There are hundreds of TikToks and YouTube videos by SASers telling you what to pack, and I found some of their suggestions very unnecessary. This is what I actually used on Semester at Sea.
Compared to the average SASer, I am low-maintenance, and my packing list is a reflection of that. This was not my first time studying abroad, and my experience working in Glacier National Park was much more rustic and remote than the ship. Be aware of your own living habits and needs.
I also rely on the fact that you can buy almost anything in port, and most SASers overpack and will be happy to lend/give you items. For example, laundry detergent is on my “don’ts” list because I had no problem asking to borrow the once or twice I needed it. There is no reason for 400 people to bring laundry detergent.
My voyage was very hot, and most of my ports were in Africa. If your voyage sails to, say, European ports in early spring, my packing list will not encompass all your needs.
Dos
Clothing
Capsule wardrobe/staple pieces: Classic, timeless, repeatable clothing is the gold standard of study abroad wardrobes. I also found myself buying statement pieces in port, like a sari for the Taj Mahal and a wide-brimmed hat for my safari, so it was nice to have plain clothing to match with.
Modest clothing: This differs by voyage, but many port countries have modest clothing standards. For example, if you enter a temple in Thailand, your shoulders and knees must be covered. It’s always nice to have a lightweight scarf to throw over your shoulders, but that’s something I’d wait to buy in port as a souvenir.
Formal wear for the Alumni Ball: While you can probably buy a dress/suit in port, I found it nice to have one less thing to worry about.
Sweats: Everyone wears sweatpants, leggings, and other comfy clothes to class on the ship. But I would caution you not to bring too many sweatshirts from home, as you’ll be buying new ones at the shop store. I bought 2 Semester at Sea crewnecks, a hoodie, and a half-zip. I saw on past voyages that the ship air conditioning was always too cold, but that was not really the case on my voyage.
Practical sneakers and sandals: My holy grail of study abroad shoes were my Dr. Scholl’s sneakers. They were so comfortable and cute enough to wear with a skirt. There’s a beach in every port, so I wore my Birkenstock sandals frequently.
Slippers: I wore fluffy house slippers every single day on the ship. You’re supposed to wear close-toed shoes (though this wasn’t enforced on my voyage), and you will not want to lace up sneakers to go to class. Some people wore crocs for this purpose.
Storage
Clothes hangers: They barely provided any clothes hangers on the ship. I actually bought mine in Bangkok, but just make sure you get them at some point before embarkation day.
Suction cup shower caddy: The shelves were tiny in the shower on the MV World Odyssey. I had enough storage in the bathroom, but I had to put my shampoo bottle on the floor of the shower when I was using it.
Door hanging organizer: I hung an old shoe organizer on the inside of my closet door, and it was invaluable.
Foodstuffs
Water bottle: You will use this every single day on the ship and in ports. I brought a dented old water bottle from home, and I threw it away at the end of the voyage. (Also, I had heard from past voyagers that you can’t drink the tap water on the ship, but that was not true.)
Travel mug: The ship has 24/7 unlimited hot water and coffee, but mugs are not always available. I bought tea in ports—a great souvenir and treat on the ship.
Entertainment
Books: While a Kindle (or the Kindle app) is a great option, I’m glad I brought a couple physical books to trade on the ship. (I’m an English major with a blog. Obviously, books are on my list.)
Cards and other games: Every friend group needs a deck of cards. There are various board games available to borrow on the ship, but any game you bring will get used!
Electronics
Outlet Converter: The MV World Odyssey is a German ship with European outlets. And be sure to check the outlet types in your port countries.
Portable charger: Must-have for in port!
Miscellaneous
Travel-sized liquid containers: Even if you never take a single flight in port, you’ll want refillable containers to take shampoo and conditioner on overnight excursions.
Journal: To document your travels! You can always buy one in port, but I put it on the list to emphasize that you need to journal.
Backpack for travel: I often left the ship for 3-5 nights in port, so a larger backpack for overnight travel was a must-have. I went on a field program with 20ish students, and only one person brought a suitcase.
Pool Towel: They did not provide us with pool towels. I brought a ratty old towel from home and donated it at the end of the voyage.
Laundry Bag: You need somewhere to store dirty clothes.
Magnets and post-its: For decorating your cabin door!
Local Currency: SO helpful! Sometimes, you would need cash immediately to take a taxi out of the port, and there would be a line of 50 SASers at the ATM. I went to my home bank and requested approximately $20 USD in every port’s currency, so I at least had enough to get to the next ATM. I was able to get a debit card that doesn’t charge ATM fees, and I highly recommend looking into similar offerings at your bank.
