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cadets on helo deck of the TS kennedy

Sea Term

Learning Beyond the Classroom

 

Most students return from the sea term reporting they had a “life changing” experience. Indeed, by participating in the sea term they gain unmatched experience working aboard a ship supplementing what they learn in the classroom.

The sea term is not a “pleasure cruise” but rather a hands-on “floating classroom.” The voyage lasts about 52 days, where cadets rotate through class and laboratory training at sea, ships operations including deck and engine watches, maintenance and emergency drills. Port visits offer a time to relax, but still include watch responsibilities and ship's maintenance.

During the Commercial Sea Term, cadets work on board an actual commercial ship as an apprentice deck officer.  

 Our sea term ports of call have included:

  •  Transiting the world famous Panama Canal, an engineering marvel and one of the most strategic artificial waterways in the world connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through an intricate system of locks.
  • The tropical islands of Aruba, Curacao, Barbados, St, Thomas, San Juan, Tortola and Costa Rica featuring beautiful scenery and friendly citizens, providing ample opportunity for our ship to conduct necessary drills for our cadets in the warm weather and calm seas.
  • The historic walled city of Cartagena, Colombia, one of the busiest ports in the Caribbean.
  • Haiti, where we typically drop off much needed humanitarian supplies via lifeboat to improve the lives of this impoverished island’s families and children.

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