SeaDream Yacht Club

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SeaDream I

SeaDream II

It’s like a Private Yacht

It’s truly a Wonderful experience.  The rooms are spacious and first class, the crew is attentive and professional, and the food is exquisite and abundant.  Alcohol and gratuities are included, with few exceptions.  SeaDream goes out of their way to make all the guests feel important and comfortable, as well as provide fun and unique experiences.  The crew did a “champagne splash” and barbecue on the beach one day and a dinner under the stars (on the island) when we were in St Kitts.  Almost every morning, you wake up in a new and beautiful place.  We found that the other guests were very friendly and interested in meeting people. By the end of the voyage, you feel like you’ve been traveling with friends. Simply put, it was like being on a friend’s yacht for a week of relaxation and adventure.   We highly recommend SeaDream and will definitely be back soon.

Nadi

Just returned from 1 week Caribbean cruise on Sea Dream II - first time with Sea Dream.  Traveled with my husband and 86 year old mother.  We all had a great time.  Our prior cruise experience was on Regent Seven Seas. First cruise for Mom.  Here is general info for folks considering a Sea Dream cruise:

1) Mix of ages, from two ladies in their 80's to even a few 30 year olds.  Bulk of guests are 45 to 65, I'd guess.  Primarily would call this a rest and relaxation cruise, vs an active cruise.  Guessing that is why most people choose a Caribbean vacation.

2) Open bar attracts some folks that like to drink and party, but there was no negative impact on the rest of us.  I'd say approximately 15 - 20% of guests on our sailing fit the partying stereotype, but they didn't impact our ability to go to bed at 10:30.  We were on deck 2 and Mom was on Deck 4 and none of us heard any partying noise that kept us awake.  Another guest indicated he had the room nearest the piano bar and could hear bar noise that did keep him awake, so if you like to retire prior to 3 am it is best to choose a room further down the hallway.  Loved getting up at 7 and going up top to start the day.  Super quiet/peaceful at that time.

3) Our room on deck 2 was one of the rooms that can be combined into a larger suite.  We didn't hear any noise from our neighboring room.  There was a some creaking of wood/furnishings when sailing, but it blended into engine/ocean noise.  Don't know if creaking was more in a room that has the folding wall or not.  I slept super well on the boat, better than I usually do at home!  Being on deck 2, the noise of the waves against the boat lulled me to sleep.

4) Limited smoking areas provided on ship for smokers, but smoke was never an issue as it blows off the ship (and I'm very sensitive to second hand smoke).

5) Beds super comfy.  Showers very nice.  Though, overall bathroom is small, but small size is to be expected on a yacht/smaller cruise ship.

6) Water sports platform was probably the only disappointment of the entire trip.  Only opened in the afternoons for 2 hours most days and allowed all types out at the same time.  As a result, jet skis, sail boats, paddle boards, etc were all in the same area.  Allowed area for water sports is very constrained/limited (2 safety motor boats keep everyone corralled), as a result actually very dangerous with jet skis zooming alongside paddle boards and sail boats.  Plus not too much fun to paddle left for 15 strokes, then right for 15, then back the other way and repeat.  Paddle board equipment, what we like to do, was very old/beat up, with only 2 paddles ... neither of which was adjustable - only correctly sized if 5'6" or 6' 2" tall.  Adjustable paddles are a must.  Would have been better to have water sports equipment taken to the beach each day vs using off the back of the boat.  

7) Trip on Sea Dream compares very favorably to our prior cruise on Regent Seven Seas.  Lack of balcony off our room wasn't an issue, as we truly spent all but sleeping/dressing time up on deck or on shore.  The whole ship is your balcony when you are on a yacht trip.  Service was excellent, with much more personalized nature vs Seven Seas.  Everyone calls you by name from first day on.  Food/dining was fabulous.  Every dish is wonderfully presented - works of art.  Serving size is smaller, which is great for allowing for multiple courses.  They go out of their way to make guests happy, even to point of adding additional chocolate desserts after I commented how great the chocolate dessert was at dinner one night.  Dream Cookies are wonderful.  Always a cookie/beverage table set up at the tender dock, which is a very nice touch (never had that with Seven Seas). Only thing you miss out on vs larger cruise ship is the entertainment/enrichment activities, but our days/evenings were full so don't know when we would have had time for entertainment/enrichment activities.  With Sea Dream yacht sized boats you gain on not going into a dock for each port, but anchor off of the actual beaches that you came to the Caribbean to visit.  Made it great for my elderly mother to stay on the boat and enjoy the beautiful ports/scenery vs staring at a pier.

8) Loved the Balinese Day Beds for lounging.  Raised up high enough to see over the railings, which affords a great view.  All 3 of us would lounge together on the double wide.    Signed up to sleep outside, but isn't really feasible unless you stay up late, as the bar creates a lot of noise close by.

