I would like to travel from France to USA (ideally New York) with a ship. I want to use a ship because I have a long-term flying phobia; I know this is the root problem that I should solve, but this will take some time, and I am not psychologically ready yet. Thus the idea of a boat ocean crossing, and also because it can be a beautiful journey on sea.
Are there solutions still available in 2017? Time is not a problem, I have 10 days if needed, or more. Super-luxury cruise ship with 5k$ budget is not an option for me. I thought maybe cargo ships, or even ships in which you have to work (busboy / catering)?
Which are the cities connected to New York via ship? Brest or La Rochelle?