It costs over a thousand USD to take some ocean liners.

What are alternative ways that are cheaper, and how would one go about it?

(No planes)

For context, I know someone who went from China to California by freight ship in the 1990s by bribing the captain with beer and their cooking skills.

  • OBJECTION!@lemmy.ml
    1·
    3 days ago

    Cruise ships sometimes have repositioning cruises where they go one way across an ocean to start operating in another region, and they can offer significant discounts. I’m sure there’s cheaper ways but it’s an option.

  • over_clox@lemmy.world
    1·
    3 days ago

    There’s plenty of free spare styrofoam and plastic in the great garbage patch in the Pacific, I hear that stuff floats…

  • happybadger [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
    1·
    3 days ago

    Cargo ships are your cheapest paid option. I’ve yet to do it, but contact the shipping companies and see what their passenger policies are. There are also shipping agents who coordinate with those companies as intermediates.

    There’s also the potential of crewing a small boat if you have any skills or show them you want to learn fast. I did a lot of sailing around Panama just by sitting in a marina at either side of the canal and chatting with people who are about to sail somewhere. The work was either poorly paid ($50-100 per day) or free in exchange for a bed and food. For transatlantic/transpacific sailing though, I don’t know if you’re going to find as many yachters as I did who were just sailing in the Caribbean. That’s also a fun option if you want to build those skills since they need a certain number of crew to even transit the canal and they’re all going somewhere after.

    edit: And for the latter you’ll also have luck on boater forums. I can’t remember which I used, but there was a designated subforum where people would post if they have or want crew work specifically for linehandling.

  • shittydwarf@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    1·
    3 days ago

    You could find someone planning a sailboat crossing and volunteer to be a crew member using one of the crew finder sites. Although it might be difficult with no experience unless you’re a hottie

  • Mister Neon@lemmy.world
    1·
    3 days ago

    I think you can just purchase a passenger ticket on some freight ships. I remember stumbling on the subject on YouTube like 3 years ago. Try doing a search for “passenger on freight ship” into YouTube.

    Edit: more like 5 or 6 years ago apparently. I’m old.

  • Sumocat@lemmy.worldEnglish
    11·
    3 days ago

    Join the US Navy. They’ll pay you to cross an ocean on a ship and pay for your college tuition.

    • milkisklim@lemm.ee
      11·
      3 days ago

      I don’t know why anyone would down vote this. It does answer OP’s question. Now whether you would enjoy serving living in a tin can with 200-5k of your closest coworkers is an entirely different question.