Don’ts
Clothing
Heels/dress shoes: Some people recommended heels for the Alumni Ball and “fancy dinners,” but I didn’t bother. I just wore sandals and occassionally cropped my feet out of pictures. You could probably even borrow heels from someone else.
Your favorite clothes: Hear me out on this one! Most of my clothes were worn through by the end of the semester. Obviously, you want to look your best in your study abroad pictures, but bring clothes that can get a little beat up. And refer back to my point about a capsule wardrobe—once you take a picture in your favorite patterned dress, you might not wear it again the entire voyage. This also applies to jewelry—don’t bring expensive things that you’re afraid to lose! I wore the same jewelry every day.
A ton of swimsuits: A lot of girls on TikTok encourage bringing a ton swimsuits because we spend a lot of ship days at the pool. Honestly, I brought a black string bikini and never wore anything else.
Foodstuffs
Snacks: So many people on TikTok recommended bringing an entire suitcase of snacks so that you could fill it with souvenirs. In my humble opinion, that’s insane. Food on the ship is included in your tuition, and you’ll want to try the unique snacks in port countries. Bringing a few favorite foods or some protein bars is reasonable, but I brought no snacks from home and was perfectly fine. (And I have major dietary restrictions.) Furthermore, there are other ways to make space for souvenirs, like throwing out the shoes and clothes that you will wear down to threads. (Read more about ship food on The Reality of Semester at Sea.)
Alcohol: Students cannot bring alcohol onto the ship, and it is so not worth the risk to sneak it on. Just drink in port!
Electronics
USB flash drive: I had heard from previous voyagers that people were trading movies on flash drives, but this was not a thing on my voyage. Our cabin TVs have a decent selection of movies and shows pre-uploaded, and you can download anything on streaming services. Honestly, I rarely watched TV/movies on the ship! It was a great opportunity to work on my reading list.
HDMI cord: I brought one and never used it. In theory, you could play movies from your computer on the TV.
Extra phone: I was told to bring an extra phone in case my own was lost or stolen. I feel like this is only an issue if you’re irresponsible, getting sloppy drunk in port, and don’t listen to the safety briefings in port.
Speaker: I rarely needed a speaker, and, chances are, at least one person in your friend group has one. If you have a small speaker that’s good for travel, then I suppose you can be the dedicated speaker person in the friend group. My headphones and Air Pods were perfectly adequate for my personal music needs.
Hair styling tools: Outlet converters do not work well with large electronics like hair styling tools. It can even melt and ruin your plug. I bought a cheap hair straightener with a European plug to use on the ship, and I occasionally borrowed a curling wand. Additionally, our rooms on the MV World Odyssey had built-in hair dryers.
Miscellaneous
School Supplies: We do almost everything on our computers. I only used one notebook and one folder. (I did, however, go through many pens while writing my travel journal.) And you could not catch me wearing a backpack to class on the ship—a tote bag is the way to go.
Toiletries: My voyage embarked from Bangkok, so I bought shampoo, conditioner, and other toiletries at the mall there. It’s not necessary to fly a bunch of liquids across the world. I also traveled alone to Bangkok, so I did not want to carry any more bulk/weight than necessary. *The one exception to this—feminine products. Check whether your port countries sell your preferred feminine products because this was an issue on my voyage!
Clothesline/laundry detergent: I forgot to bring laundry detergent for sink laundry, and then I never ended up needing it. The ship laundry service was $7 per bag of laundry, and, though the bag looks small, I only had to do it once per sea leg at most. I’ve heard from past voyages that the laundry service is abrasive on clothes, but none of my clothes were ever damaged or lost. If you really need to wash something by hand, just ask someone else to borrow their detergent. The ship already provides clothes lines, which aren’t great, but mine worked fine the once or twice I used it.
Pillows and bedding: Everyone has different sleep needs, but I was perfectly happy with the provided pillow and bedding. Unless you need a specific comfort item (like my teddy bear), you can always buy something in port. Or, if you ask nicely, your cabin steward might spare you an extra pillow.
Sea sickness medications: Ha ha I don’t get sea sick.
Packing for Semester at Sea should not be stressful! If you forget something, you can probably borrow it on the ship or buy it in port. I forgot my malaria prescription, and I was able to get a 6-week supply at the ship clinic. Additionally, Semester at Sea provides students with a comprehensive packing list. I promise, everything is going to turn out amazing.
Latitudes with Lucy 
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