Yesterday, on September 22, the Semester at Sea community gathered live for the annual State of the Institute address with President and CEO Dr. Scott Marshall to share exciting institutional updates.
If you were unable to join us live—or want to rewatch the presentation—you can view the complete recording below, followed by a summary of the major voyage announcements, university updates, and community initiatives shared during the event.
Key Announcements & Event Highlights
Philanthropy & Giving: A Record Gift and Day of Giving
[Watch this segment in the video at 05:21]
The 2026 Day of Giving set records with $350,000 raised from over 250 donors, contributing to a total of $4.95 million raised during the last fiscal year.
Additionally, Semester at Sea recently received its largest single gift in history—a $3.6 million bequest from late photography professor Paul Liebhardt, who taught on 12 voyages. The entire gift is dedicated to funding student scholarships.
Alumni Engagement, Regional Events & Community Updates
[Watch this segment in the video at 07:19]
Alumni Events & Portal
Regional alumni events continue across the country, including an upcoming gathering on October 14 in Santa Monica, CA featuring comedian Iliza Shlesinger (Spring ’04). More than 8,000 alumni are registered on the Alumni at Sea portal, which will soon launch a mentoring board.
Reach the World – K-12 Educational Outreach
A new partnership with Reach the World will connect voyagers with K-12 classrooms across the U.S. as virtual pen pals.
Lifelong Learner Partnerships
Semester at Sea signed its founding partnership agreement with the Osher Lifelong Learner Institute at CSU, to engage adult learners for future voyages. The Osher Institute at Florida Atlantic University is also now a partner. Osher Institutes are hosted by universities across the country and offer noncredit courses to adults over age 50. The Osher Institute at Colorado State is one of the largest in the country, and it is our founding partner.
Semester at Sea & The Wonder of We
A new illustrated children’s book by alumna Emily Ayres (Spring ’14), Semester at Sea & The Wonder of We, is another wonderful way to connect to our younger (future) voyagers. You can grab a copy from your favorite bookseller, and a percentage of the proceeds go to the Annual Fund!
An Exciting University of San Diego Partnership, Much to Celebrate with Colorado State University
[Watch this segment in the video at 11:47]
As announced earlier this summer, the University of San Diego (USD) will become Semester at Sea’s official university partner starting with the Spring 2028 Voyage. Recognized as the #2 undergraduate study abroad program in the U.S. (with ~90% student participation) and a designated Changemaker Campus, USD’s coastal location and global focus make it an ideal academic home for our program.
Marshall honored our 10-year partnership with CSU, which continues through the Fall 2027 voyage. Over 200 CSU faculty and staff and hundreds of CSU students have enriched the shipboard community since 2016.
A New Floating Campus for Fall 2028
[Watch this segment in the video at 14:17]
The centerpiece of the address was the announcement of our new ship and partnership with Ambassador Cruise Lines. Following a two-and-a-half-year search led by the Future Ship Task Force, Semester at Sea has signed a 10-year charter agreement with London-based Ambassador Cruise Lines.
The ship—currently operated by Oceania as the Sirena—will be renamed the Ambella (meaning “beloved friend”) when it becomes our new floating home in Fall 2028.
What’s Next?
- ISE is working closely with Ambassador to retain as many current crew members as possible.
- Single-voyage circumnavigations remain unlikely due to high speeds, fuel costs, and our commitment to longer port stays. Voyages will continue to visit at least 3 continents and up to 11 countries.
- ISE and Ambassador are actively exploring options to include U.S. ports on future itineraries.
The MV World Odyssey will remain our campus through Spring 2028. Take a look at the history of Semester at Sea’s floating campuses!
Spring 2027 Voyage: Moving to Waitlist on October 1, 2026
[Watch this segment in the video at 19:15]
We are excited to announce that the Spring 2027 voyage is approaching capacity and we will move to a waitlist on October 1, 2026.
For students that have not yet deposited, there is still an opportunity to set sail! If you are accepted and place a deposit you can still secure your spot on our Spring 2027 Voyage waitlist. Waitlisted students are entitled to a full refund of their deposit if they do not sail. If your study abroad plans are flexible, we strongly encourage you to consider the Fall 2027 voyage in lieu of the Spring 2027 waitlist.
Fall 2027 Itinerary Change
[Watch this segment in the video at 19:22]
President Marshall shared several operational adjustments for the Fall 2027 Voyage itinerary:
- Hong Kong (New Disembarkation Port): Hong Kong will no longer serve as a mid-voyage port stop, but will instead be the official disembarkation port on December 22.
- Taiwan (New Port Added): Kaohsiung has been added to the voyage from December 13–16, replacing the original Hong Kong port stop.
- Thailand (Removed): Thailand has been removed from the Fall 2027 itinerary.
Applications are now open for both students and Lifelong Learners* looking to embark on this global exploration!
*Changes to the Lifelong Learner Spotlight Voyages will be updated on our website soon!
Spring 2028 Voyage Unveiled: A Historic Final Journey Aboard the MV World Odyssey
[Watch this segment in the video at 19:30]
Semester at Sea is excited to announce the official itinerary for the Spring 2028 Voyage For the 141st voyage, students and Lifelong Learners will join the ship in Hong Kong, setting sail January 5 on a 105-day voyage winding across Asia, Africa, and Europe, disembarking in Bremerhaven, Germany on Wednesday, April 28.
This voyage marks a historic milestone in our organization’s history as our very first voyage in partnership with our new university partner, the University of San Diego. The hiring of voyage faculty will begin this fall, with the full complement of more than 70 courses announced early next year.
The Spring 2028 voyage also serves as a meaningful farewell: it will be the final voyage aboard our beloved ship, the MV World Odyssey. Since 2015, the MV World Odyssey has served as an inspiring floating campus and home to thousands of global learners.
“The Spring 2028 voyage marks an extraordinary milestone in Semester at Sea history,” said President and CEO Scott Marshall. “As we celebrate our final voyage aboard the MV World Odyssey, we are equally proud to launch our academic partnership with the University of San Diego. This voyage honors our rich shipboard legacy while opening an exciting new chapter of global discovery and academic excellence.”
Help Name the SAS Mascot!
[Watch this segment in the video at 19:41]
Semester at Sea is officially creating its first-ever official mascot! All registered members of the Alumni at Sea portal will be invited to participate in a community-wide survey process to help shape and select the mascot. You can find the survey on the Alumni at Sea website.
Thank you to everyone who joined us live and to our global community across generations of voyagers. Together, we look forward to the future of Semester at Sea and the Institute for Shipboard Education.
