURU, pick the best seat for your flight: LINK
• Track your flight with FlightAware: LINK
• Or track flights with Google Earth: LINK
• Get Flight Status SMS on your cell phone: LINK
• Enter your plane’s Tail number into google for a maintenance / safety history report
• Find what you can carry on: LINK
• Arrive awake with the Jet Lag Calculator: LINK

Planning a trip of your own:

• Predict the best time to buy your ticket: LINK
• Search all the travel sites with kayak.com: LINK
• Find the vacation spot to fit your mood: LINK

911 Dispatch brings us this map of International Emergency phone numbers. Click HERE for the latest version.

For more time zone and international dialing secrets click on out post titled: +34 45-434 2958 …how do you dial that number??

The stats are in and 2007 was a bad year for lost baggage. We hope that you take crucial items like your license with you in a carry-on bag but what about you’re knife? Travel Better has a solution:

So I was wondering if you know if it’s possible to get a temporary PO box or a similar thing in order to mail your shampoo, cologne and other liquids to yourself at your destination city ahead of time to make sure you know it’s there before you even step on the plane. Are there such services?

Why yes!

You’ve got a few options, actually, and as long as you’re packing well and not mailing things that violate postal service regulations, then this could be a great way to avoid checked luggage, avoid the theatrics of the TSA war on moisture, and avoid having to buy stuff at your destination, all in one swoop!

There are essentially three options:

1. Your hotel
   Where you stayin’? Call the hotel, ask if they hold mail for guests, and what the restrictions are. In all likelihood, this will be the most convenient and most reliable way for you to receive packages. Tip: Be sure you include “hotel guest” after your name when you address the package.
2. Post office
   The magic words: “Poste restante,” or “general delivery.” Poste restante is an old fashioned mail-pickup service that most countries’ postal services still provide. Mail is addressed to a person, but in lieu of an address for delivery, the mail is sent to a post office branch, where you pick it up.
3. American Express
   American Express cardmembers and travelers’ check holders can have mail sent to an American Express Travel Services office anywhere in the world. Call them before sending them mail, and ask if they receive and hold Amex client mail. Not every office will do it.

For more details on these options CLICK HERE. Also check out some of their other tips:

• The airline changed its schedule, what are my rights?
• What kind of point-earning credit card is best?
• Which airfare comparison site is the best?
• Rating the hotel metasearches
• How to lounge in airports
• Tips on finding discounted first class fares.
• I don’t care where I go, it just has to be cheap
• Where to find cheap last-minute or emergency tickets

(Photo by massdistraction)