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• A Unique Cruising Experience

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  A Unique Cruising Experience Sea Dream Yacht Club – Casual, Luxury Small-Ship Cruising

  Posted February 4, 2011 by wjudson461

  Categories: Cruise Travel

  Sea Dream Yacht Club- A Different and Unique Cruise Experience

  Sea Dream Yacht Club operates two 344 ft. mega-yachts offering all-inclusive, luxury cruises to the Caribbean in the winter and the Mediterranean in the summer. Accommodating 112 passengers with a crew of 95, these ships call on the smaller, unspoiled islands the bigger cruise lines are unable to reach. As most of these islands lack an airport, their natural beauty lies, in part, in the fact that they are difficult to get to. Not terribly easy to get home from, either. Tiny gems like Saba, Montserrat, Jost Van Dyke and Anguilla. If youve ever daydreamed about cruising the Greek Isles on your own private yacht, this is about as close…

  A Unique Cruising Experience Sea Dream Yacht Club – Casual, Luxury Small-Ship Cruising

  Posted February 4, 2011 by wjudson461

  Categories: Cruise Travel

  Sea Dream Yacht Club- A Different and Unique Cruise Experience

  Sea Dream Yacht Club operates two 344 ft. mega-yachts offering all-inclusive, luxury cruises to the Caribbean in the winter and the Mediterranean in the summer. Accommodating 112 passengers with a crew of 95, these ships call on the smaller, unspoiled islands the bigger cruise lines are unable to reach. As most of these islands lack an airport, their natural beauty lies, in part, in the fact that they are difficult to get to. Not terribly easy to get home from, either. Tiny gems like Saba, Montserrat, Jost Van Dyke and Anguilla. If youve ever daydreamed about cruising the Greek Isles on your own private yacht, this is about as close as most of us will ever come. That being said, Sea Dream is most certainly not for everyone. It is very casual, laid back and geared to adults comfortable with entertaining themselves.

  Who Should Not Book a Sea Dream Voyage?

  OK, let me try to cull the herd as quickly and ruthlessly as possible. If you are traveling with your small children and looking forward to picking them up from the supervised Kids program so you can feed them at the Early Seating and put them to bed with a babysitter in order to don your tuxedo and eat, take in a Broadway-type show before catching a Comedian in one of the many lounges and partying until the wee hours of the morning in a Casino with craps, roulette and all the bells and whistles, you are definitely in the wrong place. It is not happening. None of it. Not on Sea Dream. You are likely to find a larger crowd enjoying early morning coffee to watch the sunrise than you will in the Casino at 11:00 PM.

  The Sea Dream Passenger

  The Sea Dream experience attracts guests who are not only able to entertain themselves, but prefer to do so. The intimacy of the yachts is conducive to meeting people and getting to know them. Even if you are naturally shy, it becomes increasingly difficult to avoid eye contact when you are running into the same people over and over. You cannot be a face in the crowd, since there is no crowd. So you break down and introduce yourself, and are usually rewarded. Usually, but not always. Sea Dream can scan your bags, but has not perfected scanners for personalities and social skills. Seriously, I have found Sea Dream passengers to be the most interesting, educated and friendly, and the least pretentious. We have a group of former cruise mates who we keep in touch with and sail with every year. Many of them are Sea Dreamers.

  Some Sweet Suites

  Most of the suites are Yacht Club Staterooms averaging about 195 sq. ft. and equipped with queen –sized beds, sitting area, refrigerator, fully-stocked refreshment bar, flat screen TV, DVD player, CD player, robe, slippers, etc. The suites are very nice and you would be hard pressed to come up with anything Sea Dream has forgotten. The bathrooms are small, definitely one person at a time affairs. When sitting on the throne, I usually locked the door, not because I had a sudden attack of modesty but because Ive already had my nose broken several times. If you are over 7 ft. tall, I would imagine you would need to be pretty limber. Of course, you could always use the facilities in the public rooms, but if everyone did that, no one would do that. If you are a jockey, there should be no issues with the bathroom dimensions. I happen to really like the Sea Dream bathrooms. The multi-jet shower is really cool with good water pressure and the Bvlgari toiletries and soaps are fabulous. If you plan your vacations solely by the brand of shampoo provided, you may have found your niche. I also like the way Sea Dream has the sitting area by the entrance and the bed by the window. Most cruise lines have it the other way around, ostensibly so you can look out the window from the sofa. The Sea Dream arrangement works if your Spouse gets up earlier than you and orders coffee. The room service girl can drop off the tray in the sitting area without coming through the sleeping area. If you really want to try something different, ask to have one of the ultra-comfortable Balinese Dream Beds ( pictured below) made up with linens, pillows and duvets and sleep on Deck under the stars.

  Cuisine and Service

  Both are among the best available at sea. If you call for Room Service, you might as well not sit down again. These people are good. Our Cabin Stewardess was remarkable. I would get up in the morning, put out my “Make up Room” sign on the doorknob and go up to the Concierge to get my daily paper of choice. I would take it out on deck to glance at the headlines and return to the cabin, this whole exercise having taken maybe ten minutes. The suite would be completely made up. Our room was always made up and I never saw our Cabin girl in it or even near it. Another neat trick was that within two hours of embarkation, crew members who had never seen me before were greeting me by name. I assume they are given pictures and names and expected to memorize them. But it was a really nice touch. If you travel under multiple aliases, it may take a little longer.

  The Best and Only Licensed Thai Spa at Sea

  In terms of massage, Sea Dream has no peer in the cruise industry. Although Im sure Swedish massage is offered, skip it and go with the Asian Blend massage. These girls are incredibly strong and good sports as well. They dont gloat about having twisted you into a pretzel-like shape that would make an Olympic gymnast green with envy despite giving up 100 lbs. I have always thought Swedish massage to be the spa equivalent of elevator music. You are oiled up like an Oven Stuffer and given a rub that is mildly enjoyable but forgotten the moment you walk out the door. The Asian Blend massage actually has results you can feel, although if you have never had Thai massage, it may take a little getting used to. Sometimes it hurts, although your masseuse will lessen the pressure if she hears you whimpering. Is she really climbing onto my back? Yes, she is. You have a pocket of tension in your back and kind of hope shell miss it, as kneading it out can be painful? Forget it. These girls take massage very seriously and they miss nothing. But that evening, or maybe the next morning, youll realize that nagging pain you were so used to is just not there anymore.

  The Water Sports Marina

  The Water Sports Marina really sets Sea Dream apart from any other cruise line. Other lines have them, but none have the toys that Sea Dream does, like Hobie Cat sailboats, kayaks, jet skis and even mountain bikes to take ashore and ride around the often mountainous ports of call. Please note that while I strongly encourage taking the mountain bikes ashore for a good workout, I personally have nothing to do with them. I prefer to be driven where I want to go. In order to use the Water Sports Marina, guests must sign a waiver relieving Sea Dream of any culpability should you become entangled in a submarine propeller or eaten by a giant squid. In exchange for your signature, you receive a brightly-colored wristband which entitles you to use all the toys. When they take in the toys, it is time for the afternoon swim. While the shipboard pool is fine, there is nothing like swimming out at sea. But it might be a good time to realistically appraise your swimming strength. If youre turning 60 and you swam competitively in your teens, you have to remember you are not that kid. The ship is a long way from shore, the water is deep and there are currents. Sometimes, they are very strong currents. There is ample supervision, both on the platform and in a motorboat that watches over you. A line attached to floating buoys is extended out from the platform so swimmers can grab on if they need to. Staying fairly close to that line is not a bad plan. In a good current, you can stroke very hard and find youve gone nowhere. So use your head.

  Is There a Sea Dream Cruise in Your Future?

  I have provided you with the basics of the Sea Dream experience. It is a unique one, suited to a certain type of passenger. The best way to find out if this is for you is to get out and do it. This is really true of almost anything. Having read my piece, if all of this sounds fabulous, you simply have to experience a Sea Dream cruise. If some of it sounds appealing, perhaps you should try a Sea Dream cruise. If none of it sounds the least bit enticing, I dont know what to tell you.A Unique Cruising Experience5wjudson461

  Review By wjudson461

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• Seadream Falls Short of Marketing

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  Seadream Falls Short of Marketing I was eagerly waiting a cruise with Seadream for many years. I decided to do a Caribbean itinerary as test before sailing them on a longer European tour. I have sailed with several higher end lines such as Silversea, Regent and Seaborn. For the Caribbean, however, I decided that this ship would be a perfect way to enjoy the first rate service and food but have greater access to the water/swimming directly from the ships marina. I was hoping to avoid reliance on daily excursions to swim or enjoy the sea and avoid visits to ports where the main activity is to herd tourists into knick knack shops. I wanted to get away from cruise crowds into mindless eating followed by mindless shopping. On most accounts, Seadream lived up to the reviews. However, in many other ways they fell very short. In the end, I…

