FALL 2026 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

• Our ideal Field Program size is between 10-30 people. As mentioned above, lower minimums help us to preserve lower-enrolled programs that may be unique and have a lot of educational value. We prefer programs up to 30 for ease of group management, however we will accommodate higher capacity programs by adding additional Trip Liaisons. 

Our students are very budget-conscious and tech-savvy. A top priority for them is being able to make their money stretch across the various port stays while having amazing experiences in each port stop. If they find a similar program online for half the price, they will travel on their own rather than purchasing Field Programs, despite the level of convenience Field Programs bring. That is why it is important that what we offer is both unique and affordable! Day and Overnight program costs will vary greatly by the location, time of year, duration of the program, and the specific activities, however ideal Field Program budgets (base pax costs) generally fall into the ranges below: 

• Day Programs: 25-100USD

• Overnight Programs: 100-300USD per day

• Tour operators are not permitted to provide services to any Semester at Sea voyagers outside of designated Field Programs, Field Classes, or Family Trips (facilitated by our Advancement department). Per the master agreement, contracted partners are not permitted to do business with SAS independent / FIT travelers. 

  • Providers must not rent or in any way provide self-driven cars, motorcycles, or other motorized vehicles to SAS participants (either as part of a Field Program / Class or to independent travelers).
    
    

• Conduct site inspections on a regular basis. Partners are responsible for vetting all aspects of the proposed program(s) (accommodations, transportation, food, activities, etc.) for participant health and safety, educational quality, and responsible tourism best practices. In some cases, SAS office staff will request to join an in-person site inspection or see written site inspection reports. 

  • All overnight accommodations should be deemed to be in safe locations, have secured locks, and should have 24hr security available when possible.
    
    

• Emergency Response: 

  • A trained guide (or company representative) is expected to be accessible 24/7 throughout the duration of every program. If not physically in the immediate presence of the group, the representative must notify the group where they are going and how to contact them. In the event of an emergency, this is the person who will enact emergency action plans. Due to this level of responsibility, SAS expects a no alcohol policy for this person in charge.  

  • Contracted partners must know the location of the nearest medical facility at all times, the route to said facility, and how long it will take to get there.

  • A reliable form of transportation (and driver) must be accessible 24/7 in the event of an emergency requiring transportation to a medical facility. 

  • A guide (or company representative) is required to have phone access at all times (in remote locations, this may require access to a satellite phone). The guide must let the SAS Trip Liaison use the phone in case of emergency in the event the SAS Trip Liaison’s phone is not functioning. 

4. Subcontractors: If a contracted in-country partner utilizes the services of a sub-contractor, it is the partner’s responsibility to vet these individuals or services. Our partners are assuming all risk associated with their subcontractors. Our partners can (and should) be empowered to decline any request Semester at Sea brings forth (e.g. requests to work with an organization / person / facility, etc.) that the provider is not able to vet or does not endorse after proper vetting.
      

5. Participant Alcohol policy:  

   1. No alcohol should ever be included in Field Program or Field Class itineraries or pricing unless under the request of ISE Field Office staff (not Program Trip Liaisons).  On some occasions, we will allow tastings alcohol if it furthers the cultural understanding or academic experience. 

   2. All voyagers (Faculty, Staff, Lifelong Learners, etc.) are not allowed to drink alcohol on single day Field Programs and Field Classes.

   3. On multi-day overnights, voyagers can choose to drink responsibly only in the evening at leisure hours after the day’s activities (including any scheduled dinner) are completed. Contracted partners should not arrange or enable alcohol consumption. 

   4. There is a strict zero alcohol policy on all forms of transportation (buses, trains, planes, etc.).
      
      

6. Guides: 

   1. Anyone working directly with our groups (guides, drivers, hosts, etc.) must have industry and country-standard certifications / trainings / insurances and be vetted for criminal background (e.g. background check or equivalent).  

   2. Guide(s) must be adequately trained and briefed on the unique aspects of working with Semester at Sea groups. All guides should receive a copy of the Semester at Sea Guide Code of Conduct. 

   3. Since Trip Liaisons are not trained guides, the expectation is that a local guide is with our groups the entire time.
      
      

7. Food & Water: Access to safe drinking water and food is required. Note, filtered water is not sufficient.
   
   

8. Rooming: Semester at Sea requires one bed per person (no sharing beds unless requested). We require accommodations with a large number of twin rooms and often have needs for triples. Per SAS Gender Inclusive Housing policies, voyagers of any gender may share a room if the request is mutually-exclusive. We accept single-supplement requests from Faculty and Staff (not students) and prioritize single rooms for Trip Liaisons where available. We will communicate these requests at the time the rooming list is due.
   
   

9. Approve safe locations to separate from group. Participants are allowed to separate from the group by signing-out with the Trip Liaison. In this case, the local guide(s) must advise if the location and timing is deemed to be safe for a person to leave the group.
   
   

10. Maintain exclusivity. Our groups should not be combined with other non-SAS groups without prior approval.
    
    

11. Limit “at-leisure” / “free time” and extra cost add-ons.  In general, we do not want large amounts of time (more than a couple hours) at-leisure and we do not want to up-sell any add-ons. Programs should provide an all-inclusive experience.
    
    

12. All partners should aim to practice responsible / sustainable tourism best practices. Please consider the following: 

    1. Support the local economy whenever possible by employing local people, staying in locally-owned locations, supporting handicraft outlets, etc. 

    2. Pay a fair livable wage to any staff/subcontractors and tip according to local norms.

    3. Give back to the local community - look for creative ways to integrate social enterprises and NGO partnerships into our programs 

    4. Consider your supply chain and make adjustments where you can to support greater industry sustainability (e.g. reusable glass water bottles) 

    5. Build and invest in long-term relationships with local communities 

    6. Limit single-use plastic consumption. We prefer providers purchase large jugs of purified drinking water for students to refill reusable bottles and make every effort to avoid single-use 50mL water bottles.