What Others Say About Our Trips

"I never worried about fitting in as our family are extroverts and will talk to anyone, however even we were surprised just how well everyone got on. We have made some friends for life from all over the world and it has defiantly exceeded our expectations. We have now done 2 trips (transatlantic (our first ever cruise) & south Korea and Japan cruise, we are booked on another transatlantic in February, and Austrian mountain retreat in June)
Our son is autistic, so I was worried about him fitting in or meltdowns but that didn't need to be my worry, it was that I never knew where he was because he had made soooo many new friends (it was easy to find out where he was when he didn't answer his phone as Elena just used the text jungle to everyone and one of our group knew where he was).
I wasn't a solo mum but met many solo parents and would not think twice about doing one of Elenas world-schooling trip without my husband. It was so great that we knew so many people on the trip that we were never alone (unless we wanted to be), it was like one big family, and we have made so many new friends.
On my first cruise my biggest worry was sea sickness, I bought every remedy possible from pills to bands and patches, but I didn't use anything after day 2 and never felt sick, we had 30 foot waves and I never felt the boat even move, apart from it rocking me to sleep on a night.
My favourite part of the cruise was dinner together, the kids sit together at tables and the parents at other tables (but all close by). It was a chance to be an adult but also know my child was happy and didn't need me, watching the kids bond day by day and trip by trip is an amazing feeling. My son has become so much more independent, accepting, and confident since we took these trips.
I would recommend anyone to take one of Elena's trips, there are trips for most budgets, and once in a lifetime experience that we will be taking more than once."

"As a traveling family we have learned that we prefer to not fly and instead make the journey part of the adventure. We have cruised twice before (both transatlantic) and liked the freedom of movement it gave us as a family and also the space it gave us. We spend A LOT of time together, but being on the cruise made it easier to separate and meet back up and it felt safer from the adult perspective too. While both of those cruises had some other kids, it wasn’t quite the same as having other Worldschooling kids. Those other kids were on a family vacation, so they were spending that time together as a family and not available at different times of the day for games and other activities.
When joining the transpacific Worldschooling cruise we were immediately excited about the age range of the children. This was to be our first experience traveling with other families with a similar lifestyle AND kids in the same age range.
The cruise climate with our Worldschooling group was beyond expectations. We have been traveling for 3 years and the group of kids from our Worldschooling cruise are the only kids my children regularly talk with, even more than 6 months since we last saw anyone. The ability for the kids to have autonomy and the adults to share that same autonomy is something that will make another group cruise high on our to do list. Do it! It will change you."

"We experienced our first worldschooling cruise (and traveling abroad for that matter) in February and ended up doing two back-to-back and has THE BEST TIME! The first cruise I went solo with my 3 children and I think I was more nervous for myself about meeting other adults and being stuck alone but I made what I hope are lifelong friends! My tween had a blast running around the ship and my very shy little girl made a best friend she FaceTimes with. Of course you click more with some than others but overall everyone was incredible, interesting, kind and welcoming. Kids were instant friends and it was so nice to be able to give them a little more freedom along with some life skills like being on time for meals directions around the boat etc lol.
I feel like it was also a great way for me to dip my toes in the water trying to travel abroad with 3 children! It’s definitely worth a try! And you can’t beat not having to cook for weeks at a time"

"My first thought of joining a cruise with a bunch of people that I have never met before and worldschooling that I knew little about put me a bit on edge. I want my daughter to have experiences that are going to last and be meaningful. Meeting kids her age or slightly older and interacting with them are my highest concerns. This is where in my eyes kids grow exponentially from experiences shared. I want to stress that within 60 minutes of meeting a fraction of the families I was all-in. Everyone was so wonderful and friendly , my daughter immediately found a best friend within that time and the two were inseparable from then on. It did not stop there, the excitement, friends grew throughout. It has now been three months since our initial journey and our daughter talks about all the people on that trip on a daily basis. She can’t wait for the next time to see all of her friends.
Since then we’ve scheduled two more cruises with the world schooling group, one land based after that and tentatively scheduled a few more.
I can’t express how much this has opened our eyes to what the possibilities could be and thanks to Elena and team for making all of this happen."

