<p>I couldn’t disagree more with this post. I was on the Fall of 1980 voyage and it was a life-changing event for most of us. It wasn’t The Love Boat or vacation cruise that you imply - it was the single most-educational event I’ve ever experienced. </p>
<p>Traveling the world at that young age opened my eyes to the world, to new people and experiences, and taught us confidence and independence. We visited places Americans never see, and encountered challenges we never knew we could master. </p>
<p>Most Americans don’t travel internationally, and those who do visit major Western cities like London, Paris, and Rome. We also visited unique and challenging places like India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Egypt, and Taiwan. Yes, they’re more dangerous than downtown Toronto or Florence, but learning to handle yourself maturely is a big part of the education. </p>
<p>It taught us to respect other cultures, which is something lacking in the US political and educational system. I’ve been traveling the world on business for the past 20 years, and I suspect that SAS made that possible. </p>
<p>I’m sending one of my children on the next voyage. His older brother did a semester in Italy. They’re both quality study-abroad programs, but I learned more useful knowledge and insight in that 100 days at sea than did at any other time in my life.</p>