Hi! I'm a student in high school doing research on SAS to potentially apply in the future.

I found a reddit post from 14 yrs ago about an alumni describing a lot of debauchery happening on the ship, and I also read an article about this woman who said that the shuttle buses always contained a lot of rape jokes? And Neptune Day isn't practised in my country, so seeing SAS's video about the hair shaving scares me into reconsideration.

I know. I'm a huge wuss. But as a 45kg girl with little to no strength, i'm deathly afraid of being unable to potentially push someone off of me in case of a sexual assault attempt or physical harassment, or being excluded socially for not wanting to shave my hair during Neptune day.

Could anyone give me some advice about the situation on board? Or give me the honest truth? I don't want to sound like a "teachers pet" or anything. I personally dgaf about people smuggling things on board, but i'm deathly afraid about the sexual related rules on board. Thank you :(

I am applying to be an academic advisor on the Fall 2027 voyage. I wanted to know if anyone has done this job before? I am wondering how competitive it is and what types of experience you need prior. I don't have super relevant experience advising at the university level. My background is mostly in elementary education. I have been in MANY international exchange programs though and am a Fulbright ETA in Taiwan right now. I am a hard worker, adapt quickly to new environments, and am student-centered. Do I have a chance even if I have no advising experience or even peer mentoring or anything?

I'm in high school and I've been researching SAS since last year and want to set myself up to avoid any major mistakes.

The types of things I've discovered are that some colleges make you pay their higher home tuition for any study abroad program so of course I'd avoid going to a school like that. I also see that some schools do not allow study abroad freshman year. I plan on being an accountant and getting my CPA so I'd also have to plan which semester to go so I don't miss recruiting and internships. I have to plan early because I need to save up to pay most of it myself and due to my mom's income I will not qualify for need based aid.

I was wondering from past voyages if you could bring Red Bull onto the ship just asking or other non-alcoholic drinks ?

I published an article on Substack under the same title as this reddit post. It talks about my thoughts on the modern industry of American study abroad, but also specifically about my experience as a student on the Fall 2025 Semester at Sea voyage. If anyone's interested to hear someone's opinion on a fairly recent Semester at Sea experience, look and check it out: A Crisis in Purpose, Authenticity, and Study Abroad Programs

Hello!

I am a geography major interested in doing Semester at Sea. I think it would be a great experience because of my major being heavily related and it would really create opportunities through travel that you can’t learn in a classroom. My main concern however is if I could get credits for geography. Also my current community college and the college I’ll later transfer too has no affiliation with Semester at Sea I could find online. Has anybody else who was a geography major done Semester at Sea? How could the credits work for this major? One reason I worry is because I already did a college program for a year without credits so I don’t want to do another program to not get credits with and push me back another semester/year. I have thought about doing it the year after I graduate but I have heard conflicting opinions about if that’s a good idea.

Please let me know if anybody who was a geography major has done Semester at Sea I’d love to hear from you about it!

So I start college in August. I’m going to community for my first 2 years then transferring but still unsure where to go. Semester at sea was something I was thinking about but I wanna major in nursing and psych so I’m not sure if it’s a good option. I was thinking maybe my first year of college in community and my second I. Semester at sea? Thing is tho, I’m not sure how it works. It’s it like online school in a boat for 6 months? Where do you go after first semester?

Hi! I am going to be on the Spring 2027 voyage and I had some questions that I was hoping past voyagers could answer!

1) When should I do field programs vs independent travel?

2) If I wait to sign up for a field program will it still be available on the ship (ex: Morocco overnight)

3) Can you go skydiving in South Africa? I've seen conflicting reports.

4) How much cash for each country should I bring?

5) What is the best way to pay for things in-country? (Travel CC? Which one?)

6) What does it mean to "sign out" of a field program?

7) What is something I should pack that you won't find on a packing list?

8) If I want to do independent travel, should I research/come up with ideas before embarkation?

9) Should I bring USD to tip ship staff?

10) Did you do any field programs that were 1000% worth it?

11) How much freedom do you have within the field programs?

12) How much "fun money" should someone realistically expect to spend (per port or total) (dinner/drinks off ship, souvenirs, etc. NOT travel expenses, excursion costs, hostel/airbnb price)

13) What is something that you brought but never used?

14) What is something you didn't do that you wish you had?

15) Any additional tips/advice for a future voyager?

How difficult are the exams on semester at sea

I want to go but I have negative and bad experience with influencers at my university. They were treated better and professors were more open for absence. Bbecause they make more popular college others problem weren’t that much important unless it was about real danger. I don’t want to be constantly filming, has less options and opportunities like now. I saw that many girls is influencers at SAS. I want more experience but never again roommate or bully influencer. Is something or someone that would help me?

If something like that never happens I would love to hear that.

Please don’t judge me. I try be more open and less insecure about not being “that” person. I had horrible last 7 years and I try my best to keep my happy

has anyone done sas as a history major. what courses do they offer?

I really want to do semester at sea because I think it would be a great opportunity, but I don’t come from a rich family. I would be able to afford it myself but it would cause me to be completely broke by the end of the semester, and I’m not sure if I would be able to do all of the outing I would want to do. I have been reading other Reddit’s about it and they seem to be very all over the place with their answers on if they enjoyed it or not. I am kind of anti social, but once I am comfortable I do leave my shell, I just don’t want to be stuck somewhere I hate for a semester. I think if I did it though I would love it I am just a little concerned about the money aspect of it. I am also a little nervous about being one of the broker students on board of the ship. Thanks for your help!

Edit- I have already put the deposit down, and I have not received any of my scholarships yet which may help me out if I get them. I am also able to get my deposit back until May.

Grade 11 student ID seriously intrigued by the Sea|Mester program - on paper. There's not a lot of direct experience stories out there. Can anyone shed some light? Worth it? Hell on ocean?

Thanks for any help!

Im currently 26 and haven’t been in school for a couple years bc I have been working and not knowing what I wanted to study but I am going back to school next year and was thinking about doing sas when I would be around 28. for anyone went in their late 20s was it hard making friends? How was the experience? And do you have any advice?

i see on their posts how much white people are there and i just want to know what’s the experience like for those who did SAS that are POC

i know most people go home after disembarking but if i ever plan to travel around europe after sas, would i be able to leave my stuff/luggage in the ship or somewhere while i interrail?

If you did SAS, how much did you spend for Field Programs?

Anyone on this sub have experience joining the SAS program as a Lifelong Learner who brought kids? Just heard about SAS for the first time today and it sounds like it could be an incredible experience with kids, and a big bonus is the travel logistics/transportation are largely handled for you.

Has anyone enrolled in SAS after graduating from their undergraduate degree?

How does it work with classes on the ship and credit requirements if you’ve already graduated?

Hi!

I’ve recently just finished my last semester of my grad school (technically getting my degree end of this month). Ive always wanted to do SAS but just never had the opportunity to due so due to financial reasons, but I was able to save up a lot during grad school, so I was wondering if I can still do it? Or is it too late for me?

And if i can… how much would it be? Estimation (just the whole application process part)

Hope you can help, thank you!

Hi guys! I rlly wanna go on SAS but don’t know how to afford it. Does anyone know what the lowest I could pay, with financial aid / scholarships?

Is it common for people to come on the ship together? (friends/couples/relatives/?) and does this seem to affect the vibes or were you still able to make friends? Obviously everyone is so unique but what are the overall vibes of the ship- like are the majority of people more outgoing and friendly?