Latitudes with Lucy

On Semester at Sea, you have the option to purchase pre-planned “field programs,” which range from a single excursion to a multi-night trip. Some field programs must be booked months in advance because they have sign-up deadlines or sell out. If you are preparing for your Semester at Sea voyage, this is everything you need to know about field programs.

Overview

Field programs organize all the transportation, accommodations, and activities for you. For the most part, you can expect to travel in comfort on coach buses and at nice hotels. Professors act as trip liaisons and guide you every step of the way. Field programs are an easy, low-stress way to travel. However, it will usually cost more than if you were to plan the same activities yourself.

There are experiences offered by field programs that I would not have been able to plan on my own, like volunteer projects and cultural activities with locals. I encourage everyone to take advantage of the unique learning opportunities on Semester at Sea.

It’s important to honor your priorities coming onto Semester at Sea. If you really want to go on an adventure in port, but your friends would rather hang out at the beach, go sign up for a field program or find other voyagers who share your interest. You might never be in that country again, so don’t let FOMO stop you from pursuing your travel goals.

We had free time every night on multi-day programs to go out to bars or wherever. Drinking is not permitted during scheduled activities, but taking shots with the trip liaisons after-hours was a canon event.

If you change your mind about a field program, you can sell, swap, or donate day programs to other voyagers. This system also provides opportunities for free or discounted activities. Unfortunately, the overnight trips are usually not transferrable.

I booked multi-night field programs for my first three ports because I was worried about meeting friends and making plans that quickly. I have mixed reviews about each of these field programs, so let’s get into it.

Cameron Highlands and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia

We only had six days at sea before the first port, and I was very glad to already have my plans secured. I had the best time on my field program in Malaysia, and I made connections with new SASers.

Our days were packed with activities, and many amazing meals were included in the program. We rode jeeps up to the Cameron Highlands and wandered through tea gardens and a mossy forest. We took a walking food tour of Kuala Lumpur and journeyed to the top of the Petronas Towers. We climbed the colorful steps to the Batu Caves, avoiding eye contact with aggressive monkeys. My only minor complaint was not being able to determine my own pace. I felt that we spent too much time on some activities and not enough on others.

We were given enough free time in the evenings to go out to dinner, swim at the hotel pool, and get drinks at a rooftop bar.

The Golden Triangle in India

The Golden Triangle might be the most iconic field program on Semester at Sea. Semester at Sea’s “Golden Triangle” is Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur. I booked this field program because I was intimidated by planning the long-distance travel from our port Cochin to the Taj Mahal in the north. A major benefit to field programs is that, if you are late for on-ship time, you won’t get punished. The only flight I took in any port was on my field program in India.

I had seen a lot of positive things about the Golden Triangle field program from previous voyages, and it seems my expectations were too high. Everything was overly complex and slow-moving when traveling in such a large group. We only had 45 minutes at the Taj Mahal on a holiday that was its busiest day of the year. The most disappointing part for me was the food. I love Indian food. Eating was the activity I was the most excited for in India. However, we only went to touristy restaurants, and I’ve been to more “authentic” Indian restaurants in Wisconsin!

The best parts of my experience in India were the small moments with locals. Our first day in port, before my field program, my friends and I walked into a spice shop and asked where we could get mehendi (henna) done. They pulled up a chair, phoned a friend, and ten minutes later we were getting mehendi. Had that man ever done mehendi art in his life? Probably not. But it was fun! We drank chai, sampled various sweets, and chatted with the teenage girl working at the spice shop. Moments like that were few and far between when traveling in a large group on the field program.

I was dissatisfied with the field program in the moment, but, looking back, I am really grateful for the experience. I got to see a lot of India in a short amount of short time, and I never had to worry about things like navigating the complex train system. I think I could have planned my time better on my own, but who knows what actually would have happened.

Tsavo East Safari in Kenya

By the time we reached our third port, I was wishing I could travel with my own friends. Nonetheless, I had the best time on my field program, and it remains one of my favorite experiences on Semester at Sea.

A coach bus picked us up from the port, and we rode comfortably to Tsavo East. We spent two nights in the park and went on a total of four game drives. We saw hippos, elephants, zebras, giraffes, and lions. The program called it camping, but our “tents” were more like cabins with full-size beds and plumbing. Monkeys roamed all over the campground, and the food was fantastic. After dinner, I would go hang out the little bar on the property.

If you do go on safari in Tsavo East, be prepared for a lot of bugs, lizards, and no air conditioning. That was very rough for some people.

If you are going to Kenya, I think Masai Mara is the best park for safaris. That field program was significantly more expensive and sold out before I started booking.

Field Programs vs. Booking Travel Independently

I did incredible things on my field programs, but I had equally valuable experiences on travels I planned with my friends.

My take is that, if you go into Semester at Sea without preexisting friends (like I did), booking a field program in your first port is probably a good idea. It takes a lot of stress off your first week on the voyage, and you’ll still be eager to meet new people while on the field program. Additionally, if you know a field program is something you really want to do, just book it and don’t worry about whether your friends will be on it. You’ll see them back on the ship in a few days.

That being said, field programs are more expensive than doing it yourself. If it’s an excursion like a safari, that should be easy enough to plan yourself, and you can stick to a budget. If you are worried about finding people to travel with who share your interests, there are resources on the ship to help with that.

When you only have 4-6 days in a port country, there is never enough time to do everything you want. Try not to compare your experiences to those of other SASers on your voyage. Regardless of the details, you’re going to travel the world and have the time of your life on Semester at Sea.