  Seadream Falls Short of Marketing I was eagerly waiting a cruise with Seadream for many years. I decided to do a Caribbean itinerary as test before sailing them on a longer European tour. I have sailed with several higher end lines such as Silversea, Regent and Seaborn. For the Caribbean, however, I decided that this ship would be a perfect way to enjoy the first rate service and food but have greater access to the water/swimming directly from the ships marina. I was hoping to avoid reliance on daily excursions to swim or enjoy the sea and avoid visits to ports where the main activity is to herd tourists into knick knack shops. I wanted to get away from cruise crowds into mindless eating followed by mindless shopping. On most accounts, Seadream lived up to the reviews. However, in many other ways they fell very short. In the end, I did not leave Seadream 2 wanting to book with them again. Ill begin by going over where Seadream lived up to its marketing and then go over the things that were a real disappointments on my trip. Cabins: Yes I knew they didnt have balconies. I wouldnt have cared if the other issues on the ship had not taken place, but more on that later. Most of the other reviews on this site are spot on about the cabins. My cabin was 307, deck 3. I liked this deck due to its proximity to the pool area, concierge and generally quiet location. Cabins are extremely well appointed. There are hooks to hang things, nooks and drawers in every spot and they will store your monster suitcase so you dont have to. Climate control was excellent. I like to sleep in the arctic freeze and sure enough, no problem. Bathrooms are tiny and you have to ride sidesaddle on the throne, however the shower is spacious with good water pressure and lots of it. The bath works where it counts. Beds were fairly small (we had twin config) but very comfortable. Gorgeous linens and it appears they fixed the squeaky beds from previous reviews. Housekeeping was perfect. Tip: there is only one 110 outlet at the desk. If you have a computer or phone bring an extension cord or strip. If you have European 2 prong adapters bring those for additional outlets. Overall, rooms are somewhat in need of a facelift (our carpets had stains and looked a bit rough, but in general they were very practical and comfortable.Food: The food and food service personnel on Seadream were the best part of the ship. Many of the guests preferred the dinning on the outside decks, however I can tell you the main salon on deck 2 was one of the most beautiful dining rooms I have ever seen; at sea or otherwise, and the food there matched the beauty of the room. For the most, dining times are very structured with limited in room service so if you want anything decent to eat other than a sandwich, you have to get dressed and go to one of the restaurant areas (face people you would rather escape) and sit and “dine.” (note: there are limited food offerings poolside after lunch service ends at 2pm. From 2pm to 6:30pm, I only noticed a small case of tea sandwiches (which were usually stale) Pringles potato chips or warm veggies and dip. Its a long wait to cocktail hour from 12:30 to 6:30. Caviar splash was everything advertized and more. There is simply something very cool about stepping out of a zodiac in waist deep water on a pink powder beach and a guy is standing there waist deep as well handing over a glass of champagne. Now for the hard/ sad part of the Seadream experience that compelled me to publish this review. Marina: The waters of the Caribbean are some of the bluest, warmest waters to swim and enjoy.Forget that on this ship. Due to safety issues, they only allow swimming when the “toys” (eg jet skis etc) are not in use. This makes perfect sense to me but it means you can only swim after breakfast till noon at which point the marina closes for 2 hours, the best time to swim mid day. Then the toys come out at 2pm for 2 hours till 4:30 and the day is over. They let you jump in at 4:30 for an hour or so and that is it.....and all this is weather permitting. Usually we were forced o take an expensive excursion to swim. Which many folks did. Very often the “toys” sat off the back of the marina used by 3 or 4 people while the rest of us sat in the hot sun near the pool. (which was out of service and unfilled the 1st 2 days of the itinerary). On our trip they had one jet ski in the water (the other was broken) which was popular with 3 or 4 guests, versus 15-20 other folks, including myself, who would have loved to take a dip in the sea. My suggestion would be that "toys" are alternated every other day to allow swimming in the 2-4pm slot. Especially on days where there are no beach or other water excursions and an alternative. Social aspects: Even though I had a good time dancing on tables with uncle ED and Aunt Rose at the Sunday rum punch party, I didnt want to run into them for the next 7 days every 10min and at every turn, at every meal asking me to join them for B,L and D. It became uncomfortable to constantly decline and seek privacy on this ship. So if you want a private experience dont take Seadream becuause, as another reviewer points out, you cant hide in the crowd and your stateroom is not geared to retreat to with no balconies. Youd better be fairly gregarious and like the folks booked on your itinerary because you are going to see them every day, at every turn and there is no place to get away. The good news is Seadream isnt cheap so caliber of deck mate is pretty high and most folks are very interesting and a lot of fun. Pool: Finding shade on this ship isnt easy. There is usually a lot of wind so I saw only 3 umbrellas around the pool area. There were none on the Balinese beds. Once I secured the only umbrella left on deck, I had to muscle them around myself every time I needed them moved so I could stay in the shade. The first 2 days of the cruise, there I was, 58 yrs old, struggling with 30 pound umbrella bases. I think there was a staffing issue at the pool area for the 1st couple of days because on many occasions I had to search out help with my chair or track down someone for a drink. One afternoon, I carried 4 dirty drink cups to the pool bar window that had been sitting on deck for several hours in the hot sun that the bar attendant simply walked past several times. I had to pick them up myself or trip over them..not what I assumed would be Seadream standard. By day 3 I finally said something to the concierge and service at the pool improved markedly. Balinese beds/Sleeping under the stars: Forget it unless you reserve the front bed in the bow on deck 6. The beds in the stern area are under the smoke stacks and given to diesel fumes, black soot and noise from the bar. They are not private and bright deck lights remain on all night making it virtually impossible to sleep. There are so many distractions, most folks start out there and end up back in their cabins after an hour or two. The front bed is special..no lights and quiet. But reserve it the SECOND you board or you wont get it. Concierge/ports/admin: Poor. Period. I took 2 excursions during my trip and the concierge was misinformed about various details on all of them. I dont think any of the operators Seadream uses is up to standard that I have experienced on Silversea, Regent or even Royal Carribbean. On this itinerary, we booked a 3 hour snorkel trip (so we could finally swim by the 5th day). I am a certified diver and have been on a lot of dive/snorkel boats over the years and this one was the worst I have ever been on. The boat we were on was too small for the size of our group which was about 30 people on a 35 foot vessel with no bathroom. I dont mind number one in the ocean but the other is not my idea of sanitary much less 1st class with a group of 30. Plus the concierge told me no more than 20 would be on the boat. I guess she cant count. Anyway there were 2 snorkel spots which were subpar with few fish or reefs. They did take us back to a beach hut, which of course, was selling apparel and drinks. We spent 45 min of the 3 hours standing around there. The $200 pp “Dolphin Experience” was a typical short swim / photo op where the primary focus is selling you $125 pictures with the dolphin chosen to work that shift. Most of the guests who had never done this before were delighted. However I had been to several such facilities didnt want to sign up again unless it was something different and I was assured by the concierge it was. She sold this excursion as something it was not. Finally there was one very disturbing issue with the Dolphin facility. There was a walkway over a small bridge from the parking area to the facility that was over a “river” that turned out to be an open cesspool with floating feces and a horrible smell. It was directly next to the swimming enclosure. Needless to say I skipped the dolphin swim and for the $200 cost of this excursion I have no $125 pictures to prove it. Other than the Dolphin experience, Tortola was a depressing mishmash of burned out car/truck junk yards and poverty. A total miss in my opinion, and this was the port of choice location for the mountain bike excursion….? Finally, the ship was seldom at sail. Other than the nights departing from San Juan and back we stayed at anchor. Most transits were less than an hour or two and took place after midnight. There were no ports to speak of that were interesting enough to stay late to enjoy, except St Baths, and on that night we left after dinner. On this cruise I missed the cocktail hour sail out of port in the evening or the ship under sail after dinner with fresh breeze under the moon. There was none of that. Maybe they avoided sail to keep the ship stable for dinner service or maybe just to save money. I think it the later. But the whole feeling of evenings at sail on open waters or freedom to swim off the marina were all points that were sorely missing that I thought were Seadream hallmarks.Seadream Falls Short of Marketing3brittyc

  Review By brittyc

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• SeaDream I - Dec 5-12, 2010 - Perfection in the Caribbean

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  SeaDream I - Dec 5-12, 2010 - Perfection in the Caribbean Shhh, Im going to let you in on a little secret, I just turned 50…yikes! The funny thing is I didnt even mind. My sister had arranged for my siblings, in-laws and a cousin to celebrate with me on SeaDream I the week of December 5-12, 2010.

  Some background: my sister, cousin and I have been cruising together for close to 20 years. It started out as an annual cruise and as the years have gone by has turned into a 2-3 times a year getaway. In the past we have sailed on the mass lines: Royal Caribbean, Princess, Celebrity and Holland - with Celebrity and Holland being our favorites. This past June we decided to take a leap and try the small lines. We booked a back-to-back Mediterranean cruise starting on Seabourn Legend and…

  SeaDream I - Dec 5-12, 2010 - Perfection in the Caribbean Shhh, Im going to let you in on a little secret, I just turned 50…yikes! The funny thing is I didnt even mind. My sister had arranged for my siblings, in-laws and a cousin to celebrate with me on SeaDream I the week of December 5-12, 2010.

