“I have a captain’s dinner every day”, laughs Erik Bielars as he shows the photos of his last sea voyage in the Gulf of Bothnia. The Bredanaar is crazy about ships and Scandinavia. There is therefore nothing better for Erik than going on holiday to his favorite holiday destination as a passenger on a cargo ship.
Last November, Erik signed on for the fourth time on a ship for a trip to Finland. “Once you’ve experienced this once, you’ll never want anything else. The sea, the destinations and the activities on board make it very special. Fortunately, I don’t suffer from seasickness either.”
In 2012, the long-cherished wish of the Breda resident was fulfilled for the first time. Through an intermediary agency in Antwerp, he was able to sign up on a ship of a large Dutch shipping company. “I think you have to have something with shipping. Because you must be aware that you are a guest at a workplace. You can’t compare it to a cruise ship where everything revolves around the guests and everyone is always there for you.”
“In addition to my own shower and toilet, I also had a seat and even a refrigerator.”
According to Erik, the cabins on a cargo ship are ‘neat and functional’, but cannot be compared to the luxury of a passenger boat. “On the last voyage I was assigned the cabin of the fourth engineer by the captain. In addition to my own shower and toilet, I also had a seat and even a fridge.”
Large container ships in particular sometimes have space for up to ten extra people on board. To be allowed to sail, all kinds of documents must be completed. There are special travel agencies that specialize in this. For the stay on board you pay an average of one hundred euros per night. Although the destinations are in principle known in advance, it can happen that a ship has to divert to another port.
“We just work really hard on a ship.”
“Outsiders are often inclined to romanticize seaman’s life, but people just work very hard on a ship. I was always the only passenger on board during all journeys, so I was cautious. You are a guest in a mini society of twenty crew members who are all dependent on each other. So even as a passenger you have to adapt to life on board.”
Erik was lucky that he had a ‘special click’ with the Dutch captain during his last three trips. “That made it even more fun. I received an extensive tour and explanation about the operation of the ship. During the day I could almost always be found on the bridge. For me that was top entertainment that no wellness or casino can compete with. Moreover, I was also allowed to join the captain every day for the hot meal.”
“Of course I booked the cheapest cabin.”
Until now, the Breda native has only made trips to Scandinavia and the Baltic States. Erik thinks the old harbor town of Rauma in Finland is one of the most beautiful places he visited. The monumental center with characteristic wooden houses is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Erik: “You normally never come to places like this, and there is no mass tourism either.”
Despite his great passion for cargo ships, Erik is tacking this fall: for a cruise from Los Angeles to Miami. “I so wanted to sail through the Panama Canal again and this is the only way I can do it. Of course I booked the cheapest cabin so that the culture shock does not become too great.”
