SeaDream vs Crystal comparison

Also posted this on Crystal board, based on a very small sample size of one cruise each in the past year, here is a subjective compare and contrast of sorts between crystal and seadream. Just finished tromso to copenhagen on crystal symphony, last august did athens to istanbul on seadream.

On Symphony, we were on deck 8, extremely limited view (tender outside our window) and could not be more pleased. Room well laid out, bed very comfortable, shower pressure in bathroom superb (two vanities) and better than at home. SeaDream was "fine", Crystal was outstanding. Of course, i have never travelled on regent or other ships with larger rooms so my basis for comparison very limited. So while we didn't spend a lot of time in our room, clear advantage for Crystal here. Service in the room outstanding with both lines so a toss up.

Food was a different story. SeaDream beyond superb in every respect, dine when you want to, reservations not needed, eat outside when weather suits, could not have been better. Crystal a mixed bag here. Menu selection in main dining room seemed no greater than seadream, but as noted here times can be a bit less flexible with people lined up at the assigned early and late times. Food quality fine but not great, kind of like stateroom on seadream. We tried wide variety and had very few if any wow moments, but nothing was bad either. Steak seemed consistently good. We also went to the specialty restaurants, prego seemed slightly better than a mediocre italian restaurant to us, ok for an italian change of pace but not a premium experience in our book, while Nobu did sushi at a very high standard and was worth the two visits and the $30. We found the Trident Grill for lunch a plus for Crystal, very good burgers and such, open from 1130am to 6pm, can sit either by pool or inside to enjoy. Food Service generally better across board with seadream, am sure 100 passengers easier to deal with than 1000, but still found difference notable.

Did just one excursion on each, both were fine. Movie selection in theater a plus on crystal, a different one in each night, seadream had one movie outside so setting could not be beat though movie itself may be hit or miss. Scheduled evening entertainment on crystal a plus for those who want it, quality variable but never overly good or bad.

Really dangerous to generalize here based on one cruise each, but SeaDream crowd centered between 40 and 70 with few younger or older, Crystal closer to 55 and 80 with more older and younger. This skew could simply be based on 7 days in the Med vs 7-14 in Norway. More kids on Crystal but with 1000 vs 100 no surprise, not at all a problem, slightly more distracting (a group of unsupervised kids constantly running in and out of movie theater around midnight) on Crystal but not a big deal to us. We met a lot more people on SeaDream, some of whom we have stayed in touch with, not the case with Crystal. Two reasons for this I think, though you can choose to dine as a two, even when you ask for a table for two, Seadream staff will more actively encourage couples to eat together, and we met some wonderful people that way. With Crystal we never chose to dine with others nor was it actively encouraged, so partially our fault. SeaDream also had a younger and more active demographic that matched us so we met people at the pool et al more easily.

As for the ships, Crystal did not seem at all crowded (except for the line up for dinner) and SeaDream only seemed crowded on certain days by the pool when chairs were at a premium, combo of younger crowd and much smaller pool, if a fuller sized pool (or gym for that matter) is required, Crystal is the choice. Bar service and selected could not be faulted with either. Both did a good job with tender service, was not more difficult with Crystal due to larger ship, though Seadream did have more personalized service with water available on shore by the tender and the staff greeting you with cold towels upon your return.

So in sum, we could recommend both, and might do both again (or try Seabourn), depends on what's most important for the particular cruise.

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Also posted this on Crystal board, based on a very small sample size of one cruise each in the past year, here is a subjective compare and contrast of sorts between crystal and seadream. Just finished tromso to copenhagen on crystal symphony, last august did athens to istanbul on seadream.

 

 

 

On Symphony, we were on deck 8, extremely limited view (tender outside our window) and could not be more pleased. Room well laid out, bed very comfortable, shower pressure in bathroom superb (two vanities) and better than at home. SeaDream was "fine", Crystal was outstanding. Of course, i have never travelled on regent or other ships with larger rooms so my basis for comparison very limited. So while we didn't spend a lot of time in our room, clear advantage for Crystal here. Service in the room outstanding with both lines so a toss up.