"We had such a blast on the Disney Cruise with the worldschoolers Worldschooling Journeys organized. Didn’t know what to expect… im a bit of an introvert. But the group soon became family. The kids were inseparable and even one said, “we didn’t know each other before this, but now we are all friends and I want to keep traveling together”.
I wish I could go on all Worldschooling Journeys’s adventures! They are so much fun!"

"I was excited to try something new. I love meeting new people and although traveling can be difficult with 5 kids (a baby and a child with disabilities) i am glad I was able to do it. When families come together to share one common interest homeschooling around the world it is amazing. The families were helpful and considerate towards us since my daughter has a special stroller/wheelchair. My kids say this is the only way they want to travel from now on."

"We recently returned from a transatlantic cruise to Spain, and I can honestly say it was one of the best experiences we’ve ever had. I traveled with my three kids—and even though we didn’t know anyone beforehand, except Elena Ollick, we felt instantly welcomed and included.
This incredible adventure was beautifully organized Elena poured her heart into every detail, just like she does with everything. Thanks to her thoughtful planning, everything ran so smoothly—from group meetups to activities for the kids and those special in-between moments where real connection happens.
The kids bonded almost instantly. Mine made friends within the first day, and by the end of the cruise, we had a whole new circle of people who felt like family. There was such a natural rhythm to everything: space to be free, time to be together, and moments of quiet joy watching the ocean roll by.
The cruise itself was lovely—great food, friendly staff, and plenty of options for all ages and even picky eaters. The sea days gave us time to slow down, be present, and enjoy each other without the rush of daily life."

"We had the best time & can only recommend such a trip with Elena’s groups, whether you are traditional, not, first time or seasoned cruiser! We took the kids out of school some days early before their midwinter break and met the group on the coolest ship I’ve ever seen (Icon of the Seas). We also hijacked my mom/ (grandma to the kids) so we can also spend some more time together (as we don’t live in the same country ) and she had a super time as well!
* As a first time cruiser, this was the best way for us to experience a cruise - basically with some people who know the ins and outs of cruising.
* My 3 kids had the best trip , they quickly linked up with the kids and were gone / made plans with many of the other kids, whether slides, pool or beach time, mini golf , arcade , snacks or wanting to meet at kids club.
* Cool group - everyone was open and welcoming and had an interesting journey!
The worst part was the trip ending, but we are actively cross checking our calendar and for another trip we can pull off (besides the “fire and ice” one … but summer 2026 is too far away!"

"I have never been more grateful that we are booked onto the booked-out worldschooling transatlantic trip next month where approx 40 other home ed kids will come together and spend 2 weeks playing, exploring, socialising & making memories to last a lifetime!
I’m sharing this, not to try to convince you, but to advise you that if you home-ed and you have been considering a cruise (or travel) then please take a look at February’s worldschooling transatlantic cruise with a large group of home ed families for probably one of the lowest prices you will ever secure a cruise.
I booked the 12 night February cruise on allure of the seas for 4 people in a balcony cabin for $2100 which is an INSANE price. Literally too good to pass when I know the experience & joy it provides for the boys"

