Program Reviews

This was the most life changing experience ever. I did the 40 days of their trip from Fiji->Palau and I learned the most amazing things and made lifelong friends.
Personally, I have so much fun learning new things and the whole experience for me was new and exciting. I learnt how to sail and gained 3 sailing related certifications, I also learned how to scuba dive and got my advanced open water, and lastly I got my EFR certification.
The staff was all very supportive and fun to be around. I felt like I could have a genuine conversation with every one of them. Also doing a program like this you are bound to find people who like the same stuff as you because who is really signing up to sail if they don’t want to.

This experience gave me so much more than I could ask for. It exceeded my expectations. I loved learning to live on a boat, sail, dive, and have adventures out on land. The best thing I got from this is a wonderful group of people. I made so many connections with my shipmates and I’ll forever be grateful. I made so many wonderful memories and I have so many favorites. One of which is learning that we were allowed to sleep outside when on anchor and we all found our sleep spots. Another is just being around the group during mealtimes and sharing stories and jokes and having the best laughs.

My Seamester experience was truly one of the most unforgettable and life changing opportunities I’ve ever had. Over 20 days, I gained hands-on sailing and scuba certifications, explored incredible places, and built lifelong friendships while growing in confidence, teamwork, and independence. I would recommend Seamester to anyone looking for an adventure that challenges you, teaches valuable skills, and creates memories that last a lifetime.

From the moment I stepped aboard, every day brought a new opportunity to learn something different. Whether we were raising sails, navigating between islands, completing dive training, or working together to keep the boat running smoothly, I was constantly challenged in the best way possible. The hands on learning environment made every lesson meaningful because I was immediately able to apply what I had learned in real world situations.

Beyond the certifications and technical skills, Seamester helped me grow as a person. Living in close quarters with a group of people from different backgrounds taught me the importance of communication, adaptability, and teamwork. We quickly became a family, supporting one another through challenges and celebrating every accomplishment together. Some of my favorite memories came from the little moments like watching sunsets from the deck, laughing during meals, exploring beautiful islands, and diving in crystal clear water surrounded by incredible marine life. We developed a multitude of inside jokes that I will forever remember and continue to use as a way of always carrying my Ocean Star family with me.

I finished the program with new skills, greater confidence, lifelong friendships, and memories that I know I’ll carry with me for years to come. Seamester exceeded every expectation I had, and I cannot recommend the experience highly enough to anyone looking for an adventure that combines education, personal growth, and unforgettable experiences.

My experience on Sea|Mester this past semester was one of the craziest and most incredible experiences of my life. I boarded Vela with no expectations I had never done anything like this before and had never even been on a sailboat. From day one, though, it was an amazing experience. One of the best parts is meeting people from all over the world and making friendships that will last a lifetime. You learn to sail in the most hands on way possible. Before this program, I had absolutely no sailing experience, but I completely fell in love with it. You also get to visit remote and beautiful places that most people will never have the opportunity to see otherwise. Every day brought a new adventure, whether it was sailing, exploring a new island, or working together with the crew. If you're thinking about doing Sea|Mester, my advice is simple: Do it. Go in with an open mind, be willing to learn, adapt, and step outside your comfort zone. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

Sea|mester was the perfect adventure for my gap year as a student with a passion for sailing and the ocean. You get to live the dream adventure lifestyle for three months, with non-stop activity and work that always keeps you busy. Somehow the experience was cleansing for me, lifting years of stress off my shoulders and allowing me to grow my confidence and self-esteem significantly through friendships and mentorship. I will never forget the dream I got to live aboard Argo, and the great friends and experiences I now get to keep with me for the rest of my life!