 

 

 

Food was a different story. SeaDream beyond superb in every respect, dine when you want to, reservations not needed, eat outside when weather suits, could not have been better. Crystal a mixed bag here. Menu selection in main dining room seemed no greater than seadream, but as noted here times can be a bit less flexible with people lined up at the assigned early and late times. Food quality fine but not great, kind of like stateroom on seadream. We tried wide variety and had very few if any wow moments, but nothing was bad either. Steak seemed consistently good. We also went to the specialty restaurants, prego seemed slightly better than a mediocre italian restaurant to us, ok for an italian change of pace but not a premium experience in our book, while Nobu did sushi at a very high standard and was worth the two visits and the $30. We found the Trident Grill for lunch a plus for Crystal, very good burgers and such, open from 1130am to 6pm, can sit either by pool or inside to enjoy. Food Service generally better across board with seadream, am sure 100 passengers easier to deal with than 1000, but still found difference notable.

 

 

 

Did just one excursion on each, both were fine. Movie selection in theater a plus on crystal, a different one in each night, seadream had one movie outside so setting could not be beat though movie itself may be hit or miss. Scheduled evening entertainment on crystal a plus for those who want it, quality variable but never overly good or bad.

 

 

 

Really dangerous to generalize here based on one cruise each, but SeaDream crowd centered between 40 and 70 with few younger or older, Crystal closer to 55 and 80 with more older and younger. This skew could simply be based on 7 days in the Med vs 7-14 in Norway. More kids on Crystal but with 1000 vs 100 no surprise, not at all a problem, slightly more distracting (a group of unsupervised kids constantly running in and out of movie theater around midnight) on Crystal but not a big deal to us. We met a lot more people on SeaDream, some of whom we have stayed in touch with, not the case with Crystal. Two reasons for this I think, though you can choose to dine as a two, even when you ask for a table for two, Seadream staff will more actively encourage couples to eat together, and we met some wonderful people that way. With Crystal we never chose to dine with others nor was it actively encouraged, so partially our fault. SeaDream also had a younger and more active demographic that matched us so we met people at the pool et al more easily.

 

 

 

As for the ships, Crystal did not seem at all crowded (except for the line up for dinner) and SeaDream only seemed crowded on certain days by the pool when chairs were at a premium, combo of younger crowd and much smaller pool, if a fuller sized pool (or gym for that matter) is required, Crystal is the choice. Bar service and selected could not be faulted with either. Both did a good job with tender service, was not more difficult with Crystal due to larger ship, though Seadream did have more personalized service with water available on shore by the tender and the staff greeting you with cold towels upon your return.

 

 

 

So in sum, we could recommend both, and might do both again (or try Seabourn), depends on what's most important for the particular cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Fascinating and thanks so much richb21 BUT there is one criteria that ho hum really feels most significant and that is CREW.

Maybe you didn't notice any difference so didn't mention it BUT ho hum would be very grateful for your rating on this very important aspect (well it is to ho hum).

Thanks again richb21.

I'd give slight edge to SeaDream, but would see SeaDream repeaters like you arguing for more than slight edge.

Here's what i mean.

The long tenured crew together with small ship seems to encourage a special relationship with SeaDream that is difficult to replicate elsewhere.

Beyond the "staff" crew, i note that also extends to the "officers". While it was my first SeaDream and Crystal cruise, i would observe the visibility and engagement of the captain and officers greater on SeaDream, and obvious many of the guests knew them well and vv. observed far less on Crystal. Found it funny that when Crystal had the officer cocktail party, all were told in advance that officers will not shake guest's hands for hygiene reasons.

Finally, on our flight back from Amsterdam, fully half the business class cabin turned out to have been on the cruise, and we had met none of them, would never happen on seadream. That's neither good nor bad, just a size thing.

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Nu. Q

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Thanks for the comparison!