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Virgin Islands to Antigua

360 Nautical Miles via Nevis, St. Barts, Statia, Saba
Explore above the surface and find lush islands, ancient volcanoes, and white sand beaches. Sail on the legendary blue-green waves and take in jade mountains against iridescent sunrises and sunsets. Each of the 25 islands within the Leeward Islands offers a distinct cultural and geographic backdrop, so you'll sail throughout the island chain--visiting the British Virgin Islands, Saba, St. Eustatius, Nevis, St. Barths, and Antigua. Along the way, you'll also score 3 credit hours in basic seamanship, but who's counting?
  • Days
  • Credits
  • Students
  • Term
  • Tuition (USD)
Jun 15 - Jul 4, 2025 - Aboard S/Y Ocean Star
  • 20
  • 3 credits
  • 16
  • Summer
  • $7,670
Availability: Open Jun 15 - Jul 4, 2026 - Aboard S/Y Ocean Star
  • 20
  • 3 credits
  • 16
  • Summer
  • TBA
Availability: Open
Review the Application Process >

Life Aboard

Sails Up Anchors Down

USF Accredited Academics

Certification Courses

Activities

Scuba Diving & Snorkeling Educational & Cultural Tours Hiking & Trekking Service Personal Time

The Voyage

Your Adventure Starts Here
Welcome aboard!

The journey begins at our home base at Soper’s Hole in the west end of Tortola. It won’t be hard to find our 88-ft schooner, S/Y Ocean Star, tied alongside the dock with an eager crew of 4 staff waiting to greet you with a smile. After dropping your bags in your cabin, it’s time to take a breath, look around and realize that this beautiful schooner floating atop crystal clear Caribbean waters is now your home and classroom for the next 20 days as you embark on the voyage of a lifetime.

Sample Trip Itinerary*
Start Location End Location
Tortola, BVI (STT or EIS) Antigua (ANU)
Area Ports of Call
British Virgin Islands Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Peter Island, Salt Island, The Dogs, Sandy Spit, Jost Van Dyke
Leeward Islands Nevis, Statia, Saba, St. Kitts, St Barths, Antigua
*Please note that all destinations are weather dependent and subject to change.

 

study-abroad-onboard-yacht
Learning The Ropes
2-4 days

Early on day two, we cast our lines and the journey begins. As with all Sea|mester voyages, the first 4 days of the program is a crash course on how to be successful in your new environment. With the guidance of our staff, you’ll learn the in’s and out’s of how to live, work and learn in such close quarters with others – from sailing to cooking and everything in between.

Those who select the scuba package will spend quite a bit of time underwater, either working towards the PADI Open Water Certification or getting reacquainted with the underwater world by taking a few refresher dives. During the first few days, you’ll also have your first lectures for seamanship class.

Play Video
DCIM103GOPRO
A Salty Way of Life
Sailing Without Seeing Land

It going to seem like we’ve crammed two weeks’ worth of information into those first 4 days, but time will fly by as you absorb it all. Station drills, man overboard drills, fire drills… it’s now time for you and your team to put it all to the test with the first of many sailing passages, a 24-hr voyage from the BVI to the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis.

As we turn our bow to the southeast, the rhythm of the trip shifts. With the fundamental knowledge in place, we now embark on the next phase of the expedition, our days alternating between those spent ashore exploring and those on the passage, voyaging between six and thirty-six hours to reach a new destination.

bike-ride-nevis-college
Nevis
(1-3 Days)

After making it through your first overnight passage from the BVI, you’ll make landfall at the birthplace of Alexander Hamilton.  Here on Nevis you’ll have the chance to explore the capital city Charlestown, hike through a volcanic rainforest to “The Source”, bike tour its hilly and quaint roads, take a horseback tour along its sandy coast or simply enjoy a little personal time on the beach.

> Next stop: Saba & Statia
semester-at-sea-caribbean
Saba & Statia
(2-4 Days)

These two Dutch islands provide you with yet another culturally diverse backdrop on your adventure through the Caribbean Lesser Antilles.  During your time in Statia you’ll dive the 100ft. shipwreck of the Charlie Brown and snorkel the ruins of Oranjestad’s sunken harbor in search of the elusive blue bead.  At Saba you’ll test yourself by tackling the 2,855 ft. (1,064 stone steps) tall Mt. Scenery and spend the day learning how to blow glass while visiting the quaint town called The Bottom.

