Maritime voyages have long been one of mankind’s greatest and most iconic methods of travel. If it weren’t for our proficiency at sailing, the world we live in would be a very different place. Entire continents would still lay undiscovered, there would be virtually no way of moving freight and natural resources from one continent to another, and we would be without the luxury of one of life’s most relaxing vacation options — a cruise.
You probably don’t think much about transporting cargo or other marine services, unless you happen to have a vacation right around the corner or are expecting a very large delivery of cargo from another city or country, but the ships carrying our cargo (and us) are very different from one another, and there are a plethora of different types of seafaring vessels. When dealing with leisurely sailing, cruising, or the transportation of cargo, you’ll usually be left with at least some amount of freedom to find a vessel of your choice. The choice might not be one we think about every day, but it could have a big impact on your sailing experience.
Most ships and boats are classified by their size. This is a good indicator of how much cargo or passengers, or both, a ship can carry. A boat that can only hold twelve people, for example, is unlikely to ever earn itself the designation of “cruise ship.”
What this means is that if you are transporting something very heavy, like a new car, or specialized parts and equipment, then your haul is likely to end up on a large cargo ship or an ocean liner. You aren’t exactly spoiled for choice when it comes to shipping something that simply must go aboard a certain type of ship.
You do, however, have a lot more freedom when it comes to a personal journey or a luxury trip. One important question related to choosing marine services that you might find yourself asking is, “Am I travelling to a set destination or am I sailing for the experience?”
If you are travelling to a set destination, consider that place’s distance. If it is very far away, say for example in another country, then your best bet might be an ocean liner. Ocean liners are typically larger than cruise ships and most other types of boats, save for some of those cargo ships mentioned earlier. Ocean liners are built to a very rigorous standard of seaworthiness, and the reason is implied in the name — these ships are capable of crossing entire oceans in one journey. Achieving this level of build quality means that some luxury-based marine services may have been sacrificed to make way for more practical designs meant to make the ship and crew safer, like thick plating. Ocean liners are typically able to go long periods of time at sea, without needing dry docking repairs, or rendezvous’ with offshore support vessels. The focus on these ships is not on how comfortable the experience is for riders, but how far the ship can take them.
If you aren’t in need of international travel, and you only require a shorter trip to say, a city located on the same coast as you, then a cruise ship may be perfect. Most cruise ships have no set A-B destination, meaning that they often return to the same city that they departed from. Others do tours of larger routes, but the theme on a cruise ship is almost always the same — comfort! It’s no secret that people vacation on cruises. They are typically thought of as vehicle to take pleasure cruises on. The voyage itself and amenities aboard the ship are a part of the total package. You’ll want to keep your stay short, though — just do a search for “cruise vessel for sale” and you’ll get an idea of how expensive they are to buy and operate!
If you’re thinking about putting together a trip on the open ocean, which type of journey to choose can be intimidating. Luckily, you have plenty of options when it comes to choosing marine services as offered by cargo or cruise lines. So get sailing!