9) Sea Dream shore excursions we did were great.  Kayak/snorkel trip in St John - excellent equipment, closed deck double kayaks with rudders.  Motor boat/snorkel trip in Anguilla to the most beautiful sandy island.  Also, did the group tour to The Baths on Virgin Gorda, but that could have been easily done on our own via taxi.  

10) Excursions we did on our own:  We rented car at St Barts and drove the whole island, plus hiked Crispeen track on our own on Saba (hiked from tender pier all the way up ... very steep!).  In retrospect, we would have hired more taxis from tender piers to take us to other beaches on the islands.  Can be easily done for $20 or less, based on feedback from other guests.  

11) Post 2017 Hurricane Irma and Maria still have visible impact on all islands we stopped at.  Old Town San Juan and St Barts were the most repaired - perhaps only 5% of buildings still damaged.  All other stops had 50 to 75% of buildings still damaged/unopened.  Virgin Gorda was probably most impacted, which was very sad to see.  Our guide told us that all 9 resorts on the island were still closed/undergoing repairs (re-opening ETA's in Feb 2019 at the earliest!), as a result the island population has declined by 50% due to loss of jobs/housing.  You can feel good that your tourist dollars are helping in a small way.

12) Dining al fresco with Sea Dream was a huge plus.  I didn't realize in advance how much we would like that aspect of Sea Dream's ships.  Only 3 dinners served in the dining salon, but in the end I'd have preferred all dinners to be held on the upper deck, open dining area.  On final night we had rough seas and I got a bit sea sick in the enclosed dining salon.  I left dinner early and went outside.  I noticed a small group of several tables where guests were dining outside.  I didn't ask about it, but I'm guessing you can request to dine al fresco even if dinner is scheduled for the dining salon.  I think that would have kept me from getting sea sick at dinner that night.  No issue not having multiple restaurants on the ship, as always a variety of food offered on the menu.

13) Little gifts left in your room multiple times on the trip.  The infamous pajamas, which are XXL for all men and XL for all women.  Stitched monogramming with our names on the night shirts.  Sizing seemed a joke til we got home and washed them.  Hot water and drying made them fit quite well.  They are now shrunk to size and we both find them a comfy, soft cotton reminder of our wonderful vacation.  Other evening room surprises included chocolate covered strawberries, eye masks, ditty bags and Sea Dream mints.  Small, but nice touches!

14) Itinerary was changed vs what we were provided prior to sailing.  That was a bit of a disappointment initially, as I'd done research on the islands/ports we were to have visited.  Captain indicated we should have been notified by email, but no one we talked to had been told of the change in advance.  The new itinerary was great, so no complaints at the end.  May have actually been better, as had full day at each location we stopped at vs 2 islands on several days for the prior itinerary.  

15) Gym is very nice, with large windows.  Pleasant place to get some exercise.  

16) Embarkation and disembarkation a breeze.  Off the ship and through immigration in 15 minutes of less!

Fabulous Caribbean Holiday

We chose this cruise for its itinerary, excursions and the outstanding service and cuisine, and the excellent reputation of its staff. The fare includes all food and beverage (alcoholic or non) and tips. The only additional expenses on board are excursions, boutique merchandise, premium wines/spirit, or avail of their spa services (massage/beauty salon). 

The embarkation was excellent as there were no crowds with only 112 guests on board. No lines to speak of. When you board the ship, you are greeted by the captain and the staff and a glass of champagne, escorted to the lounge for some more drinks and refreshments, to sit and relax. Registration is by party, and a staff will escort you to the concierge area where you are handed your sea pass. No lines to stand in. After this is all done, a cabin stewardess will escort you to your room where your luggage would most probably be waiting for you by the door. She will then go through the room amenities and give you the day's schedule. You can unpack and then go have a tour of the ship or book your excursions or have a drink and hang out at the pool.

This cruise is not for everyone - It seems to be designed for the active travelers - young or old. There are no kids clubs, photographers or staff constantly selling you things. Entertainment is minimal - a guitarist and pianist, a 1 table casino, library, an 18 hole golf simulator, and an extensive collection of DVD that you can watch in your cabin. The concierge would even make pop corn and bring it to your room. 

Excursions are beach, bike, hike, snorkel or scuba diving, or you can get off the ship and do your own excursion arrangements ashore. Usually there are 2 ports per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. As several ports do no have docks, you have to be tendered in using one or two of the lifeboats, or by zodiak if you are going straight to the beach.

