Baggage and additional info about Freighter Travel.

What do I have to put into my case?

On this list aren't the "matters of course" of a bag but the exceptional things for a travel by containership. So you can't find toothpaste, anklets or nail scissors here.
You have to put a few different things with you than on your "normal" vacationtrip. But that is no problem - your baggage may have more weight than with a charter airplane. On some vessels you may take a bike with you, but that is a decision of the captain.

Don't take much more clothing with you because of being underway for weeks ... there is a washing machine aboard. But you will need things that you don't needed with your last Florida trip.
Maybe some points on this list are silly or useless for you - please read the explanations and afterwards the most will be logical for you.

Baggage List

Clothing Important Useful extra's
informal clothing memo pad / notebook beaker (plastic)
swimming trunks/swimsuit currency nonslip material
sweater money bag sticky tape / cord
anorak your own medicine plastic box forsmall things
gym shoes / sandals dental cement copy of your passport
headgear passport photo's adres stickers
backpack sun lotion + after sun replacement camera
  anti mosquito, e.g. spray movies on video tapes / dvd
  binoculars condome's
  photo- / videocam cigarets
  plentyful films / video tapes replacement reading glasses
  batteries for camera hammock
     
Other's At home Documents
books (plenty) washing machine off passport
crossword puzzle books heating on/off visa
citymaps + guidebooks time switch driving licence
phrasebook answering machine on/off health insurance
games garbage vaccination card
pencils, pens flowers & plants ... medical attestations
notepaper + envelopes discontinue the newspaper  
directory discontinue the post  
sewing kit + scissors remove the phone  
(multiband)radio/alarm    
sweets    
gifts    
hobby    

Clothes

Although if you start in the summer or you'll only travel through hot climate zones you will get stormy and cold moments. A waterproofed anorak and a warm sweater is nessesary on each travel with a ship. If you easy get cold you also need gloves, scarf and a warm cap if you want to be on deck with stormy weather.

A lot of containerships will have an own swimming pool. Don't forget your swimming trunks/swimsuit.
Mostly you will have warm/hot sunny days on deck. Beware of a sunstroke and use a basecap.
A freighter is no cruiser- there is hard to work for the crew. So it can happen that it is not everytime clean at every place on the decks. You also have to expect some soot from time to time. The crew cleans the whole vessel, but sometimes they'll have other things to do.

The best for you will be an older jeans in a dark colour where not each spot is a disaster for you ...
For me a backpack would be indispensable to go ashore. They are available in all colours, styles and sizes. So much is certain: a handbag is stolen much easier than a backpack. If you use one without an expensive label you don't look like rich - if you know what I mean ...

A very important point at the end of this chapter: gym shoes/sandals. If you dress you up for shore leave in Rio, San Francisco or Hong Kong you'll use your elegant shoes. But aboard you can only use them in your cabin and in the mess. On deck there is only a metal floor. This metal floor will sometimes/often be wet and than you feel yourself a ice-skater with your fine city shoes ... To stay in contact with the ground you can wear gym shoes or sandals.

Important

Some things are really important for a successful journey. Take enough of your own used medicine with you. A freighter is no drugstore ...
I am sure that you'll smile when you read about dental cement. But that could be very important for people with dentures. You can stop with normal food immediately with broken dentures and it will be far to the next trustable dentist. Do it like with insurances: have it and nothing will happen :-)

Flying monsters could be very annoying for you - keep an "anti mosquito spray" with you.
On your ship you will get papers for shore leaves. Therefore you need a passport photo.
You could reach countries where the life is not so safe as in your own city. Beware of pickpockets ! Use a money bag or hide your money at a few different places at your body. Don't use handbags or a bag at your hip in such countries.

Everybody want to take pictures or a homemovie. Buy enough films or tapes before you start your travel - the prizes are mostly plain expensive in the harbours you will reach. Today the most cameras are half or full automatic. They don't need energy from the sun or storms - they (you) need batteries.