> Next stop: Montserrat
surfing-semester-abroad
St. barths
(2-4 Days)

Surf day!  The adventure begins as we pack a couple of vans with surfboards and hit the waves for a day of surfing on one of St. Barts’s amazing beaches. After a morning of surfing, you’ll get the opportunity to explore Gustiavia and its swanky shops and picturesque streets.

> Next stop: Antigua
semester-at-sea-caribbean
Antigua
(2-4 Days)

Directly after visiting two very French islands, you’ll arrive at the very British Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua.  This is one of the world’s only fully restored Victorian era dockyards, which provides an amazing backdrop to your time spent in Antigua.  While here, you’ll enjoy a steel drum and reggae concert at Shirley Heights, walk the historic ramparts of English Harbor and dive the crystal blue waters while anchored outside of Green Island.

Play Video
seamester-life-aboard-schooner
Typical Day…
There’s no such thing

The only thing that’s typical about a day with Sea|mester is that it’s going to be anything but typical! While living aboard you’ll be involved in every aspect of running Ocean Star. Whether standing watch at 2 AM under a blanket of stars, monitoring the ship’s systems, or planning, provisioning and cooking the meals for your team, by the end of the experience you’ll feel the accomplishment of knowing that you played a big part in the success of the expedition.

Seamester Study Abroad Gap Year Brochure
study-marine-science-caribbean
The Underwater World Awaits
10 Dives

Scuba diving is an optional activity during our 20-day voyages and there are various dive package options for those who want to learn to dive or further their diving experience through a number of epic sport dives. Whether a deep dive on a 100ft. sunken ship in Statia, or a night dive on the Peter Island Wall in the BVI, during your 20 days you can complete around 10 dives. Students often tell us they chose this voyage because of the opportunity to dive, so if you feel that scuba diving is a passion, this is definitely the voyage to consider.

learn-scuba-study-abroad work-onboard-schooner-college marine-science-study-abroad-program IMG_20161008_165140 study-abroad-scuba-program semester-at-sea-study-program semester-at-sea-program
Time to Say Goodbye

The best way to explain what it means to say goodbye after such an incredible experience is to use the words from someone who had to do just that…

Not only have we come full circle on the job wheel but we are back in West End where, a mere 19 days ago, 14 brand new shipmates stepped onboard Ocean Star for the first time. We enjoyed a lie-in this morning then motored back to our dock in Soper’s Hole, Tortola. The team demonstrated their skills one final time as we threw our dock lines and managed fenders, guiding Ocean Star gently into her slip. Everyone worked hard to restore our boat's beauty after her days at sea and we're sad to leave, but our memories of this adventure will last a lifetime...

Capt. Kris British Virgin Islands

Trip Logs

ClosingTim0607_1
Day 20
By Eric F.

Closing Time

Hey everyone!! Skipper Eric finally gets to write a blog for the first time this trip, but it happens to…

Read More
Soooobestd0407_1-2
Day 18
By Hana K.

Soooo Best Day Ever?

Happy happy Fourth of July from Antigua! As the day comes to a close, we all agree that today was…

Read More
LastHurrah0407_5
Day 19
By Claire M.

Last Hurrah

Today is our final full day of the program!!! It’s definitely bittersweet, but everyone was still having fun as we…

Read More
SHIRLEYS0407_1
Day 18
By Gillian L.

SHIRLEYS!!

This morning, the cat had shore time on Nelson’s dockyard. We ate pastries at a bakery, hung out at a…

Read More
TheLastHur0507_1
Day 19
By Maddie S.

The Last Hurrah

Hello! It’s Maddie, and I have the honor of writing one of the final blog posts! Today, as a skipper,…

Read More

Need More Information?

Contact Us Request A Viewbook

Vocational Certifications

Depending upon previous experience, students will have the opportunity to complete a number of the following certifications during their voyage.

Seamester is a PADI 5 Star Resort

Scuba Certifications

Open Water Diver
Advanced Open Water Diver
Learn more about scuba diving

Seamester is an International Yacht Training partner school

Sailing Certifications

International Crew
VHF Operator
Navigation Master
Learn more about sailing

Seamester Safety Certifications

Safety Certifications

Emergency First Response - First Aid & CPR

Need To Know

During the 20-day Sea|mester, we always try to fit in about 40 days’ worth of activities, so to say that the voyage is full-on would be an understatement. This is a fast-paced voyage that offers 3 academic credits for the Seamanship class in addition to some introductory sailing and scuba dive certifications!

None at all. All you need is a great attitude and a willingness to fully participate in every aspect of the experience.

Four professional staff members live aboard full-time. There will be the Skipper, the First Mate and a Marine Biologist (who is typically a diving instructor) and a fourth staff member who could also be a scuba instructor, EMT, Marine Scientist or someone with other special skills. Take a look through our team page for more information.

