Visting the Ship FAQ

Do I need authorization to board the ship?

Yes. As a parent you are eligible to visit the ship while it is in port. Due to heightened security in recent years, it is a logistically cumbersome process to add people to the visitor manifest; therefore, ISE reserves the right to decline some requests.

• A visitor is limited to participant's immediate family members only (spouse, children, father, mother, sister, brother).
  
• Written requests from the voyage participant (student, faculty or staff) for visitors must be received by the assistant executive dean at least two weeks in advance of arrival in the port of the requested visit.
  
• Request forms are available in the administrative office on the ship and require detailed information about the special visitor (e.g., relationship to the participant, full name, address, date and place of birth, gender, passport number/date of issue/date of expiration/authority). In addition, participants should expect to provide proof of the family relationship, especially if surnames do not match.
  
• The information required to board the ship is as follows:
  • Name
  • DOB
  • Passport # or Driver's License # and State Passport or DL Expiration Date
  • Embarkation Date/Disembarkation Date
  • Affiliation to Semester at Sea
• Please note that visitor approval by the deans and captain of the MV Explorer is not a guarantee that local immigration and customs officials will allow the visitor to board the ship.
• Visitors may visit the ship between the hours of 0800 to 2000 only (overnight visits are not allowed).
  
• Visitors are asked by the ship's gangway security to show proper identification and will receive a "special visitor ID badge" each time they embark the ship. This badge must be worn while on the vessel and will be surrendered to the ship's gangway security upon each debarkation.
  
• Upon the ship's arrival to port, visitors may board once the ship has been cleared by customs and immigration and the critical mass of participants have disembarked.
  
• Visitors must disembark on the day of departure prior to "on-ship time" (generally two hours prior to sailing).
  
• Visitors must be accompanied by their host at all times while aboard the vessel. If the host of the special visitor is not present at the gangway upon embarkation, he/she will be detained by ship's security at the gangway or the purser's office until their host can be located.
  
• The host of the special visitor is accountable for the behavior of his/her visitor.