The Grande Amburgo
Related posts: Details of our experience here and also here.
Cost savings of shipping out with the bikes:
So first off, although flying yourself and shipping the bike is often cheaper than shipping you with the bike, it’s still cheaper than air freighting both body and wheels.
Jase loathes flying, so it avoided the cost of him being irrationally nervous for hours on end. And while we were on the ship, we could periodically check on the bikes, a good idea when the external docking staff come aboard to help offload cargo—keeping an eye on our wheels paid dividends as they were stored on a regular deck with all the main cargo. There were strapped down without a cage and left out for anyone to come and have a nosy. They did too, and unscrewed a couple of low value items.
Foremost, if there was a delay with the container ship (and friends of ours were stuck on the ship for six weeks), that would’ve saved us a fortnight’s accommodation in Buenos Aires (had we have flown), while going back and forth in waiting for the bikes come ashore. Glad we bypassed that hassle.
Another stunning cost avoided was the time it took to deal with the bureaucracy of paperwork. By being with your bike on the ship, we simply rolled on and rolled off. It took 30 MINUTES to clear immigration in Monte and we were off. No extra fees in paying someone to unload your crate, no fees for immigration—we were all set in literally no time at all. And no requirement to be semi-fluent in a different language to retrieve the bikes off the ship, which would’ve been nightmarish for folks like us who had zero Spanish two years ago.
So yeah, for us shipping out with bikes was a two wheeled no brainer but it wouldn’t suit everyone—nothing ever does, right?
Agent contact information:
Richard Gavulic, Assistant Voyages Manager
Strand Voyages
Unit 605 The Chandlery
50 Westminster Bridge Road
London SE1 7QY
Tel: +44 (0)20 7953 7607
Fax: +44 (0)20 7953 7618
Emails: voyages@strandtravelltd.co.uk or rgavulic@strandtravelltd.co.uk
Website: www.strandtravelltd.co.uk
Going direct!
Alternatively, if you don’t wish to engage the above or another agent, we’ve heard from a very reliable and well-informed source that going direct with Grimaldi (based in Italy) below will save you money and the process is just as easy:
http://www.grimaldi-freightercruises.com/indenen.htm
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Documentation |
• It is the sole responsibility of the passenger to have all personal and vehicle’s documentation in order for the disembarkation at the port of destination |
Insurance |
• All passengers have to carry their own travel insurance, covering accidents, medical assistance and repatriation. Citizens of the European Union travelling on itineraries calling only at UE ports can travel with their European Card for Medical Assistance. The Master has the right to refuse boarding to any passenger not showing this document. |
General rules valid on every routes |
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Passenger embarkation and disembarkation: |
• Passenger’s fares include embarkation/disembarkation taxes. Any additional cost referring immigration and custom clearance as well as expenses for transport in the port area are to be paid by the passenger on-site. |
Accompanied vehicle: embarkation and disembarkation |
|
Transport of accompanied vehicles |
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Safety and Security |
• Each person and his stuff going on board are subject to control |
Currency on board |
• €uro |
Smoking |
• Smoking is NOT allowed inside the vessels |
Alcoholic drinks – Tobacco On board only limited stock and selection of alcoholic beverages is available |
|
Itineraries |
• All the indicated itineraries can be changed at any time, even without previous notice. Calls in some ports can be cancelled. |
Circular Voyage fares |
• Valid only for circular voyages without interruption. |
Information, itineraries and fares are subject to change even without previous notice. |
Passengers, luggage and accompanied vehicles are carried as per General Conditions of the Carrier published on http://www.grimaldi-freightercruises.com
AVAILABLE VESSELS & TYPE OF CABINS
Vessel |
Type of cabin |
Cabin code for occupation by |
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All cabins dispose of shower and WC. Upper berths are folding |
1 pax BE1 |
2 pax BE2 |
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Fides Spes |
Outside, one lower & one upper berths, small sitting area |
CANCELLATION AND VARIANTION FEES |
CHANGE OF RESERVATION Any modification of the reservation is subject to a fee of € 50 CANCELLATION FEES up to 60 days prior to sailing: 10% of the total fare (passengers and vehicle) Cancellation requests must be sent by email to the booking dept of Naples by 07:00 p.m. http://www.grimaldi-freightercruises.com Via Marchese Campodisola 13 |
Cost for us in 2014
In taking a Grimaldi container ship mid-February 2014 for a total cost of 4,800 GBP, we accompanied our bikes for 27 days across the Atlantic from Antwerp, Belgium to Montevideo, Uruguay. Sadly, I understand that it’s no longer possible to ‘roll on, roll off’ with your bike. However, Grimaldi are still freighting vehicles such as motorcycles, 4x4s, campervans, RVs etc.