Program Reviews

I had an absolutely amazing time on Argo. The staff were all fantastic, especially Charlie who was not only a great teacher but great mentor as well! There was so much about this program that was amazing I can’t even list it all. What I can say is that it has inspired me to go get my RYA Yachtmaster so that some day I may come back and hopefully work here. I loved the mix of diving and sailing. I learned more in three months than I have in four years of college. Thank you so much for this experience it was absolutely life changing.

I did the Bali to South Africa voyage, and I LOVED IT, I think about it everyday. It is an incredibly challenging program, physically and mentally. You have to change everything about the way you live to adapt to sailing life (sleeping schedule, diet, social habits, no phone, etc.) but I truly cherished this experience more than any other in my life, and even more so for the parts that were challenging. You learn so much more than you would in a classroom--sailing, navigation, diving, cooking, cleaning, riddles and jokes, dancing, the list goes on. If you're looking for a life changing adventure that will challenge you in ways you couldn't imagine, but also be the most rewarding experience of your life, with a group of people who you will come to love like family, do it!!

I decided to apply for seamester as someone with no sailing experience not fully knowing what kind of experience I would be faced with. i was scared that i would not be able to life on a boat and sharing living spaces with that many strangers but my fears where completely dismantled by the end of the trip, with the help of the staff even those who had no sailing experience were able to become fully fledged sailors, group activities that ranged from watch teams to excursions helped us become a very cohesive group and I am proud to have made lifelong friends on this trip while also becoming much more confident in my abilities to work as a team while under pressure or in unfamiliar enviroments. Seamester has been a wonderful experience for me that I will definitely reccomend to everyone I know and that I would gladly let my future sons or daughters make.

I think the best part about Sea|mester is the mix between school, sailing, traveling, and making lifelong friendships. The mix off all of these things creates such a unique and hard to find environment, which was perfect for me, that it can not be found anywhere else. The hardest part was leaving and seasickness. My biggest takeaway is all of my friends whether they were on the staff or just other students. I will stay in contact with them for as long as I can. I will also always remember my time on Argo as some of the best days of my life.

Going on Sea|mester was the best choice I made for myself in 2025, and its impact on my life cannot be understated. There is no feeling in the world that compares to sailing alone in the vastness of the Indian Ocean at 2am, thousands of stars studding the midnight velvet of the sky, sea so calm that the stars are reflected in its surface, while sparkling bioluminescent phytoplankton lights up the path Vela carves through the water. It’s hard to put into words how this experience truly grew me as a person, stretching me beyond what I thought I was capable of, and challenging me to be a better and open-minded human. Learning to work with others to sail a boat across an ocean to an entirely new continent has given me so much confidence in my life on land, and I truly feel that nothing is out of reach for me now. The flexibility and quick adaptations we had to constantly have (especially regarding time management and studying for classes) on Vela has prepared me so much for the struggles and unpredictability of real life. Learning about subjects like marine biology and oceanography while they directly pertained to our lives was unparalleled! There’s nothing like catching and dissecting a wahoo you caught on passage for marine biology, and then getting to have fish tacos for dinner later, or learning how to navigate via nautical charts in class and then getting to do it for real on boat checks. My trip also helped me build lifelong bonds with the other students, and I feel so blessed to call 15 other people across two countries and 13 states my good friends. If you are considering Sea|mester, go! Do whatever you can to make it possible to go on one of these trips. It will change your life, self- identity, and concept of humanity for the better.

This experience was amazing. I’ll be honest, it is definitely not easy. But that’s part of it. The personal development and the character building is like nothing else I’ve ever done. When considering this trip, keep in mind that everything will be different, difficult, and at some points never ending. But it’s worth it. Lean into the hard moments. Embrace them. Be ready to be uncomfortable. That’s the only way you grow, and become the person that your younger self looks up to. I’ll never forget this experience, the good and the bad. It helped shape me into the man I am today.

Seamester was an amazing, incredible, unique experience. It challenged me in ways I expected, and in ways I didn’t, and I wouldn’t trade a single moment of it for anything. Studying abroad with Seamester is not for the faint of heart, but if you’re looking for adventure and willing to work hard I highly recommend this program!!! It’s a great way to see less-travelled-to parts of the world and you can collect some amazing friends and unforgettable experiences along the way. Highly recommend for someone wanting a unique study abroad experience!

I had lots of fun even through the hard times. I made lots of friends and learned a lot about sailing and feel it’s the best thing I could have done to understand myself better before university. I can’t believe 90 days is already up but at the same time it’s felt like 2,000 days. On Argo the days are long but the weeks are short. I’m so glad this is the way that I got to sail across the Atlantic Ocean. Shout out my watch team for making the late nights always fun even though the nights we’re we spent the whole watch sail handling. I’m so grateful for everything that my staff taught me from how to handle Argo to becoming a better diver.

Greatest three months of my life so far. Obviously there were some issues socially, with sicknesses, with staff, and with adapting to life away from home and at sea, but that’s simply what comes with an entire new experience, and was nothing that defined my trip. The places I saw, the people I met, and the relationships I made on board have been absolutely incredible. I’ve been able to see things so many people will never see in their lifetime and I’m so grateful. I’ve so many people with different backgrounds and navigated through new challenges, this trip has made me excited for what’s next in my life.

I has such a good time of Sea|mester all of there staff and students I was surround by where just the coolest people ever. I had such a great time going on all of the hikes and ocean swims. I loved being able to wake up when we got to a new port and go up the companion way to see all of the nature around us after only seeing the ocean for days. I had a great time fishing when we were underway and being able to cook the fish we caught was really cool. Some of my favorite memories where when all of the students would sit up on the bow and talk for hours to each other at night.