Meet our team

The short answer to this question is, great! Well, usually anyway! In the Caribbean, the trade winds blow a steady 8-14 knots and the average temperature is 80 Degrees Fahrenheit with 76% humidity and 79 Degrees Fahrenheit water temperature. What’s great about the Caribbean weather is that there is always a breeze, so it feels very comfortable almost all the time. Yes, it does rain now and then, but it is more of a tropical shower, lasting only a few minutes, rather than a complete day of rain.

When we are ashore or close at anchor there will be plenty of opportunities to communicate with friends and family at home. That said, while aboard we have guidelines as to when it is appropriate to use your personal communications devices. The environment we strive to create relies heavily on each individual remaining focused on the group and our experience. Being tied to the modern world of “instant communications” can, in certain circumstances, be a hindrance to the personal and group processes aboard.

Cell Phones: Check with your provider before you go, but so long as you have a sim card, your cell phone will likely work in most global locations.

Internet: While our vessels are not wifi equipped, another way to communicate is by email, text, Facetime or Skype using shore side internet. The internet is often free or available to purchase in most of the locations that we visit.

Both on the vessel and ashore, the answer is up to you. The vast majority of the meals during your trip are prepared and eaten aboard. For meals aboard, each person on the crew takes a turn as head chef to plan and cook the meals for an entire day with the help of another person acting as sous-chef. We all work to stay within a budget, with both students and staff responsible for stocking the vessels. We endeavor to accommodate everyone aboard while providing what any alumni will tell you, was a great dining adventure. During your free time ashore you will have the opportunity to eat more adventurously. With this voyage being based in the Caribbean the venturesome amongst the crew will want to seek out some of the traditional West Indian meals such as Chicken Roti or some local Salt Fish.

Sea|mester students range in age from 18 through to about 22. Average age is right around 20, yet this can change from voyage to voyage. Give a call through to the office if you are interested in learning more about the student crew.

Nitty Gritty

Students come from all over the world, so coordinated travel is vital.

You can choose to book on your own, yet we suggest that you start by requesting a quote from one of our recommended travel partners as they will provide you with service on-beyond an online booking service or search engine.

This voyage is scheduled to begin in Tortola, British Virgin Islands (Either fly to St. Thomas – airport code STT – and take a ferry to the BVI or fly direct to Tortola – airport code EIS).

This voyage is scheduled to end in English Harbor, Antigua (airport code ANU).

When booking travel, students should be aware that the program start date is the date upon which students should arrive aboard the vessel. The program end date is the date on which students should depart the vessel and start their travel home.

Recommended Travel Agents

a. TRC Travel Center

Leah Hernandez is our primary travel coordinator, and she works for a company called TRC Travel Center. Leah obtains great fares and provides close monitoring and assistance on travel days in case of flight difficulties. Leah will also maintain your flight details in the Student Portal on your behalf, ensuring their accuracy in the event of flight changes. Connect with Leah –
Phone: +1.281.528.7727 (9am – 5pm Central Time)
Email: leahctn68@hotmail.com

b. Global Marine Travel

An alternative is to contact Global Marine Travel (GMT) to request a quote for a “Marine Fare” ticket. Marine Fares may be cheaper or more expensive than a regular fare, but in most cases will be more flexible should you need to change your ticket and will include the provision for a larger number of checked bags. Do the research to figure out which ticket suits you best. Connect with GMT –
Phone: +1.954.761.9595 (24hrs)
Email: info@flygmt.com

When contacting GMT, you will need to reference the following:

  • Organizational Name: Global Expeditions Group
  • Vessel Name (select): Ocean Star, Argo or Vela
  • Vessel Registry: British Virgin Islands

c. Other Booking Options – Air Miles & Self Booking

We cannot be responsible for coordinating flights booked in this way, so please ensure that you are booking the correct itinerary (dates/destination) before purchasing a ticket online or through a source other than our recommended travel partners. If you have any questions regarding the date or time of arrival for your voyage, please call us to confirm any proposed flight itinerary before you book it. Once booked, you will be required to enter, then maintain accurate flight details in the relevant section of the Student Portal.

Passports

Your passport’s expiration date is of utmost importance to the immigration officials in the countries we visit. Each government mandates a “minimum validity,” with many using a six-month rule, meaning that the visitor’s passport must remain valid for six (6) months AFTER the last day of travel in that country. A few nations have more lenient minimum validity rules, but since we typically visit multiple countries throughout the voyage, meeting the six-month standard is compulsory in most cases. If your passport expires sooner than six months after the final day of your program, we recommend that you talk to the passport office about their backlog and renewal timeframe. You may also contact our office to learn more about whether you would be able to travel on a passport that expires earlier than six months after your trip ends.

