Caribbean in April

Our family of four are booked on the 4/13 sailing from San Juan to Barbados. Our only other cruises were to Alaska (HM) and a barge trip in France and a Danube River cruise with our teen daughters.

We love the Caribbean and usually spend our winter and spring breaks at hotels on various islands. This spring break cruise will be very different for us.

My biggest concern is the motion of the ship. Can anyone who has cruised on SD in the Caribbean remark about this? I am a little prone to sea sickness and wonder if I will have a problem. We have done extensive power boating and catamaran day sails in the caribbean and usually I do not have a big problem.

I tried to find which ports will be docked and which are tendered but the web site does not display that info. Trying to plan on what to expect.

Thanks for any input.

Don't worry about SD at all... Have cruised the carribean and didn't have any problem with motion sickness... You will have a MARVELOUS time!

Host Dan

Our family of four are booked on the 4/13 sailing from San Juan to Barbados. Our only other cruises were to Alaska (HM) and a barge trip in France and a Danube River cruise with our teen daughters.

We love the Caribbean and usually spend our winter and spring breaks at hotels on various islands. This spring break cruise will be very different for us.

My biggest concern is the motion of the ship. Can anyone who has cruised on SD in the Caribbean remark about this? I am a little prone to sea sickness and wonder if I will have a problem. We have done extensive power boating and catamaran day sails in the caribbean and usually I do not have a big problem.

I tried to find which ports will be docked and which are tendered but the web site does not display that info. Trying to plan on what to expect.

Thanks for any input.

I sailed SeaDream mid April last year roundtrip San Juan and it was totally fine! You should not have a problem. You can call your Travel Agent or SeaDream and they will tell you where they will be docked or anchored. Most of the caribbean is at anchor.

You'll love it!

We have been on SD in the Caribbean in March, April, and

December. Worst weather was in December off the Mexican Coast (Approximately where the hurricane went ashore this morning). The Captain makes decisions based on weather and always seems to find a calmer alternative. Even when there is motion, SD ships ride very well with a pleasant motion as opposed to the sometimes disconcerting compound motions of the bigger ships. If weather does not co operate and all else fails, see the good Doctor and have the injection. Works every time.

All the best.

Jim.

Thanks for the motion info. I think I should be fine......

We have booked 2 staterooms on the lower level. Would you hear a lot of noise from anchors, sea etc down there or should we upgrade to a higher level? Is it worth it?

Sorry to disagree with the previous posters but I think the motion can be a problem. We were on a SeaDream cruise out of San Juan where many, including the captain, were ill the first night. At dinner the next day, the doctor was introduced as "someone most of you have already met." That being said, the remainder of the voyage was just fine as the ship only travelled relatively small distances other than the first and last day. And not to say that this will deter us from SeaDream - it won't. We are taking another cruise on SeaDream out of San Juan this December. But upon embarkation, my husband will take a pill this time. You might want to consider this, also.

As to Deck 2 - we loved it and were not at all bothered by noise. We do not consider it to be worth upgrading on this ship. I don't think we'd like the 3rd or 4th decks better - and if you are prone to motion sickness you are better off lower in the ship.

Enjoy - you will love it.

Hi Zimmy:

Which one out of San Juan this December? We are on Dec. 9th.

Zimmy can you tell me what month you cruised when you experienced the motion problems?

Jim, we board the ship when you leave on the 16th. I'm sorry that we won't get to meet. I've enjoyed your posts. Here's hoping that both of us have all adult cruises.

Maryella, that cruise was in early January. But really, take a motion sickness pill when you embark. After that first long period of travel out of San Juan, SeaDream really covers very little ground. After my husband's experience on the first day, he took a pill for the last day when you again travel a little longer to return to San Juan, and he was fine. He is willing and eager to travel SeaDream again - that tells it all!

Zimmy:

Hope you have a great trip and I second your adult theme. If you get to the dock early, you will recognize me. I will be the one being dragged down the gangway while saying "noooooooooooooo". Disney Jen tried to stowaway in one of the lifeboats so now they are strict about making us go home.

All the best.

Jim.

Maryella, that cruise was in early January. But really, take a motion sickness pill when you embark. After that first long period of travel out of San Juan, SeaDream really covers very little ground. After my husband's experience on the first day, he took a pill for the last day when you again travel a little longer to return to San Juan, and he was fine. He is willing and eager to travel SeaDream again - that tells it all!

Hi. My DH and I are on SD's January 6, 2008 cruise. Our first time on a "yacht" cruise. I don't want to beat a dead horse here, but I just need clarification from Zimmy that in your opinion a couple of Dramamine is all that might be needed? Not the patch?