Dining is usually on the Deck 5 and 6 and is open air, except for a couple of nights when both open air and the formal dining room on deck 2 is open. Food is excellent with extensive vegan options. The chef will make adjustments according to your requests, or would prepare a specific dish that you request if you give them a days notice. Only a few dishes are prepared in advance as most are cooked to order. Meals consist of breakfast, lunch, afternoon cocktails and dinner. You can also order from the room service menu any time day or night. Special occassions like birthdays or anniversaries are noted ahead of time and you will probably get serenaded by the staff or a staff member, with a cake and card signed by the captain. They will decorate your room with balloons and another special note from your cabin stewardess.

The staff is always on the constant lookout for anything to satisfy your requests, and most of the time would anticipate it without waiting for you to ask for it. They call each guest by name - it might take a day or so, but they go through the guest list with pictures.

The attire is informal until 6:30 pm where they recommend you get into a casual getup (proper shoes and long pants for the gents, no shorts/bathing attire for the ladies) however several guests seem to prefer to dress up a little (Dress for the ladies, jackets for the gents) as this is the start of the cocktails leading into dinner but you wouldn't be out of place in a polo/golf or hawaiian shirt. 

The on board atmosphere is more like a family get together as the staff always keeps you engaged, not because it is their job but because they truly care. A large majority of the passengers are repeat cruisers and are quite proud to share their onboard experiences with you.

Disembarkation was a little sad as you are leaving newly found friends, but a lot of them have already made plans for the next cruise, and if you have as well, chances are you might see the same faces - guests and staff - welcome you back on board.

There was no rush to get off the ship except for those that have a flight to catch, and with only 112 guest, there was no line to speak of. Going through immigrations was smooth and the taxi line was waiting outside. We were off the ship and at the airport in 20 minutes.

True Luxury

SeaDream is niche and one's response will depend on how one visualizes a 5-star experience. There's nothing wrong with it, but a lot of what we've come to associate with luxury resorts requires bigness, like walk-in closets, big bathrooms, lots of choices in restaurants and entertainment, structured programs. So, gut check time -- if your lux ideal requires big, then SeaDream isn't for you.  Things like the wine list and the pool are going to be great but not big.  Onboard shopping is very limited.  This isn't a floating Bellagio -- you'll feel the boat move . . . a lot. I'd also say SeaDream isn't "plush" -- sheets, towels, furniture, fixtures are all very comfortable and up to date, but not over-the-top or to-die-for.

On the other hand, you'll love SeaDream (as we did) if your definition of luxury corresponds to what SeaDream brings to the table. The food is phenomenal (really) in creativity, presentation, execution, you name it.  In this respect, smallness had no negative effect on choices -- the menu always had lots of choices, even for breakfast.  These are 300' yachts, not cruise ships, which makes them both charming and convenient.  There is wooden trim as well as doors and hatches that need to be latched.  Literally nothing on the ship is more than a 2 minute walk from anything else -- I could go back to our room to retrieve a forgotten item and be back at the pool or topside restaurant in less than a minute. (Incidentally, wind and water make for good white noise -- we barely heard a thing from outside the room, even from the piano bar only 30' away on Deck 4 or the topside bar directly overhead).  

Mostly, however, SeaDream delivers its kind of 5-star luxury through relationships -- both among guests and between guests and crew.  (The latter may be more commonly known as "service," but it's still about personal relationships.)  SeaDream is famous for its social atmosphere and its service, and I won't belabor the point other than to say it's real and it's all it's cracked up to be, and to add a few observations:

1.  Social doesn't mean frat house and doesn't mean an absence of privacy.  We're still talking about 40-80 year old adults, mostly in their 50s and 60s, of differing temperaments.  You can be social if and when you want to be. I considered us fairly social and yet we still ate breakfast alone almost every morning, lunch alone most days, and dinner alone twice.  

2.  If you're in the mood and the moons align for a party, there are unforgettable, fun experiences that can only happen within the kind of socially intimate groups you'll find on SeaDream.  The high-enthusiam (if not high-quality) singalongs to George's piano don't work with a group of strangers. Same for the no-particular-occasion dance party at the Top of the Yacht that roared until 1:30 am until we took pity on Gareth and Domo and let them go to bed.  It was self-DJ'd, meaning a bunch of 40, 50 and 60 year olds took turns plugging in their iPods to play fun, middle-age people dance music.  That can only happen among people who already know and like one another and you're pretty sure they'll have extra Advil to share in the morning.

3.  Maybe unwittingly, SeaDream has taken the social science breakthrough of our time (relationships, not stuff, makes us happy) and applied it to luxury cruises.  It's your relationship with the staff (a/k/a service) and your relationship with the other guests.  The result is a sense of contentment and security that you'll pay good money for, also known as luxury.  Who knew.  

Lastly, I'd be remiss if I didn't give a special shout-out to some of the staff.  The waiters and bartenders work very hard, and I want to especially thank some for making our trip very special:  Domo, Gareth, Grenold, O'Neill, Bartosz.  Thanks, guys.

