Packing for Semester at Sea

In addition to what's suggested in the Voyagers Handbook, there are several good packing lists available on the web, with links on every voyage's Facebook page or searchable on Google. My intention here is to make some additions most people don't think of, many of which are strictly personal preference. As with ALL of my SAS tips, please only use those that are appropriate for you.

1. Laundry supplies: Plan on doing at least some hand washing. Laundry days can be very far apart for students although more frequent for LLL's. Although you should absolutely not bring anything that is dry clean only, except for a man's sport coat for the Alumni Ball, you will probably have things you want to wash yourself. The laundry is way better than it used to be so I wouldn't worry too much about somewhat dated reports by previous voyagers of mysterious stains that weren't there before or hellacious shrinkage. That said, you shouldn't send anything to the laundry that won't stand up to fairly hot water. I pack a small spray bottle or stick of prespot solution and hit every stain before I send it to the laundry, with very good results. For your hand wash, you might want to bring a small plastic bottle you've filled with Woolite or Ivory liquid and a couple of plastic hangers and/or a few clothespins for drying. There is a clothesline in the bathroom but the hangers in the closet are those like in hotels that have no hook on them and only work in the closet. A mesh (lightweight) laundry bag is also handy to have for dirty clothes.

2. Dress clothes: The Alumni Ball (previously Ambassadors Ball) is sort of like prom and comes towards the end of the voyage. Everyone wears the fanciest thing they brought or bought/had made along the way, which ends up varying quite a lot - and adds to the entertainment value of the evening. Two guys on one of my voyages had suits made in Viet Nam, one lime green and one neon orange, just for the ball - hilarious! Fashion demerits are never a problem on SAS but you'll probably want to feel like you clean up well. Many girls plan to have dresses made in Viet Nam or buy saris in India. The fit with the former is often a little hit or miss, depending on the tailor you choose (bring a picture from a magazine for best results), and the fittings must be scheduled around your travel outside of Ho Chi Minh City. So if you really care about looking your absolute best, I'd bring something reliably wonderful from home, ideally something that fits you at whatever is your usual range of weight - SAS is famous both for people losing and gaining weight.
Besides this outfit, I'd bring one that can be called "business". Many students find themselves volunteering to welcome visiting dignitaries on board the ship or needing to wear something better than shorts and a tank for FDPs that visit businesses in port. For girls, this could be a dress or skirt with shoes other than flip flops and for guys this might be a collared shirt and khakis or the slacks you are going to wear to the ball and shoes nicer than sneakers.
If you are planning to go out to clubs in port, think about what you're bringing for that. In many places it is not appropriate to dress how girls dress to go out here, so I'd bring at least a couple of tops that are more covered up. You won't enjoy walking on a ship that is rocking or needing to walk long distances at night in port in mega-high heels, so I'd leave them at home, but that's a piece of advice I'm sure many will ignore ;).
LLL's: In addition to an outfit for the ball, I bring nice pants/skirt and 2 or 3 nice tops for a couple of dressier occasions on the ship, primarily the Captain's Dinner. The Captain usually has a series of small dinners to which the faculty and LLL's are invited, a few at a time. There is also the option for everyone of fine dining in a private room in the dining room - it costs extra (like $25) but is yummy and a great way to celebrate a friend's birthday or some other special occasion. Men can get another wear out of that sport coat - ties are pretty optional.

