Sea Dream I is alive and well

Boarded SeaDream yesterday and everything feels like the SeaDream I love. I'll try to get some news on the engine. We sailed from St. Martin to Anguilla last night and from Anguilla to St. Barts this afternoon...short distances, but no problems.

Lots of our favorites are onboard, Captain Smorawski, Pierre and Enes, Olivier, Doramus, Ponce..service has been wonderful from everyone.

Cocktail hour last night was lovely (last year I thought the cocktail hour had slipped) they even served pass-around Shrimp Tempura as we were sitting. Dinner was delicious...everyone at our table had the filet with mushrooms or Tuna steak. Grand Marnier souffle for dessert. The red wine served at dinner was pretty bad...we actually bought some red (a first for us).

This morning we took a zodiac to the beach in Anguilla and then went to Shoal Bay for the first time, it was beautiful. Tonight we're set to have dinner outside. Will keep you posted.

PS internet seems to be fast and is $99 for the week.

Great news about the internet. Now we can expect you to post morning, noon, and night!:eek::D Just kidding. The food sounds great as usual. Hope you have a great time. Shoal Bay East is truly a beautiful spot.

Our last time on board, in Europe the Internet was not a real issue either. I didn't like posting big pics, but e-mail, social media, and messaging worked just fine.

So glad you are having a great start to your cruise and also made it to Anguilla! Which in itself can be a feat! Have missed it a couple of times. Wonderful news about the internet! I look forward to more postings and have a fabulous cruise!

That sounds amazing. I am so excited for my first cruise with SD in November Thanks for the update.

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Wish we were there with you pirate

(and not just because it's snowing AGAIN)--

Bon voyage!

Checking in again to report that we're still having a fabulous trip...yesterday was St. Barts we went shopping, to Nikki Beach for lunch at La Plage and then to Gouvenors Beach for the afternoon. The weather was absolutely perfect, great day. Today we were in Antigua and went to HawksBill Resort for the day. It was a nice day, but in the past we've gone to Jolly Beach and found Hawksbill's beach and sand to not hold a candle to Jolly Beach

Last night our group of 7 were invited to have dinner with the activities director, Gareth. Before we sailed, we had been disappointed to learn that Jeff wasn't working for SeaDream anymore...we had a really fun cruise with him last year, but I have to say Gareth has been fantastic and dinner with him was very nice. He's young and seems very happy to be working with SeaDream. He also seemed very interested in our reasons we love SeaDream and what we think could be done to improve it. I have to say after reading this board over the past few months I was really scared that my "SeaDream" had disappeared. I'm so relieved to see first-hand this isn't the case...everything is as I remember it or better. No corner cuttings, crew even more attentive and fellow passenger interaction still a highlight. The only negatives that I can report is the wine being served at dinner is really almost undrinkable and it's been hard to get chairs at the pool.

Captain welcomed us aboard last night and told us there was 98 passengers and 95 crew on this sailing. No word on the engine, but our sailing has been fine and haven't been late to any of our ports. We've been spending the evenings in the Piano bar, with some really fun and loud passengers. So all in all wonderful cruise...off to cocktail hour...

Thanks for the great update. Sorry to hear about the wine. That would be of concern to my husband more so than me, but still, one would think SD could spring for some decent wine.

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Sounds great! We love the Cocktail Party hour. Everyone seems to share stories of what they did that day. Capt. Smorawski is our fave as well. Odd about the Pool Deck chairs. We had chair hogging in Costa Rica too. Some people would set up on a chair then go ashore. The stuff was still there when they came back.:eek:

Sorry to read that Jeff isn't with SeaDream anymore. He was fantastic. Glad you're having fun and the new activities director is doing so well.:D

Cheers!

Thanks for the update Pirate. :-)

Favor, can you ask Gareth if he'll be on for the March 20th cruise on SD1? He was our Assistant CD on SD2 September 5th from Monte Carlo to Rome -- he was GREAT.

SD2 had engine problems as well for our cruise. We didn't get to half our ports and there was a lot of unhappy passengers. Future cruise and shipboard credit was offered.

One month and counting -- can't wait.

-Jim

Pirate, You should be able to tell if you are running on one engine or two. If you look at the churn at the stern and see two streams, that means both screws are turning. If there is only one and it is off-center (portside, if I remember correctly), you are still on one engine.

Just got back from the splash at Coconut Grove Nevis. It was great...the sand and water aren't as pretty as Jost Van Dyke, but the facilties are breathtaking. Off to our last cocktail hour and dinner until next year, waaaaa!

JDF - Gareth will be on for your sailing, lucky you. He has been so wonderful...friendly, nice and helpful.

Zimmy, yesterday afternoon it looked like one stream of smoke, this afternoon it looked like two....hopefully there's been progress.

