Spring 2020 Voyage: Resources to Help Voyagers Travel Home

We’d like to reinforce the advisories of the CDC, U.S. State Department, WHO, and President Trump’s proclamation and the recent declaration of state of national emergency, which have informed the actions of organizations across the U.S. and around the world, including Semester at Sea. It is important to note that these advisories were announced just in the last three days. Because it is impossible to predict the future advisories, warnings, and sanctions that could be announced in the coming days, we have advised all Spring 2020 Voyagers that it is imperative to travel home as soon as possible after disembarkation.

Additionally, we’d like to reinforce the resources available to all participants as they prepare to leave the ship.

1. Luxe Travel: We have partnered with Luxe Travel to provide personalized, one-on-one travel assistance to voyagers having specific challenges in booking travel arrangements. Semester at Sea is covering the $50 fee for any passenger booking travel through Luxe. Participants may use this service in order to secure low fares from South Africa direct to the United States.
2. Flight Sugar: Semester at Sea has partnered with Flight Sugar to create a customized booking engine for Spring 2020 Voyagers. Flight Sugar has exclusive deals with airlines giving voyagers discounted flights home. More information about how to utilize the Flight Sugar services is available to participants via our shipboard accessible website, Homeport.
3. Cape Town Travel: To support Semester at Sea voyagers, CWT travel agency will provide extended office hours on Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM local Cape Town time to assist with travel bookings. CWT is available for assistance by telephone at +27 012 818 3000 and via email at MMCC@mycwt.co.za.
4. Disembarkation Forms: We’ve asked all voyagers to complete a disembarkation travel form, and to update it if their plans changes, in order to help our staff track participant travel.
5. CISI Travel Insurance: All voyage participants are enrolled in a World Class Coverage Plan through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI), a world leader in travel insurance. Voyagers’ CISI travel insurance is extended through March 28 to make sure they get home safely.
6. Green sheet: All voyagers were provided with a green sheet for Cape Town/Disembarkation. The green sheet is a logistical port information document provided to all participants prior to arrival in each port. The green sheet provides details such as emergency contact numbers, port addresses, currency information, health and safety updates, and transportation options. Voyagers have been advised to keep a physical copy and a picture of the green sheet accessible as they travel back home.
7. Airport Shuttles: Semester at Sea scheduled and is covering the costs of shuttles to take voyagers from the ship to the airport on March 14 starting at 1300. Based on need, shuttles may be available after March 14.
8. Luggage Free: As we do for every voyage, we’ve partnered with Luggage Free to assist with shipping home personal belongings upon disembarkation. This is an optional service participants may use should they have luggage that exceeds airline travel policies, or if they want to minimize the amount of luggage they will physically travel home with.
9. Internet/Seamail Access: All participants will have access to their free Semester at Sea email accounts, seamail, through April 2021. Participants may access their accounts as they would any other gmail account through gmail.com. Faculty will communicate with students via seamail throughout the remainder of the academic program. We have also set up a new wifi network to be used for travel planning purposes (as well as to access seamail and basic search engines) which is available via several public spaces throughout our ship.
10. On-call staff: ISE staff will be available 24/7 through March 18 in case of an emergency.
11. Itinerary Letter: We’ve made available to all participants an itinerary change letter for immigration and customs purposes.
12. Medical Letter/Statement: We’ve also made available a letter from Dr. Mark Wills discussing the medical precautions taken during the voyage.
13. Travel Assistance: Participants and their families are encouraged to contact the ISE home office if they have questions about making travel plans by calling 1-800-854-0195.
14. SAFEY: Semester at Sea has partnered with SAFEY Global to provide participants with an emergency system and app to keep all informed of critical incidents and connected to our home office in the case of an emergency. The SAFEY app will remain active for all participants through April 20.
15. U.S. Consulate General, Cape Town: The U.S. Consulate General office remains available for contact should any of the U.S. passengers require consular services. They will provide extended American Citizen Services office hours from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Monday, March 16 to accommodate any Semester at Sea voyagers who may require assistance.
16. Academic Questions: Students are advised to communicate directly with faculty regarding classes, but additional questions/concerns can be directed to academic@isevoyages.org.
17. Transcripts: Upon academic program completion on April 20, transcripts will be sent to students’ home institutions within 10-15 business days. Additional questions, can be directed to academic@isevoyages.org.
18. Airport assistance: Our trusted South African tour operator, Akorn, will have a table staffed at Cape Town Airport for any travel questions participants may have while they are at the airport.
19. Self-quarantine: Some participants may choose/be asked to self-quarantine once their travel home has concluded. We have provided all participants with the below CDC recommendations for travelers returning from cruises:

• • Monitor your health and limit interactions with others for 14 days after returning to the United States.
  • If you become symptomatic, immediately self-isolate and contact your county health department or health care provider.
  • Social distancing includes avoiding going out in public and close personal interactions.
  • Take your temperature with a thermometer two times a day and monitor for fever. Also, watch for cough or trouble breathing.
  • Stay home and avoid contact with others. Do not go to work or school for this 14-day period. Avoid crowded places (such as shopping centers and movie theaters) and limit your activities in public.