Seamester is a truly unique experience. There is really no amount of writing that could accurately encapsulate all the facets of the program. To start off with my favorite things, the diversity of places you get to see is tremendous: the views, the hikes, the ocean creatures during diving — it really is once in a lifetime.
When people ask me what the craziest or most interesting thing that happened on Seamester was, I struggle to come up with a single answer because living on a boat like this is so completely different from what my life is like on land.
I think, though, that anyone who goes on Seamester needs to be entirely informed about what the program is. To start off with the most important statement: you will be doing a lot of sailing. That is a “no duh” thing to say, but for people who have never sailed before, really think about it, because if it is not for you, you are in for a long 90 days.
I honestly recommend doing the IYT even if you do not have intentions of working on a boat, because you will get a certificate for all your sailing hours and night watch hours after the program. It is mostly useful only if you have some form of captain’s license, but from what I saw, even though I did not do it, IYT did not seem to be that crazy of a time commitment.
If you have not lived on a boat before, like I had not, fair warning: your creature comforts do not exist. It is hard for a week or two, but you get used to it, and it just becomes something to laugh about for the rest of the program.
The program is one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life, and you will certainly make all kinds of memories on the trip. There are highs and lows. At some points, you will want nothing more than to get off the boat, have alone time, and enjoy AC and good food. Everyone experienced that. You just have to understand that it will be worth it looking back, and do not be dismayed if you feel this way.
This is probably the hardest gap year program you can choose from a mental durability standpoint. You will have no phone service, and you will spend a lot of time staring at walls in your free time. You will also be sleep deprived most of the time, especially when underway. There was a time when, for three days, I slept maybe an hour a day.
Also, a major topic: seasickness. If you know you get seasick, bring more medicine than you think is necessary. Take it three hours before you get underway, and do not stop taking it for at least four days. We had people get so inescapably seasick that they ended up leaving the boat.
All in all, the main things I would think about when wondering if Seamester is for you are these:
Do not get caught up in the diving, snorkeling, and great views you see on Instagram and websites. Yes, those experiences exist, but keep in mind the up to 20 days at sea with no internet, food that leaves a lot to be desired, and the four hours awake every night that it can take to get there. If you are one of the people coming in only looking forward to those experiences, it probably will not be good for you.
The second important thing, as previously stated, is seasickness. You will, in all likelihood, get seasick, and once you do, medicine does not help much, so take it preemptively.
If you do Seamester, though, with an accurate understanding of what it is going in, and that is genuinely the experience you want, it will be life changing for you and valuable in many aspects.

I don’t even I can fully put into words how this company and this voyage changed me and my life. Every person I met aboard Argo were incredible and I know they will be in my life for a very long time. I had always wanted to learn more about sailing and this trip allowed me to do that while seeing remote places I could have never dreamed of visiting. Shout out to the staff of Argo 2026 as well, they truly made the trip 10x better for me. To anyone thinking about doing it, go for it. I loved it and hope to be able to experience something like it again one day!

This was the best experience of my life. I met so many cool people and life long friends. I would 100% recommend this to anyone who enjoys being on boats and doesn’t get sea sick. It was so cool to be able to wake up in the morning and see that I am sailing. The sunsets and sunrises are like something out of a movie. I made so many good and positive memories with my peers that I want to 100% see them again. The hardest part was definitely saying goodbye. But Argo treated us all right and was the best!

My Sea|mester experience this past spring (Cape Town to Antigua, 90 days) was absolutely incredible, teaching me so much about teamwork, traveling, myself, and giving me such a love for being on the ocean. So many once-in-a-lifetime moments were packed into those three months, and the experience is truly life-changing. The semester was by no means easy - I struggled a lot with the adjustment, feeling a lot of homesickness, stress, and overwhelm. This program does not offer much time to get school work done, and between boat responsibilities and seasickness, classes can be really hard. I am an environmental science major, and the marine biology and oceanography courses were so fun and were great classes to take for someone who loves the environment and conservation. The classes often correlated with what we were doing outside of class, such as the locations we were going to and the types of wildlife we would potentially see on dives. It was very hands on, and while difficult at times to find time to study or finish a paper, I learned a lot. Additionally, I struggled a lot being a vegetarian on board. Running out of fresh produce/eggs/dairy is a common reality on board, and I often found it hard to eat very healthy or get enough protein (lots of crackers and ramen). This is all part of the experience, but I would not recommend this program to someone who has very very strict dietary restrictions. However, despite the less "glamorous" side of this program, it teaches you how to overcome these discomforts and accomplish more than you think you could and learn to place the wellbeing of your crew above everything. My favorite moments were seeing whale sharks, bioluminescence, the milkyway over the Atlantic, and sailing in the Antigua Classics. The small moments are the things I remember most, such as being able to slow down and live disconnected from the rest of the world, the beautiful sunsets and sunrises, baking for everyone on board, and the feeling of fulfillment and pride that you feel when you reach day 90 having accomplished and changed so much. I would definitely recommend this program to anyone who loves adventure, being outside, wants to learn more about themselves, loves to be goofy, and just loves the sea. Thank you Sea|mester for such an incredible experience, I will remember it forever!

Spending 90 days aboard Argo was an experience; your interview mentions a potentially chaotic day, and you definitely want to believe them. From dealing with living conditions and watch schedules, to being a chef in rough seas and juggling four assignments, you experience and accomplish things you never thought you would. The unique living and learning environment is not built for everyone; you need a sense of adventure and a strong work ethic because nothing is done for you. If you're looking for a vacation, this is definitely not it.