Visas

US Citizens: Those traveling on a US passport rarely need to apply for specific country visas in advance of the program. In certain circumstances, we are required to process a vessel cruising permit or visitation visa on your behalf before the trip. If this is the case, we’ll let you know in advance whether there are any steps that we need you to take.

Students traveling on non-U.S. passports: Aside from needing a valid US ESTA to transit through the United States (if applicable), students traveling on a Canadian or an EU passport rarely need to apply for any other specific country visas in advance of the program. Learn more about the ESTA requirements, and whether this applies to you here – https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/.

Citizens of Asian, African, and South American nations may need to apply for specific visas. Since we cannot apply for visas on your behalf, you must take the following steps as soon as you can.

  • Contact our office and request a definitive list of the countries we will visit on the voyage. Please do not rely on the sample itineraries listed on our website.
  • Verify visa requirements for your nationality by contacting the local embassy or consulate for these destination countries.
COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

We do not currently require proof of vaccination in order to enroll.

Other Immunizations

We know that each individual has unique medical considerations and understand that families have varying opinions on immunizations as a whole. While we are not physicians and cannot provide official or specific medical advice, we recommend that you talk with your healthcare provider to discuss the trip and check that all standard immunizations and boosters are up to date.

The CDC’s (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) website at www.cdc.gov contains an excellent section that focuses on Travelers’ Health. This is a useful resource as you consider which precautions you might want to take. When completing your research, bear in mind that your voyage is almost 100% coastal. Many of the CDC’s recommendations are specific to agricultural or rural areas or regions within the country which we do not visit.

Sea|mester tuition includes the following:
  • Sea|mester academic instruction for the applicable courses offered during the voyage
  • University of South Florida (USF) academic credit for all academic classes offered during the program.
  • Full room and board
  • All group excursions, field trips and destination-focused educational experiences
  • Non-professional sailing instruction and certification costs
  • Non-professional scuba instruction and certification costs
Not included in the Sea|mester tuition:
  • Travel expenses from home to the program (flights, visas, ferry, taxi, baggage, taxes, etc.)
  • Required International SOS and MedAire membership & emergency evacuation insurance. (20-day voyages = $100 | 40-day voyages = $175 | 80 & 90-day voyages = $250) LEARN MORE >
  • Vaccinations (if required/selected)
  • PADI required course books and materials
  • Personal spending money
  • Travel & Tuition Protection insurance – LEARN MORE >

 

Though the fundamentals of our voyages do not change, specific logistics evolve over time and can be subject to change based on any number of factors, most of which relate directly to risk management planning.

For this reason, the map and voyage timeline portions of this page should give you a basic understanding of the places we’ll go and activities we’ll do, but you should expect your voyage to be unique. If you take a look through the Trip Logs for previous voyages you’ll see that they can differ significantly.

With that in mind, we encourage all students to “live in the moment” while on the program. Travel, even on organized trips, requires flexibility and a willingness to accept adversity and change. We hope you’ll take the bumps in stride, and enjoy the adventure!

Students come from all over the world, so coordinated travel is vital.

You can choose to book on your own, yet we suggest that you start by requesting a quote from one of our recommended travel partners as they will provide you with service on-beyond an online booking service or search engine.

This voyage is scheduled to begin in Tortola, British Virgin Islands (Either fly to St. Thomas – airport code STT – and take a ferry to the BVI or fly direct to Tortola – airport code EIS).

This voyage is scheduled to end in English Harbor, Antigua (airport code ANU).

When booking travel, students should be aware that the program start date is the date upon which students should arrive aboard the vessel. The program end date is the date on which students should depart the vessel and start their travel home.

