Letter to Future Cal Poly at Sea Students,

So you are sitting around Cal Poly looking for a cool study abroad program and you cannot decide which one is best. Well, I am going to give you some advice that will help you make that simple decision:

DO CAL POLY AT SEA

This program is beyond amazing. How many other study abroad programs allow you to live aboard a ship traversing the globe to visit multiple countries with a hundred Cal Poly students from every major? Cal Poly at Sea is a brilliant life-changing experience that you will talk about for the rest of your life. There are ups and down to ship life, but in the end you realize, “Damn, that was a fun trip.”

I am going to tell you a little about living on the ship and visiting the ports and not pepper it up like so many people would in their accounts. Yes, there are lots of fun things to do and yes, there are times when you get stuck cleaning walls. There are several things you must remember before going on this cruise:

FIRST, THIS IS NOT A CRUISE SHIP. There are no luxury staterooms with little mints on the pillows, no delicious buffet, and no need for skimpy cute clothing. On this boat all Cal Poly students are treated like sailors, so you have to live like one. Every day you wear a uniform which just consists of a shirt and shorts and the dress code is NO flip-flops and NO tank tops. A good portion of your clothes will get dirty, so leave your elegant going-out dresses at home.

You have roommates no matter what. Staterooms have a triple bunk bed and a window which, compared to lower berthing, is a luxury. Lower berthing also has the triple bunk going, but you have the option of having up to twenty or so roommates. The beds seem tiny, but the rocking of the ship has you sleeping like a baby so that is not a worry. Believe me on that one.

Each person gets to participate in CC duty, Clean Sweep, Bridge Watch, and Engine Watch. CC is kitchen work and may seem like it sucks, but you get lots of delicious desserts with Mom, the pastry chef. Clean sweep happens at least once a week and just involves scrubbing down an assigned are of the ship for about 20 minutes. Bridge and Engine Watches are rather enjoyable. You have one of each and you go to the respective areas to learn about how the ship works. In Bridge Watch you get to drive the ship, which is amazingly difficult. In Engine Watch you get a nice tour of the two V-16 engines, Bambi and thumper.

As for the facilities, you have laundry, a nice gym, Pirate’s Cove, a library, and two lounges complete with flat-screen plasma TV’s. There is also the helo deck, otherwise known as steel beach, for tanning purposes and stargazing, so it’s not all that bad. I recommend the bow in high swells, since it is like being on a rollercoaster. The food is not terrible, but I am not going to say it’s gourmet. Just remember that it is better than Lighthouse.

YOU ARE STILL A STUDENT IN CLASSES. Even though you are visiting all these cool places, you still have class. I recommend taking classes that are interesting and pertain to the cruise like astronomy, since the stargazing is outstanding, and history, since you learn about the culture before you get to port. Classes are 6 days a week, that’s right, 6, and are relatively easy if you are coming from engineering like me. Many people are cool and the best thing to do is introduce yourself and make friends that you know you will spend the whole cruise with.

LASTLY, THE PORTS ARE AWESOME!!!!!!! I was fortunate enough to go to the South Pacific cruise, but wherever you go you will enjoy each and every port. I recommend renting a car because sometimes it takes a while to get off the ship and get to town either by walking or on buses. Also, with a car you can get outside the main town and explore all the areas around.

Bring money. You will buy a load of souvenirs on this trip, so have upwards of $500 with you. I would not recommend traveler’s checks or exchanging money since it takes a while. Bring an ATM card to use since every country’s bank accepts them, and remember that good ol’ Visa is accepted world wide.

Lots of people start the day at around 10 am by buying alcohol and getting smashed. I would not recommend it because it is a waste of money, you cannot remember your port, and if you get caught you get in tons of trouble. If you are below the legal age in the US and your motive is to just go and get drunk in each and every port around the world, then you need to be tied up by your toes and dipped in creamed corn to set your mind straight. One person was dumb enough to pass her limit, causing a meeting on the ship about watching the drunk people in port. The last thing you want to do is pay $3000 to baby sit someone.

Buy travel guides and see as much as possible in each and every port. This enhances the experiences. Bring snorkel gear, cameras, backpacks, and lots and lots of money to create those memories. Hang out in small groups because you will get more done that way and you make lifelong friends.

I KNOW IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS A LOT OF BAD coming from my letter here, but you must understand that the good outweighs the bad big time. How many times in your life do you get to visit places that only a few people live on like Palmyra, or get mooned by Australians at the Sydney Opera House? This trip will be the most amazing and memorable experience of your life and YOU NEED TO GO ON IT.