  Some background: my sister, cousin and I have been cruising together for close to 20 years. It started out as an annual cruise and as the years have gone by has turned into a 2-3 times a year getaway. In the past we have sailed on the mass lines: Royal Caribbean, Princess, Celebrity and Holland - with Celebrity and Holland being our favorites. This past June we decided to take a leap and try the small lines. We booked a back-to-back Mediterranean cruise starting on Seabourn Legend and ending with SeaDream II. We were underwhelmed with Seabourn, although I will give their staff high-marks for friendliness/helpfulness. The funny thing is as soon as we stepped on SeaDream II we gave each other a look knowing that we had found something special. Unfortunately, a family emergency forced us to leave 4 days into our June cruise, but we knew, in that short time, that we had found a new addiction.

  Six months later we were packing for St. Thomas, ready to board SeaDream I. Our itinerary was to be:

  December 5, 2010 - Depart from Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas U.S.V.I.

  December 6, 2010 - Esperanza, Vieques Puerto

  December 7, 2010 - Cruz Bay, St John U.S.V.I.

  December 8, 2010 - Gustavia, St Barts French West Indies

  December 9, 2010 - Norman Island B.V.I.

  December 10, 2010 - Virgin Gorda B.V.I.

  December 11, 2010 - Jost Van Dyke B.V.I.

  December 12, 2010 - Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas U.S.V.I. Dock 8:00 Am

  There was some revision to the schedule once we got onboard. A container of food hadnt reached St. Thomas by the time we were to depart, so it was decided to swap St. John and Vieques. After spending the first day in St. John, we returned to St. Thomas in the evening to load the container. We spent Day 2 in Vieques. Day 3 and 4 were spent in St. Barts. We were originally supposed to be anchored one day in St. Barts. It was never clearly explained why Norman Island was eliminated to add the extra day at St. Barts. First we were told it was due to the weather. Then we were told it was because Norman Island had suffered too much hurricane damage. This was a bit disappointing as Im not a big fan of St. Barts and love the beauty and seclusion of Norman Island. What I didnt like was the way it felt like we were being given different story by the staff. Other than those 2 changes the itinerary went as planned.

  I was a little hesitant departing from St. Thomas as I had read horror stories on Cruise Critic about the St. Thomas airport, and it had been years since I had flown into that airport. To be honest, there was no problem arriving or departing from St. Thomas. The airport is small, but customs and security was well-staffed and didnt have long waits. The only negative I have with sailing from St. Thomas is that there are no direct flights from the Washington, D.C. area to St. Thomas.

  We stayed at the Morning Star section of the Frenchmans Reef Marriot for the 2 nights before and the 1 night after the cruise. Morning Star is located directly on the beach. The location and view of the beach was fabulous; the rooms just OK. The concierge and hotel staff were extremely helpful and pleasant. We had decent breakfasts and drinks at “Coco Joes” a few times during our stay. This open air restaurant directly on the beach was a nice place to watch the sunset and the cruise ships sail out. We had dinner 2 nights at Morning Stars onsite restaurant “Havana Blue”. The food and drinks were fabulous, the décor was modern and gorgeous, our waitress was very good – the only negative was that the numerous hostesses seemed to have an attitude both nights. We also had dinner one night at “Windows on the Harbor” the Marriott restaurant located at Frenchmans Reef. The food and service here was mediocre, but the view of the Harbor was spectacular.

  DECEMBER 5TH – ST. THOMAS: We arrived with excitement at the dock around 2:30 to board SeaDream I. We were met by SeaDream staff and porters immediately. Hotel Manager John and Activities Director Colin (who happened to be our favorite bartender when we sailed in June – congrats Colin on your promotion) were there to greet and welcome us. We received our champagne and were checked in within minutes. We immediately took a tour of the ship and found the Top of the Yacht Bar. We were served our first drink by Konrad (great guy) and could tell immediately we were in for a great week! After unpacking we started what would become our routine for the week: cocktail hour, dinner, after dinner drinks at the TOY bar – life is good. A few nights we mixed it up with some gambling, singing at the piano bar, or just wandering around to see what was going on. At the first cocktail hour we were told by our captain that the sailing had 47 passengers and 97 crew. Wow! SeaDream II was departing with us from St. Thomas but their ship was full. I think that was due to their trip being 9 days compared to our 7 days. Dinner the first evening was in the Salon, the food was fabulous, and our cruise was underway.

  DECEMBER 6TH – ST. JOHN, USVI: We did a little shopping and then took a taxi to Honeymoon Beach. The taxi dropped us off at Caneel Bay Resort. We then had to hike about ½ mile to the beach. The sand and water was breathtaking, very secluded with no more than 20 people on the entire beach. Other people traveling with us went to Trunk Bay and Water Lemon key, they gave high marks to both beaches. Dinner that evening was again in the Salon. Our party of 8 was invited to dine with the Chief Officer Albert from Sweden. He was very interesting and personable and we had a lovely evening. A sidenote: our captain was very visible throughout the entire cruise and was always willing to chat and answer any question we had.

  DECEMBER 7TH: ESPERANZA, VIEQUES: The day was a little cloudy. We stayed at the pool during the day, did some swimming off of the marina, and jet-skiing. I love that the marina was opened almost every day. Dinner was served outside to the early diners, but as the rain came we were escorted to the Salon for dinner.

  DECEMBER 8TH & 9TH – ST. BARTS: The first day at St. Barts was off-and-on rain but we headed to the beach anyway. We stopped at St. Jeans Beach and when the rain started we popped into the beachside restaurant, “The Pink Parrot”, for lunch and a drink. It had a very French vibe, and we enjoyed ourselves. For dinner that evening, we were served topside - nothing more decadent than being served a 5-star meal with views of St. Barts surrounding us! Wonderful evening. The second day at St. Barts offered the ATV excursion. Four of our group took this excursion and voted it the best experience of the cruise. They also stopped at Governors Beach and thought it was breathtaking. From here on out, the weather was perfect– sunny and warm.

  DECEMBER 10TH: VIRGIN GORDA: Weve tried to visit the Baths at Virgin Gorda on a few of our previous cruises, but it had never worked out. Finally, we were able to take the ships excursion on this cruise and experience the baths. It was spectacular. The views were amazing, though we were told by the staff that it was a very easy tour and felt that it would have been difficult for anyone who is not fairly active The boat was anchored off Bitter End Yacht Club in the afternoon with tenders to the beach – very nice. Dinner was served outside again, and I know Im sounding redundant, but it was delicious and the ambience perfect. The chef setup a Dessert Extravaganza on the pool deck after dinner, while a large movie screen played a Chakira concert. The boat had been repositioned to Leverick Bay for the evening which allowed us to tender to Jumbies Beach Bar. The majority of the passengers seemed to tender over to the bar. It was nice to see a lot of the crew enjoying themselves as well.

  DECEMBER 11TH: JOST VAN DYKE: Caviar Splash + Beach Barbeque + Degustation Menu = Heaven! A truly special day from beginning to end. Starting with the speedy Zodiac ride to the beach, hearing the blowing of the ship horn to signal the start the Caviar splash, enjoying the fabulous beach barbeque, walking to Soggy Dollars Bar, having champagne delivered to us while floating in the Caribbean, and then ending the day with the Chefs 7 course Degustation Menu for dinner – it was a day that we will remember for a lifetime!

  DECEMBER 12TH: What a fast week! We had our last, leisurely breakfast before departing a wonderful vacation. We said some thanks to the crew which had treated us so well. We left knowing that we would be returning to SeaDream in the not-too-distant future, as we had taken advantage of the onboard booking disount!

  FOOD: Overall excellent. Here are some of our favorites: Mushroom Soup, Mussels, Duck, Indian Salad, Grand Marnier Souffle, Indian Salad with Chickpeas, the Pea Risotto served with the Lobster (I didnt think I liked peas or risotto, but OMG it was delicious!), Pistachio Cookies, all 7 courses of the Degustation Menu. Also, all of our requests were easily accepted: crispy bacon, steak cooked to the proper temperature.

  ACTIVITIES: We enjoyed the daily cocktail hour, the blackjack table, the piano bar, the disco night, the staff afternoon with mini massages/crepe demonstration/fashion show, disco night.

  WATERSPORTS: Loved that the water sports were available every day! Swimming off the back of the yacht was lovely and the water temperature was perfect. The jet skis were available a few days (they are not allowed in the British Virgin Islands) and were great fun. Other passengers used the sailboat and kayaks during our sailing.

  STAFF: The staff is what makes SeaDream. Everyone seemed sincerely happy to be making our vacation special. Some of our favorites were: the Captai, Chief Officer; Hotel Manager, John; Activities Manager, Colin; Concierge, Nina; the Casino Dealer (her name escapes me, but she was very patient with us!); Sommelier, Tyrell; Bartenders, Konrad and Pablo; Waiters, Felix, Olivier, and Mikee, along with adorable Assistant Waiter Placido. Im sure Im leaving some out, but as I mentioned Ive turned 50 so my mind is not what it used to be.

