Lately, lots of piano players have been DMing Seapoe: "I want to move my Steinway at home to the US. Can it actually be shipped by sea? Is the cost going to be crazy?" Well, you've come to the right place! Whether it's a household Yamaha, Heintzman, Pearl River, or Kawai, or a performance-grade brand like Steinway, we've got plenty of experience shipping them all safely. If you want your prized piano delivered in one piece, choosing a dependable shipping company is the single most important decision. And that goes double for Steinway — a world-renowned brand known for its precision craftsmanship and complex internal structure.

How much does it cost to ship a Steinway piano by sea?

It depends on the piano's size

First, figure out how much space your piano takes up — freight costs are directly tied to volume. Different Steinway models take up different amounts of space.

  • Upright pianos: Model K, Model 1098, etc. — about 2 m³. Compact and great for home use.
  • Grand pianos: Model S, Model M, Model O, Model A, Model B, etc. — we can ship them all. These run about 3 m³ to 5 m³. Volume differences directly affect the shipping cost. Grand pianos in particular have higher demands when it comes to disassembly, securing, and wooden crating, so they typically need a professional team to handle.

It depends on the shipping service

How does Seapoe protect a Steinway piano? For high-value pianos, Seapoe uses a professional packing process:

  1. Plastic film wrapping: keeps dust and moisture out.
  2. Full foam padding: reduces vibration and friction during transit.
  3. Cardboard casing: adds external impact resistance.
  4. Fumigation-free wooden crating: a custom crate sized to the piano keeps it stable on long voyages.

We also disassemble, cushion, and secure the piano according to its structure during handling, so it won't be damaged in the process.

Full coverage of popular US routes — we ship both ways!

Seapoe Relo ships Steinway pianos by sea to multiple US cities:

Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, New York
Houston, Boston, Chicago, Miami, and more

We offer door-to-door sea freight from China to the US and from the US to China, so your treasured instrument arrives at its new home safely.

Want to know what shipping your piano by sea will cost? Contact Seapoe and we'll send you a quote!