On Freighter Ships, a Long Haul

Q I'd like to transit the Panama Canal on a merchant ship, embarking on the Gulf Coast and disembarking in California. Is this possible?

David Criste

Falls Church

A Freighter-ship journeys are like a workingman's cruise ship, with passengers accompanying cargo from port to port -- but still logging in many sightseeing hours. However, freighters hardly cater to the casual cruiser. "There is no short way of going from Florida to the Panama Canal and back," says Capt. Ranko Zunic, owner of Maris Freighter and Specialty Cruises (800-996-2747, http://www.freightercruises.com/ ), which specializes in freighter travel. "The only way is to sail from the East Coast [of the United States] to the west coast of South America."

Freighter-ship itineraries are frequently long, with a one-way adventure from the Eastern Seaboard to South America lasting at least three weeks (cost: about $2,500). Maritime law forbids passengers from jumping ship, so you must stay put until the final port. (Passengers can leave midtrip only in an emergency.)

For example, the ANL Georgia sails round trip from New York, passing through the Panama Canal on its way to Asia. The 63-day trip costs nearly $6,000 per person double , including meals. The 804-foot vessel has a dining room, exercise room and laundry facilities. Some cabins' views may be obstructed by containers. "The ships have dependable service and nice cabins. The food is not haute cuisine, but it is tasty and healthy," Zunic says.

Another factor to consider: the limited number of ships and cabins available to cruisers. "One percent of freighters take passengers," Zunic says. In addition, freighters can take no more than a dozen passengers per trip, and some take half that. Because of the short supply, travelers often need to book five months to a year in advance. The ships also require passengers to be fit and may have age restrictions.

Other companies that book freight travel: Freighter World Cruises (800-531-7774, http://www.freighterworld.com/ ) and TravLtips (800-872-8584, http://www.travltips.com/ ).

We'd like to rent self-catering cottages in Scotland. Where is a good base for day trips?

Dana Crock Alexandria

If traffic weren't an issue, the perfect base would be right on the roundabout in Perth. From there, you can easily fan out across Scotland. "Believe it or not, the roads meet in one big roundabout in Perth," VisitBritain spokesman Andrew Weir says. "If you want to see all of Scotland, that's a great place to be."

More broadly, Weir recommends staying in central Scotland; specifically, focus on Perth or Stirling, both of which are only a couple of hours' drive (or shorter) to the country's major attractions. From Stirling, for example, you can take day trips to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Braveheart's Stirling Castle and the Highlands. Perth is also near the two Scottish cities, as well as Pitlochry, whisky country and golf.