  PASSENGERS: The fellow passengers are also a big part of what makes us love SeaDream. Everyone was friendly and not pretentious, as was the case on our other small cruiseline experience. With the ship being only half full, it seems like we interacted with everyone onboard. The age range for the cruise was mostly 40s/50s with a few younger and a few older.

  CABINS: We had 4 cabins on level 2. The cabins are small, but not a problem for us. The storage area was adequate and we had plenty of hangers in the closet. The bathroom is small, but oh that shower pressure and constant hot water was fabulous! The cabin décor is the only place where I see some need for improvement from SeaDream. The décor seems dated and could be easily and inexpensively updated. Color scheme, art, wood drawers could all be modernized. Plus, I hate the plants on the ledge…yes a little picky, but they seem tacky.

  SPECIAL MOMENTS:

  • The “Voila” moment at dinner in the salon. Makes me happy everytime!

  • Early on in the cruise we were served a homemade ice cream sandwich poolside. Pistachio cookies with homemade cherry ice cream -- they were amazing. A few days later the waiter came around with fruit kabobs. One of us said “what no ice cream sandwiches” and the waiter said “Ill make some for you, how many do you want?” Five minutes later he was back with a tray of freshly made ice cream sandwiches!

  • My brother and sister-in-law had the large bali bed reserved one night. They decided they would take a photo to use for their Christmas card. I thought they were crazy when they asked the concierge if they had a Santa hat they could borrow. 10 minutes later 2 santa hats were delivered to their cabin.

  • Jost Van Dyke!

  MISCELLANEOUS:

  • Love the casualness of SeaDream…no formal nights, yippee!

  • Love the shower…its small but powerful.

  • Love the Bvlgari shower products.

  • Loved entering a cabin filled with balloons and decorations on my birthday.

  • Love the way that SeaDream allows the staff to actually enjoy themselves with the passengers. At Jost Van Dyke and Jumbies Bar the staff was able to have some fun.

  • Love cocktail hour…martini and crab claws before dinner, yummy.

  • Love the poolside pass-arounds.

  • Love the sunglass cleaning.

  • Love the alfresco dinners with perfectly set tables…casual and elegant at the same time.

  • Love swimming off the back of the boat.

  • Love the overall atmosphere.

  • Love getting to know the passengers and staff…so many interesting stories to hear.

  • Love being called by name as soon as we board…how the heck do they do it?

  • Love SeaDream I just as much as SeaDream II. I was a little leery after reading some cruise critic postings that SeaDream I wouldnt match up with II. Im happy to report that the two ships seemed identical in looks and atmosphere.

  • Love that we took advantage of the open booking discount onboard and that well be returning to SeaDream.SeaDream I - Dec 5-12, 2010 - Perfection in the Caribbean

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• Great Time on SD I

  Passenger Rating:

  Great Time on SD I We recently returned from a seven day cruise on SD I. The cruise departed from St Thomas and ended in San Juan. St Thomas has to be the worst place in the Caribbean if not on earth for a cruise to depart from. The airport is horrible and doesnt even have jet ways. The taxis are ridiculously expensive and charge on a per person basis while they cram you into a big van with limited A/C. Of course they also gouge you for your luggage. We paid $26 to go from the airport to the Windward Passage which is no more than seven minute ride which would cost about $10 with tip for in normal tourist city.

  The hotel was fine and we knew what to expect. It wasnt luxury although it was nicely appointed with a friendly staff. The price…

  Great Time on SD I We recently returned from a seven day cruise on SD I. The cruise departed from St Thomas and ended in San Juan. St Thomas has to be the worst place in the Caribbean if not on earth for a cruise to depart from. The airport is horrible and doesnt even have jet ways. The taxis are ridiculously expensive and charge on a per person basis while they cram you into a big van with limited A/C. Of course they also gouge you for your luggage. We paid $26 to go from the airport to the Windward Passage which is no more than seven minute ride which would cost about $10 with tip for in normal tourist city.

  The hotel was fine and we knew what to expect. It wasnt luxury although it was nicely appointed with a friendly staff. The price was pretty good and we liked the fact it was within walking distance to many shops and restaurants. The hotel does have a nice courtyard, pool, free internet, small casino, nice outdoor bar, and other amenities. The Greenhouse and the Giggling Gecko were the two places we ate at and are both a short walk from the hotel. The food and service was fantastic at both places.

  We arrived at the cruise terminal (Crown Bay) at 1:45 pm and they already started the boarding process. The Captain, Hotel Manager, and other key staff were there to greet us. We were taken to the lobby where an amazing assortment of food was waiting for us to munch on. We relaxed and talked to some of the other guests before being informed we could check in. The staff was very pleasant and got us checked in right away.

  The rest of this review will discuss the categories such as service, food, and etc.

  Itinerary: Esperanza, Vieques, Cruz Bay, St John, St Barthelemy, Norman Island, Tortola, and Prickly Pear was substituted for Jost van Dyke (Champagne and Caviar Splash/beach party)

  Food: Everything was fantastic with only the finest and freshest ingredients. The Executive Chef and some of the other chefs frequently interacted with the guests. Presentation was also a strong point along with the quality of the ingredients.

  Bars/Service: The bar service was generally good all week at all the bars. My favorite bartenders were Matt and Konrad. They are both very personable and offer great service along with good suggestions on what to drink. They also always had a pitcher of punch or other drink out every day. The selection of alcohol was quite extensive and we never had to pay to upgrade drinks. The included wine and Champagne were also quite good. The Sommelier Tyler did an excellent job matching the wines to the meal and explaining them.

  Service: Sea Dream excels at service at all levels. The crew was like clockwork at all times and truly went out of their way to please. We made a few special requests during the week and they were instantly granted. I felt like they were a genie who could grant endless wishes. The Hotel Manager John was all but a “freak of nature” with how he was everywhere and always knew what was going on. I swear he had a couple of clones running around. The main concierge lady was a bit stressed and came across as brash and frustrated at times even over very simple matters. I knew before the voyage what types of extras to ask for and it made the trip that more special.

  Cabin: We booked a guarantee and were assigned cabin 212. We felt a few intense vibrations the first night while sleeping but it was no big deal. The cabin itself was very nice and the room steward La Rosa could not have been better. She was very nice, polite, stealthy, and took great care of the cabin.

  Activities/Water Sports: There was always plenty to do and very few announcements. The Activities Director Jeff was very outgoing and had a natural knack in observing who may want to participate in the activities. The water sports are one reason we booked Sea Dream and we were quite impressed with the equipment and water toys. It is awesome to ride Sea Doos off the back of the marina and to swim behind the yacht. Colin and the water sports staff kept everyone safe and worked hard getting everything setup and ensuring everyone was safe. They even draped a towel over your back after getting out of the water. The free “shore side casuals” were also a real treat. I participated in most of the hikes and they all went to some interesting places. They also offered an advanced bike ride which seven guests went on and had a great time even though a few of them came back with bandages.

  The Yacht Overall: SD I is very quaint and enjoyable. You can always find a place to your own or somewhere in the middle of crowd (not that there is much of a crowd). My favorite spot is the aft of deck four overlooking the pool. It is shaded and close enough to the action. The bartenders also bring you drinks and the afternoon pass around treat which changes daily. The yacht is old and has a somewhat loud and intense vibration in certain parts of the dining room on deck 2. SD I is quite charming and I would sail on it again given the chance.

  Complaints: None, everything met or exceeded my standards and was as close to perfect as could be expected.Great Time on SD I

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• No more big ships - We'll be Seadream regulars from now on

  Passenger Rating:

  No more big ships - Well be Seadream regulars from now on We met the ship in St Thomas and were greeted at the brow with a handshake from the Captain, a cool towel and then a glass of champagne. Hors doeuvres and more champagne in the main salon while waiting to check in, which took all of 2 minutes. We were escorted to our room where our luggage was already waiting. The room is small, but very nice, as is the bathroom which includes Bulgari toiletries. We were introduced to our room steward, who immediately took the drinks we dont drink out and brought in more of what we do drink for the refrigerator in our room. She asked us if we wanted OJ in the morning, we were thinking the little cans, but it was a small pitcher of fresh squeezed which appeared every day. At 7 we…

  No more big ships - Well be Seadream regulars from now on We met the ship in St Thomas and were greeted at the brow with a handshake from the Captain, a cool towel and then a glass of champagne. Hors doeuvres and more champagne in the main salon while waiting to check in, which took all of 2 minutes. We were escorted to our room where our luggage was already waiting. The room is small, but very nice, as is the bathroom which includes Bulgari toiletries. We were introduced to our room steward, who immediately took the drinks we dont drink out and brought in more of what we do drink for the refrigerator in our room. She asked us if we wanted OJ in the morning, we were thinking the little cans, but it was a small pitcher of fresh squeezed which appeared every day. At 7 we went up for more pre-dinner hors dhoeuvres and drinks. During this time every day the ships cruise director discusses the next days port visit and ship activities. For dinner we opted to sit with a group. The meal and service were fantastic.

