Semester at Sea FAQ Part 2

Semester at Sea FAQ Part 2…

Here is part 2 of my Semester at Sea FAQ! Don’t forget to check out part one here, and if you have any additional questions please ask!

Q: Is SAS Worth the Money?

A: This is more of an opinion, but 100%!! Yes, this is an expensive program but just remember you are taking classes, living in a “dorm”, and traveling around the world. I don’t think you should let the price totally scare you away.

Q: Is in-country travel Stressful?

A: Yes and no. If you decide to do a field program, and travel with SAS, there is no stress as everything is already planned for you. However, with independent travel, there are definitely times where planning everything can be challenging (especially with limited wifi). I just recommend having a list of everything that you may want to do in-country before embarking, just to use as a reference.

Q: Do you have to be from the U.S. to be a voyager?

A: NO!!! This is such a popular question and the answer is no. SAS welcomes students from all over the world, however, there are different requirements for international students and that would be something you would need to contact them about. More information on international students here.

Q: Does cabin type really matter?

A: Again, this is more of an opinion but I don’t think so. You really only spend about 6-7 hours a day in your cabin (to sleep) so for me, it did not make sense to pay for the most expensive one. The only reason you may want to really consider the more expensive options is because of the portholes. If you get seasick easily it may be helpful to have a window but if not, this is a great way to save some $$$!!

Q: What happens if you get lost/hurt in port?

A:Before disembarking in each port, SAS hands out a “green sheet” during pre-port. This sheet is full of all the information you could ever need incase of an emergency. You will have multiple phone numbers for staff/faculty on the ship, emergency phone numbers for that specific country, the address of the dock, and directions on where the nearest hospital/police station is. If you ever are in any type of situation where you get lost or need help, just call the ship and they will help you.

Q: How much does SAS cost?

A: I made an entire post (it’s very detailed) about this on my Semester at Sea page. Click here to read it.

Q: How old do you have to be to participate in SAS?

A: To participate in SAS as a student voyager, you must be enrolled in a 2- or 4-year university. This is also open to gap year voyagers, who are recent high-school grads, as well as post grad students.

Q: Is the seasickness bad?

A: This all depends on the person. I personally never got seasick but so many people did. Everyone has their favorite place on the ship where the rocking is more subtle, so when it gets really bad thats where everyone goes. If you think you will get seasick, or you do get seasick, make sure you have plenty of seasickness medicine (you WILL go through rough seas at some point). Here you can find the most popular ones.

Q: Are roommates randomly assigned?

A: Yes and no. You can either pick your roommate or have SAS pick for you. If you decided to pick your own roommate, there is a place on My Voyage where you can put in each-others names. If you are looking to pick your own roommate, many people find theirs on the voyage FB page or through a group chat that is created.

Q: Can you switch roommates once you are on the ship?

A: I don’t believe so but i’m not 100% sure. I don’t think anyone was allowed or did on my voyage but i’m sure that depends on the circumstance.

Q: Is this a party ship?

A: Again, yes and no. With about 500 college students on the ship, there is really no way to avoid it. Your voyage is what you make of it so if this is something you are not really into, just find a group of friends that share similar interests. I was definitely more interested in exploring the country as much as I could so thats what I did!!

Q: How long do you stay in each port?

A: This depends on the voyage. For the most part, you spend about 5-6 days in each port. If it is just a fuel stop, you will be there for about 12-15 hours.

Q: Is the visa process hard?

A: This depends on how you decide to apply for your visas. SAS offers a service through Travisa which I highly recommend (a lot of the paperwork is already filled out for you, you just have to put in your personal information). If you decide to go with an outside company, SAS will not provide any help and it can make the process more challenging.

Q: What majors does SAS offer classes for?

A: SAS has a variety of courses for so many different majors. Here is a list of the most frequently offered courses for every voyage.

More SAS related blogs HERE!

SAS Stickers HERE!

SEMESTER AT SEA FAQ