May 16, 2011: Nine students from the United States and abroad have received the Semester at Sea Fall 2011 Presidential Scholarship awarded by the Institute for Shipboard Education. The full scholarships are awarded based on academic merit and quality of an applicant's proposal to broaden their global perspective through the unique SAS multiple-country program. Presidential Scholars receive the largest financial commitment from ISE-full scholarships that cover tuition, room, and board. Read more about the first Presidential Scholarships recipients. {More»}

April 7, 2011: Following the 7.4 magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami warning issued in Northern Japan today, the Institute for Shipboard Education and MV Explorer Captain Jeremy Kingston confirm there is "no impact" on the current Semester at Sea voyage. The ship is currently located 1,000 miles south of the epicenter. In general, tsunamis have little to no effect on ships when they are traveling in open seas. Please keep the people of Japan in your thoughts during these extremely challenging times.

The Institute for Shipboard Education is pleased to announce the Presidential Scholars program, an initiative developed to identify and support high-achieving students wishing to enhance their global perspective and to better understand their vital role as global citizens. Presidential Scholars are expected to further the mission of the Institute during and subsequent to their voyage. In return for their commitment to the program, Presidential Scholars receive full scholarships that cover tuition, room, and board for spring and fall semester voyages. {More»}

March 27, 2011: Today CNN reported traces of radioactive iodine in China's Heilongjiang province: read article. The slight rise in radiation, which authorities say emanated from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, was a minuscule fraction (one-hundred-thousandth of normal background radiation levels) and similar to levels identified in California. Heilongjiang province is located more than one thousand miles north of Beijing, where some SAS students will be traveling, and more than two thousand miles north of Shanghai, where the Semester at Sea ship will dock on Wednesday. There is no indication that this latest report will have any harmful effect on our participants. As an additional precautionary measure, the ship will not provision vegetables, dairy products, or other food products from China that could potentially be contaminated. The ship is currently scheduled to depart Shanghai on Friday, April 1 and head south toward Taiwan.

(UPDATE) March 17, 2011: The Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE), in consultation with sources from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the U.S. Department of State, global risk agency ASI Group, World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Spring 2011 voyage administration and faculty, has decided to replace its call to Japan with a four-day stop in Keelung (Taipei), Taiwan. ISE continues to monitor the ongoing situation and will make any other necessary changes as needed. The NRC has dispatched nuclear experts in Japan and currently reports that radiation concerns are limited to the proximity of Fukushima. According to the NRC and other authorities, upcoming ports of calls in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taiwan, and Hawaii are not considered to be at risk for any radiation exposure, due to their geographic distance from northern Japan. Currently, ISE is determining logistical arrangements and a field program for Taiwan, which will be posted to the current voyage website as soon as confirmed. Pending final confirmation, the expected arrival date in Taiwan will be April 4 and the departure will be April 7. The remainder of the itinerary remains unchanged.

March 12, 2011: We continue to monitor the situation in Japan, including recent reports of the nuclear reactor explosion in Fukushima. Fukushima is about 200 miles north of Yokohama, one of two scheduled ports of call. We have no reports of any damage to the port facilities in either Kobe or Yokohama. Currently, we do not expect any changes to the itinerary. As the situation develops in the coming days, we will keep the shipboard community and parents apprised of any changes.

March 11, 2011: Following the devastating tsunami in northeastern Japan today, the Institute for Shipboard Education is closely monitoring the situation as it relates to the current voyage of Semester at Sea. The program is currently unaffected and we do not expect any future impact. Today the MV Explorer will depart Chennai, India, several thousand miles west of Kobe, Japan, where it is not scheduled to call until April 4. We will continue to assess conditions in Japan in consultation with our senior shipboard administrators and risk assessment agencies and will share any updates or changes to the itinerary on this website. Thank you for your understanding of this situation and please keep the people of Japan in your thoughts during this difficult time.

Update February 18, 2011 ( 7 a.m. EST): The ship has now arrived to Cape Town.

February 17, 2011: Due to unusually strong winds, the arrival of the MV Explorer into Cape Town, South Africa is delayed until further notice. All participants are aboard the ship and awaiting the reopening of the port. Field programs for today have been cancelled and schedules are being adjusted accordingly. The ship will come alongside in Cape Town as soon as the port is cleared. We will continue to monitor the situation and keep you informed.

Understanding the financial operations and needs of an educational nonprofit is sometimes tricky. For the Institute for Shipboard Education and Semester at Sea program, it is important to examine the myths and realities of our current financial state, challenges, and future opportunities. A new page on our website has been established to do just that.

(UPDATE) January 12, 2011: The Spring 2011 Voyage is confirmed to depart Nassau on Wednesday, January 12th at 8:00pm.

January 11, 2011: Due to inclement weather that has caused flight delays and cancellations nationwide, the Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE) will delay the departure of the Spring 2011 voyage until participants with flights arriving Wednesday, January 12 are able to embark. Those whose flights have been impacted and cannot make it to Nassau will join the voyage in Dominica, where the ship will dock January 16. For more information or for travel assistance, please contact 800.854.0195 or [This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots; you need JavaScript enabled to view it]