Forget the 1-5 ratings; your SeaDream experience is about personal style

Time for my annual “state-of-the-union” address. We’ve been sailing SeaDream yearly since 2010. Since every trip has been memorable and there aren’t many reviews posted on Cruise Critic, I’ve tried to write a review for most of our trips. This years vacation stands out as one of our favorites for many of the usual reasons - great itinerary, great crew and service, great fellow passengers, great food - and as luck would have it, great weather!

We started our vacation by staying at Caneel Bay on St. John for 3 days prior to the cruise. We like to take a few days to get into vacation mode before boarding SeaDream. Caneel Bay has always been on our bucket list and we were quite pleased with our stay. It has some similarities to SeaDream in that the rooms are not modern and slick, but more retro and quaint. We loved the laid back vibe and gorgeous grounds and beaches. Definitely a place we want to return to. The resort runs a ferry taking guests back and forth to St. Thomas. It was very easy leaving Saturday morning and getting to the dock to board SeaDream. Highly recommend it as a pre- or post-cruise stay.

ITINERARY

SATURDAY | Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. 

SUNDAY | Sopers Hole and Norman Island. Anegada was supposed to be our first port, but because of swells the captain moved Anegada to Friday as the weather report showed a better chance of tendering later in the week. We took a quick walk around the shops at Sopers Hole and then headed back for lunch. At Norman Island we took a quick trip ashore to Pirates Bight and quickly returned to the ship to enjoy the pool. 

MONDAY | Anguilla. We took a taxi to Shoal Bay, rented lounge chairs and enjoyed the beach. We stopped in at Elvis’ bar at the dock for a beer before taking the ferry back to the ship.

TUESDAY | Philipsburg, St. Maarten and St. Barts in the evening. We took our only ship excursion on St. Maarten. We thoroughly enjoyed the America’s Cup Regatta. Great fun and well run though, if you suffer from seasickness, it might not be for you. Got a relaxing poolside massage while we sailed from St. Maarten to St. Barts. We stayed onboard in the evening, though many guests went ashore to have dinner.

WEDNESDAY | St. Barts. We have a routine we follow for St. Barts. Shopping in he morning, Nikki beach and lunch midday, and then a late afternoon trip to Gouvernor’s beach. Usually we have lunch at LaPlage, but this year we decided to try Eden Rock. SeaDream’s concierge made the reservation for us. Lunch and service was excellent and we will probably make it our “go-to” lunch spot on future trips.

THURSDAY | Jost Van Dyke (Champagne & Caviar Splash) and Foxy’s in the evening. Because of the change in itinerary the Splash was moved to Thursday. As always, it was a highlight of the trip and I think we prefer having it on Thursday. There was no worrying about rushing back to the ship to pack. Instead we wandered down to Soggy Dollar and people-watched until the last tender back. That evening we felt obligated to take a trip to Foxy’s. It was extremely crowded and we couldn’t even get through the crowds at the bar to get a beer. In the future will probably pass on Foxy’s if it’s offered.

FRIDAY | Anegada. This was the only island on our trip that was new to us. After a treacherous (but fun) trip onto the tender and a bumpy trip to the island, SeaDream had a complimentary shuttle waiting to take passengers to Cow Wreck beach. The beach was spectacular and went on for miles, great for a long beach walk. We tried the famous lobster lunch and hate to admit it but was totally unimpressed - maybe it’s just us as the others guests were raving about the lobsters. Service at the bar/restaurant was good, and we would rate this as the prettiest beach of the trip.

CREW - as always the crew was top notch. Some that really stand out: 

Captain Holmsteinsson. This was our first trip sailing with him and we were lucky enough to dine with him one evening. He was a very nice dinner host and great captain. Keeping us informed all week of weather situations and going the extra mile to make sure we were able to experience Anegada. 

Hotel Manager | Christophe. What a professional! We try to be low maintenance, and because of the great service, we really don’t have much need to request anything extra. But it seems Christophe is so good that he anticipated what would make our vacation better. For example, while we were eating lunch at the splash Christophe came over to say hello. One of us mentioned how the coconut macaroons that had been served all week were fabulous, and the only way to improve upon them would be to dip them in chocolate. That evening at dinner a plate full of chocolate dipped macaroons appeared, followed by a visit by the pastry chef. Another special touch, on the last day of the cruise we were on the pool deck waiting to see our last Caribbean sunset for awhile. Again Christophe stopped by to say hello. We mentioned how this was our favorite time of day and how absolutely perfect the weather and day had been. He asked if we would like to dine outside that evening. We were thrilled. I know this is something that we can request, but we feel that the waiters work so hard at all times that we don’t want to add to their workload. With Christophe’s blessing our last meal was perfect with the added treat of dining under the stars.

