Life on board the MV World Odyssey during Semester at Sea is something I don’t think I could ever fully explain unless you’ve lived it yourself. From the moment you step on the ship, you realize it’s not just transportation-it’s a floating community, a home, and honestly, its own little world.
There is always something happening on board. Every day is packed with events, activities, and opportunities to get involved, and it’s impossible to be bored unless you choose to be. One of my favorite parts of ship life was helping plan events that brought people together. I was involved in organizing SASsassin, a massive game of assassin played across the ship, Decades on Deck, where everyone dressed up and danced through different eras, and Are You Smarter Than a Ship Kid, which was exactly as chaotic and fun as it sounds. Seeing people laugh, compete, and connect during these events made the ship feel like a big extended family.
That’s really what Semester at Sea becomes- an extended family. You eat meals together, study together, travel together, and celebrate together. You start recognizing faces everywhere, waving in hallways, sitting with people you didn’t know a week ago. My biggest advice to anyone going on Semester at Sea is to say yes to everything. Go to the events. Join the activities and clubs. Stay out late talking on deck. Do as much as you possibly can, because those moments are what make the experience unforgettable.
And then there’s port life- which somehow feels even more surreal. You go to sleep in one country and wake up in another. You open your curtains and suddenly you’re somewhere completely new. Every port feels like a reset, a new adventure waiting right outside the ship.
Some of my favorite ports were truly once-in-a-lifetime experiences. In Morocco, we rode camels through the desert, something I never imagined I’d get to do. In Vietnam, I went caving and explored places that felt untouched and unreal. And in India, seeing the Taj Mahal in person was one of those moments that makes you stop and think, I can’t believe this is real. Pictures don’t do it justice- standing there was overwhelming in the best way.
Semester at Sea taught me how much can happen when you put yourself out there. Between life on the ship and experiences in port, every day felt full, exciting, and meaningful. It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it. If you’re given the chance to be part of this program, my advice is simple: do everything you can, say yes as often as possible, and let the experience change you.
