Semester At Sea - Tips for Future Voyagers

So before I finish my voyage I want to leave a list of tips that I've compiled throughout the last few months. I asked as many people as I could what they wish someone would have told them before they got on the boat. I compiled all the tips I got and threw in a few things I wish I would have known. I really hope these help some of you future voyagers out! If you have any questions please feel free to shoot me an email: ogvanni@comcast.net and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
 

• Don't worry about not having an international cellphone plan (but if you really want one look into T-Mobile, they have the best one). I recommend buying a local SIM card in each country, especially if you are going on the spring voyage because Wi-Fi is really hard to come by in some of the countries you are going to. It makes keeping in contact with family and friends a lot easier plus SIM cards and data are SUPER cheap.
• When you get on the Facebook page its going to look like everyone on the voyage is looking for roommates. DO NOT TRY TO FIND A ROOMMATE ON THE FACEBOOK PAGE. Everyone does a random roommate and it always works out! It's part of the fun of the voyage!
• I recommend bringing snacks. If you are going on the fall voyage, pack them with you cause you will really want them. If you are going on the spring voyage, don't pack them just be prepared to buy all your snacks in Hawaii. Not packing them gives you just that much more room to pack extra stuff if you need it.
• PACK A BLANKET. Put it in an vacuum sealed bag to get the size down and you can just donate it at the end of the voyage. I promise you will want one during the voyage. Trust me.
• If possible, bring a paper map with you. It doesn't have to be super big or fancy but people normally sign each others maps at the end of the voyage and it's nice to have one. They have some in the ship store the first week but they sell out normally within the first few days of the voyage.
• Over the counter medication is a MUST. I guarentee you will get really REALLY sick at least once on the voyage and you will really want some NyQuil, Tylenol, Immodium (for travelers diarrhea) etc. and it's so much easier when you have it with you already. I also recommend getting a Z-Pack (antibiotics) from your doctor if you can, they will come in handy.
• Seasickness. Some people get seasick, some people don't but if you are not prepared that first week at sea can be rough. So be prepared. You don't need to buy seasickness medication if you don't want to, the boat provides free medicine but if your nervous just buy a few seasickness patches from your doctor. I'm telling you now, put on a quarter of a seasickness patch or take two of the seasickness pills the ship provides before the boat leaves port that first day and continue to take them as prescribed that first few days. You will thank me when you are one of the few people that isn't feeling miserable.
• This tip is more for the students packing for the spring voyage. The first few countries, Japan and China, are going to be freezing but DO NOT overpack with winter clothing. The rest of the countries you are going to will be extremely hot and very humid so you will want a lot of summer type clothing. Also try to limit the clothes packed because I guarantee you will buy a ton of clothing along the way especially in countries like Vietnam where clothing is cheap. ALSO make sure to bring two or three classy "going out" outfits even if you aren't the type of person to go out. They will come in handy at some point during the voyage.
• Keep in mind that internet on the ship is extremely limited and very VERY slow. If you can, keep in contact with someone during the voyage that can help you book flights and hotel rooms because that will come in handy when you are trying to travel independently. Also keep in mind that at some point during the voyage you will have to register for your classes back at your home university, so ask someone ahead of time if they can register for you. It will save you a lot of frustration.
• BRING LOTS AND LOTS OF MAGNETS!!!! You cannot tape things on the boat but the walls in your room are magnetic so if you want to put up photos or a map I recommend you bring tons of magnets.
• One of the best tips I got from a former students Semester At Sea blog was to buy a cheap over the door or closet shoe storage hanger like you would buy for college. You can roll your shirts and pants up and put them in the pockets. It is a huge space saver!
• Do not over pack on toiletries! You will not need as much as you think. Pack one small travel bag for traveling in ports but other than that just be smart when purchasing your toiletries. If you run out you can get more on the boat, so you will be ok. Bring a lot of sunscreen though!
• I cannot stress enough how important it is to bring an external hard drive to back up your computer or to just hold your documents. People's computers crash all the time on the boat because of humidity, vibrations etc. and they lose everything. So consider buying one. Also bring a few thumb drives with you so you can trade music and movies with everyone on the boat.
• Which brings me to the next tip. Bring a few books but also bring as many movies and tv series as you need to last you 4 months. Download them ahead of time on to your computer because you will definitely want to watch some during the long 10 to 12 day stretches at sea.
• DO THE EXTENDED FAMILY PROGRAM! Everyone on the ship does it and it is a great way to meet new people, including faculty and life long learners who will most likely be your extended "Mom" and "Dad". PLEASE do it because it was one of the best things I was involved in on the ship.
• If there is one thing that I would stress more than anything it would be to get involved as much as you can. Semester At Sea is what you put into it so the more you do, the more you get out of it. PARTICIPATE IN NEPTUNE DAY AND SEA OLYMPICS! You will regret it so much if you don't.
• Get the addresses, phone numbers and emails of friends and family you will want to stay in contact with ahead of time and write them down somewhere! Laptops crash and phones get stolen all the time during the voyage so having them written down in a journal or on a piece of paper helps a lot.
