Hi!
I have a relative that wont fly, but will consider travel by sea.
Has anyone done this, or know of any companies that do trips from England to Vancouver?
I have done the usual internet searches, but most are luxury cruise liners!!!! , I did manage to speak to one company in London who said you can get good accomodation on cargo ships, but they could not name any companies....
any advice appreciated!

I'd imagine a boat to Vancouver would take forever due to America rather getting in the way. If you can find anything, it would be better to go to the East coast and then travel overland.

Southampton to NY on the QE2 or QM2, then train up the hudson valley to niagara and on to Toronto, then "The Canadian" to Vancouver?


Its not going to be cheap!

For less luxurious crossings try

http://www.portoflondon.co.uk/handbo.../3/class_id/59


Quick google found this for general advice
http://www.seat61.com/Linkspage.htm#freight%20ship
and this
http://www.freightertrips.com/

I know some Germans who did that on a freighter ship. They went Hamburg-somewhere in the US, I've lost their email address or I'd ask for more details. It may have been Hapag Lloyd? Rings a vague bell. What I do remember was that they had to get a full US visa, they weren't eligible for the visa waiver program thingy landing in the US by that mode of transport.

a friend of mine took the QM2 across the pond recently and very nice it was too....a tad pricey but then maybe your rellies could go overland to canada......

It's certainly possible to travel on many commercial container/ro-ro freighters which can offer a more economic (but possibly less grand) experience than a transatlantic cruise.

A swift google search of 'travelling by freighter' comes up with this company in TO who refer to transatlantic to/from Montreal. http://www.tcpltd.com/tcp_canmarsched1.htm Thence by train to Vancouver I guess. Could be quite the experience if you have the time.

AX

Liverpool to Montreal , £1000

http://www.strandtravel.co.uk/strand...ID=91&EndID=10

Montreal to Liverpool...£800

I guess no one wants to go to Liverpool

Hi

Start here: http://www.freighterworld.com/

http://members.aol.com/CruiseAZ/freighters.htm and the best one: http://www.travltips.com/

The crew must, it seems to take four days less to return than it does to sail out there .

Yes, seems you pay the extras for the pleasure of heading to montreal via antwerp on that one.

Well they've got to pick up reading material to keep themselves amused at sea, haven't they?

Thanks so much for your replies!!!!!!!!
Finally, my daughter may see Granpa here!!!!!!!

How about telling him that flying is the safest method of transport, and the Germans who bombed his chippy are still lurking beneath the Atlantic in U-Boats waiting to blow him out of the water?

End result, a saving of £600

Ha ha..............hes having none of it............been trying for 2 years to no avail!!!!!!

Last resort, play on the heart strings!

Gramps, either get on that Plane, and remember the Pilot has no intentions of killing himself, or never see your Grand Daughter!

It may sound harsh, but WTF?