3. Luggage/storage: I bring two huge rolling duffles although do make sure the total dimensions aren't larger than the airlines allow. In fact, the airlines will be the limiting factor, not what SAS will actually allow. They put in the Voyagers Handbook the recommended luggage but I've never seen it enforced at all - they are just trying to discourage students from overpacking, with good reason. It's amazing how much stuff you acquire along the way and it's all got to get home somehow. It's better to start off with less rather than everything-you-could-possibly-imagine-needing-for-100+-days-on-a-ship-and-in-all-those-different-climates-YIKES! The airlines WILL charge you for overweight and extra bags so plan accordingly. Also bring a backpack as your carry-on - this will be what everyone packs for trips away from port. SAS trips never allow you to check luggage on their trips so bring a backpack that will fit in the overhead compartments of smallish, local planes. My backpack is rolling and also has straps for carrying which I rarely use. For LLL's, a rollaboard bag works fine. Mine also has a zip off day pack so when I get on a bus in the morning leaving a hotel, I can put the main part of the bag underneath and just have the day pack with me for water, snacks, a very thin rain jacket, camera, etc. BTW, never, ever, ever leave the ship or hotel/hostel without water and a snack - s**t happens, meals are majorly delayed and you just never know. I've learned this the hard way, an embarrassing number of times.
Your big duffles serve as storage under your bed in your cabin, for warm clothes, stuff you've bought, etc. I've measured the space in several types of cabins and it has always been twelve inches of clearance, although I'm told that some economy have less, more like 8". You'll also probably have your life jacket under there but there should be lots of space. Because I always have too much stuff, I also usually bring, flattened and still in their original packages (I take the metal frame out if there is one), a couple of clear soft plastic, zippered underbed storage containers, like you store sweaters in. Not at all necessary but you won't be sorry. If you're going west, you can buy them at the Wal-Mart in Honolulu as well.
Another very handy storage item is a vertical, hanging, usually nylon or canvas shoe bag. That single vertical row of little pockets is fabulous for extending the usuable storage space in your closet. It is lightweight and comes flat to bring with you.

That's it for now. Check back for tips about food, money/tips, trips and lots more. Don't get overwhelmed - get excited!!

ADDENDUM:
A few things I forgot to mention, mostly for LLLs. Students usually carry some type of messenger bag or small backpack around the ship. LLLs may want to consider a lightweight tote bag. You won't want a purse but you'll need something for your class notebook, sunglasses (in case you have to race out on deck to see the dolphins!), camera (because those Kodak moments happen so randomly you won't want to be caught without it), sweater for the Union, water, etc. Some other things I find useful but most not essential: a plastic accordion file to keep track of info for indie trips, extra passport photos and copies of first 2 passport pages, important papers from SAS, lists of what I bought in each port so I won't be scrambling when it's time to fill out the customs form and other assorted papers; a thumb/flash drive to gather photos/data from the public files on the ship's computers or transfer documents among friends or classmates; a small, stick-on magnifying mirror; travel sizes of toiletries or small plastic bottles to transfer products from their large containers on the ship - for use on overnight trips and actually pretty essential since you can't check baggage on SAS trips; very small portable speaker/iPod dock for music in my cabin; a small Ziploc bag of office supply things like paper clips, small scissors, tape, etc.; birthday cards; a plan for exercising in my cabin and lightweight equipment like exercise bands - I'm crazy enough to deflate my big exercise ball and bring that; a small bar of my favorite soap (the ship soap is pretty basic) and one flattened roll of high quality TP that I take portions off for my day pack and is also welcome if I ever get sick, again the ship's supply is, uh, serviceable. Now you can see what constitutes my overpacking!!

ADDENDUM #2:
After numerous requests, I'm posting my personal packing list, with a few generalized comments. It's most appropriate for a female Lifelong Learner, obviously, so you'll need to tailor it to your own needs and preferences.
 

                                                SAS PACKING LIST           

Storage/Cabin Amenities

Single, vertical, hanging, cloth shoe bag

2 –3 clear vinyl zippered under-bed containers

Large hanging toiletry bag

Shallow jewelry container w/ dividers for drawer

French press, scoop

Corkscrew, plastic wine glasses (LLL only)

Nalgene or buy SAS

Coffee insulated mug or buy SAS
Magnifying makeup mirror
Workout equipment (e.g. deflated ball, bands)

Laundry

Mesh, drawstring laundry bag

Shout pre-treat stain remover
De-wrinkle spray

Ivory liquid, small bottle

3 – 4 plastic hangers
Small sewing kit

Electronics/Photo

Laptop or iPad
Flash drive

iPod/iPhone w/ earphones; dock with small speakers

Camera w/ video capability or photo equipment you prefer

2 disposable cameras for situations with iffy security or serious backcountry, or waterproof for snorkeling/diving

