Man who went on holiday on a container ship reveals all about bizarre adventure

A man who went on a holiday onboard a container ship has spoken out about the bizarre adventure which saw him sail to Dublin.

Pieter Stroop van Renen saved hundreds of pounds on the trip which saw him board a cargo ship from Rotterdam.

It isn't common, and options are limited, but passengers are able to board some container ships at a discounted price.

But it is far from a commercial cruise ship. It's not a busy luxury liner, there is no bars, casinos or entertainment, but rather a modern freighter with no frills.

Speaking to LADbible, Pieter, who drives tourist boats on Amsterdam's canals, explained: "I wanted to do something exciting. I love boats. I was Googling to go on an old tallship sailing boat, but then stumbled across container ships.

"I did not know they sometimes offered cabins. Some of them don't, but some of the shipping companies have one cabin for one or two people.

"But there are very few tourists compared with what you see on cruise ships."

Most working cargo ships will only carry a maximum of 12 passengers, offering a quiet environment far from the thousands of guests on a standard cruise ship.

Travellers typically eat meals with the ship officers and crew, with the experience being much slower. There is typically no internet, phone signal, or television reception when on-board.

Pieter documented his journey on Instagram and TikTok, sharing details about the food he was eating, his time in Dublin and how he was actually the only passenger on board.

Speaking about what surprised him the most about the experience, he said: "The friendliness of the officers and crew.

"They showed me the whole ship, and we had many great conversations on the bridge into the late night hours.

"If you are genuinely interested in ships, they love having you around. This crew sometimes had passengers on board. Not every week, but every once in a while.

"It's not 'normal' to take a holiday on a container ship. Look at the responses I got, people didn't know about it.

"But you have to keep in mind the departure and arrival time can be unexpected. You need to be happy with also staying long hours in your cabin, reading a book, and not having WiFi or GPS."

The cost of a container ship holiday

Breaking down the cost of his travels, Pieter undoubtedly spent less than he would've done on a luxury cruise.

He paid just 680 euros for a week in a one-person cabin, which saw him travel to Dublin and back.

Touching on additional costs, he explained: "I also bought some things on board like snacks and drinks, and some souvenirs for the crew.

"So all in all, I think I spent 1,000 euros. And yes, that's with three meals per day included. I think its great value: if you buy a plane ticket, have 7 nights a hotel, and also have to go out dining every night, then I think you'll spend more.

"But be aware, it took us two and a half days to sail to Dublin, and then two days back. So, effectively, I only had an afternoon and evening in Dublin, and the next morning.

"You can do this if you like to be on a boat, but not if you want to spend lots of time in your destination."