Voyages
Exploring countries in Europe, South America, Africa and Asia, this voyage gives participants a truly global study abroad experience on our floating campus!
• 104 Days
• 11 Countries
• 11 Cities
• 4 Continents
Embark:
September 9, 2026 – IJmuiden, The Netherlands
Disembark:
December 22, 2026 – Bangkok, Thailand
Itinerary:
Portugal, Morocco, Brazil, St. Helena, South Africa, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Hong Kong
Helpful Documents:
Join Semester at Sea as we sail to countries in Europe, South America, Africa and Asia. You’ll experience a wide range of cultures and histories — including the rich Amazon forest of Brazil; the majestic wildlife of South Africa; the urban center of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; and a whole lot more — all while living and learning aboard a ship you’ll call home with a community that’s designed to build friendships for life.
With guided Field Programs and plenty of opportunities for in-country travel on your own or with fellow SAS voyagers, you’ll explore your interests and deepen your understanding of the world. Bring a sense of adventure and a willingness to discover the unknown.
With a rich artistic heritage, progressive attitudes, and picturesque countrysides, the Netherlands is a must-see destination in Europe. The nearby city, Amsterdam offers unconventional restaurants, a bike culture, charming canals, and world-class museums that make this city a vibrant and exciting place to explore. Highlights include visiting the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, along with many other museums. You can bike along the canals or explore the waterways via boat. Or if it is tulip season, visit Keukenhof, which claims to be the world’s largest flower park and boasts an endless land of multicolored tulips.
Emerging as one of Europe’s unsung destinations, Portugal is an energetic and vibrant country with a centuries-long history. Semester at Sea ports of call in Portugal include Lisbon, Oporto, and Leixoes. Field Program options include exploring the city by Tuk Tuk along with taking in Lisbon’s street art. Highlights include taking a Portuguese cooking class or embarking on an overnight trip to southern Portugal where you can kayak along natural waterways.
The Kingdom of Morocco is an immensely rich cultural center point of north-western Africa. The port of Casablanca, established in the 20th century, is a busy metropolis and home to the Hassan II Mosque, the second largest in the world after Mecca. This enormous structure, resting at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, was built by 30,000 workers over a period of five years, officially opening in 1993. Semester at Sea ports of call in Morocco include Casablanca and Tangier. Field Program options include multi-day trips to the Sahara Desert, where students can ride camels to their campsite and sleep under the stars. Highlights include visiting Chefchaouen, otherwise known as the blue city, eating popular Moroccan dishes such as couscous and tagine, and drinking mint tea.
Brazil is known for it’s rich Amazon rainforest, annual Carnival celebration, beautiful beaches and historical landmarks such as the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro and the breathtaking Iguaçu Falls which borders neighbor country Argentina. Semester at Sea ports of call in Brazil include Salvador (Bahia).
St. Helena is a vibrant tropical island located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is most known for the Jacob’s Ladder staircase where travelers can ascend 699 steps to breathtaking panoramic views at the top. St. Helena also hosts lush hiking trails across the island. Semester at Sea ports of call in St. Helena include Jamestown.
Whether hiking Table Mountain for one of the world’s best views, riding horseback on safari, or engaging with local entrepreneurs in Cape Town, students always fall in love with South Africa. Full of adventure and captivating sights, Cape Town offers countless opportunities for cultural and natural exploration. Semester at Sea ports of call in South Africa include Cape Town. Field Program options include overnight trips to a safari park, seeing lions, giraffes, hippos, zebras, and more. Highlights include taking an aerial cableway up Table Mountain and visiting the Apartheid Museum.
An island nation in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius is a tropical paradise and the wealthiest African nation. With a unique blend of cultures, welcoming people, and being known as one of the safest nations in Africa, Mauritius is a popular destination for travelers. The capital city of Port Louis, home to the mountain known as Le Pouce, was first summited by Charles Darwin and is well worth the hike for great panoramic views of the island. Semester at Sea ports of call in Mauritius include Port Louis. Field Program options include ziplining and exploring several of the many beaches this island has to offer. Highlights include exploring the volcanic wonders of Mauritius and swimming with wild dolphins.