"It took me a few days to convince my husband to take a transatlantic cruise with a bunch of people we have never met before. Generally speaking, he’s a bit of an introvert and my daughter (who was 6 at the time) is definitely on the shy side. But it was the best. decision. ever. We LOVED meeting everyone on the first day and then seeing familiar faces all around the ship. The opportunities for spontaneous meetups/playdates were the fantastic. We’d walk around the ship, not really sure what we wanted to do next, bump into a friend and suddenly my daughter is bowling with a new bestie while the adults are enjoying happy hour snacks. Elena set up an opportunity for the kids to meet with the ship engineer and head of housekeeping, which made us all feel like VIP, and my husband and I enjoyed meeting new friends for dinner while the kids all hung out in the kids club (with FRIENDS, not random kids).
One other cool perk that I hadn’t thought of prior to cruising was that these new friends were going to be at all our ports with us! Many of us coordinated group tours, which made things SO much more fun for the kids. I have an only child who doesn’t mind taking a historical tour with her two parents, but it’s a lot more entertaining to take that tour with a group of cool kids you’ve been sailing with all week. We even met up with friends at our final destination in Rome.. and one day we even bumped into some cruise friends randomly. Since then, we’ve stayed in touch with people either through Elena’s fb posts or the occasional text. We are always curious who is doing what trip and considering joining them (and having major FOMO if we can’t make it work). We can’t wait for our next adventure; we look forward to making new friends AND hope our old ones will join us for a reunion!
Above all else, however, I think my absolute favorite part of this adventure is that everyone we met is completely different. Different homes, different backgrounds, different lifestyles, different opinions, different ways of living and yet everyone just fit. We fit because we all want more for our families and that one thing brings us together. I feel like people who take these kinds of adventures are really great at understanding there’s no right or wrong way to live life.. sometimes that’s hard to find at home."

"As a solo traveling mom with ND kids, naturally I had concerns about our integration into a group with strangers. Also it was our first cruising. Worldschooling Journeys anticipated and prepared us all for the smooth sailing ahead, literally. We were sent a document ahead of our trip, which included variety of pro tips. We all got connected via chat and basically, by the time we boarded, it felt like we’re going with a group of friends. And that feeling carried throughout entire trip. It was a fantastic group of people. They organized activities for both parents and children throughout the cruise, and pointed out fun events on the ship, which we then attended as a group throughout the trip. Invaluable!
I particularly enjoyed group dinners, and my children loved exploring the ship together with friends. I was happy to attend excursions with the group, as it contributed to the bonding overall.
We have attended several world-school hubs, and sadly some are thrown together by un-prepared people. Worldschooling Journeys was anything but. I am super happy that we chose to attend."

"It’s tough to like everyone, I mean, not everyone is going to vibe with you or your family. But trust me, it’s way easier when people are already walking the same path. Homeschoolers? We’re basically one big, slightly chaotic family. The kids? They click instantly, no drama there. The parents? Well, that’s where it gets tricky. But hey, that’s life. Maybe two drinks will smooth things out… Just kidding! (Or am I?)"