Waiter | O’Neil. Poor guy was the “lucky” one that served us breakfast, lunch and dinner most days. Such a nice man and perfect waiter. He was always checking to make sure we were happy and everything was prepared properly. 

Casino | Stela. Adorable, funny and entertaining, we enjoyed spending most evenings with her.

Head Bartender | Severin (piano bar). Great guy and great bartender. One of us requested a pickle martini - I know, why would you do that? He didn’t have pickle juice but told us he would try to find some when he went shopping. A few nights later while we were in the lounge for cocktail hour, he came towards us with a tray with a jar of pickles on it! He also made a perfect Lemon Drop, Espresso Martini, B&B...come to think of it all of his cocktails were perfect. On top of that, he is just a really sweet guy.

Top of the Yacht Bartender | Gareth. We usually ended each night with a drink at the TOY Bar. Gareth was game to make anything we requested and quite enjoyable to chat with. He has only been with SeaDream for a few weeks but seemed like a natural fit.

Music | Din Din (guitar) and George (piano). Both are very talented, one night they did a poolside concert that was very enjoyable. We spent many a night with George at the piano bar, it was quite lively on this cruise and always fun, though I think some current music additions would be welcome. We also enjoyed spending time with Din Din on the America’s Regatta. 

Tender Crew. Unfortunately I don’t know their names but they did a great job all week. There were a few times when the seas were rough and they were able to get us on and off the tenders safely. 

FELLOW PASSENGERS. We had originally booked a cruise a few weeks later on SeaDream I, but because of a work conflict of one of our group we needed to change the date. When we called SeaDream to change we were told that the 3rd and 4th floor for this itinerary had been purchased by a group and they didn’t have any information about the group. We’ve read all of the horror stories on this board about groups taking over the ship and were a bit hesitant. Since this was the only trip that would work for us we crossed our fingers and booked. It turns out a travel agent who has sailed on SeaDream for many years had booked the 2 levels. His guests were very inclusive and quite fun. I’ve always thought that one of the biggest selling points of SeaDream is that the fellow guests are so down-to-earth and friendly. Last year was a bit of an anomaly, as quite a few guests seemed to have a superiority attitude, and I was scared this might be a trend -- I’m happy to report that it didn’t carry over to this year!

FOOD. The food, as we’ve become accustomed to, was superb this year. There seemed to be a lot of new items on the menu, but enough old reliables that we weren’t disappointed. Chef Thomaz was very visible and his usual happy self. The desserts seemed better than ever - and the dessert extravaganza was outstanding. 

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. Just to be fair and balanced, here are a few areas that could be improved upon:

Pool Bar Service. This would be my only real complaint. The pool service seems to have suffered a cut-back. In the past there seemed to be 2 bartenders during the day. On this cruise, there was only one server at most times and he seemed overworked. On a Caribbean cruise the pool seems to be the most popular area during the day, cutting back on service here doesn’t make sense.

Wine. The wine at dinner is generally pretty bad. We purchased wines most evening. I’m not a wine snob and there are quite a few inexpensive wines I drink that I enjoy. I think the complimentary wine list could be easily improved on.

Bring back the pistachio cookies! I know, how can we complain when there is so much to choose from, but the pistachio cookies seemed like SeaDreams signature cookie. They were missed, but I didn’t gain as much weigh on this vacation, so there was a silver lining.

Cocktail Hour hors d’ouvres. Lots of repeats and not very exciting,

House Plant in the stateroom. This is my crazy nit-picky thing. If you read my review a few years ago I was appalled at the 1970 style plant in the staterooms. The next year it was replaced with a grassy looking plant. I of course envisioned the change as the heads of SeaDream reading my review, sitting back and saying, “what an astute passenger, she’s right - let’s replace it with something modern”. Well, flash forward to this year and the 1970s style plant is back. So much for my influence

THINGS WE LOVED. Overall we loved everything about the week. Some of the extra special things we loved that I haven’t listed above:

- Love walking up the ramp when we first arrive and getting a glimpse of the crew we’ve had the privilege to sail with before.

- Love that every year our list of “favorite” crew gets more and more names added to it.

- Love the new and improved monogrammed PJs. The new cotton pants are very nice.

- Love coming back to a beautifully made stateroom every evening -thanks to Jesse our room steward.

- Love sitting at the TOYB in the evening enjoying a cocktail, each other’s company, listening to the waves, and star-gazing.

- Love watching (and sometimes love listening) to the singers at the piano bar each evening - always entertaining. 

- Love crispy bacon each morning.

- Love that they grate chocolate over the cappuccino -- it's the little things!

- Love swimming off the back of the boat -- this trip the captain even had a surprise sunset swim available one evening.

- Love the “voila” every evening at dinner. It never gets old.