Sri Lanka is an island country located in the India Ocean, southeast of India. Known for their warm hospitality to travelers, visits can explore rich teas plantations, scenic train rides, calm beaches and rock fortresses featuring artistic murals and gorgeous city views. Semester at Sea ports of call in Sri Lanka include Colombo.
Vietnam is known for its lush, emerald green mountains, outstanding cuisine, and welcoming citizens. Here you can explore the Cu Chi Tunnels where Viet Cong soldiers lived and fought, travel by boat through the Mekong Delta, sample world-class pho, or bike through small villages. Students often enjoy a three-day trip to Cambodia from Vietnam to interact with an NGO that educates and trains disadvantaged locals in rural areas for employment in the hospitality industry. Semester at Sea ports of call in Vietnam include Ho Chi Minh City. Field Program options include cruising down the Mekong Delta or having a homestay with a local family. Highlights include a multi-day trip to Ha Noi and Ha Long Bay.
Hong Kong was governed by Great Britain for decades but retained many traditional Chinese features. Semester at Sea ports of call in Hong Kong include Hong Kong. Highlights include visiting some of the monuments, heritage buildings, and historical sites that help give Hong Kong its unique atmosphere. Explore the famous local markets, including the Yuen Po Street Bird Garden, Flower Market, and Jade Market. The Man Mo Temple dates back to 1847 and is the oldest temple in the city. Visit Aberdeen, home to hundreds of people living on fishing junks juxtaposed against a modern high-rise community. Ride the tram up to Victoria Peak for a bird’s eye view of the city before taking the funicular tram downhill.
Thailand has emerged as one of the most visited travel destinations in the world. Travelers flock to this warm destination for the tranquil beaches, delicious cuisine, magnificent temples and scenery, colorful history, and archaeological sites. Affectionately nicknamed as “a land of smiles”, Thai locals are known for being warm and welcoming, and their hospitality is considered to be world class.
As we have been operating shipboard voyages since 1963, we’ve learned that itineraries are subject to adjustment. More than half of our voyages have required some deviation from the planned itinerary. The need to change an itinerary prior to and/or during a voyage can arise due to a number of factors: weather, political unrest, and other health and safety considerations. Should there be a need to adjust our published plans, we have identified potential diversion ports in each region of our expected travel. These ports are selected based on a number of factors including safety, educational value, and accessibility. These diversion ports simply serve as a backup should anything prevent us from traveling to our planned itinerary.
Other ports may be added as required. Just as our world is dynamic, this list of potential ports is also subject to change. Every destination must pass a comprehensive health and safety assessment, regardless of being a planned or diversion port.
Semester at Sea’s global comparative study abroad program is enhanced by a robust academic program led by a team of academic experts from renowned institutions around the world. During the 100+ day voyage, students can earn 12-15 credits from Colorado State University, while taking major or elective courses, drawn for 20-25 fields of study. Each class also includes academically required Field Work courses, which are developed by faculty and allow for experiential in-country learning throughout the voyage.
When Semester at Sea arrives in each country, voyagers will either explore via required Field Work for their classes (for voyagers enrolled in academic courses), participate in optional Semester at Sea-designed Field Programs, or they can plan their own travel experiences.
Semester at Sea’s Lifelong Learning program provides adult educational travel to people at least 30 years of age who are seeking an opportunity to travel and learn as part of the Semester at Sea community. There are opportunities to sail on a full or partial (Spotlight) voyage.
In addition to earning 12-15 transferable college credits from Colorado State University, student program fees include many amenities and benefits to support students before and during their study abroad experience.