  We were tied to the pier overnight and left about 7 in the morning and were at St John at 8:30. We went to breakfast out on the deck, ate our egg-white omelets and were just amazing at how wonderful it all was. The service everywhere is impeccable. By the time we finished breakfast the waiter knew our names (somehow). We took a 9:30 launch to shore and took a jitney to Trunk Bay for snorkeling and laying on the beach. In the afternoon we sat out on the pool deck for a while, then they opened the "marina", aka the toy deck operated off the back of the yacht. My husband and I went on a banana rocket ride, which was hilarious. I wish someone would have been videotaping! They also have jet skis, which we will try next time. The weather was just perfect 85 and just a few clouds. The water is about 82. We were situated in the middle of a bunch of islands so as the ship travels around the anchor there is just a different island to look at. As we were sitting around the pool they brought out home-made ice cream sandwiches and then came around and cleaned our sunglasses. The people we met were all great and really made the trip. The group is actually younger than I expected, patrons ranged from 30-80.

  TUESDAY - We arrived in Anguilla about 9 in the morning. We had wanted to borrow 2 of the ships bikes but they were taken by the time we got around in the morning. Another couple heard this and offered that they would ride the bikes TO a resort and we would ride them back. That really worked well. We took a cab to the resort and sat out under an umbrella for about an hour at a magnificent beach and then the other couple arrived and we rode the bikes about 45 minutes back to the pier. We were back in time for a late lunch. Dinner was served outside on deck. The entertainment on board for the night was a screening of a Beyonce concert under the stars on a big blow-up screen. Instead we we ashore in St Barths, which was really dead. We reserved an outside Balinese daybed to sleep under the stars that was ready for us upon our return. I lasted out there for about an hour before deciding to come back inside. The never-ending glasses of red wine had gotten to me!

  WEDNESDAY - Had an 8:00 appointment for body scrub, massage and facial, all of which were wonderful. My husband went to the gym and had room service waiting when I was done. We then took the launch into St Barts and did some shopping (looking) and walked to a beach made of shells, vice sand, which was nice. No celebrity sitings. We were back to the ship for a late lunch. I sat by the pool and swam in the ocean. Dinner consisted of a set 10 course meal. This is how good the service was...Tuesday night our group was a little crazy and loud so the staff set up a large table for us out on the deck under the stars even though they were serving dinner in the dining room.

  THURSDAY - Anchored off Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands. Took a zodiac into shore for a BBQ. The staff served champagne and caviar off a surfboard and lunch included BBQ shrimp, pork, lamb, roast beef, grouper, and chicken. We mostly just stood in the ocean and drank champagne for 6 hours. My husband went to get me a glass of champagne about an hour before we had to get back on the ship but they were out so they actually drove out to the ship to get a couple more bottles for us!

  Got into port in San Juan PR at about 9 am Friday and our flight didnt leave until 9 pm so we wandered Old San Juan, had a nice local lunch and sat in a park for a while, (jealously) watching people get on the ship for the next cruise.

  We were very pleased with all the food, drinks, and above all, the service! Even though they have a "no tipping" policy, this was one trip where we felt extra was warranted. We wont go back to the big ships unless we are forced to based on destination. The ship is the destination. Its just so easy for us to get to the Caribbean that these ships are where we will be when we just want to relax.No more big ships - We'll be Seadream regulars from now on

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• Superb -- as always!

  Passenger Rating:

  Superb -- as always! This was our 2nd cruise with Seadream, and I can only hope it is not our last. We last sailed with her 2 years ago, and if anything, the experience is even better. Embarkation was a breeze, but be warned that when they say you cannot embark before a certain time (in our case 2PM), they mean it. Just a short wait in the main lounge, complete with champagne and nibbles, and it was time to register (took perhaps 30 seconds!). Then it was on to our cabin, unpack, lifeboat drill and at 6PM we were off. I wont bore you with island-by-island descriptions as others reviewers have done a better job than I can. However, over the last 30 years we have seen changes in the Caribbean that make the ship its own destination. Also, the snorkeling is really quite poor due to coral bleaching. On our…

  Superb -- as always! This was our 2nd cruise with Seadream, and I can only hope it is not our last. We last sailed with her 2 years ago, and if anything, the experience is even better. Embarkation was a breeze, but be warned that when they say you cannot embark before a certain time (in our case 2PM), they mean it. Just a short wait in the main lounge, complete with champagne and nibbles, and it was time to register (took perhaps 30 seconds!). Then it was on to our cabin, unpack, lifeboat drill and at 6PM we were off. I wont bore you with island-by-island descriptions as others reviewers have done a better job than I can. However, over the last 30 years we have seen changes in the Caribbean that make the ship its own destination. Also, the snorkeling is really quite poor due to coral bleaching. On our trip, several excursions had to be cancelled due to lack of participation. I think that this is because Seadream has such a large repeat percentage that many people have "been there, done that." The food was just as good, if not better, than ever. On the days we were in St Barts we knew we would miss the weekly shipment of mussels from France, but Christophe managed to get them for us! When we asked how many there would be, he said "only a few" and that we should consider them an appetizer. When we received them we all cancelled our main courses! I later found out he bought 7 kilos for 6 people -- you do the math! The age group on our cruise ran from mid-thirties up to 80s, and the nationalities were mainly American with some Scandinavians, Brits and Germans. On this cruise the champagne splash was held in an isolated part of Nevis, which we preferred to Prickly Pear as this place had a shallow swimming pool and covered dining. The great appeal of Seadream is its exemplary service, terrific food, and fab ambiance. The crew is beyond terrific and that to me, is what makes a great cruise.Superb -- as always!mpfund

  Review By mpfund

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• Maiden Amazon Voyage of SeaDream II ...

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  Maiden Amazon Voyage of SeaDream II ... It was our first trip on a SeaDream cruise ship... and it was the companys first time (maiden voyage) visiting The Amazon. First, it must be said, the absolutely BEST part sailing with SeaDream are its wonderful passengers. They are by far the companys greatest asset, and some of the nicest, most fun-loving folks you will encounter on ANY cruise ship. And SeaDream crew members (on the whole) are as well great fun and very professional. As for the company... it can and SHOULD be better... there were numerous lapses. NOT a good thing for a line charging TOP dollar for what is touted as a high end cruise product. It all starts with the ships... and both SeaDream I & II are OLD... what was passable 30 years ago does not work well in todays world (even with some upgrades)!! - cabins are far too…

