top of page
SEMESTER AT SEA
Voyage 126
What is Semester at Sea?
Honolulu
Kobe
Shanghai
Hong Kong
Ho Chi Minh City
Yangon
Kochi
Port Louis
Cape Town
Tema & Takoradi
Casablanca
Amsterdam
Semester at Sea or as voyagers call it, "SAS," is a study abroad program that gives students the opportunity to travel to multiple countries while continuing their studies and living on the ocean. My voyage (Spring 2019) was number 126! On my trip, the ship docked in 14 cities across 12 different countries. How cool is that???
Semester at Sea is an amzing program because the professors and students travel together living in the same mini-community, each voyage creating their own culture and finding meaning in their own relationships both on the ship and in port. Lifelong Learners also sail on the voyage. These are older passengers who are not students but still take classes, travel, and live on the ship. Additionally, the faculty and staff (the staculty) of ISE (the company that runs SAS) are allowed to bring their spouses and children, who are lovingly known as dependents on board.
The MV World Odyssey - A Verbal Tour
The MV World Odyssey, also known as THE ship, is a German cruise ship half the year and a floating campus the other half of the year. The ship has famous roots as it starred in the German tv show Das Traumschiff before SAS signed their lease on the ship. Because of this, everyone sailing on the MV World Odyssey learns a bit of German; all the rooms on the ship are German (ie. the Kaisersaal, which is the union).
Within the nine decks, students, staculty, and life-long learners can find everything they might possibly need from a small gym on the aft of the ship to the writing center. There are two main dining options - that people feel very strongly about, so choose wisely - as well as a fancy restaurant called the Four Seasons which features a regularly changing menu and a chance to dress up if you can get a reservation, and two snack shops open almost all day.
Classrooms are really anywhere we can fit more than 15 people. Not all of them have desks, in fact, most do not. Lido and Berlin, the two dining rooms, and the Four Season turn into classrooms when they are not serving students. The library, Kino (movie theater), and the Kaisersaal become classrooms as well during the day. In total there are eight classrooms, some of which host more than one class at a time.
The ship also has numerous other amenities that a student might find they need. These include the medical clinic and counseling center, the student life office, a career advisor, the writing center, and the gym. The staculty also gets access to the Fritz bar which is basically a teacher lounge by day and a bar by night that only staculty and life-long learners have access to. Of course, like any cruise ship on the MV World Odyssey you can find a pool, a small basketball court, a salon/spa, the campus store, the library, ping pong, and shuffleboard, and my personal favorite - a giant chessboard.
Field Classes and Field Programs: Huh?
Many people use "class" and "program" interchangeably; however, on SAS these are two totally different concepts.
Field classes are essentially field trips with your specific classes (ie. Comparative Education) that take place in country. Each class will have one field class for the whole voyage which is worth about 20% of your grade. Not to worry though because these excursions are included within your tuition and generally lead to lots of class bonding! It's also important to note that field classes are only one day each and are generally focused on some aspect of culture in the country you are visiting. For example, my first field class took place in Japan with my Introduction to Cultural Anthropology class. We visited an elementary school where we had lunch and spent time with children as well as took a boat ride with some Japanese elders down a local river as we got to know them better.
Field programs are slightly different in that they are add ons which you must pay for in addition to the cost of the voyage. However, they are pre-set and planned for you and are always super fun (plus a great way to meet other people)! Many of them take 15-20 students. These programs can be day trips or overnight trips throughout the country we are in. In some special cases field programs may take you out of the country and into a neighboring country - the only way SAS lets students leave the port country. There are about 10 different field programs in each port for students to chose from; nonetheless, there is almost always the option to travel independently, either alone or with your squad. In stop over port countries - where the ship is only docked for a day - students can only get off with a field program, otherwise independent travel is an option (that can be significantly cheaper) for everyone!
To Travel Independently or Not, That is the Question.
The biggest question I found myself asking as I planned my voyage, and at the beginning of it surrounded this topic. I founded myself constantly debating whether I should sign up for all field programs in an effort to meet new people, or if I should wait and find friends to travel independently with. In all honesty looking back, this is totally a personal question and there is no answer - or any way you can go wrong! I leaned slightly towards field programs than independent travel simply because I loved the itineraries set up by the field office.
The great thing about the SAS field office is that there is one on ship in addition to the main office in Colorado. This makes it so much easier to ask questions about what is planned, as well as join in on field programs. There are also easy ways to sell or trade field programs if you signed up for one at the beginning of the voyage and you want to drop out. Most importantly - don't stress out because whatever you decide will be absolutely amazing!
Some Extra Fun Facts
Semester at Sea has hosted many well known individuals throughout its 126+ voyages. A few of notables include Fidel Castro, Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Bill Cosby, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mikhail Gorbachev.
Semester at Sea has hosted not one but THREE Tedx events over the years. While we did not have a TEDx on my voyage, a club with a similar function allowed voyagers to share their stories with everyone on the ship! These were some of my absolute favorite ship events.
Spring '19 by the Numbers
Bread rolls consumed on the ship: 140,000 rolls
Nautical miles traveled: 24,024 nm
Total days on SAS: 106
Days at sea: 59
Countries: 13 (plus a fuel stop in the Canary Islands
Number of Visas: 5
Continents: 4
Oceans: 3
Vaccinations needed: 1
Semester at Sea
Check out the site >
An experience of a lifetime to learn about the world with friends that become like family..
"I’ve been trying over the last week to gather my thoughts and put into words this picture, this feeling, this experience. Trying to wrap my head around..."
bottom of page