Our journey with the wonderful people of SAS on the fateful Spring 2020 Voyage – even with all the pandemic concerns, and the itinerary and port changes – was still enormously stimulating, enjoyable, and eye-opening! We made lifelong friends, lifelong memories, and gained all sorts of insights and knowledge from the people and places we visited, and from the world-class faculty, staff, students, and our fellow Lifelong Learners!
We learned a lot [about] how to live with others who are completely different [from each other] and still have respect and a lot of fun together and still hold our friendship until this day.
[On] Semester at Sea, I got to see 14 different countries in a period of three months. That just added a lot of richness and color and depth to my understanding of my place in the world, and what else was out there.
And so it begins… Cannot thank my family enough for all the support and guidance they’ve given me ever since I was accepted into the Semester at Sea program. Estoy tan agradecida de tener una familia tan amorosa y me siento afortunada de tener esta oportunidad muchas gracias por todo y los quiero bien mucho! #sassp17 #semesteratsea
My journey on the Fall 2019 Semester at Sea voyage was a once in a lifetime experience. As a Lifelong Learner, I had the opportunity to participate in and enjoy all the activities on and off the ship. I especially value the friendships I built with many students on the ship, and I fully expect that we will continue our bonds into the future.
Semester at Sea welcomes curious, engaged students of any sex, gender identity, race, disability status, veteran status, nationality, or ethnicity to apply to travel the world as part of our living and learning community.
Gap Year Students
Recent high school graduates who are interested in sailing before enrolling full-time at an undergraduate institution
Undergraduate Students
Students who are enrolled full-time in a degree-granting program at an accredited 2- or 4-year college or university
Recent College Graduates
Students who have recently completed their undergraduate studies and wish to extend their learning
Everything you need to know about joining a Semester at Sea voyage.
Once the Office of Admission has received your completed application, you will receive a reply in about 7-10 business days. It is advisable to follow up and verify that all components of your application have been received.
Yes, students from all majors regularly enroll in Semester at Sea. More than 40 majors are typically represented on any given voyage.
It varies. Voyages typically fill one to four months prior to sailing. We encourage you to submit your application early but please contact our office if you have a last-minute opportunity to join our program for the semester.
Semester at Sea operates on a rolling admissions basis, meaning there are no application deadlines for specific semesters. However, it is recommended that you begin the application process 12 months before the semester in which you would like to participate. Applications will continue to be accepted until approximately one month before the start of the voyage.
Semester at Sea, like any company, sets up a yearly budget based largely on estimates of fixed and variable costs with some room for variation. We are directly impacted from time to time just as everyone is in the travel industry and the maritime industry in particular, with periodic and significant overall increases in our fuel prices. Depending on each port’s regulatory and environmental requirements, we have to consider at least two different types and grades of fuel, each with significantly different price points. Political unrest in certain parts of the world, as well as periodic natural disasters, also can contribute to increasing and unpredictable volatility as well, which in turn lends to overall instability and unpredictability in fuel prices. Fuel charges remain a material component of our overall cost structure. We make every effort to contain fuel costs through enhanced itinerary planning (which we conduct one to two years in advance), and through the use of standard advance fuel purchase commitment arrangements when appropriate. However, it is impossible for us to accurately predict what we might pay for fuel per voyage, port-to-port. Like airlines and major shipping companies, we regrettably must offset these higher costs from time to time with additional fuel surcharges.
In order to facilitate your financial planning, we may invoice you with a “fuel fee,” which at the time is our best indication of what our final “fuel surcharge” is expected to be. In advance of sailing, Semester at Sea may enact a fuel supplement surcharge for all participants, in the event that the average price for the blended types of fuel and related costs during the voyage is expected to exceed a certain budgetary threshold in pricing per metric ton, the amount of which will be offset by advance fuel fee billings/payments. These incurred costs include not only what is expected to be paid in various ports, but also include additional costs for fuel contracts entered into. These fuel contracts are intended to cushion the financial impact if future fuel prices became volatile. Such surcharges when enacted are necessary to offset the total excess fuel costs that exceed this budget threshold. For more information please review our fuel surcharge policy.