Freighter Trip Great Lake

[LauraJean]

I have been lucky enough to have won 2 auctions for freighter trips. Both with Lower Lakes Towing (Michipicoten 2007 , Kaministiqua 2010)In our case you have to be lucky, willing to spend more than you planned and be in the right place at the right time.

My advice keep watching auctions and spend a little more than you planned because for most people it is a once in a lifetime opportunity and is well worth the money and the scheduling hurdles.

Have fun and I hope to you get to experience a trip on the Great Lakes.

[Mr Link]

I believe it illustrates a concept similar to the carriage of passengers between U.S. ports aboard a foreign flagged ship.

From my understanding, "disembark" means ending the trip, not leaving the ship under the Passenger Services Act. The recent Anthem of the Seas voyage intended to sail directly from New Jersey to Port Canaveral, FL before it got interrupted by that minor little Atlantic winter storm. There was a full day of shore activities planned in Florida for those that wanted to participate. They would then go to a foreign port, before returning to New Jersey.

So you can get off the boat, you just can't end your trip at a second US port, unless you or the cruise line pay a $300.00 per person penalty. And one wonders when the economics of running a foreign flagged vessel with a foreign crews will make that $300.00 penalty per person meaningless.

[Guest]

One thing you must remember is that they cannot carry passengers between two U.S. ports as they are foreign flagged.

Well, passengers can be carried between American ports, if they do not disembark at an American port. It's analogous to a freighter taking on cargo at one American port for overseas and proceeding to another American port to take on more cargo for overseas. Some may remember Veder's Prinses Irene, Prinses Margriet, and Prins Willem van Oranje, that took passengers from Chicago with stops at Milwaukee, Detroit, and Cleveland to Europe back in the day.

Thanks for clearing that up. That is what I meant by "carried between two U.S. ports." Sort of reminds me of trip I made with my father while he was attached to NATO (AFCENT) in Brunssum, the Netherlands, during the 1970s. We flew from Brussels aboard a specially chartered KLM flight that landed in New York, at which we were able to disembark during a 4 layover. Boarding the same aircraft after servicing, we then left for Chicago to pick up additional passengers, but were unable to leave the plane during the 90 minute stop due to it belonging to a foreign flagged carrier. In fact, we never reached a gate at the terminal, as the additional passengers boarded by portable stairs driven up to the aircraft while parked on the apron. We then continued to Mexico City. For some reason, I can't remember why as I was only 9 years old at the time, we departed Mexico City a week later aboard a regularly scheduled airline flight to New York JFK where we boarded a Pan Am 747 to return home to the Netherlands. Although this trip was done by aircraft, I believe it illustrates a concept similar to the carriage of passengers between U.S. ports aboard a foreign flagged ship.

[William Lafferty]

One thing you must remember is that they cannot carry passengers between two U.S. ports as they are foreign flagged.

Well, passengers can be carried between American ports, if they do not disembark at an American port. It's analogous to a freighter taking on cargo at one American port for overseas and proceeding to another American port to take on more cargo for overseas. Some may remember Veder's Prinses Irene, Prinses Margriet, and Prins Willem van Oranje, that took passengers from Chicago with stops at Milwaukee, Detroit, and Cleveland to Europe back in the day.

[trvguy]

Had a trip on the Indiana Harbor a few years back. Nice guest quarters, good food. Ate in the officers dining room; Captains table. Friend of the captain. Trip from Superior, Wi. ( coal ) split load to the power plant ( Marysville ?) on the St. Clair, and to Essexville. Back to Superior. Some odd numbers I remember. 64,600 tons of coal and 175,000 gallons of #2 diesel when we got back.

[Ray]

"Guest", Polsteam offers guest quarters for freighter cruises on their salties. Not sure if that is who you are referring to or if there are other options. As you mentioned, they can't take you from one US Port to another. Not sure if Montreal or somewhere on the seaway would be an option to get off (or to board on an upbound trip) or if you are in it for the entire trip to Europe.

[Guest]

I know a few years ago my wife and I came across a company that arranged passenger service aboard some salt water freight vessels outfitted with passenger quarters. It had some trips you could take from Chicago to Montreal and all the way to Europe if you wanted. We would really like to go on one of these (don't care for cruise ships!), but you have to be flexible and that is hard when one of us is still working a full time job. We are in the process of rectifying that situation and plan to do one of these trips in about 5 years (hopefully they are still arranging them). One thing you must remember is that they cannot carry passengers between two U.S. ports as they are foreign flagged.

As far as I know there are no easy ways to arrange passage on commercial vessels (U.S. or Canadian) operating on the Great Lakes. The best chance you have if you don't have connections is to be the high bidder on one of the trip auctions or be lucky in a raffle drawing that is held quite often by various organizations.

Maybe someone out there can remember this, but when I was in junior high school (early 1980s) I seem to recall a newspaper article in the Detroit News or Free Press we were doing some project on that told of a company working on arranging freighter trips on the Great Lakes. I seem to remember CSL's Frontenac's picture accompanying the article as one of the ships with guest quarters. Maybe someone out there can recall this and knows what eventually happened with the company. Or, possibly it is my memory is faulty? Is it already nearly 40 yeas ago? I sure hope the old adage "you are only as old as you feel" is true because I sure don't feel like I'm nearly 50 years old!

[Denny]

Have you tried entering any of the raffle drawings for cruises on a Great Lakes Freighter? Sorry for asking that if you have done so but, that is about the only means of getting aboard one now days. You almost have to know someone within the company or like you said know a captain or crewmember on board also. However I am sure that they have to get permission from the company to let anyone aboard as well. Lots of liability issues and security issues as well since 9/11 unfortunately. Wish I could help out more on this.

[bert]

purchase a raffle ticket what have you got short arms and deep pockets

[Sparrowhawk]

I've seem to have exhausted every means I can think of to board a freighter down the Great Lakes. Is this truly impossible if you don't have a big enough pocket book for an auction or is it possible to ask a captain if he would be willing to take you as ballast?