Recommended Travel Agents

a. TRC Travel Center

Leah Hernandez is our primary travel coordinator, and she works for a company called TRC Travel Center. Leah obtains great fares and provides close monitoring and assistance on travel days in case of flight difficulties. Leah will also maintain your flight details in the Student Portal on your behalf, ensuring their accuracy in the event of flight changes. Connect with Leah –
Phone: +1.281.528.7727 (9am – 5pm Central Time)
Email: leahctn68@hotmail.com

b. Global Marine Travel

An alternative is to contact Global Marine Travel (GMT) to request a quote for a “Marine Fare” ticket. Marine Fares may be cheaper or more expensive than a regular fare, but in most cases will be more flexible should you need to change your ticket and will include the provision for a larger number of checked bags. Do the research to figure out which ticket suits you best. Connect with GMT –
Phone: +1.954.761.9595 (24hrs)
Email: info@flygmt.com

When contacting GMT, you will need to reference the following:

  • Organizational Name: Global Expeditions Group
  • Vessel Name (select): Ocean Star, Argo or Vela
  • Vessel Registry: British Virgin Islands

c. Other Booking Options – Air Miles & Self Booking

We cannot be responsible for coordinating flights booked in this way, so please ensure that you are booking the correct itinerary (dates/destination) before purchasing a ticket online or through a source other than our recommended travel partners. If you have any questions regarding the date or time of arrival for your voyage, please call us to confirm any proposed flight itinerary before you book it. Once booked, you will be required to enter, then maintain accurate flight details in the relevant section of the Student Portal.

Passports

Your passport’s expiration date is of utmost importance to the immigration officials in the countries we visit. Each government mandates a “minimum validity,” with many using a six-month rule, meaning that the visitor’s passport must remain valid for six (6) months AFTER the last day of travel in that country. A few nations have more lenient minimum validity rules, but since we typically visit multiple countries throughout the voyage, meeting the six-month standard is compulsory in most cases. If your passport expires sooner than six months after the final day of your program, we recommend that you talk to the passport office about their backlog and renewal timeframe. You may also contact our office to learn more about whether you would be able to travel on a passport that expires earlier than six months after your trip ends.

Visas

US Citizens: Those traveling on a US passport rarely need to apply for specific country visas in advance of the program. In certain circumstances, we are required to process a vessel cruising permit or visitation visa on your behalf before the trip. If this is the case, we’ll let you know in advance whether there are any steps that we need you to take.

Students traveling on non-U.S. passports: Aside from needing a valid US ESTA to transit through the United States (if applicable), students traveling on a Canadian or an EU passport rarely need to apply for any other specific country visas in advance of the program. Learn more about the ESTA requirements, and whether this applies to you here – https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/.

Citizens of Asian, African, and South American nations may need to apply for specific visas. Since we cannot apply for visas on your behalf, you must take the following steps as soon as you can.

  • Contact our office and request a definitive list of the countries we will visit on the voyage. Please do not rely on the sample itineraries listed on our website.
  • Verify visa requirements for your nationality by contacting the local embassy or consulate for these destination countries.
COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

We do not currently require proof of vaccination in order to enroll.

Other Immunizations

We know that each individual has unique medical considerations and understand that families have varying opinions on immunizations as a whole. While we are not physicians and cannot provide official or specific medical advice, we recommend that you talk with your healthcare provider to discuss the trip and check that all standard immunizations and boosters are up to date.

The CDC’s (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) website at www.cdc.gov contains an excellent section that focuses on Travelers’ Health. This is a useful resource as you consider which precautions you might want to take. When completing your research, bear in mind that your voyage is almost 100% coastal. Many of the CDC’s recommendations are specific to agricultural or rural areas or regions within the country which we do not visit.

Sea|mester tuition includes the following:
  • Sea|mester academic instruction for the applicable courses offered during the voyage
  • University of South Florida (USF) academic credit for all academic classes offered during the program.
  • Full room and board
  • All group excursions, field trips and destination-focused educational experiences
  • Non-professional sailing instruction and certification costs
  • Non-professional scuba instruction and certification costs
Not included in the Sea|mester tuition:
  • Travel expenses from home to the program (flights, visas, ferry, taxi, baggage, taxes, etc.)
  • Required International SOS and MedAire membership & emergency evacuation insurance. (20-day voyages = $100 | 40-day voyages = $175 | 80 & 90-day voyages = $250) LEARN MORE >
  • Vaccinations (if required/selected)
  • PADI required course books and materials
  • Personal spending money
  • Travel & Tuition Protection insurance – LEARN MORE >

 

Though the fundamentals of our voyages do not change, specific logistics evolve over time and can be subject to change based on any number of factors, most of which relate directly to risk management planning.

For this reason, the map and voyage timeline portions of this page should give you a basic understanding of the places we’ll go and activities we’ll do, but you should expect your voyage to be unique. If you take a look through the Trip Logs for previous voyages you’ll see that they can differ significantly.

With that in mind, we encourage all students to “live in the moment” while on the program. Travel, even on organized trips, requires flexibility and a willingness to accept adversity and change. We hope you’ll take the bumps in stride, and enjoy the adventure!

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