If you Google “passenger” and “freighter” you will find many opportunities to cross an ocean on a freight ship as a select (and small) group of passengers. This would be the sailing equivalent of roughing it, and completely out of the question for half of this couple. Maybe all.
The cost can work out to less than $100 a day, as is the case on many conventional cruise ships, but with none of the frills, meal choices and shore excursions, of course. It is called cruising, but at best that is an inappropriate definition.
We bring this up because of something we picked up about traveling by freighter. We are told these ships are limited to 12 passengers. We are told the reason is that once there are 13, maritime law is a doctor must be on board.
So being a passenger on a freighter apparently means no medical care, even for crew.
“Maybe you can count on the crewmen to give injections,” said our source. “Maybe they practice on oranges!”