  Maiden Amazon Voyage of SeaDream II ... It was our first trip on a SeaDream cruise ship... and it was the companys first time (maiden voyage) visiting The Amazon. First, it must be said, the absolutely BEST part sailing with SeaDream are its wonderful passengers. They are by far the companys greatest asset, and some of the nicest, most fun-loving folks you will encounter on ANY cruise ship. And SeaDream crew members (on the whole) are as well great fun and very professional. As for the company... it can and SHOULD be better... there were numerous lapses. NOT a good thing for a line charging TOP dollar for what is touted as a high end cruise product. It all starts with the ships... and both SeaDream I & II are OLD... what was passable 30 years ago does not work well in todays world (even with some upgrades)!! - cabins are far too small... for those use to and familiar with larger ships they are substantially smaller... and the area around the bed(s) is particularly tight.... and in todays market, high end clients want cabins with balconys.. SeaDream ships DONT have any... not even the owners suite ! .... bathrooms are ridiculously tiny.. and there is a fairly high step up to enter the bath.. toes get banged quite often.... closet and bathroom doors are not secured by any restraining hardware.. very annoying when ship is rolling.. this requires just a simple solution and is totally unacceptable.... the boat sauna is for 1 person only.. even if you are not claustrophobic.. a hot steam in this small space will change that... and SeaDream ships are lacking in inside common areas... limited bar/lounge areas to accommodate guests... also, the library on-board is very limited... bring a good selection of ebooks... (larger ships again have it much better... all major pluses with bigger, newer ships). - extra charges for many services are prevalent... and would appear to be an integral part of company policy.... some of the shore excursions are priced exceptionally high... $160.00 pp for a one hour local native performance was agreed by many to be exorbitant. - excursion tours are at times poorly managed and executed.. planning is below par for a high end cruise line.. there were missed opportunities to attend important local festivals on shore due to what seemed little or no advanced research or planning.... emphasis on critically important stops was lacking... I.E. missing only opportunity to see virgin forest because no emphasis was placed on that excursion by those in charge... a desirable village tour was cancelled... and several guests were given no choice and did not do any of the scheduled zodiac tours as a result... all so we could get to a shopping experience on schedule... missed out at another magical night at the carnival festival in Santorum... as we arrived a few hours too late.... a real disappointment was never getting to see a true portion of the old growth virgin Amazon forest ... an old growth tree remaining here and there but thats all... the one stop that we had a chance was not at all properly presented and no one was made aware of what they were missing... extremely frustrating! !! - pool water was unsightly after several days use.. pool water did not appear to be filtered.. and was not able to be changed until a larger port was reached after several days of additional sailing.... insect and a/c were major issues... in a climate that the ships is normally not accustomed to sailing... some of the common areas were exceptionally cold at times... numerous passengers were in agreement. - food is mostly passable but not great... same for the complimentary wines.. prompting purchase of dinner wines on several occasions... it really should be better on both counts considering the high cost of the cruise... dinner starts serving at 7:30, catering exclusively to those passengers who like to eat later in the evening... after dinner all 3 bars on-board were not scheduled to open till 9:30.. as a result passengers at times were left to force an issue to find a bartender to get an after dinner drink... under the pressure, they somewhat conceded and altered the time to 9:00 ... without being asked passengers are over-poured wines at lunch and dinner ... not a good policy. (again, major pluses in all matters on other high end cruise lines) - PA announcements for the most part are non-existent ... (and those that are given dont go into the cabins) passengers are left asking questions about basic goings-on... and on several occasions passengers were given unwarranted misleading information as excuses for events... many grumbled about being given obviously dubious information. - expedition lecturers came on board later than they should have... and they are not used adequately for guests hungry for excursion and Amazon information, and were left to play movie trivia in the afternoon to pass time... very little at all was discussed regarding the future problems and critical nature of the Amazons future.. this was most surprising and disappointing... SeaDream is looking to make a Med or Caribbean trip of the Amazon, in that regard they are a fish out of water. - attitude on-board is that we want you to be happy... but we really do not believe we should be hearing any complaints... and unhappy guests were talked to out in the open common dining areas by the captain of all people...(most unusual no other senior officer had this responsibility) - SeaDream ships use common pathways as a walking/ jogging track.. disturbing to guests seated alongside these areas... (larger ships have designated running/ walking decks). - in the Port of Manaus there was free wi-fi ... on the boat it costs $35 a day, or $0.35 a min ($25 an HR)... (most other luxury lines include wi-fi for all returning passengers). - the time spend going from Barbados to Manaus is not worth the cost ... there is nothing happening (at sea) for too many days, and you are not really seeing or doing much of anything... most all guests agreed. - several important staff on-board do not fully understand their interactive roles with passengers... i.e. wine sommelier... activities director... and the captain.... and no one appeared really adequately in charge of the expedition guides...as a result planning and coordination of their expertise was very uneven at times. - pack the lightest light weight clothes you can bring... you and your clothing will be somewhat damp most all times, and lighter clothes will dry much quicker... there is no laundry on-board (as on other larger ships)... and SeaDream laundry costs are again very high. - having the same routine every evening (6:30 cocktail hour... dinner at 7:30) for 3 weeks becomes wearisome ... and there is no after dinner entertainment to break up the monotony (as on all larger ships)... most all activities on the various parts of the river are identical... and 3 weeks is a long time to be doing the same things over and over... zodiac tours became very repetitive ... birds-trees-water... village tours were a bit more diverse.. but not well organized and fewer in number than should have been.. and no meetings with truly indigenous peoples were scheduled while in Brazil... a very long stretch. As indicated, three weeks is far too long to be on a voyage with SeaDream. There are things to like (and most of their long time loyal cruisers believe sincerely in the company)... but for us, they are much outweighed by policies, mindset, and lack of ships amenities. In hindsight, we might only have done a Manaus to Iquitos segment...but more than likely would have really looked to doing it with a more accomplished adventure travel company. As previously stated, the passengers and majority of the crew were absolutely wonderful... but in the final result, we came to experience the Amazon... and in that regard we feel somewhat shortchanged by the overall SeaDream experience...(especially in consideration of its high cost). Publication Date: 03/09/12 Read the South America & Antarctica ports review by bnb521 More SeaDream II Cruise ReviewsMaiden Amazon Voyage of SeaDream II ...bnb521

  Review By bnb521

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• The REAL Maiden Amazon Voyage of SeaDream II

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  The REAL Maiden Amazon Voyage of SeaDream II Was I and my partner actually on the same voyage as bnb521 ? Most of his experiences certainly do not accord with our own but to be fair he refers (twice) to fun loving fellow passengers and the great crew. Yes that is so very true; SD always attracts friendly fellow passengers and as for the crew, well words, cannot do justice, they are just magnificent. But as for the rest of his critique, he is............... Well let me just offer this gentle rebuttal of his main points: It is a 102 passenger classic vessel, referred to as “YACHT”, it is not competing with the larger vessels. It has no need to, it is an elegant, friendly vessel preferred by those discerning guests who want personal service, the opportunity to mingle with like-minded people (or not) and who certainly dont want “entertaining” that is…

  The REAL Maiden Amazon Voyage of SeaDream II Was I and my partner actually on the same voyage as bnb521 ? Most of his experiences certainly do not accord with our own but to be fair he refers (twice) to fun loving fellow passengers and the great crew. Yes that is so very true; SD always attracts friendly fellow passengers and as for the crew, well words, cannot do justice, they are just magnificent. But as for the rest of his critique, he is............... Well let me just offer this gentle rebuttal of his main points: It is a 102 passenger classic vessel, referred to as “YACHT”, it is not competing with the larger vessels. It has no need to, it is an elegant, friendly vessel preferred by those discerning guests who want personal service, the opportunity to mingle with like-minded people (or not) and who certainly dont want “entertaining” that is why it is also referred to as “CLUB” (the mere mention of a “knobbly knees contest” would send my partner hyerventilating !). Would a larger vessel even make it up to Iquitos ? I think not. Trust me the room sizes and facilities are more than adequate. Plus, where can you eat outside (including most evenings) ? For those from cooler climes, this is heaven. Furthermore the size of the rooms and the facilities as well as the public areas are clearly displayed on all the companies particulars. Would it not have been reasonable to check this before booking "an expensive cruise" (his words, not mine).? What part of YACHT CLUB does he not understand ? The weather during the trip was wonderful, if a little humid for the crew (especially those serving to passengers eating outside in the evenings). So if (as claimed) the sommelier filled the glass ever so slightly then maybe its because he had a lot of ground to cover and wished to keep everybody lubricated. He is one of the hardest working of the crew, hugely liked and respected and a great joke teller (when he has the time). I am most particular about my wine and I thought the regular wines were fine but the evening dinners deserved greater wines. They had a great range, were fairly priced and the sommelier offered some great advice and were served perfectly (if they were not I would impose Sharia law punishment on the offending infidel ! You know what that means but an example would have at least been made). The Amazon was the inaugural sailing for SD, and the Captain took this responsibility very seriously (as always). He was doing 6 hour shifts shared with his Chief Officer for the duration of the voyage. Very demanding, I think you would agree. I too regret that we did not see the Captain as often as we would like but it was clear his priority was to the safety of the passengers and actually navigating the river. Would he preferred to see the Captain schmoozing with lovely ladies, drink in hand whilst passing rocky outcrops so that he could wave to a friend of a friend ? Or would he prefer the Captain to be exercising the greatest attention and personal responsibility whilst we had a gay old time (dont go there, it is an old English expression, not used as much these days ..) The Captain is then criticised for addressing problems with the passengers (always the same few) ! What ? I view this as further testimony to his concern for the passengers and his sense of overall responsibility and not “dodging the issue”; he should be commended not criticised. I do suggest that if his duties could have been shared more (by incorporating an additional senior driver or whatever the second in command is called) then more periodic attendances at drinks before dinner explaining the navigation etc.. may have allayed concerns for the few. Please remember it was an inaugural voyage, most of us were excited by this adventure and had factored this in. The dismissive comment that the food was "passable" is an astounding comment to make. The food is consistently to a very high standard but on the Amazon voyage it was exceptional in every department. We were fortunate to have an assembly of some of the best cooks in the world on board. The chef is a particularly friendly and accessible guy, accommodating food allergies, preferences, fads, etc.. ; if there was something you particularly liked, he would make it ! But the real treat is to try food you would not normally order. With the kind of experience and taste the waiting crew have, I simply let them order my meals (provided I have one soup and one desert): I was never disappointed and constantly amazed by the culinary skill of these giants. My partner and I eat out a lot and are fortunate to eat in some amazing places. SD kitchen is consistently very good as are the serving staff, eating outside or in the beautiful dining-room. On this point, my fellow passenger is hopelessly wrong. SD kitchen is remarkable and the experience of eating on SD is magnificent. I cannot comment on his remarks concerning activities other than to advise that we were satisfied. Concerning announcements: I detest intrusive announcements especially into cabins. SD have got this bang on with their view of being un-obtrusive. We were also mostly well informed, if there was something we wanted to know, we simply asked; no big hardship, in fact it was a way of inter-acting with fellow passengers. I loved the comment about a track for the morning walk. Again I say its a yacht not a large impersonal ship taking thousands of passengers. The walk lasts 20 minutes, sit somewhere else or join in. Get those endorphins going, they say it helps with your mood (may a couple of hours a day to start with ?). I also loved that he implied he was bored by the Amazon citing only seeing  " birds-trees-water" etc. Well you tend to get a lot of water around vessels ! They move better when they are on water ! Again he cites “trees”, what part of rainFOREST is he missing ? What did he expect to see "the Sydney opera house, the hanging gardens of Babylon, herds of wildebeest sweeping  majestically ..... (a famous excerpt from "Fawlty Towers"; a room with a view. Go see it on YouTube. ). Well, happy sailing to you all whoever you prefer to sail with (or not). Finally I would add that my partner and I would not have done this trip except with SD, with this Captain and with his crew and I dare say a large number of our fellow passengers are likely to have felt the same (75% of whom were repeaters; yes we are just “suckers for punishment”. Bring it on.........I love you SD, SD crew and every inch of your beautiful classic yacht, cant wait to see you again soon even though Go...an has awful wobbly needs ! Dont look darling !)The REAL Maiden Amazon Voyage of SeaDream IIho-hum

