Fjolnir reads over the lists of manifests and relays all the information about what ships have passage we might be able to book as crew hands.

"Mostly rannae shallow draft keelers down the Dessarie delivern ore or refined goods ta Waterdeep. Occasionally later on sailing ketches, brou boats indeed, ken?" with no purchase on sharing ship appreciation he continues...

He's spent most his time aboard vessels like barges or sailing ships, but any will do. He expresses a strange inclination toward the rowboat he has no explanation for.

Az sums up the general idea if where they're going and what their doing without giving specifics and sends the bird.

Fjolnir muses a moment, then suggests, "If we don't take tha scenic route, maybe we book passage on a galley.  It might make a stop or two- and if it does, maybe we see if there aren't supplies there. But at least its a little less vulnerable to piracy than a less guarded ship. And there will be more space to move about, for those who haven't been at sea before."

If anyone is asking for my expertise, I'm voting dingy.  It's the last thing anyone would ever expect for such a long journey, It's small, so it's stealthy, tactical and I would love to see the nine (?) of us, a donkey, a horse and a cart all impossibly crammed into a vessel that surely can't support us.  

Whichever crew we approach, Absinthe proposes they allow him to brew up a barrel of his Stormbrew, so long as he can use there supplies. 

"I recommend a larger vessel. Not a fan of tight spaces." 

"I have been on exactly zero boats during my time as a human. I will agree with Fjolnir's judgements."

Since the majority ruled "bigger boat/whatever Fjolnir says" or was actually Fjolnir, you approach a galley that is currently docked. Dockworkers and deckhands are in the process of loading and unloading crates, barrels, and other goods on and off the ship. Faded painted letters on the side read, "The Keel Breaker," and a hardened looking dwarf in a long coat and an old admiral's hat is standing near the top of the ramp onto the vessel pointing and yelling things like, "No, the citrus fruit goes to the aft," and "Be careful with that!"

Fjolnir hesitates, wrinkles his nose and furrows his brow trying to recall anything about the name of this ship or who's charter she is: History 1

3 Seeing the look on Fjolnir's face, Dirk steps up and tells the party everything he knows about the ship and crew.

It's a boat, with people on it.

Fjolnir nearly shits himself, then remembers those are not the thinking muscles.

Dirk notices 3 painted silhouettes of different ships toward the front of the hull.

The ship is about 130' long, has oars lined down its side and has a single mast with sails. There are four ballistae mounted at the front of the deck and two trebuchets at the rear.

"Oi, cap! May we board?" Fjolnir hails the Dwarf and steps onto the gangplank, "Were looking to book passage or work?"

"Aye? Ye may. Was going tae do some headhuntin' an' recruit a bunch o' folk as extra guards, pirates gettin' brave lately, but ye just saved me the trip, if yer interested. Where are ye tryin' ta get to? I'll let ye work aboard for as far as we're goin'."

"I make ale, and I punch things. I can also lift heavy things, but not so good in small spaces." 

"Aye, ya do look the sort that has lifted a heavy thing or two. There's plenty o' room aboard. My crew is 80 strong, but most of 'em don't fight. The ones that do are fine, but nowadays it's better tae have more, ya know? If we're trading my space aboard and passage South for your protection and heavy lifting, that's all we need to discuss, aye? Welcome aboard! Make yerselves at home, we be leaving soon."

Last call to ask questions, get any supplies or do anything before setting course.

That we do, a man's gotta pee after all. I say thumbs in pointing to myself.  It's a team effort I say to the nearest person not in our party.

Fjolnir replies, "Indeed- we'd be happy to take the spots on your roster. Probably headed farther than yer routes, for certain.  Way south- past the Shining Sea."

"The Shining Sea!? Ha ha! You are going far. I only sail up and down the Sword Coast, but I'll take ye as far as I can, as long as there's profit to be found. This is my ship and I'm on no schedule but me own."

As an experienced mariner, you could perhaps tell us the best way to get to our destination?  If there would be a connecting boat we could take?

"Aye, we'll at least hit Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate, but I usually go as far South as Amn. I'll go futher if there's money in it, if not ye' may be better off checking out Baldur's gate for ships going that way."