Semester at Sea: Study Around the World

Doing Semester at Sea was one of the best decisions I've made. Unlike the programs that invite students to live in one locale for several months, my study abroad journey allowed me to see 10 countries on 3 different continents and to experience the world. It awoke the travel bug in me and that continues to be one my most cherished passions.

Living on a ship for 66 days sounds like quite the experience and trust me, it was! For 66 days, my life consisted of this. Rolling out of bed 10 minutes before my class started, putting on my bathing suit under my clothes and walking to class with an ocean view. In between classes, I would lay out on the top deck before grabbing a delicious (with 100% sarcasm) lunch of pasta, potatoes and hopefully a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Then I'd have class in the afternoon with some of the best professors I've ever had. Nights would be filled with hanging out by the pool and getting our drink on...of 3 beverages. Every 2-3 days we would arrive in a new place with desire to explore and get as much in as possible.

If I could do Semester at Sea again, I would drop everything and head back to the MV Explorer in a heart beat.

Semester at Sea truly is a once in a lifetime experience! 16 countries, 4 continents, 20+ cities and countless memories! Living on the ocean is one of the many perks, but this program is so unique in its community building ability. The students, staff, faculty and their families become a true community, building bonds unlike any other program can. The classes aren't too hard and the field trips are amazing! It is pricier than many programs, but it is well worth it to see so much of the world. Apply for SAS, sail around the world, join the Wanderlust club :) you will NOT regret it!

Semester at Sea is a once in a lifetime experience that should be taken advantage of. You will experience the best adventures with some of the most unique people. Unfortunately living on a boat is not as amazing. The food is horrible and is pretty much the same throughout the entire voyage. In addition, the rules enforced by SAS are a bit harsh; I had a friend get drunk tanked (put in a room if you come back to the ship too intoxicated) for having a .09 at the age of 22, which is ridiculous. Also, you can't bring a majority of food products onto the boat or take any food from the dining areas to your room, not even a banana can be found in your room or you get points (10 points=kicked off). Then again, it's not the difficult to follow the rules and finish up the voyage with zero points.

Although ship life can be rough, it's definitely not worth passing up the opportunity of participating in this incredible experience. You will meet lifelong friends and have the best semester of your life.

Openned my eyes to the world, how big and how small it feels after the trip. I would strongly recommend this trip, it gives you a much more accurate view of the world (and it makes reading news a lot more fun too).

I fell more deeply in love with travel, education, and gaining immeasurable experiences than I could have imagined while traveling with SAS. I made the best memories and amazing friends. SAS was my home.

I cannot recommend Semester at Sea enough. It was an absolutely life-changing experience that everyone should have. During the program, you visit 10+ countries, experience cultures and activities around the world and receive world-class education from top professors.

On SAS, I made friends and memories that will last a lifetime.

There was a lot of anticipation going on Semester At Sea. I knew I would be seeing the world essentially and I'm so glad I did it. Unlike many students on the ship, I only (kinda) knew another girl upon embarking. When you step into a group of 575 people not knowing any one, it's a little intimidating. It's easy making friends though, since each of you have at least one common interest: traveling. Students are always hanging out in the cafeteria, on the upper deck levels, and basically anywhere on the ship. The trip I went on specifically was the Atlantic Excursion, which took us through Europe, parts of Africa, Argentina, Brazil and Cuba. Never in my life did I ever expect to go to Cuba and SAS was able to provide that for me. As a history minor I LOVED seeing Cuba in person. Learning about the history and the impact of European nations was something you just can't learn in a textbook. It's still leaves me in awe that Cuba seems to be living in the 1950s with such grand architecture and I'm a complete advocate for studying abroad and I don't think there is a right or wrong program for students. If you want to see the world, live on ship and make friends that last a lifetime, SAS is for sure the way to go.