I went on a one week freighter trip from Liverpool to Greenock and Santurtzi (for Bilbao) returning to Liverpool in July 05. This was my first voyage as a passenger on a freighter. I would certainly recommend a short voyage like this as a great way to try out freighter travel with a “bite size” trip, which I am sure was more forgiving of my inexperience than the longer trips more commonly reviewed and advertised.

I had read about freighter travel in a magazine some years ago and after finding more about it on the Internet decided that it would be nice to try, if I could find a trip that would easily fit into my annual holiday. This seemed to rule out most of the trips I found, which were very long or to required flights to allow short legs on long round trips. Then I found a site (http://www.zylmann.de/e_index.html) which had several shorter round trips including one based from the UK, so I would be able to travel by train rather than having to fly. This seemed perfect and eventually I booked through a London based agency (http://members.aol.com/CruiseAZ/freighters.htm) which allowed me to pay in sterling, useful for a first timer. The agency sent an information pack which contained a plan of the ship, identifying my cabin, and details of the ship’s agent, who I contacted to get a better idea of when to board.

This trip was aboard the MV Cervantes a 536 teu containership operated by Reederei Heinz Freese, a German company. She left Liverpool during Thursday night and returned the following Thursday afternoon. She spent Friday evening in Greenock and left during the night. The key day for me was that she would arrive in Santurtzi (for Bilbao) during Sunday night, which was why I had chosen to travel in July, as the Guggenheim Museum would be open, normally it is closed on Mondays. I was told, after boarding, that we would leave Santurtzi later on the Tuesday as work on the Monday would be delayed because of a local festival. The bulk of the trip would be at sea and I hoped that the July trip, which I had chosen for the Guggenheim, would also be kinder for travelling across the Bay of Biscay, notorious for its storms.

I was contacted by the ship’s agent and told that I should board about 14:00. I arrived a little late as I used local transport rather than a taxi, it worked OK but it was more difficult than I had expected to get to the dock entrance with my baggage – next time I’ll use a taxi. I was taken from the dock gate to the ship by a dockyard minibus and met at the dockside by a member of the crew who helped me with my baggage. I signed onto the ship and was shown to my cabin by the 2nd mate, who also gave me a quick tour identifying the safety equipment in case it was needed. He then took me to the bridge where I met the Captain, Sergey Bulenny . He welcomed me aboard and said he would introduce to some other passengers at teatime. There I met Bill and Edwina, a couple from Wemys Bay in Scotland and Rosemary, a departing passenger who lived in Liverpool. I was also told the mealtimes and met the Chief Engineer. The Captain and Chief Engineer were from Russia and the rest of the crew from the Philippines but the Captain explained that they had all been trained in Germany, which suggested a better level of training. Everyone spoke English well.

I only spent one day aboard with Bill & Edwina but they were great company and very informative about the little tips to make life as a freighter passenger easier. This was their fifth trip aboard the Cervantes and they knew the ship and its crew well. They booked directly with the ship as Greenock was close to their home. I gained the feeling that there was something of a community of Cervantes passengers around the Clyde. I certainly found that having more experienced passengers aboard gave me more confidence as well as someone else to spend time with. I remember the comment made by Edwina - "the holiday is on the ship".

The Captain was very enthusiastic about having passengers as he said it broke the routine and gave him someone to talk with on the bridge where he was usually alone, the many hours we shared on the bridge showed how grateful he was. He told me that there were more passengers following me as the Cervantes was being sold 2 months later at the end of the charter and people were paying a last visit. This spoke well for the loyalty of the passengers and the welcome they had received aboard.

I found that on a trip this short and with 3 arrivals to fit in that there was little chance to establish a routine. It was the 4th day before I had an uninterrupted day to myself and then I got up during the Sunday night to see the arrival at Santurtzi with the pilot. The return from Spain was quieter but I still had only 1 day wholly at sea when I had to largely entertain myself. I found that it was surprisingly easy to fill the time at sea as I tended to visit the bridge for long periods. This allowed a chance to find out more about those I sailed with, even if very imperfectly. This was in part because the weather was too poor for frequent visits to the bow and also because that had the best views. We sailed mostly in coastal waters so it was unusual to spend long periods without a radar contact, even if we rarely saw our neighbours because of poor visibility. The Chief Mate proved very good at spotting dolphins near the bow, which I had hoped to see during the trip. I had the WDCS identification chart with me in the hope that I may see whales but the weather was too poor.

I found that while at sea I tended to miss breakfast, as it was timed for a working world (07:30), and I felt that I was on holiday, besides there is something deliciously self-indulgent in getting up late, but on mornings in port I tried to give myself as long as possible ashore. The meals were delicious and a great chef is obviously a great bonus abroad, probably a necessity on long voyages. The style was rather different but I was told that the chef had been trained to provide a German style menu.

The accommodation was spacious and comfortable, which I had been led to expect from the web, with a separate L-shaped sofa and table (immovable) and a fridge, I swapped cabins after 2 days to get a working fridge. The engine room air-intakes were outside the windows which made it rather noisy and took a bit of getting used to and the accommodation being at the stern the vibration from the propeller was very noticeable. The officers’ lounge was fairly small, as it was only used by the Captain, Chief Engineer and any passengers. The television which it contained was of limited value at sea although there was a video player. The crew lounge along the corridor was more lively as it was used more, it also had a DVD and better sound system which was useful for the frequent karaoke sessions. Time with the crew added to the sense of a community afloat and the high spirits of the crew brightened the evenings.

The time ashore was determined by the cargo handling time and the desired departure time. This meant a brief visit at Greenock but much more time in Santurtzi, which allowed me time to visit Bilbao. I used the time in Greenock to get supplies, which I now realised that I needed, and a drink. The time in Bilbao and Santurtzi was used more to fill the gaps left from previous visits and also I used the funicular railway and elevator to get better views over the city, enjoying the riverfront in Bilbao. In Santurtzi I explored the main street with its restaurants and bars. I had a drink in the central area on the way back to the ship and found the people-watching delightful with the feeling of an intimate community in the way people greeted each other.

The thing that I feel was at the core of this trip was being alongside the crew of a working vessel. So I was part of the weekly safety drill, that week a lifeboat drill, which meant that I was strapped into the free-fall lifeboat along with other members of the crew. I was also able to take a tour of the engine room with the Chief Engineer, Valery, who offered me the chance to start it. I didn't do this as I was on the bridge watching the Pilot at that time. I was free to walk to the bow and expected to satisfy myself if it was safe to do so, but any questions I asked were always answered politely and I never felt that I intruded.

I would love to travel aboard a freighter again, but I will expand my horizons slowly, probably with a 2-week trip or a short loop on a Grimaldi car-carrier (http://www.grimaldi-freightercruises.com/). I feel that for anyone who loves ships and the sea this is a more intimate way to travel than is usually possible.

If anyone wants to find out more don't hesitate to get in touch.