Well, I’m not nervous about flying, but it certainly isn’t any FUN anymore. Hope you get some viable alternatives, as I’m begining to think of flying as a necessary evil for the traveler as opposed to something anybody might actually want to do.

Every now and then there is a repositioning cruise across the Atlantic.

If you just want to minimize flying, you could take a flight from Gander, Newfoundland to whatever European airport is closest – perhaps Reykjavik. Then you could take the ferry to mainland Europe.

I’m sure you know that statistically flying is safer than trains or ferries.

You better get a move on… Cali to Italy within the month without flying….

I like Traveller’s idea—flight hop to Iceland, then take the ferry to Bergen, Norway. I don’t think there are commercial flights from Gander to KEF, but Icelandair fly between BOS and KEF. I believe that flight hop is only about 5 hours. Incidentally, not much difference in flight time between BOS and KEF and BOS and SNN (Shannon, Ireland).

BOS-SNN 5h,50m; SNN-BOS 6h,30m American Airlines and Aer Lingus.
BOS-KEF 5h,0m; KEF-BOS 5h,35m Icelandair.

WOW! Thanks everyone for the great info! Speedy and very helpful. So ive heard of staying in captain’s quarters on cargo ships but that takes about a month at sea. Looks like there is no way getting around flying huh? Well that flap over to Iceland then ferry to Italy sounds kosher. I think I might do that. Any suggestions on a first timer to both Iceland and Europe? I have a 17" Mac laptop that is definitely going and is a big part of my traveling. Any good suggestions on how to lug the lappy around safely? Thanks again and I would love more more more more info!

I’m sure there is a cruise, or a cruise itinerary (possibly on different lines) that could get you from Cali to Italy, but I imagine it would take at least 2 weeks at sea each way. The "captain’s quarters" on cargo ships likely cost as much as a cruise from research I’ve done in the past. Expect this cruise to be in the $6000 to $8000 range.

For that much dough, I think I could tough out a 5 hour flight hop to Iceland, splurge for the upgrade to business class, and take a couple tylenol pm just before boarding.

You can’t cruise from Iceland to Italy AFAIK. Regular connections in Spring and Summer on Smyril Line between Iceland and Bergen, Norway with stops in Shetland Islands. See www.smyril-line.no From Bergen, you can go by car, train, ferry to other parts of Europe.

Flying is faster; time is of the essense – time is money.

Did you mean May of ’05 or ’06? If it’s next year, you could always just drive up to Alaska, wait for the Bering Strait to freeze over, and either walk or use a sled-dog team to make it to Russia, then rent a car. Just make sure you bring some Polar Bear repellent.

quote:Every now and then there is a repositioning cruise across the Atlantic.

I was actually looking into one of those: Fort Lauderdale to Lisbon; but I think its scheduled departure was 10 April (2005). I’m sure there are others: the QE II had one scheduled out of N.Y. and many of the others that cruise the Caribe become Med Cruises for the Summer. The repositioning cruises (one way only) tend to be quite inexpensive.

quote:If you just want to minimize flying, you could take a flight from Gander, Newfoundland to whatever European airport is closest – perhaps Reykjavik. Then you could take the ferry to mainland Europe.

In Ireland I was talking to 2-young Canadian ladies from St. John’s, Newfoundland: They said it was more expensive to get from there to Ireland because they had to go to Montreal or Toronto for a TransAtlantic passenger flight; so do some research before taking that Newfoundland advice

There is a direct flight on Air Canada between St. John’s, NF and London Heathrow. I’ve flown that route before. It’s an overnight flight, I think that if you go in the daytime, you have to connect in Toronto or Montreal. The flight departs around midnight I think every day, and its only 4.5 hours to London.

Check this site: http://www.seat61.co…

I figured out a way, but you have to leave this afternoon.

Amtrak from LA to NY, leaves 6:45 tonight (May 1). You will arrive not very refreshed in NY May 4 at 15:25. only $172. And 60 hrs on the train.

Boogie on over to the port, because the Queen Mary 2 leaves at 17:45 on May 4 for a Trans-atlantic to Southhampton. Cheapest fare is $1809. www.cunard.com

From there, a quick trip through the chunnel, and another day or so of train travel and boom, you are in Italy.

Piece of cake really.

Hhaahah heck yeah! A 3 day train trek to the NYC than a TRANSATLANTIC stint to the Southhamptons is PERFECT! And fer less than two grand! Thats a good deal right? Smooze it up with the big wigs on the Queen Mary 2. Thanks for the info; this itinerary looks like the funniest and most rewarding. Thanks so much guys. Thanks Don for the heads up on the cargo ships. Clunker, nice joke ; ) but it kinda sounds fun. Rokies, you kill me, I need to finish the semester first! Seraphim, thanks for the site. Dominius, ……nIce….quote.