  Review By ho-hum

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• Fantastic Cruise to the Southern Coast and Bermuda

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  Fantastic Cruise to the Southern Coast and Bermuda This was our second cruise with Regent, and the first on the Navigator. We cruised last January on the Mariner, and were less than blown away, so were somewhat concerned about what our experience would be like on the smaller Navigator. We need not have been worried...the ship and her crew were amazing! Embarkation in Fort Lauderdale was a breeze. It probably helped that there were only 500 passengers to check in, and we were in the last 100 or so, arriving at the pier at around 1:30. It was also a Tuesday, so the pier was not busy at all. It probably only took about 15 minutes from the time we entered the terminal until we were stepping onboard the ship...very nice. We were finally allowed into our cabins around 2:30. We found the cabin to be very large, with a nice walk-in…

  Fantastic Cruise to the Southern Coast and Bermuda This was our second cruise with Regent, and the first on the Navigator. We cruised last January on the Mariner, and were less than blown away, so were somewhat concerned about what our experience would be like on the smaller Navigator. We need not have been worried...the ship and her crew were amazing! Embarkation in Fort Lauderdale was a breeze. It probably helped that there were only 500 passengers to check in, and we were in the last 100 or so, arriving at the pier at around 1:30. It was also a Tuesday, so the pier was not busy at all. It probably only took about 15 minutes from the time we entered the terminal until we were stepping onboard the ship...very nice. We were finally allowed into our cabins around 2:30. We found the cabin to be very large, with a nice walk-in closet and very nicely laid out bathroom with shower and separate tub. Our bags actually arrived before the safety drill, so I was able to unpack before the drill and sailaway, which was a first for us. As spacious and well laid out the cabin was, we were soon to find that it was exceptionally noisy (which is why I only rated it a 3). We have been on a lot of cruises, and we have never, ever heard our neighbors on either side of us...that changed with this cruise. It isnt that they were overly loud...it just seems as if the walls were extremely thin. Several other passengers complained of this throughout the cruise, so it wasnt just our cabin or neighbors. It probably didnt help that there were three people...two adults and one teen...in the cabin next to us. However, that cabin is NOT designated as a 3-person cabin in the Regent brochures, and indeed, their sofa did not pull out to a bed. Instead, a rollaway bed was delivered to them at the start of the cruise! I had specifically booked our room to be as far as possible from any of the 3-berth cabins because, quite frankly, I did not care to possibly be around children (I left mine at home!!). So you can imagine my frustration when I discovered that apparently Regent will make any cabin a 3-berth one if they find themselves overbooked (which was the case in our cruise). I do not know if the third person was the reason for the extra noise, but I doubt it, as I could hear the husband/father snoring at night, and if I tried hard enough, could actually make out what they were saying next door. Plus, the people above us must have been early risers, as we could hear them clomping around in the early hours, and then soon thereafter, the cabin stewardess would re-wake us with her vacuuming, which literally vibrated and shook the wall next to our bed every time she slammed the vacuum into the wall. I was amazed that I came home from this cruise more tired than when I left! But that was probably the biggest negative for us, and truthfully, it was more of an inconvenience than something that would ruin our cruise (although I will pick my cabin more carefully the next time). The only other thing that was somewhat negative was the soot that spewed out of the smokestacks all over the decks. We had noticed that there were black spots all over the deck chairs on Deck 11 (one deck above the pool deck), but didnt think anything about it. Well, after an hour or so on the deck our first day, we discovered that those black spots were from the soot of the smokestack (we could see it flying around), and it does NOT wash out. The laundry onboard tried to get the spots out of my new yellow bathing suit, but they just couldnt. To be fair, the concierge did offer to pay for a replacement, but I declined. I just didnt go up to Deck 11 to lounge around anymore. However, I do wish the response to my request to put signs up there warning people of the "soot danger" would have been taken more seriously. Based on the conditions of the chair cushions, this was not an isolated incident, and I just felt that perhaps even just a small notice would have been nice...at least my bathing suit might have been saved. From the moment we stepped onboard to the moment we left, we were treated like royalty by everyone on the crew. This was the most amazing crew we have ever cruised with, and could not believe the level of service we received. The cruise director, Lorraine Weimerskirch, was by far the best weve ever seen. She was engaging and fun, and was always "out in the open." Not only was she a fantastic singer, but she also was just a neat person to be around, and she literally made the cruise for us (in fact, we asked what her schedule is, so we can hopefully book another cruise with her). Surprisingly, the entertainment was fantastic as well. We had heard that it was less than stellar on other cruises, but again, it was the best weve ever seen. This particular group is nearing the end of their contract, and they have apparently all become fast friends, and it shows in their performances. We usually pass on the evening shows when we cruise, because we just dont find them very good...not so in this case! They were great! Food is always so subjective, and I will just say that it was very good on this cruise. Nothing to blow you away, but we certainly never had to send anything back and I certainly gained enough weight that it shows! We were not all that impressed with Prime 7...the steaks were just so-so, although the Dover Sole was very good. However, the service there was well above par, so that made up for a lot. The service in Compass Rose seemed rushed...we felt a little sorry sometimes for the waiters, as they had to run around, literally, to take care of all their tables. But we never had a surly waiter, and we found that if we told them ahead of time that we would not be having dessert or coffee, we could just enjoy our entrees and then leave whenever we wanted to. That kept our dining times down below 2 hours (we never had a dinner that took less than 2.5 hours on the Mariner). As for the pool grill, it was wonderful, and we ate breakfast and lunch there almost every day. If I couldnt find something I liked out there (my husband was always ordering a specialty burger), I could just walk inside to La Veranda and get some salads. We only did La Veranda for dinner once, and liked it, but are not really buffet fans (at least not for dinner). We definitely prefer the way it is done on the Mariner, where appetizers and desserts are buffet, but you order your entree off the menu, from a waiter. As for the wines, we were not very impressed. When a Bogle Cab was presented with a flourish at Prime 7, I had to laugh. Yes, Bogle is a very decent label...but when Im cruising on a luxury line, I hope to have something presented to me that I cannot buy at my local grocery store. If we asked for something else, they would bring it without question or complaint...but we found that even the alternate wines were not always to our liking. Also, wines that were supposed to have been available (according to the list we were given) were no longer available (apparently they had run out, and not bothered to re-stock them). We ended up just not bothering with wine more often than not. We ran into some bad weather, and so had to miss our stops in Wilmington and St. Georges in Bermuda. We were disappointed, especially since Savannah was taken off the itinerary a few months ago, but the crew did a great job of taking care of us on the extra sea days. I have also heard several negative comments about the Destinations personnel, but we found them to be extremely helpful, with one exception. We were on the Dolphin Encounter in Nassau, and specifically asked the Destinations personnel if we should wear bathing suits. They told us, "Absolutely not...you will NOT get in the water." Thankfully, the Dolphin Encounter people had wetsuits we could use, because we most certainly DID get in the water...all the way up to our necks! That kind of information really should have been something the Destinations people were smart about. However, the excursions we did were all excellent, and we never really had that "round em up" feeling while waiting in the Seven Seas Lounge to be called for our excursion. In fact, two of them (Airboat Adventure in Port Canaveral, and the Dolphin Adventure) rank right up there as two of the best weve ever done. We hit some extremely rough seas between Charleston and Bermuda, and yes, the Navigator moves a LOT in rough seas. Thankfully we had our SeaBands, or else we might have been like so many other people (including the spas hairdresser) who were unable to even get out of bed. Many, many people tried to crowd into the Navigator Lounge and the library, as that is as low and center as you can go on the ship. Only then did the ship feel a bit crowded to us...so we just went up to the pool deck, which, even though higher, is still in the center of the ship so the motion was not as bad (still bad though...water from the waves would hit the side of the ship and sprinkle down on us, even though we were way up on Deck 10!!!). We had friends traveling with us who did not like the layout of the ship at all, as they said it felt too crowded all the time to them. But we spent most of our free time on the pool deck, and it never felt overcrowded, so we came out of it with a different opinion...in fact, we loved the Navigator and her layout. If I had to say there was one thing that blew us away on this cruise, it would be the crew and service. When a bartender can remember your name after only meeting you once, and know exactly what you want to drink, that is impressive. When the cruise director participates in karaoke with the passengers, that is impressive (especially when she can really sing!). When the entertainers actually act as part of the crew, rather than just entertaining, that really enhances the experience (it was great fun talking to them around the ship). And when you get hugs from so many of them as you are leaving the ship (not without at least a few tears on my part), you really do feel as if they are family. Bottom line: Best cruise weve ever been on and I cannot wait to board the Navigator again!!!Fantastic Cruise to the Southern Coast and BermudaTahoeTraveler

