Some sort of trans-Atlantic ferry.

There is something about flying that makes travelling to a place less ‘real’, and the idea of being able to sail into Halifax, Montreal, New York, or Boston, would make a trip back to Canada feel more organic.

It’s clearly not a matter of not being able to build ships that could do such a thing; back in the 1950s and 60s, it was just as realistic to sail as to fly trans-Atlantic. Now, in the era of EasyJet and EasyGym, why not an EasyShip?

you mean like this?

http://www.cunard.co.uk/cruise-types/transatlantic-cruises/

Isnt that how Travis Barker tours now post big ass plane crash?

Seems like a lot of effort just to win a chocolate biscuit.

Time?

Most folk have limited holiday time and want to spend it at their chosen location- not travelling back and forth.

My mate emigrated from Paris to Montreal a few years ago. They were skint so they got a cheap ticket on a container ship but he did have to do some work whilst on board.

I’m sure you could do a stint as a Cabin Boy ?
😉

I was reading somewhere recently that large cruise ships aren’t good for the environment & the passengers health ,due to poor air quality on board.

First of all, in response to jam bo, the answer is ‘no’. I am not thinking of an exquisite once-in-a-lifetime trans-Atlantic cruise.

I am thinking of a no-frills, relatively fast ferry that could get someone from Southampton (or wherever) to Montreal (or wherever) in a matter of a few days.

I know that time is an issue, but for the three-week holidaymaker, a few days at each end would not be a huge deal, especially when you consider that factors like jet-lag and the illnesses that some people get from recycled plane air can affect a few days of holiday anyway.

Clearly, it’s not something one could use for a one-week business trip.

Can you get a cabin with a woodburner?

why not an EasyShip?

Because it makes no economic sense.

Expensive and very slow.

It takes about 7 days for even a fairly fast ship to cross.

So 14 days for the return journey, doesn’t leave much time for the actual holiday.

got a cheap ticket on a container ship but he did have to do some work whilst on board

Actually, that would interest me very much. However, it still doesn’t address my ferry idea!

I know that time is an issue, but for the three-week holidaymaker, a few days at each end would not be a huge deal

It would for me and the number of three-week holiday makers is pretty low. I just can’t see an economic case for it.

Now, if it was an Ekranoplan…….

got a cheap ticket on a container ship but he did have to do some work whilst on board

Plenty of cargo ships carry passengers. They are legally allowed up to 12.

It’s anything but cheap.

Not sure how the working onboard thing works? Never heard of that? Pretty sure you would need some basic safety training and a medical if you do any work?

http://cargoshipvoyages.com/

One of the reasons the cross channel hovercraft was binned was that it was too fast, the ride was terrible and made people ill, and that was less than an hour…Imagine 7 days!

It’s already been done, but there might be an opportunity for you here;
http://www.mby.com/news/virgin-atlantic-challenger-ii-for-sale-45534

I went on the cross-channel hovercraft once, it was crap because all the sand flew up and stuck to the windows and you couldn’t see anything. It stank of sweaty bodies inside, like an old aircraft.

https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/529/126/large/alex-brady-rb1.jpg?1448036762

You know what I would like to see?

a day without a silly thread from Saxonrider? 😉 🙂

To make it a sort of realistic 2 days each way you’d need a ferry that could average 70mph = not likely.

You should try spending 3 hours on this…….The RMV Scillonian III a.k.a The Great White Stomach Pump.

This will quickly disavow you of the romantic fantasy of maritime travel.

that’s a long time to be stuck in a drafty noisy uncomfortable smelly dirty puke filled roll on roll off ferry ! 😯 😕 🙁

I did the QE2 some years ago, going westbound each day is 25 hours long, which is pleasant. It was cold though. And pretty boring. I’d sooner fly.

SaxonRider – how about a flight into St Johns and then a boat from there?

gobuchul – Member
Not sure how the working onboard thing works? Never heard of that? Pretty sure you would need some basic safety training and a medical if you do any work?

– it was menial work, wash pots, clean the lavs etc.
– they’re French. The nation’s collective attitude to rules and regs is usually met with a Gallic shrug

there used to be an easycruise cruise ship. I remember seeing it moored up in palma next to a bunch of superyachts.

Ferrying across the Atlantic? That’s like being stuck inside a crappy, smelly, cold and unstable hotel with *shudder* other people.

You know what I would like to see?

1980s edition Kelly Le Brock, stripped and lightly oiled and lying on my bed with a bottle of wine.

on a ferry?

how about kate o mara in triangle?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_(1981_TV_series)

– it was menial work, wash pots, clean the lavs etc.

Doesn’t really matter.

– they’re French. The nation’s collective attitude to rules and regs is usually met with a Gallic shrug

The rules aren’t made or enforced by the French though. The working your passage thing is long gone. It would cause all sorts of paperwork issues at any port of call, visas, certification etc.

Also a massive insurance issue.

How long ago was it?

No current European operator would consider it.

Cougar – Kelly Le Brock had exactly the same accent and tone of voice as my first wife. Scary. Completely freaked me out!

Gobuchul- I’m not sure SaxonRider was suggesting working his passage with some French seamen 😉

@gobuchul – it’s probably 5/6 years ago now. He’s been back to Europe a few times since but flew each time!

You know what I would like to see?

1980s edition Kelly Le Brock, stripped and lightly oiled and lying on my bed with a bottle of wine.

😯

You’d get oil on the cushions.

how about kate o mara in triangle?

Kate O’mara’s triangle was a youthful aspiration of mine

a day without a silly thread from Saxonrider?

You would so miss me. 🙂

She be in need of gainful employment.

Stoker, perhaps Cougar?

Maybe she could work her passage.

The woeful spirit of Tasmania takes 10 hrs to do what a plane does in 40 mins, it’s noisy uncomfortable and ridiculously expensive.

I can’t see the benefit. Spend ages on a boat looking at the (seemingly) same bit of atlantic for days on end. Unless it’s a cruise, but you’re saying no to the cruise bit, more like a ferry

No thanks, I’ll stick with the plane!

I love easyjet and ryanair, the idea of dealing with them and being held captive by them for 10-14 days us utterly bonkers though.

but for the three-week holidaymaker, a few days at each end would not be a huge deal

It would for me, there is no way I’m being couped on a boat for a ‘few days’ at the start and end of a holiday/trip of three weeks. A year’s travelling, maybe.

Jet-lag western europe to eastern US is almost a non issue – the flights are all of what, 7-8 hours?

seosamh77 – Member
I love easyjet and ryanair, the idea of dealing with them and being held captive by them for 10-14 days us utterly bonkers though.

A floating Guantanamo.
They’ve even got the same colour uniforms.

Makes you sink.