Review Overall Rating
A review on Semester at Sea
Reviewed by Eric Hansenstudent(University of New Hampshire - Durham) on
The best way to study abroad, but not the paradise it's made out to be
First off, all of my negatives are really minor compared to the one big positive - visiting a dozen countries in one semester. What you might lose in terms of immersion in one culture is more than made up by the unique ability to compare all those countries in one go. The problem is semester at sea has a very vocal group of alumni who talk up the program like its made of solid gold, and my expectations were built up way higher than they should have been. You should know before you go:
The food sucks. I came back 20 pounds lighter because I was unable to eat much of what's served on the boat after a month or so.
You will be a second class passenger. The faculty, staff and life long learners (with a few exceptions) formed into their own unit, and proceeded to take advantage of their positions in ways that left the students with the short end of the stick.
Semester at sea blatantly lies about its cabins - the economy cabins are quite a bit worse then described on their site, or to me in person when I did a ship tour before my voyage. I didn't have too much of a problem with living in a crew cabin (after all, the crew does it!) but I felt cheated that they didn't actually tell me what I signed up for. Several students couldn't stand it, and transferred into a more expensive cabin, at a cost of several thousand dollars.
You will be groped every time you get back on the ship. In order to keep alcohol and drugs from making their way on board, you will get a TSA style pat-down when you board, and your backpack/bags will get searched and or emptied on a table. For this reason getting back on the ship can take up to 2 hours, if several tours get back at the same time.
On the other hand, the stuff you actually do in country is amazing. I would do it all again in a heartbeat, and I'm even a donating alumni now, but that doesn't mean the program is flawless or shouldn't be improved.
Review Details
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Academics
My global studies course (which was required) was a huge waste of time. The professor just spouted statistics and buzzwords, without actually teaching anything. The rest of my classes were much better, up to the level of my home institution
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Program Administration
The faculty and staff on the ship (on my voyage) abused their positions. The academic dean refused to take criticism or responsibility over the poor quality of global studies. Everyone has to go through security to get on the ship, but the faculty and staff declared themselves allowed to cut the line (there were a few professors who would stand in line anyway). They were also allowed into each and every port first - the students had to wait up to an hour before we were allowed off the ship. They got first dibs at table selection for the fancy dinner, taking up all the window tables. These are all little things, but it adds up to where all the students were frustrated with being treated like 3rd class passengers on Semester at Sea.
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Living Situation
The ships "economy" cabins are actually crew cabins they put students in. It you choose this class you'll: share a cabin smaller than the regular doubles with 2 or 3 other roommates, have less outlets then occupants, have a lifeboat station on the wrong side of the ship, possibly be in a bunk bed (watch out for high seas!) have less storage space, no seating or desk space, and gloomy decorations. Semester at sea specifically doesn't say these rooms are crew cabins because they know you wont pick them. All the other cabins are actually as described.
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Cultural Immersion
This is the reason to go on semester at sea.
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Safety
No comment
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Food
No comment
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Social Life
No comment
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Health Service
No comment
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Course(s)
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Global Studies
Worthless. Even the other professors were openly saying how useless this class was.
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Global Studies
Worthless. Even the other professors were openly saying how useless this class was.
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