• Independent Travel vs. Field Programs. This is a really hard thing to give tips on because everyone feels differently. The way I did it was I bought 4 big over night field programs to places that I knew I wanted a guarantee I would see (like the Taj Mahal for example). Everywhere else I did independent travel. My personal opinion, do not buy day programs because you can do any of those day programs for cheaper and independently with no issues. Also do not buy more that 4 big overnight programs because you will regret it if you do. Last but not least DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT, buy any programs for the last leg of your voyage because you will want to travel with all of your friends, I promise you.
• OH! One thing that I would have appreciated a heads up on is the fact that the Semester At Sea clothing store on the boat does NOT restock throughout the semester. If there is any SAS clothing or memorabilia that you think you might want go buy it that first week because chances are it will be gone. If you are not picky, wait till the end of the voyage to buy stuff because there is always a huge sale with discounted prices.
• One thing I wish someone would have elaborated more on is that the "Drunk Tank" is a real thing and if you try to board the ship intoxicated you will get thrown in it and you will have to pay $150 and call your parents. If you get thrown in 3 times, you get kicked off the boat so don't be that person (also don't try to break out of the drunk tank...and be successful...or you will automatically get kicked off). Also "random" drug tests happen every first day at sea after a port, keep that in mind before you get on the boat (also if you are a cigarette smoker, chances are you will get drug tested first and more than once). Cabin searches also happen and are supposedly "random" but they normally happen to people who have been thrown into the drunk tank or are suspected of smuggling alcohol or other prohibited items on board. Be careful who you talk to about stuff like that because chances are someone will find out.
• BRING A LARGE AMOUNT OF AMERICAN CASH (or EUROS if that is easier for you). It will come in handy, I promise. Credit cards and debit cards don't always work in every country so having American cash on hand to exchange will save you. Be sure to give your credit card/debit card company a full itinerary of where you will be going and for how long so that they won't flag your card when you try to use it. Also check to see if you card company refunds the transaction fees when you use it at an ATM because those add up quickly.
• Make sure to be kind to all of the crew members. They are some of the most amazing people you will ever meet. Say hi, ask how they're day is going, just be nice and you will become quick friends (Say hi to Bravo and Edwin for me if you get the chance!). Bringing American cash on board also helps if you want to tip any of the crew at the end of the voyage or during, which you should do.
• Getting on the boat can be a pain if you don't pay attention to what the prohibited items are. Security will confiscate twist off cap drinks, already opened food, some wooden items if they think they are hallow, salad dressings, henna, holi powder, if you have too big a bag of food etc. If there is something you think is questionable, chances are Dirk will take it so just don't bring it on the boat.
• BUY A MONEY BELT AND DO NOT TAKE IT OFF EVER. I know quite a few people that had things pick pocketed/stolen ranging from phones and credit cards to cash and passports. Put everything in your money belt (including your phone) and keep it on you at all times and you shouldn't run into any issues with having things stolen.
• I know it can be hard to keep branching out when you find an amazing group of people on the boat that you love and are friends with but keep trying to meet new people. You can still have your group of friends but getting to know as many people as you can will help make your voyage that much better. Programs and joining clubs on the boat is a great way to do that! Even just sitting down at a random table with people you don't know (even 3 months into the voyage) is a good way to meet new people.
• BRING A LAPTOP or tablet etc. Some people say not to bring one, I honestly don't think I would have been able to get anything done if I didn't have my computer. It's ultimately your call but I recommend at least bringing a tablet to help you write you papers, email, take notes in class etc.
• If you are on a budget or even just trying to keep track of your spending, buy a notebook to write down what you buy and keep all your receipts. It really helps to keep your spending to a minimum when you are able to see exactly how much money you are spending in every port. A little extra work doing that can save you a few hundred dollars in the long run which can give you the option to buy an extra flight or buy that tapestry you fell in love with.
• Since my voyage is the last voyage on the MV Explorer I'm not sure what the painting situation in the new rooms on the new ship will be like but if it is anything like the MV Explorer, bring a small pocket knife with a screwdriver head in it. You will want it to help take the paintings off the wall in your room. On the Explorer, there were at least 10 years worth of messages from past voyagers on the back of our paintings. On the new boat there might not be any messages yet so you should restart the tradition!
• When it comes to traveling to someplace you REALLY want to go, don't compromise on it! I guarantee you can find someone else on the boat that wants to travel to the same place as you. Ask around, spread the word, put a flyer on your sea's bulletin board. DO NOT give up and go someplace you really don't want to just because your friend group is going there. You can get to wherever you want as long as you try!
• At the beginning of the voyage a lot of people will talk about traveling Europe after the voyage is over (this is more for the spring voyage because we get dropped in London or Greece). Don't freak out if you're not sure if you want to! A lot of people may be saying that now but as it actually gets towards the end people get tried, plans change and funds run out. So don't feel like you are missing out on anything if you don't plan on traveling there BUT I recommend NOT booking a plane ticket home until the last 20-30 days of the voyage.

No matter how many tips I throw your way, you will forget something or something will go wrong but that comes with traveling and you will learn to go with it. Most of all have fun. The more you put into the voyage, the more you get out of it. Get out of your comfort zone, try traveling alone for a day (don't tell your parents I said that). You always have the ship to come back to. Just remember to travel safe and be smart but HAVE FUN! You are traveling the world and that in itself is a once in a lifetime opportunity, make every second count.