Pirate, we love you but the smoke thing is for when the pope is elected! As Zimmy said don't look up at smokestack look down at stern and whether one or two water streams in the ocean. Think Paul Revere, one you end up on land, two you are ok at sea! By the way, we too enjoyed Champagne Splash at Coconut Grove on Nevis. My wife remembers it because two of us plus two young ladies had done horseback ride ending near there and walked over to Coconut Grove early as SD waiters were setting up with shirts off. As soon as Peter saw the women looking at the shirtless SD guys he made them put their shirts on despite protests from the ladies!

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Appreciate checking in with Gareth.

Safe travels.

-Jim

Back to the real world! St. Martin airport Saturday afternoon was a nightmare...but we made it home safe and sound. All-in-all the cruise ranks as one of our favorite SeaDream sailings. Weather wonderful, Enes and Gareth and rest of the crew are doing a fab job of keeping all the passengers feeling like royalty. Will write a detailed review in the next few days. 49 weeks til our next SeaDream cruise!

JES4845 -- sorry, maybe it was the liquor or maybe I'm just an idiot :) Never got to figure out if it was running on 1 or 2 engines. But we were always on time and no mention of the engine problems among staff or the other passengers.

I rather doubt that as the ship failed the CDC inspection 6 weeks ago.

If anyone's interested, here's the link to the actual CDC report. You can also click on SD's response.

http://wwwn.cdc.gov/inspectionquerytool/InspectionDetailReport.aspx?ColI=MTg2NDAyMzc%3d-l4XzrrevpZQ%3d

FT, I read the report but couldn't open SD's response (said the file was damaged). Can you summarize?

Thanks!

Vandrefalk

Quite an extensive inspection. Thanks for the facts FT. Makes the ship sound filthy below decks. The only issues that truly concern me relate to the water desalinization and treatment. The using of the system at anchor is especially a no no. Water intakes for such systems are located forward of treated sewage discharges under the hull bottom as this ensures a flow of clean water while the vessel is underway. At anchor, this is not assured as both systems are in heavy use. Unless there is a strong current running in the anchorage, the water intake can ingest some of the treated effluent. Not a good thing.

FT, I read the report but couldn't open SD's response (said the file was damaged). Can you summarize?

Thanks!

Vandrefalk

Hi,

Hope you are doing well. Escaped to Vegas this weekend. First, like Mr Avery, to me many of the items seemed technical or insubstantial but the water in ports was of concern. I hoped it was just a training or other correctable issue but SD's response on this item seemed to be that it had to get the water at anchor in certain ports, like St. John and one in Panama due to demand so it had no other choice. That's fine if it's only used for toilets but any use that comes in contact with humans poses a health risk. The only time I have gotten the Norovirus is from consuming produce while at the Four Seasons at Punta Mita. I relaxed my guard and and ate lettuce that was not totally "clean". So for SD to use that "dirty water" to rinse fruit or vegetables or passengers to brush their teeth or even shower in it-that's a major health concern

I hope SD's response on the use of water in ports was an inaccurate summary but it read like SD was not going to change. Since SD has received consistently great scores on CDC exams and I personally know the Captains pay great attention to these exams (each crossing they prepared for on an intense basis) this would be a huge aberration. All other items seem to have either been fixed or in process. I personally bemoan that the SD kitchen will not risk a CDC violation by serving Eggs Benedict in an U.S.port:rolleyes:

FT

Hi,

Hope you are doing well. Escaped to Vegas this weekend. First, like Mr Avery, to me many of the items seemed technical or insubstantial but the water in ports was of concern. I hoped it was just a training or other correctable issue but SD's response on this item seemed to be that it had to get the water at anchor in certain ports, like St. John and one in Panama due to demand so it had no other choice. That's fine if it's only used for toilets but any use that comes in contact with humans poses a health risk. The only time I have gotten the Norovirus is from consuming produce while at the Four Seasons at Punta Mita. I relaxed my guard and and ate lettuce that was not totally "clean". So for SD to use that "dirty water" to rinse fruit or vegetables or passengers to brush their teeth or even shower in it-that's a major health concern

 

I hope SD's response on the use of water in ports was an inaccurate summary but it read like SD was not going to change. Since SD has received consistently great scores on CDC exams and I personally know the Captains pay great attention to these exams (each crossing they prepared for on an intense basis) this would be a huge aberration. All other items seem to have either been fixed or in process. I personally bemoan that the SD kitchen will not risk a CDC violation by serving Eggs Benedict in an U.S.port:rolleyes:

 

 

FT

And there was the ants in the galley.:eek: Ants? Sailor Ants as opposed to Army Ants?:D:D

I didn't even see a worm in the tequila, so I think they got the insect issue under control ;)

PS before I get berated I know a worm isn't actually an insect.

I didn't even see a worm in the tequila, so I think they got the insect issue under control ;)

PS before I get berated I know a worm isn't actually an insect.

They all taste the same to me.:eek::D:D

Taking on water at anchor in the bay of Panama. Yuck! Mega yuck!!

UK government advice is not to swim anywhere, at any time, in the water off Panama City.

And it was being taken on board with what appears to be poor record keeping for chlorination - or am I reading it wrong?