CRUISE REPORT ON
SEA DREAM I


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DREAMIN’ AND CRUISING’ ON SEA DREAM
A Cruise Report by Shirley Linde
 

It was Monday and we were on Rose Island in the Bahamas, a few miles from Nassau. The beach was deserted today, just available to the passengers of Sea Dream I. It was just a picnic-on-the-beach day, but picnic on the beach is special on a Sea Dream yacht. We all came in by tender, walked across a path through the palm trees to the beach side of the island, settled into beach lounge chairs planted in the sand, then were treated to a trademark of Sea Dream Yachts - a huge bowl of beluga caviar served on a floating surfboard. Jimmy, the ship maitre d, smiled good naturedly as he tended the caviar while standing in waist-deep water. Passengers waded out for the caviar and for glasses of champagne served by waiters equally waist-deep in water.

Following caviar and champagne was a buffet of chicken, ribs, fish, shrimp, and all the trimmings to go with them. We gorged, swam, walked the beach, read, paddled kayaks or canoes, played on a banana boat, or simply gazed out on the beautiful turquoise of the shallow see-through Bahamian water. And ate some more.

It was another day in paradise on Sea Dream Yachts.

There are two Sea Dream Yachts, with 110 passengers each. The owner company is Sea Dream Yacht Club, and their philosophy is to make passengers feel as if they are not on a cruise ship but on their own upscale private yacht with friends, being pampered night and day with superb food and great and friendly service.

Time on the yacht is unstructured and uncluttered. People gather around the pool or stretch out on a lounge chair somewhere on deck and read. When the yacht is at anchor there are jet skis and banana boats and water skiing off the watersports platform aft. During days at sea various entertainments included afternoon tea, a cooking demonstration, or yoga and fitness instruction. At night the only entertainment was passengers gathering around the bar or in the lounge for cocktails and conversation, a film shown in the lounge or in your stateroom, a musician playing piano or keyboard, and an occasional dancer on the floor.

While entertainment and planned activities were minimal, the food as well as the service were excellent. You knew the dining experience would be special from the moment you entered the dining room and saw the sparkling table settings -- white table cloth, crystal glasses, filigree-edged plates with white doilies, all set off by candles flickering in short round "Arctic raspberry" candleholders. The effect was sparkling simplicity and elegance.

There is open seating for all meals on the yacht. Room service is always available, whether it is for a full meal or a big bowl of popcorn. Caviar and champagne are unlimited -- just ask. If you have any personal culinary favorites, just contact the chief steward a day in advance.

There is artwork throughout the ship, and contemporary flower arrangements everywhere are subtly done in shades of green and white.

Major gathering place was the new Top of the Yacht bar on deck 6; and larger gatherings, including pre-dinner cocktail hour, were in the lounge. Breakfasts and lunches, and two dinners, were on deck, so passengers got maximum time enjoying the fresh air.

Sea Dream has a computer area with internet service available for $5 for 15 minutes in the library which also was used for the afternoon tea each day at 4.

There is a small casino with blackjack and several slot machines, a gym, a small pool, a jacuzzi, and a cool golf simulator with a computer program that let you picture one of 30 great golf courses around the world and let you test your drives on the courses. The watersports deck had wave runners, a banana boat, kayaks and snorkel gear. There are several bikes on board if you want to use them to explore on shore on your own.

Simple but special was the keynote at Sea Dream. Even the lounge chairs are special, having a divider between chairs for privacy. If you nod off while reading no one will notice. There also are double-bed size lounges called sun beds on the top deck you can use if you want to sleep under the stars. Just let the steward know.

Another unique feature that made you feel special: every night you received a gift, including a single red rose from the CEO one night, Sea Dream pajamas another night, an exotic pastry from the chef on another night, and personal stationery with your name.

Sea Dream I and II originally were Sea Goddess I and II, then Seabourn Goddess I and II, then were purchased by the Sea Dream Yacht Club, formed by Norwegian entrepreneur Atle Brynestad, founder of Seabourn Cruise Line, and Larry Pimentel, who was president of Seabourn under Brynestad and later president and CEO of the merged Cunard and Seabourn. The ships were renovated and relaunched in 2002. Pimentel is Chairman, President and CEO.

Each of the two luxury yachts has 55 staterooms, of which 16 are convertible to double suites. The owner's suite has a separate bedroom and a second washroom. One stateroom is wheelchair accessible. All staterooms have flat screen TV, CD/DVD, MP3, and a stocked mini bar with whatever beverages you prefer. Alert kits for guests with hearing impairment can be fitted to any stateroom.

Sea Dream I and II mostly cruise the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, with transatlantic crossings in the spring and fall. Our particular cruise was scheduled to go from Palm Beach on Florida’s east coast on a Saturday, then to Green Turtle Cay in the Bahamas, Rose Island for a beach party, then Nassau and Key West, and back to Palm Beach. (They no longer do Palm Beach departures.)

