Cargo sailing trip in the Caribbean and South America

Word Shipmate tijdens deze vrachtzeilreis in het Caribisch gebied
Departure
26 March 2026 00:00
Return
29 April 2026 00:00
Days
35
Sailing area
Caribbean
Port of departure
Marie Galante
Port of arrival
Puerto Morelos (MX)

From Marie-Galante or Guadeloupe to Pt. Morelos, Mexico

The Avontuur is a historic two-masted gaff schooner, built in 1920 in the Netherlands. Today, she still sails just as she did a hundred years ago, entirely powered by wind. In this way, she transports locally produced goods from the Caribbean and South America to Europe – completely sustainable and climate-friendly.

The Avontuur’s cargo mainly consists of high-quality, artisanal, and sustainable products such as coffee, rum, cocoa, spices, and occasionally artworks or scientific materials.


Join us and become part of the crew on this cargo sailing voyage from the Caribbean island of Marie-Galante to Puerto Morelos, Mexico! Help the Avontuur fulfill its mission of sustainable sea transport and experience a unique adventure at sea.

Become a Shipmate on the Avontuur during this cargo sailing voyage

🌐 approx. 2,300 nautical miles
🕒 approx. 26.03.2026 – 29.04.2026
⚓ via Boca Chica, Dominican Republic; Santa Marta, Colombia; Puerto Limón, Costa Rica; Belize City, Belize

A maximum of 10 Shipmates can join on board for a unique sailing experience where everyone participates as a full-fledged crew member. Shipmates actively help with sailing, watches, maintenance, galley work, and cargo operations. This is not an ordinary vacation; it requires commitment, discipline, and involvement in the mission of sustainable shipping. No prior experience is needed; the certified crew will teach you everything necessary for a safe and educational stay on board.

The crew quarters in the forepeak provide 10 bunks, a locker per person, a cold-water shower, and a toilet. Shipmates act as ambassadors of sustainable shipping and contribute to a mission that proves transporting goods by wind power is both possible and necessary.

During the voyage, you will have the opportunity to learn skills such as:

  • Sailing and performing maneuvers
  • Ship handling and keeping watch
  • Working with the rigging
  • Traditional techniques for loading and unloading cargo
  • Celestial navigation

Good to know:

The dates provided are indicative and not final, as the ship depends on wind, weather, and cargo. Delayed arrivals are part of sailing and require flexibility from everyone involved.

For your travel planning, we therefore recommend the following:

  • At least 2–3 buffer days for flights within Europe
  • 3–5 buffer days for long-haul flights
  • and ideally flexible or rebookable tickets

The crew of the Avontuur naturally does its best to stick to the planned arrival dates. In reality, a deviation of ± 2 days is not uncommon and should be taken into account – in rare cases, it may be slightly more. We communicate any changes transparently and as early as possible.

Avontuur

Read more about this ship

Highlights

✔️ Actively contribute to sustainable shipping as a full-fledged crew member
✔️ Climate-friendly cargo transport powered entirely by wind
✔️ Learn traditional techniques for loading, unloading, and sailing skills

Frequently asked questions

We still handle your bookings personally and therefore do not have an automatic booking system. This way, we can enable you to reserve individual places for a few days without any obligation. This allows you, for example, to arrange your holiday without someone stealing your place from under your nose. For this reason, we cannot keep track of the exact number of free places on a daily basis. However, we regularly check the availability of our sailing holidays. Therefore, you can generally assume that plenty of free places are still available on all trips that are not marked as ‘fully booked’ or ‘Last Minute’. Call us or use our booking form if you want to know the exact number of places available.

If you are travelling alone and have not booked a private cabin, you will be accommodated in a shared cabin. The shared cabins are usually assigned based on gender.

Exceptions:

  • On the Belle Amie and the Seatrips yachts, there are sometimes mixed-gender cabins as well.
  • There are no shared cabins on the Sir Robert. Are you travelling alone? Then you should book a single cabin.

Yes, vegetarians and allergies/intolerances can be catered for on most ships. On some ships, the menu can also be adapted for vegans. However, there is only one menu per day on the programme. Therefore, please let us know during your booking if you have any special dietary requirements.

In principle, all our trips are suitable for both experienced and novice sailors. The professional crew on board will teach you everything you need to know. In some cases (e.g. on Atlantic crossings) initial sailing experience may be an advantage/requirement. In this case, this will be clearly indicated in the cruise description.

Prices

DescriptionPrice
Bunk in the crew quarters
Adult€ 2.990
Child

Included in price

All meals on board, including tea and coffee
All bedding
All safety equipment, including life jackets and safety harnesses
Fuel costs and port fees

Not included in price

All meals consumed ashore during stopovers in ports
Travel to and from the ship
Any costs for boarding or disembarking
Personal sailing gear, such as an oilskin jacket and appropriate sailing shoes
Personal travel insurance
Towels

Book this trip

Please use the following form if you have any questions about this trip or wish to book. You will receive a confirmation email that your booking request has been successfully received by us. We will then contact you as soon as possible with all the information. We usually respond within a few hours.

Group and trip details

Personal data