"I have SO MUCH to say about these topics! The TLDR: Two thumbs up, 10/10 all the way around, will do again... in a couple weeks actually! I recently decided to hop on the 11 day cruise from Seoul to Tokyo with my two daughters, ages (10 & 11). We live in the US, have never been to Asia and none of us speak Korean or Japanese. Our kids are Unschooled and we travel as much as possible.
We've also travelled internationally with another group (NOT Elenas) that puts together trips, but that one is a homeschool specific group and our experience on the Rhine River cruise wasn't great. It definitely didn't feel like a trip centered around kids, it felt like the kids were intruding on a trip created for old grumps. Sooo, I was already a bit skeptical booking this one, but the price was really great and I felt like the ship was big enough that we could just do our own thing if it didn't work out with the group.
Luckily that didn't turn out to be the case. This trip felt completely centered around the kids and facilitating their ability to connect with each other and explore. My kids were on fire with joy the entire trip. No joke. They had the very best time. The kids all looked out for each other and created the most heart warming little family unit. Watching them, you'd have thought they were all siblings or cousins. Their ages spanned 4-15 I believe?! The older kids were also able to easily move between the adults and the other kids, and the mixed age group worked very well. Everyone felt included.
The other thing I really appreciated was how aware and supportive the kids (and parents) were about sensory challenges and all sorts of nd topics. They communicated openly about their own challenges, sparks and quirks, and readily accommodated each other when needed. If someone felt like having some alone time or quiet time with a book or something, nobody gave them a hard time. I think it helped that there wasn't any scarcity around time together? A kiddo having a hard time was seen as such and not through a lens of judgement.
An unexpected side effect of the kids having such a great time together was the amount of "free" time I found myself with. Sure, we often moved from place to place, keeping an eye out for the kids, and generally making it our goal to always collectively know where they all were, but by virtue of our group size, that didn't mean having to literally run after them all day. So it left time for the adults to connect as well. I personally didn't know anyone going on the trip, hadn't ever met Elena or her family, and I'm not what anyone would call an extrovert. To get really personal, I'm a pretty anxious person and I struggle with feeling like an outsider in most situations. So, going alone wasn't exactly something I was looking forward to. (The kids were stoked though, and that's always reason enough for me to do just about anything!)
As it turned out, the other parents in the group were all very easy to talk to and a pleasure to get to know. When we left, it felt like I'd made so many great new friends! We were all there for the kiddos, so we had that in common, but we were all very different. Some of the families were very structured, some (like mine) were quite feral. Some Unschooled, some homeschooled, some were doing public or private school. I'm sure many of us had very different views on politics, religion, education, etc. but you'd never know it. What a powerful force the love for our children proved to be. All of were struck by how quickly and genuinely the kids connected. Maybe that inspired us? I've always felt that children teach me far more than I teach them, so it makes sense.
If you're on the fence about taking one of these trips, just do it. You'll be glad you did!"

"We made it across the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco to Sydney, Australia! This journey has been nothing short of amazing—filled with relaxing sea days, mouthwatering food, and stunning port stops. But the true highlight? The incredible friendships we made along the way! What started as a group of strangers from a travel Facebook group turned into something so much more. After 31 days together on this floating home, we became like family. It’s not goodbye—it’s see you later!"

"Our first cruise adventure was absolutely amazing! We didn’t know what to expect, especially after a few friends warned us it might be boring with so many days at sea. Spoiler alert: it was anything but boring! We had so much fun, and now we’re hooked—definitely doing it again!
Every summer, we usually head to a family camp, and honestly, the cruise felt a lot like that—just on water—with 13 other homeschool families. The best part? No awkward questions from strangers about school. It was pure magic being surrounded by people who just get it.
We spent our days chatting about traveling, homeschooling, unschooling, and all the amazing things that come with it. No need to explain why my kids don’t take year-end tests, what grade they’re in, or when I’ll “send them back” to school. It was so freeing and easy. I’m so glad we took the plunge, and I’m already counting down to our next Worldschooling Cruise! Bring it on! "

"We did a worldschooling cruise with Worldschooling Journeys last month, it was exactly what you’re describing. There were a group of families that were more religious and they found each other/connected, whereas the group we connected with most were much more chilled, we all had our own religions but that was never really the conversation point unless we were discussing a specific experience or something.
My daughter struggles to make friends (probably not helped by the fact that she has adhd and asd) yet she made some of the nicest friends on this cruise and they all got on well from day 1… we’ve been back home a month now as she prepares for some exams in January, and she misses the relationships she built on this trip so much (though they all still have contact via WhatsApp).
I also have to put up with her sending me every cruise deal she comes across now.. I’m not sure how I’ll live up to this again, might have to just stick to the worldschooling cruises for a bit"