- Love taking the tender to the beach the morning of the splash.

- Love knowing that we will be back on-board next year!

SeaDream really is a special vacation for us and one we don’t take for granted. We visit places that are breathtakingly beautiful, while being treated to impeccable service by a crew that works so hard, but always with a smile. Thanks for another week of wonderful memories. Happy to report the state of SeaDream is better than ever!

Yearly Review of SeaDream

We'd been with Sea Dream Yacht Club twice before and enjoyed it very much.  This trip was our LAST on Sea Dream.  We had booked back-to-back cruises for 2018 on board which we have now cancelled.

Our stateroom was OK...it was one of the ones that can be converted into a suite.  The layout was set up for combining cabins...not for being an individual room.

The first week we had one chef and then the second week his contract was up so another chef came on board.  The food the second week was a little better.  The food, for the most part, was good.  The bread was at best fair.  We stopped at islands were terrific European bakeries, but bread was not one of the things the ship bought locally...they baked on board...but not well.  Beef was always good...steaks and prime rib exceptional.

The problem I had was with the casino.  Stella both "managed" and dealt at the single blackjack table they had.  She had some strange unwritten rules...if she made a mistake and exposed a card that shouldn't be played she never burned the card...she just made it the next card out...so if it was a six and the next card out came to a player they got the six...no choice.  She claimed "I never burn cards".  The "casino" is opposite the piano bar in a very small area.  The passengers are given a microphone to sing along with the pianist...bad idea.  Most of the guests were drunk or getting their quickly and they sang like...well...lets just say it was load and there were words involved but it was a far cry from singing.  I usually wore ear plugs in the casino when I played.

They use European rules...they only look under aces...not 10's so you can have a lot of money on the table from splits and double downs and the dealer can turn over a blackjack..  That adds about 5% to the house.  You also have to play 2 hands if you are the only one at the table and you can't play more than 2 hands.  So if you are alone you are locked into the shoe...you can't change the fall of the cards by playing an extra hand or staying out of a hand.

I lost most nights.  On the last night I finally raised my bet to the table maximum which is $50 as I was winning and I was trying to get even.  I got back about 1/4th of my two weeks losses and then Stella, the iron fisted manager/dealer from Serbia, shut the table down.  She told me it was because I got into a confrontation with other guests.  I was the only player and was quite tired of the load screeching coming from the piano bar.  I went outside the casino and said, "Can you people please sing a little louder?"  I then returned to the table.  Stella "took a break" for twenty minutes and when she came back she closed the table 50 minutes early.  The second in command came up and claimed that we were in "American waters" which was a lie.  The table was closed because I was winning for a change.

I've played a lot of blackjack in a lot of places over the years.  This casino was terrible.  If you play there consider it a contribution to Sea Dreams Yacht Club...not gambling.  By the way, the seats at the table were set so close to the table that you could hardly sit down.

There are too many other small ship cruise lines that offer not only better blackjack rules, but a much better experience.  My wife and I will not travel with Sea Dreams again.

Did back-to-back trips primarily in the British Virgin Islands 1/7 to 1/21

I am a veteran of many cruises, from Atlantic crossings on the old Italian Line, to the Home Line, to Celebrity and Royal Caribbean ships, including the Oasis of the Sea. I have brought my children and grandchildren on cruise vacations. I have traveled with groups and with just my wife. We enjoy cruising. This was the first time on a small ship for my wife and me. We traveled with a group of 23 from our Wine Making School. The experience was quite a difference from the larger ships. Mostly good but with a few drawbacks. 

We embarked from Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. The embarking process was unbelievably simple. We dropped off our luggage about 2 hours prior to boarding time. When we returned, we found no long lines and endless forms to consume an hour or more. Upon presentation of our boarding documents and passports we were ushered into the Grand Salon Lounge for a cocktail party. As we talked and met people, we were called, several families at a time, into the "registration room"/Concierge area, where a friendly staff quickly processed our information, took our photos for sea passes, and had us escorted to our staterooms by a stewardess with our baggage. Painless! 

The cabins were first class. They were large, modern and comfortable. As an "all-inclusive," the room bar was available and well stocked. The mandatory Life Boat drill was handled quickly and efficiently. Taking a little time to become familiar with the ship, we were very pleased with the obvious luxury of the appointments and the pride the crew and staff took in maintaining everything and providing excellent service. 

The various restaurants were easily reached and all attractive. The cuisine was 5 star all the way. The variety was excellent and the quality of food and presentation was excellent. No chaotic buffet lines here. Even when you selected your own food from the available buffet, a waiter would take the plate from you and escort you to your seat. It became obvious early on that service was a prime goal. By the second day, the crew knew the passengers by name, and addressed you as you entered their areas. 