I recommend to have binoculars in your baggage. There is one on the bridge but it's mostly used by the officers for their job.

Useful extra's

A vessel does not only move foreward but also up and down und likes to roll to both sides. That's the reason for all your private things lying on the floor . It could be useful to have some sticky tape, cord and nonslip material. Beware your radioclock, glasses, bottles, camera etc. by fixing it. Nonslip material you can get at maritime shops. A seaman told me that you will find enough sticky tape aboard - but he is officer under german flag ... It's also handy to have a beaker for your drinks in your room at stormy days. A fallen plastic beaker remains a beaker and you don't have to walk through broken pieces. One more tip from me for stormy days aboard: plastic boxes for all those small utensils. Believe me: on your first hours/days at sea a lot of things will fall down in your room.

If your reached the port of Sydney after all you want to write postcards to your family and colleagues. A lot of time you always spend with writing adresses. It's better to have white stickers with you - between two harbours is a lot of time to adresses these stickers.

Why shouldn't your camera get a heart failure ? For me and my hobby photography it would be a desaster. That's why I always take with me a second camera (a cheap Fuji autofocus).

It's not true that all passengers on freighters are old married couples. Maybe that some passengers want to visit bars or a disco in a strange harbour. Please trust only the condoms from your own country ... so buy them before you start your journey.

"Where are my reading glasses ?" - "You are sitting on it, darling." A joke ? It happens very often. But in the middle of the Pacific Ocean there is no optician. It would be handy to go on tour with replacement reading glasses. For a few dollars you can get them in big stores.

What do you thing about a hammock ? There is place enough for it.
If your are a smoker: you will get your cigarets duty free aboard. But consider that the store is strictly closed in every port and in the 3 miles zone.
Every freighter has a room with a video player. But maybe the film archive of your ship has only movies in an other language than yours or these are only films you already saw 30 times ... I have an better idea: bring own video tapes aboard. So you will have your favourite movies and the crew will be very thankful to watch new films.

Other's

Take with you plenty of books and crossword puzzles - you will have a lot of time for it. The crew would be lucky if you leave some of your books aboard. Don't expect your favourite books at the ship's library.

For a change you can play a game with other passengers or crew members. Playing card on deck during sunset ...

What do you think about a radio - alarm clock ? Ok, ok - you are on holidays. But if you don't want to miss reaching the next port early in the morning... or you don't want to miss the coffee break at 3 pm with your siesta ... A few miles away from the coast you cannot receife radio programs in high quality. It's great to have a portable cd player with headphones ! Don't forget cd's and the batteries for it - but better is a battery charger with special batteries.

Should you have a multiband radio ? If you only want to know the news you can get them on the bridge. But if you want to hear more from home ... Please inform about the short wave frequences at home.

Don't forget utensils for your hobby or begin with a new hobby. There are so many impressions for drawing paintings, but you also can knit the sweaters for the next winter. Some began to write a book or only wanted to have time and calmness to listen to "The Ring" of Wagner.

What do I mean with gifts ? I have an idea: please bring a cheap but actual illustrated book of your city aboard and add this book to the ship's library. So this library only can get more interesting for crew and passengers. The crew has often no time to go ashore because they have hard to work in the ports. They will be very happy if you bring some new magazines aboard. If you stay on board with christmas feel free to give small presents to the crew.

At home

The most things should be clear but maybe you wonder about "remove the phone". Perhaps you will have a "trustworthy" person who is looking for your plants. I heard about such people who saw a phone in an empty house ... Do you know what I mean and what to do ?

This are Rainers tips about packing your bags. Obvious they are not complete. I am sure that there have been points you don't need with your holidays or I forgot something. Thank's a lot for helping me with this travel tips to Geli from Leipzig and Roland from Rostock !

For email remove {} and between.


u don't need with your holidays or I forgot something. Thank's a lot for helping me with this travel tips to Geli from Leipzig and Roland from Rostock !

For email remove {} and between.