  Review By TahoeTraveler

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• Great first cruise on SDII, Second on SYC

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  Great first cruise on SDII, Second on SYC I reviewed our trip last year on Seadream I (which is incorrecly listed as December, it was actually February) so I wont go over the same things I wrote about in that review. I will just add some different thoughts We flew into St Thomas on a Cape Air 8 passenger plane from San Juan. It was a $20 fare to the pier and took about 10 minutes. I didnt think the service was quite as good as our first trip, but that could easily be because of my extremely high expectations. It was still far better than any other cruise line I have sailed on. Some of the crew were the same we met on our cruise the year before. I would note that the crew turnover is quite low, no doubt due to how much they all like their jobs. I wanted…

  Great first cruise on SDII, Second on SYC I reviewed our trip last year on Seadream I (which is incorrecly listed as December, it was actually February) so I wont go over the same things I wrote about in that review. I will just add some different thoughts We flew into St Thomas on a Cape Air 8 passenger plane from San Juan. It was a $20 fare to the pier and took about 10 minutes. I didnt think the service was quite as good as our first trip, but that could easily be because of my extremely high expectations. It was still far better than any other cruise line I have sailed on. Some of the crew were the same we met on our cruise the year before. I would note that the crew turnover is quite low, no doubt due to how much they all like their jobs. I wanted to address the wonderful flexibility the Captain has. Our first full day on the cruise was in St John and it was the Sunday of the NFL conference championships. Many on the cruise wanted to be able to stay in town later than our 6:00pm departure to see the games so the yacht stayed at anchor until everyone could watch their games and get back onboard. Additionally, there was poor weather forecast the day we were to be in Anguilla so the yacht switched to St Martin. This type of flexibility ensures a great cruise. We did not experience any problems with the marina and have used the toys and swam on both our cruises. We have had some good excursions and some less so. For instance, on our snorkle trip in Virgin Gorda, the contract boat had no flotation devices, which I had never encountered before. There was one gentleman on this trip I would have preferred to see less of but you do run into the same people. On this trip there were only 72 passengers so it was an extra small group. Once again we found the people we met to be enjoyable travel companions. I like that the yacht is seldom at sail. Its especially important for those who think they might get seasick on a small vessel. Between the short sails between ports and the ability to not stick to an itinerary that might include poor weather, I would opine that the chance of getting seasick is limited. We had one evening eating out on the deck where it was chilly and windy enough I would not have wanted the ship to be moving on top of the conditions. This type of cruising is certainly not for everyone, but one last thing I would note is the volume of return customers. (which is not apparent from these reviews) I would say that over half of the passengers were return visitors, some had cruised on the yachts up to 20 times! That is a ringing endorsement. My husband and I look forward to our next trip.Great first cruise on SDII, Second on SYCgarysarah

  Review By garysarah

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• Seadream Exceeded All Expectations Again

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  Seadream Exceeded All Expectations Again I just returned from 8 days of pure pampering and the finest service and food that I have experienced on any cruise, even prior Seadream voyages. This was my third time on the line. I have cruised on all the major high end lines (Regents, Seabourn, Crystal). I have nothing negative to say about any of them. They all have their strengths, but I am convinced that no other line can deliver the same level of service as Seadream as they hold a maximum of about a 100 passengers. My impression since my last sailing with them in the Caribbean in 2011 was that they have raised the bar even further. My prior sailing was in 2008 in the Med. Fine food and personel service are two very important elements for me. Yes, I have had excellent meals on other lines, but Seadream did not…

  Seadream Exceeded All Expectations Again I just returned from 8 days of pure pampering and the finest service and food that I have experienced on any cruise, even prior Seadream voyages. This was my third time on the line. I have cruised on all the major high end lines (Regents, Seabourn, Crystal). I have nothing negative to say about any of them. They all have their strengths, but I am convinced that no other line can deliver the same level of service as Seadream as they hold a maximum of about a 100 passengers. My impression since my last sailing with them in the Caribbean in 2011 was that they have raised the bar even further. My prior sailing was in 2008 in the Med. Fine food and personel service are two very important elements for me. Yes, I have had excellent meals on other lines, but Seadream did not miss a note the entire voyage. I actually took photos of many of the dinner meals. I am a foodie and a tough critic. I could find zero fault. As they had in the past, they really made us feel like the yacht was ours. There are never any lines. They will modify the itinerary if the weather is bad so that guests have a comfortable ride. They are happy to take a tender with only one person in it if you want to go ashore or come back to the ship. There is no waiting. And yes it is true that by the second day staff seems to know all the passengers names and favorite drinks or breakfast items. Many passengers on the cruise took advantage of the water sports (sailing, waverunners, watersking, paddleboards). I can not describe the fun of jumping off the back of the ship to swim in blue water. The back of the ship folds down the create a swim platform. We stopped at wonderful islands with that varied from barely habitated to very chic (St. Barts). The ship tends to overnight in St. Barts to allow passengers the ability to stay on the island as long as they wish. The second day that we were in that port, the sister ship Seadream II arrived and anchored next to us. It was an impressive site to see the blue yachts just outside the harbor. The final day, Seadream puts on a Caviar Splash on a beach. This time it was on Jost Van Dyke. They also do the same on Virgin Gorda. The head chef and hotel manager serve guests champagne and caviar from a surfboard in the surf. Great photo opportunity. There is a strong tendency to make new friends on the ship. Based on the small size, one gets more opportunity to meet and mingle with fellow passengers than other cruise lines. By the end of the week it really feels like your family onboard. If I sound like I was extremely pleased with my voyage, it would be an understatement. Seadream exceeded all my expectations. Well done!!Seadream Exceeded All Expectations Againcruisediver1

  Review By cruisediver1

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• SeaDream is way beyond a dream

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  SeaDream is way beyond a dream I have traveled the best of cruise lines. Sea Dreams beats them all if you are looking for an active-life-style cruise serving incredible food with impeccable service. The cabins are ample and comfortable with plenty of storage in them. Entertainment at night is the piano / Karaoke Bar which is far more fun than going to the typical show you see on larger cruise ships. There is also an additional outside bar on the top deck to hang out at while enjoying the evening sights around the port you are in or cruising the seas. Of course there is an extensive book and movie library that you may borrow from. Every cabin has a DVD Player and an ample TV to watch films on. The ship also offers movies almost every night that are currently on pay-per-view for your enjoyment in the lounge or,…

  SeaDream is way beyond a dream I have traveled the best of cruise lines. Sea Dreams beats them all if you are looking for an active-life-style cruise serving incredible food with impeccable service. The cabins are ample and comfortable with plenty of storage in them. Entertainment at night is the piano / Karaoke Bar which is far more fun than going to the typical show you see on larger cruise ships. There is also an additional outside bar on the top deck to hang out at while enjoying the evening sights around the port you are in or cruising the seas. Of course there is an extensive book and movie library that you may borrow from. Every cabin has a DVD Player and an ample TV to watch films on. The ship also offers movies almost every night that are currently on pay-per-view for your enjoyment in the lounge or, on some nights, on the pool deck outside......popcorn is always served HOT! For those who like to gamble, you can enjoy a game of black jack in the mini-casino near the piano bar. People are fun and interesting and you really have a chance to more than just "meet and greet". You certainly can get to know the people on board travelling with you. You also have the option of remaining quiet and uninvolved if you wish. There are only 80 to 100 people on board for most trips as the yacht ........ yes this truly is yachting NOT cruising !.....has only 50 staterooms. The back end of the ship drops down when anchored and many water sports are available for passengers to use including but not limited to jet skiing, water skiing, sailing, kayaking and much more including swimming right off the back of the ship......FANTASTIC ! Within the first 24 hours the entire staff knows you by name and what your likes and dislikes are. They know what you want before you do !Embarking and disembarking are a pleasure and so very easy whether it be when you first arrive or leave, or when you are at ports along the way and using a tender to go ashore. No waiting for anything ever. Your tender might have one or two people on it or as many as 10 but in either case you never have to wait more than a minute or two......ok maybe 4 minutes once or twice! There is never a line to do anything and the open seating policy during mealtimes is delightful. Eat by yourself, with new friends, and/ or different folks every night. Its like going to a gourmet restaurant each evening. Weather permitting, breakfast and lunch are always served on the outside (covered dining area) deck. Its beautiful and just delightful. Dinners are served in the dining salon some evenings and on deck others. This cruise (Yachting) line is simply terrific and I highly recommend it for young and old. However, this is NOT a ship to bring young children or teenagers on.........its geared for adults only. Our cruise was in the Caribbean and we stopped at island ports such as St. Johns, Anquilla, St. Barths and more. In closing, if you want a FANTASTIC cruising (Yachting)experience then be sure to take a SeaDreams Yacht Club cruise........Im booking another already and so will you.SeaDream is way beyond a dreamcruisevacatoday

  Review By cruisevacatoday

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