We sat at the pool one day and ordered drinks. The second day the waiter appeared with our drinks without even asking. Enrico, the pianist at the piano bar was excellent. He played a wide variety of music with true virtuosity. Being a pretty decent pianist myself I could appreciate his talent. Plus he is an excellent singer. Zoltan, the chief bartender also worked the piano bar and was the friendliest, most attentive bartender you could ask for. The ship has a complement of mountain bikes, wave runners, snorkel equipment and other land and sea toys that are available for passenger use at no additional charge. The crew numbers 95 while the passengers are 112 if full. That's almost 1:1 attention. 

So where are the drawbacks? I do miss the entertainment and shows available on larger ships. The "casino" consisted of 1 blackjack table and dealer, Lori. She was also a friendly person but some slot machines would have been appreciated. Lori and Enrico doubled as the water sports people during the day. Everyone had multiple duties. The port experiences were a bit disappointing. We went to Anguilla, St. Barts, Nevis and St. Kitts, Tortola, Norman Island, White bay, Jost van Dyke. Most of the landings were away from where the larger ships docked and all were by tender. Several stops occurred while the shopping areas were closed as they only open when the large ships are in. All three of the land excursions we attempted to book were cancelled because we did not have the minimum number for participation. The luncheon provided at our last stop was phenomenal. The Concierge should stop making referrals to the Four Seasons in Nevis as they wanted $500 just to use beach lounges and their pool for the day. Right down the beach was Sunshine's who only charged $5 per lounge for the day. 

So would I do it again. YES - It all depends on what you are looking for. I would not take my adult children, ages 39, 37 and 30 because there would not be enough action for them. Likewise my 4 grandchildren would be bored. But for adults looking for a restful break, this was ideal. Is it better than the large ships or not as good? Neither. They both serve different purposes. The disembarkation process was also the easiest I have ever experienced. The customs inspectors came right on board. There were no long lines and we were cleared and exited the ship as simply as we boarded. It was a "Sea Dream" experience.

Sea Dreamy

We boarded the SeaDream II yacht/cruise ship around 2pm.  After a greeting by the captain, we were directed to a lounge with hors d'oeurves and flowing champagne.  We waited there while our luggage was delivered to our stateroom.  We met a few people there: a couple from Dallas, a couple from Toronto, and a mother/daughter traveling from New Jersey.  Everyone was friendly and inviting.  We then got our room keys, and were led to our room to unpack.

The room was very small, 185 square feet.  No rooms had balconies as this is a large yacht/small cruise ship.  We had one large window.  Though small, the room was adequate and what was there was very nice.  The shower was especially nice and big enough (I am 6'3").  It had 3 sprayers and Bvlgari soaps and lotions.  The room can equipped with soft linens and a tv which showed 2 or 3 different popular movies each Day in a loop along with CNN World and ship channels.

All food and drink was included in the price of the cruise.  The ship had a small pool and a hot tub.  It had Balinese beds spread throughout the different decks for sunbathing and stargazing.  Some people chose to 'sleep under the Stars'.  We did not.  

There was an outside bar on the top deck which featured a guitar player in the evenings after dinner.  There was also a piano bar with a pianist/lounge singer, karaoke, and a single black jack table.  

The food was remarkable.  Even the 24 hour menu was delicious.  Breakfast and lunch were served either on the deck or in your room.  The Belgian pancakes were really good.  Dinner was served anytime between 7:30 and 9:30pm each night.  Two nights it was served in the formal dining room.  The other 5 nights, dinner was served outside on the deck while the ship was anchored off the coast of a different Caribbean island.  The dinner menu changes each evening.  There was always a 5 course chef's recommended meal, but there were also 5 course vegan meals, and other alternative meal choices.  We intermingled choices from different menus each night, and if something was outstanding, you could always have seconds or thirds.  Of course dinner was always accompanied by paired wines or your choice of wine or cocktail.  We only ate alone once.  We shared dinner with at least one other couple most of the time, and when we did, we often ordered bottles of wine from the Somelier's extensive list.  These were extra.

Nearly every evening, there was some sort of pre-dinner cocktail hour.  There was a captain's greeting, a fashion show around the pool with fresh sushi, and others we missed.

The best part of the cruise was the people.  On other cruises, we met people in passing.  On this ship, we really got to know several different couples and crew.  We spent a lot of time with a fireman/contractor and his travel sales wife from Long Island, NY; with an orthopedic surgeon and his pediatrician wife from Chicago; with a business owner and his wife from Toronto, and we enjoyed the company of many others from London, Norway, Sweden, and the USA.  

We especially enjoyed the Cruise Director, Pieter, from South Africa and our main waiter, Ponce, from Puerto Rico.  Pieter is a bunch of fun.  He led many shore expeditions, both day and night.  He led hikes around islands, toured thru St. Barts, and even took a group of us to a Burlesque show one evening.  We would have never done that on our own, but the experience turned out to be one we will never forget.

