Boat Travel Tips
Whether traveling by spendy cruise ship or freighter boat, boat travel is boat travel. It's key to pack sparingly, avoid motion sickness, and spend onboard pennies sparingly to enjoy your high seas adventure.Boat Travel Packing
Packing for travel on a boat, whether a cruise ship or a freighter boat, is no different than packing for any student travel. Spare the stuff and spoil your back.You're probably traveling with a backpack anyway...backpack packing is smart for boat travel because it can be hard to get at your stuff in a "cozy" boat berth (bedroom or cabin), just like accessing your things in a hostel can be problematic. Traveling with a daypack is smart; you'll want to take it with you on shore explorations.
Motion Sickness Prevention and Remedies
The bigger the boat, the less likely you are to experience motion sickness. Be prepared for this potential pest, though; spending a boat trip tossing expensive onboard cookies overboard is no fun:
Bringing Stuff Home and Shopping From a Ship
Among my belongings is a tattered straw purse I bought on the Nassau dock at the straw market. I didn't need it and I don't want it but I can't throw it away. I had to buy something. Watch yourself for this kind of crazed shopping behavior in ports. Highly dangerous to your wallet. If it happens to you, don't flagellate yourself - happens to the best travelers. Trust me.Escape the dock when in port and head into town to find some real travel mementoes. Make them practical: earrings made by a local crafstman take up no room if you wear them; a good poncho is a must-have, anyway - search out a nice handwoven one well away from the madding crowds at dockside.
Once you've bought your stuff, you'll eventually need to bring it back to the United States - understand US Customs and border regulations here.
Onboard Food and Drink
Food and drink on a freighter is almost always included in your freighter passage cost - do not count on carrying any food with you as the ship may forbid it. Food and drink on a cruise ship is usually spendy, but eating is a primary onboard activity and some cruise ships have truly terrific cuisine.
Costs
Go to page one for freighter travel info and page two for cruise ship facts.
"The rewards of the journey far outweigh the risk of leaving the harbor."
-- Unknown