I used to live on an island near Green Turtle and was planning to visit old friends and old haunts there. Unfortunately the trip back in time did not happen; there was a wind out of the East and the swells made it impossible to use the ship's tender to get into the town dock. Instead we anchored in a sheltered area at the south end of Great Abaco Island for swimming from the aft watersports platform.

The next day was the famous beach party of caviar champagne and stuff-yourself food while enjoying the incredible turquoise Bahamian waters. At least I could walk the beach, gaze to sea, and remember similar days when I lived in these wonderful islands.

On Tuesday we arrived at Nassau. Our little ship was dwarfed by the giants berthed next to us with 2000 passengers or more. We preferred it our way. The ship's tender left every half hour to take passengers to Paradise Island, for snorkeling, visiting resorts, gambling at the casino, or visiting the Atlantis Resort or other resorts. Several people participated in the dolphin encounter, swimming with dolphins at a dolphin sanctuary, and others went swimming with sting rays at a nearby lagoon. Those not interested in marine encounters walked through town or did some shopping. Paradise Island (formerly Hog Island, but who is going to visit anything with a name like that) is connected to Nassau by a bridge. The straw market, in temporary quarters since the old market burned won, is crowded and hot, but it is said that the new market will soon open with better facilities. Others checked out resorts and gambling at the Cable Beach area just a cab ride away or sampled some Bahamian conch fritters, local lobster, peas 'n rice, and guava duff or sour sop ice cream. Kalik is the local beer and most popular rum drinks are a Bahama Mama or Goombay Smash.

After another day at sea we pulled in to Key West, right up to the dock at Mallory Square where people gather each night to watch the sun go down while being entertained by strolling musicians, jugglers, mimes, and art offerings. Unfortunately we had to leave the dock at 5 p.m. because we would block the view of the sunset, but we were able to return in two hours. That night dinner was on deck, with the lights of Key West in the background. The ship stayed overnight at Key West so passengers could check out the local night life.

Best way to get a quick overview of Key West is by the trolley. There are nine stops, and you can get on and off along the way if you see something you want to explore. You will probably want to visit the house where Ernest Hemingway lived and the residences of Tennessee Williams and Harry Truman and other luminaries, and to visit the Mel Fisher Museum with its shipwreck artifacts and treasures.

Best shopping is on Duval and its side streets. One good shop we found was Foot's Artworks with sculpture pieces made by casting a mixture of ground marble and resin, with featured parts being then highly polished. Artist is Foot Young, now living in Australia. Another shop was Earthbound Trading Company, with funky kites, parasols, paper lanterns, and other reasonably priced works.

Shore excursions at our Key West stop included snorkeling, kayaking in mangrove waters, sports fishing, or going to the Dry Tortugas by seaplane.

Dress each night on the yacht was yacht casual -- equivalent to resort casual -- with men usually wearing a jacket but no tie. Two nights had dining on deck.

When we interviewed Sea Dream Yacht Club ship and home-office executives they said that about 70 percent of passengers on the Sea Dream yachts are from the U.S, with growing numbers of passengers booking from Canada and Great Britain and a few from other European countries.

Is a Sea Dream yacht right for you? Some people on board loved the simplicity of just unwinding from their hectic everyday lives. Others said there was not enough to do. People on our cruise were mostly in groups, so we recommend going as a couple or putting a group together. Several groups on our voyage had been coming on the ships from when they were Sea Goddess 1 and 2. There were many people who were repeaters, one couple having cruised on the ship more than 30 times.

The yacht is excellent for meetings at sea or other full boat charters by organizations. There is telephone and fax service worldwide, and not only computers in the library but for $35 per day you can have 24-hour service in your stateroom if you have your own laptop. In fact, about 40 percent of the Sea Dream Yacht Club bookings are for full boat charter.

A new program is focused on weddings. Cruises will begin on Sunday so you can schedule your wedding on a Saturday and start your honeymoon cruise the following day. You can have a renewal of vows on board and a 12-person party for $375.

Also new -- an Asian Spa and Wellness Center offering new wellness programs that will include everything from weight-loss programs to stress management. The spa will offer guests individualized programs for health, fitness, relaxation and beauty using a holistic approach and a combination of both Eastern and Western techniques of massage, aerobics, yoga, and tai chi. A spa cuisine menu will include a daily selection of new dishes including an Oriental dish and a variety of vegetarian selections, and the bars will offer healthy cocktails made from fresh fruits.

Following the Palm Beach sailings, SeaDream I and II will sail a series of seven-day Caribbean sailings from St. Thomas through April, when both yachts will sail to Europe for their Mediterranean summer season.

Fares include gratuities and most beverages. Staterooms on deck 2 have portholes, staterooms on decks 3 and 4 have large windows, but otherwise are identical in layout. The owner's suite is about double in price. Book two cruises back to back and save 25 percent, book your next cruise while you are still on this one and save another 5%. Occasionally there is a special discount offer, especially on repositioning cruises.

Click here to book a trip on the Sea Dream I.

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