You can join the ship for as long as you wish. You may even choose to disembark from one ship, spend a week ashore at a place of your choice, and then join another ship for the rest of you voyage. Passengers on the United Baltic Line often disembark at Helsinki and rejoin the ship on its return voyage about ten days later. A voyage from Auckland via Melbourne, Sydney, Keelung, Hong Kong, Singapore, Suez Canal, Port Said, Salerno, Savona, to Felixstowe, England, has enough interest to satisfy the most experienced traveller. For example, take an eleven day voyage from Felixstowe to Amsterdam, into the Baltic Sea to Helsinki and Hamina, then back through the Keil Canal to Antwerp.
Interesting trips are available around the Mediterranean.
On any overseas trip, adequate insurance is essential. You will require full cover for all travel, luggage and medical for the duration of your time overseas. If you are on medication make sure that you have an adequate supply. Freighters do not carry qualified doctors, but one of the crew is often appointed as the ships medical officer who can attend to minor problems. Your holiday arrangements require our close liaison with you and the shipping company.