Seamester: Virgin Islands to Dominica - 40 Days

This trip was truly the best time of my life. I met some of the friendliest and kindest people among the students and staff. A great community was built and I made lifelong friends that I plan on keeping in touch with. The activities and excursions were also amazing. I came in with an interest in marine biology and diving and these interests plus others were furthered due to the voyage. Even if you are not interested in these things I still recommend going on this trip because you will make great friends and go on a great adventures with new people experiencing things for the first time also.

This is the best experience that I have ever lived!
The staff was so great and always there to listen to our needs and demands and the connection I built with the other students is beyond what words can describe. What made this trip amazing is the diversity of activities we took part in from dynamic and interesting academic classes, numerous dives, sailing activities, on-shore activities like surfing and turtle watch, hikes, free time to bond with the crew, and more. I have learned so much during this trip on oceanography and how to be a good advocate for our oceans, but also on myself and how to become a better leader.

This is an awesome study abroad program with the ability to complete tons of certifications and simultaneously receiving college credit. The summer trip was very busy with lots of fun activities planned so there are no "off-days". Living aboard an 88 foot boat with 20 other people is actually less stressful and more comfortable than you might assume! It was an incredibly unique experience and I would highly recommend it for a study abroad program. Adjusting to academics on board is the most difficult part but I think that just takes time and would be easier with a longer trip. Completing the academics and multiple certifications in the 40 day trip was a pretty tight squeeze, if I could do it again I would take a longer trip so I could spend more time enjoying the experience and less time stressing over all of the different exams.

This summer I had the life-changing experience of living on a boat for 40 days. The program itself was jam-packed, with scuba diving, first aid certifications and learning how to properly navigate a boat. It gave me skills I use in my everyday life and gave me a love for the ocean that I hope to have for the rest of my life. The beautiful landscapes and deep blue seas made an impression on me that will never fade. I wish i could go again. I would recommend this spectacular program to anyone who wants the adventure of a lifetime. The crew members were encouraging and also wanted to see you succeed in whatever you were doing. they challenged and aided us as we were sailing through rough waters or identifying types of coral in the ocean. truly amazing 10/10

This was an absolutely awesome trip. The Staff was just incredible in every way. They were supportive, friendly, and knowledgable about so much. They made you feel totally welcome and comfortable, and were awesome to talk to. Every place we were was unbelievable and the daily excursions were just great. The sights were so remarkable and super unique. We went biking, horseback riding, sailing, and hiking. We also got free time to explore the islands by ourselves. I learned so much about sailing, oceanography, scuba diving and marine biology. The staff was able to meet anyone at their level so that beginners to masters of any of the subjects could learn more. I also made lifelong friends and really bonded with many of the people on the trip.

My experience on the Seamester trip was nothing like I have ever done before. I have very mixed feelings about what I went through. If I am 100% honest I loved a lot of it and also strongly disliked a lot of it. I will start off with what I did not like. I was very out of my comfort zone the entire time which I know is common. I was expecting this and did not mind it. The main thing I did not like was the sailing which was of course a big part of the trip. I got very sea sick every time, and did not have any interest in learning about sailing like many of the other students did. A few things however that I loved were the things we did on land. I loved visiting the different islands and exploring them. My absolute favorite part of the trip was hiking the waterfalls in Dominica. That was something I would love to do again in my lifetime. Overall it was a fantastic adventure that I will never forget. I am very glad I did it because of all the great benefits that came from it as well as it helped me really grow as a person.

This trip changed my life in one of the most amazing ways. It allowed me to meet a new group of people and visit places I wouldn't have gone to on my own. This trip was definitely out of my comfort zone but I knew it was something that id be able to overcome and it was well worth it. A year ago today I never would have thought I would have been able to handle 40 days on a boat but after this experience I would do it all over again. The sailing was beyond fun and it was great to be a part of a crew rather than being catered to the entire trip. on top of that, the certifications we received are once that I am excited to have and are beneficial for what i see myself doing in my future. This trip also gave me to oppertunity to scuba dive in some very unique areas seeing shipwrecks and beautiful reefs

Since starting college I always wanted to participate in a Semester at Sea program. I found a lot after doing research, but Sea|mester stuck out to me. After browsing through the website I knew this was the program for me. Traveling down to Tortola I had no idea what to expect. I knew I liked boats, loved the Caribbean, and wanted an adventure. It took a little bit of time to get acquainted to living on a sail boat, but once I got into it, I felt I could do this for years. My crew mates were from all over the US and the world. They were an amazing group of people and I'm happy to call them my friends. The staff was incredible, super fun, friendly and supportive. My crew mates and I learned how to sail, scuba dive, and live life on the sea. We did fun activities on land like hiking, tours, horse back riding, and biking. Its always super fun to go exploring with friends through out an island you know nothing about. Each day would have an assigned "Skipper" who would write a log, these got super fun and creative. I saw the most stars in my life during night voyages, I can still picture in my mind how bright the night sky was in the middle the Caribbean. I was scared to scuba dive at first, but it is one of my favorite things to do now. Amy, Steph, Carolyn, and Ian were the best staff I could ask for. Incredible experience that I would recommend to anyone.