A new Frommers.com newsletter feature, the Cruise Spotlight will showcase a different cruise line each month, from ultra-luxe to ultra-adventurous and everything between, all with special deals for Frommer's readers only. This month, we'll take a look at one of the newest lines in the industry, which offers an upscale yet casual experience aboard two intimate 110-passenger vessels.
Formed in mid-2001 by Norwegian entrepreneur Atle Brynestad, who founded Seabourn in 1987, SeaDream is a line built around its two ships, SeaDream I and SeaDream II. Both ships have been bouncing around the luxe segment of the market for a while, courtesy of corporate mergers and sales. Originally built for Sea Goddess Cruises in 1984, the ships were bought by Cunard in 1996, then were acquired by Carnival Corporation when it bought Cunard in 1998. Transferred to the Seabourn fleet, they were then purchased by Brynestad and former Seabourn and Cunard president/CEO Larry Pimentel, who hired a raft of other ex-Cunard executives to fill the company's top spots and maintained many of that line's ultra-luxe traditions while adding the relaxed, casual stamp that sets this line apart.
The experience is deliberately low-key, with most activities taking place out on deck rather than inside. Sportsmen and women are encouraged to take advantage of each ship's sea kayaks, Sunfish, and WaveRunners, while golf lovers can head toward the bow on Deck 6 to practice their swing on a golf simulator. On shore, options in various ports include champagne beach parties and informal excursions led by the captain and crew -- including kayaking or snorkeling treks, produce-shopping with the chef, or nightlife trolls with the ship's bartender. There's also a selection of more standard, extra-cost excursions. Rolling tours aboard the ships' mini-fleets of Segway Human Transporters are always a head-turner, while mountain bikes are also carried aboard for more traditional rolling.
Even relaxation is first-rate, with queen-size Sun Beds out on deck letting you make the most of sun and sea breezes.
Daily five-course dinners include five entrees that change nightly, and the kitchen will prepare special requests provided the ingredients are on board. Local specialties, such as fresh fish from markets in various ports, are likely to be incorporated into the menu. Each ship's wine cellar includes some 3,500 bottles, of which an excellent selection is complimentary. For the connoisseur, there's a separate list of extra-cost vintages. Personalized service is one of SeaDream's greatest assets, with some 80% of the crew having worked on the ships in their Cunard and/or Seabourn incarnations.
Dress codes steer clear of the traditional tux and sequins dress-up night by favoring "yacht casual" wear. Some men wear jackets, but never ties. Itineraries are designed so that the ships overnight in three-quarters of the ports they visit, since, as Pimentel explains, "There's no sense in leaving a port at 5 if it doesn't start really happening till 11."
Most passengers are in their 40s to 60s. Some 70 percent are American, with Brits and other Europeans making up most of the remainder. Very few families bring young children aboard except when the ships are chartered -- a practice that currently accounts for some 50% of the line's business. If your (very rich) family isn't large enough to charter the whole vessel, you can still take advantage of a deal that gives one free cabin for every four booked, up to a maximum of 25 cabins.
All of the 54 large, one-room suites have an ocean view, plus a complementary stocked minibar and fridge, multiple jet massage showers, Belgian linens, CD/DVD players, and a flat-screen TV with Internet capability.
Itineraries and Rates
SeaDream I and SeaDream II divide their time between the Mediterranean (in spring, summer, and early fall) and the Caribbean (late fall and winter). Rates for seven-night sailings currently start from $1,699 in the Caribbean and from $1,999 in the Med, though rates more normally fall into the $2,200-$3,500 range. Air transportation, ground transfers or incidental hotel accommodations are not included. Government fees, handling, and service charges are extra.
Though these prices are by no means cheap (compared to the mainstream lines, at least), they're amazingly low considering the absolutely first-class experience and amenities. Also, unlike most cruises, rates aboard SeaDream really are all-inclusive, with unlimited wines and spirits included in the price, as well as tips and (as noted above) some shore excursions.
Exclusive "Sweet Dream" Deal for Frommers.com Readers
Readers of Frommers.com will receive an exclusive $100 per stateroom Spa Credit when booking a SeaDream Yacht Club cruise between now and August 23, 2003. Just book a 2003 SeaDream sailing in the Caribbean or the Mediterranean through your travel agent or direct with SeaDream, and specify promotional code Frommers.Com #1.
This offer is exclusive to Frommers.Com readers and is not combinable with any other offers.
SeaDream Yacht Club: tel. 800/707-4911, www.seadreamyachtclub.com.