"Thank YOU for organizing such an unforgettable trip. I will say nothing different than what others are already saying, but I will say this. When we first booked the cruise the focus was Japan/Korea. I did a lot of research about things to see, taste, book and experience. However now that we are back and the “short” 2-week cruise is over I can honestly say that this trip was life changing. I never used that word. We had fabulous trips, amazing, spectacular… but life changing?? Well… I don’t know about that. And now this trip shifted something in me and it has nothing to do with Japan. Obviously Japan is fantastic and different, but no country can compare to the connections, the community and the friendships that we fostered. I’ve never experienced that and I’m still in trans.
We have a teen boy (shy at first but blossoms with the right people). He really had the time of his life (also fall in love lol) they were 11 teens (some of them not from the group but just from the cruise) and they were inseparable! I mean… non stop, constantly together, all day and dancing at night There was NO drama, no bullying, no weirdness, no nothing!!! I’ve never seen anything like it. WE FOUND OUR PEOPLE (I’m crying happy tears writing this). I just want our group moving-in together in the same neighborhood walking distance from each other and then cruising together again and again… ahhh utopia If I could book all the cruises I think I need a job … what a horrible conclusion Remote, exciting, six-figure and part time So, again - thank you for this truly unforgettable experience which words are not enough to describe the feelings that I have"

"For our family, the cruise was more about personal and social growth than academics. My kids do online school but we mostly took a break during the cruise. They made friends, learned new games, saw new places, learned new cultures. One of my favorite things was that the group of kids (usually the 8-15yr olds) met almost every night in the fancy dining room for dinner. They learned about etiquette, manners, ordering from an adult menu and tasted new things (my kids' first escargot, lobster, duck, caviar, etc).
There were enrichment experiences available daily, related to the destinations that we were headed to but we only took part in a couple of them. Some kids learned to hula dance and play the ukulele (we passed through Hawaii) for example."

"I don't have words. It was my family's favorite vacation ever. I know it was kind of luck of the draw the families that you get to travel with but these people were amazing. I think we all made lifelong friends and plan to travel to visit to families this summer. I agree with you that the key to starting off right was meeting beforehand. Being able to have dinner every night together was a huge bonus. And also doing excursions together really cemented the group.
My husband's kind of shy and he made two male friends that he will probably keep forever. It was very interesting to see all the different backgrounds and why are we all homeschool and it's all from completely different angles it was really amazing. I definitely want to do another one. And I'm interested in the difference between land Excursion ones and the cruise ships.. even the last days disaster Excursion was okay because we were together."

"We have been on 2 world schooling cruises now. The first one was very last minute, and I admit, we booked soley because the deal was good good to pass up. Worldschooling Journeys is great at that, finding you a lot of bang for your buck! And when I am getting a great deal, I would admit my expectations drop a bit, but we were so happy we did! On each cruise we have met so many wonderful families, and just like with any other part of life, we have met a few that we deeply connected with and can't wait to see again, and others we didn't have so much in common with, but still may be a fun familiar face on a future cruise! Our son is not a "big group" kind of guy, and we did worry he would get nothing out of this. On both cruises he has "found his tribe", and actually I think they have helped him enjoy the big group a bit more, but also helped navigate connecting more with a few, and finding opportunities to do things as a smaller group as well. So many of the kids have been wonderful at making sure any kid they see on the ship is included, whether they came with us or not! They have both been wonderful experiences we will talk about forever, and we look forward to our next."

"We are a fairly extroverted family so going on a cruise with a bunch of people we never met wasn't much of a worry to us. If there were any concerns they were quickly disappated after taking part in the lively discussions in the cruise WhatsApp chat group.
What was a concern was if we would find what we were missing at home. A community, a group of people who lived in non-traditional ways. We don't have anyone around us with younger children (our daughter is 5). We don't have anyone around us who is unschooling/world schooling/homeschooling their child. We don't have anyone around us who has a child that is extra active and extra special.
What we found was all of that and more. A group that believes in inclusivity and equality.
Our daughter was the youngest of the group and had no issues immediately bonding with the kids. In fact all the kids immediately bonded. They all moved easily between smaller groups that formed depending on the day or activity. The older kids watched over the younger ones without even being asked. We felt comfortable accepting offers of other parents taking care of our daughter while we participated in other adult activities. We formed our own bonds too. Even after the cruise we talk almost daily with some of the people we met.
In the end we loved it so much we booked another cruise before we got off the first then 2 other cruises and a retreat. We definitely found our people."