These were not places the big cruise ships go.  Of the different islands we visited, we enjoyed St. Barts and Jost Van Dyke the most.  A day and a half was not long enough on the French island of St. Barts.  We spent the day exploring the world class shopping and dining.  We didn't get a chance to see the beaches or other renowned hotels, restaurants and bars.  We are already ready to go back.  Jost Van Dyke is a tiny island with an amazing beach. It is known for its beach and beach bars.  The painkiller rum drink was invented at the Soggy Dollar bar there.   The ship hosted a beach barbecue on the final day there.  Waiters waded into the ocean in their full uniforms to serve drinks and caviar to waiting guests.  It was the perfect beach experience.

Other stops were to St. John, Anguilla, Tortola, Norman Island, and Virgin Gorda.  We hiked Norman island.  We went to the Baths at Virgin Gorda, which is a beach with huge boulders that the ocean flows and around.  They are more like caves than Baths.  We shopped and picked up a painting by a local artist in St. John's.  We went to a white sand beach on Anguilla called Shoal beach.  We were only in Tortola for one morning.  We just visited the main harbor, did some shopping, and looked at the yachts in the Harbor.  We went back aboard the ship for lunch and sunbathing on the top deck, enjoying the views of Tortola from our Balinese sun bed.

Overall, it was a great trip.  There was only one child on the ship and it was the most well behaved Swedish boy.  Some people were there for two or three weeks.  I don't know if my liver could handle that.  So much alcohol...  Many guests put a refundable deposit down for another trip within the next two years. That guarantees an extra 10% off.  This experience will be tough to follow for sure.

Great First Experience

My husband Ross and I spent 2 wonderful weeks on SeaDream II staying in the Admiral Suite. In the first week on board we renewed our vows for our 10th wedding anniversary, Officiated by Captain Lund, it was such a happy and fun experience, as everything was organised through SeaDream leaving Ross and myself to just thoroughly enjoy the whole ceremony, we were so impressed with the crew who did everything they could to ensure it all went smoothly for us, thank you again to everyone involved, love you all.... 

Back to the rest of our holiday I must say service was excellent in every aspect through the whole 2 weeks. We especially loved being in the Piano Bar every evening where Sammy on keyboard nicely urged passengers to take up the microphone for karaoke, lots of fun and a few of us danced the night away while Chief Barman Zoltan expertly served drinks with his quick wit and ever-ready cheeky smile.... all the crew had an amazing knack of of remembering all the guests names as well as their preferred drinks etc. Every meal was a 5 star dining experience and the chef was only too happy to cook up a favorite meal for you even if it wasn't on the menu. 

The shore excursions were terrific, I especially loved the ATV tours, first one for us was a tour staying mostly on the roads with scenic pit-stops, where we were able to take some awesome photos. In the second week we did another ATV shore excursion, this time it was off-road but still easy to manage and lots of fun.... the activities on-board were brilliant. I loved the jet ski and banana boat rides while Ross' passion was the little sailboat.... Our 'yachting not cruising' holiday was an exciting and memorable experience and we can't wait for 2016 doing the Mediterranean and Atlantic Crossing on SeaDream I.... Thank you to everyone on SeaDream II for leaving us with some amazing holiday memories.... Cheers Sandy

Already Booked for 2016

It was with a lot of trepidation that we booked an Xmas cruise on SeaDream this year. We are not cruise people, we like sophisticated, unpredictable travel. We don't like things to be safe, and canned and sanitized. We decided to give it a go because we spend the holidays with my mother every year and this year she had foot surgery that made more active trips unpractical. It was a strictly on-off event that we were going to take with a grain of salt. Boy, did we get a surprise. It turned out to be the most perfect and relaxing family holiday we have ever taken. So much so that we rebooked before getting off the ship something we have never done in any of our other travels. We cruised the Caribbean (and some fairly uninteresting islands they turned out to be, if you compare these destinations to some of the places we have been in South America, Asia and Africa, but the mix of the other guests, the out-of-the-world staff (sweet, efficient, genuine), the understated 'rightness' of the ship's appointments, the very very good food and drinks all contrived to make the trip unforgettable and completely addictive. We have been in touch with the other passengers we clicked with and they too are similarly bereft at being back in their real life. We all want to dream on. This is really the only way I could ever imagine going on a cruise even though other lines have clearly more interesting routes and more route variety. Next trip for us will be the Med from Dubrovnik to Istanbul. You always read people gushing about their trips and one can't help being skeptical but this is one time when I feel my superlatives really don't do the experience justice. Go! Find out for yourself!
 

A fan is born - Sea Dream II

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