Travel alarm clock (preferably don’t rely on your phone)

Curling iron or straightener w/ auto off switch and documentation (blow dryers already in cabin bathroom)
Small flashlight

Clothes

5 Shorts/capris

3 workout shorts and shirts/outfits

3 casual pants (ideally 2 should be very thin cotton for India, otherwise add these 2)

2 skirts, one long and lightweight for modest countries

6 – 8 solid all-cotton t-shirts (blends are risky in the laundry)

2 cotton blouses

2 casual dresses

Nicer black pants w/ 2 – 3 tops for dinner in port and Captain’s dinner

One nice daytime pants outfit for travel, meetings or cosmopolitan ports (Hong Kong, Singapore)

Alumni Ball outfit, or buy ethnic costume (e.g. sari)

“Nylon” khaki zip off safari pants and long-sleeved shirt

2 long-sleeved t-shirts

Pullover sweatshirt or sweater or buy SAS

Cardigan sweatshirt, sweater or fleece jacket lining (see below)

Nice cardigan or shawl to layer for dinners in port

Light fleece pants – optional

Rain pants – optional

Gore-Tex rain jacket w/ zip out lining (lining optional)

12 sets underwear

Flip-flops

Casual sandals with good support for walking

Workout shoes

Comfortable, supportive closed toe walking shoes (e.g. Merrill’s)

Lightweight hiking boots - optional

Black nice sandals

Black shoes for business outfit

Shoes for Amb. Ball outfit

6 pr. Socks

3 pajamas

Small, travel umbrella

Beach towel or buy SAS in ship store

Packable straw sun hat

Baseball hat (or buy SAS)
Bathing suits
Jewelry (nothing expensive or sentimentally valuable)

Luggage/Bags

2 Huge duffels on wheels

Rolling backpack w/ detachable daypack

Purse w/ convertible cross-body or shoulder strap (anti-theft straps is possible)

Small black purse

Book bag/tote

Waist or neck passport/cash security wallet

School/Office Supplies (most are available in bookstore)

Accordion file (crucial and not available onboard)

Class notebooks

Box of pens, one #2 pencil, one Black Sharpie, one highlighter

Small dry erase message board w/ marker for door

Paper clips

Small scissors

Hole punch

Scotch tape

Post-It notes

Holiday supplies (e.g. Valentines or Halloween)

Birthday cards

Small dictionary/thesaurus

Pictures of family and friends in lightweight magnetic frames

Journal

Small field notebook
Lots of magnets, some able to support heavier weight, some with hooks

Toiletries/Medicine

1 lg. Shampoo

2 conditioners

2 lg. Toothpaste

2 toothbrushes

1 lg. Deodorant

2 moisturizers

Lg. Brush and small for purse

Lotion

Sunscreen

Chap stick
Makeup

3 bars soap, two antibacterial and one moisturizer

Disposable face cloths

Small toiletry kit w/ travel size bottles of shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, moisturizer, sunscreen; toothbrush & paste; small soap in container

Old, thin towel, sleeping bag liner for camping/hostels -  optional

2 rolls expensive TP

2 rolls travel TP

Disposable hand sanitizer wipes

Bottle hand sanitizer

Bonine, Tylenol, Tylenol PM, Motrin, Excedrin, Sudafed, Imodium, Pepto tablets

Rx: personal plus Cipro and malaria med

Miscellaneous

2 or 3 gifts typical of home for foreign hosts, SAS staff, or room steward

Ample supply of small gifts for children – barrettes, stickers, balls, bubbles, crayons, etc.

Snacks/favorite foods (special granola, tea, power bars, mixed nuts, snack size candy bars, breath mints); coffee (ground or Via); diet salad dressing

Paperbacks (you may or may not have time to read!)

Buy postcard of ship in SAS store to show to cab drivers with language barrier

See "How to Handle Money" for money suggestions