Thanks to all who post on this board. I've enjoyed reading all the entries going back the past couple of years!:)

Venturagirl, I am far from an expert on seasickness and know nothing about the patch. I've certainly seen people wearing them on every cruise we've taken, be it large ship or small. I only know what works for my husband, and he seems to feel that the pill is enough, but only if he takes it before he gets sick. I don't think the pill he takes is called Dramamine, but it might be some form of it. He got the pill on the ship - they handed them out upon request. We have since purchased them at home but I can't recall the name. He is not at all nervous or apprehensive about returning to SeaDream.

We've had some weather issues on each of our three SD cruises -- primarily coming out of San Juan in November 04 and around Bequia in Jan 06 -- some in the BVI last January. However, the captain is WONDERFUL about either avoiding most of the rough water or, as in when we really, really do have to get to the disembarkatin port -- going at whatever speeds make it more comfortable. We stayed in Bequia an extra day to avoid weather -- and this year held our champagne and caviar spash on Prickly Pear because the water was rough at Whites' Bay.

I generally take a Bonine (like Dramamine, but doesn't make you sleepy) the first day and then generally don't need it again -- as others have said, you don't travel that far except the first and last nights.

Deck 2 is great -- I love being able to look out the porthole and see the water whishing by so close!

We'll be doing SD2 next March from Antigua --

Vandrefalk

Thanks so much for your replies and for giving me another product to try. I've only ever used Dramamine, so I'll check out Bonine. This cruise is a splurge for us for one of those big decade birthdays (I'll keep which one to myself ;) ) and I don't want one minute wasted on queasy tummies!

Thanks for the info. We too are big Bonnine fans. Our ship pulls out of SJ about 10:00pm so we will all take 1 before going to bed. It lasts 24 hours so should get us through the longest part to St Barths. Just an FYI about this stuff as well as the Dramamine. Take before you go to bed or you will not be able to lift your head off the dinner table. It knocks the heck out of you. I lost a full day of vacation one year when I popped one before getting on a day sail and I was so lethargic.

The rest of our sail to Barbados looks like short hops so I think we will be OK.

Does anyone know at which ports (on the 4/13 sailing) are docked and which are tendered? I hope the times the boat is anchored at sea will be in a somewhat calm area so I can sleep and/or eat whithout feeling too much motion.

On the last note what is all this hope about an all adult cruise? Will people on the ship avoid us because we will have our 2 teens daughters with us (they will be 16 & 18)? I understand not wanting to have a bunch of screaming kids on board but will we be shunned by everyone with two teens?

We chose this ship because we wanted a small upscale cruise to celebrate our daughters HS graduation.

Maryella,

I just got off a Med cruise where there were a lot of kids and teens, not a problem at all. The families were very nice, the teens well behaved, and I found no one was shunned for any reason. The guests were all very nice, friendly and everyone made you feel welcome. The kids enjoyed the watersports and the I-pod night and disco thanks to James the Activities Director. I think we had 3 movies under the stars also which was great. You and your girls will have a wonderful cruise. :)

Maryella:

I agree that you should have no problem with your 16 & 18 year old young adults. For a complete discussion of this topic and for an illustration on how children can change the SeaDream dynamics on board, this is well covered in my review "SD I March 20-27 review" at the top of page three of these boards. the comments are from all perspectives. Hope you have a great trip.

Jim.

Jim

I just read the aforementioned review of your kiddie cruise.

OUCH! You didnt mix words thats for sure. I agree that the type of scene you witnessed would not make me happy as well after paying that kind of money. However there have been many times where our family has stayed at luxury resorts and some adults have acted more obnoxious and ruder than the children. I know being in a confined space with that many kids would have me in Margarittaville more often than not.

But in defense of (my) teens---------not all of them need the entertainment that is offered on the megga ships. My girls were very content on lasts summers Danube River cruise where the average age was 70. They had their books, Ipods and found 2 other teens where they spent the night talking and playing checkers!!!! They loved the trip!

Many of the Caribbean resorts we visit are remote without computers, cell phone service etc and the kids just enjoy swimming in the sea and never want to leave.

I know we will have a great family vacation next April on SD. Hopefully minus the under 12 crowd. I do agree that sometimes parents dont think vacation plans through when little ones are involved. Hopefully they will show consideration to other passengers on these type of cruises in the future.

Zimmy:

Hope you have a great trip and I second your adult theme. If you get to the dock early, you will recognize me. I will be the one being dragged down the gangway while saying "noooooooooooooo". Disney Jen tried to stowaway in one of the lifeboats so now they are strict about making us go home.

All the best.

Jim.

I still am looking for places to stowaway Jim:p

DH and I are looking at either a late Feb or March cruise in the Caribbean ... still playing with calendars.

This will be our third 3 on SD in the Caribbean and we haven't had an issue with "motion in the ocean."

Maryella:

I thought that might be helpful. As you saw, the topic produced the most responses of any thread on these boards and a certain amount of emotion. If we ever have that kind of trip again, it will be the end of our SeaDream time. Having said that, we have a Mediterranean cruise in October and a Caribbean in December coming up. I have to admit, even the kiddie cruise was better than a Carnival cruise. I know you will have a great trip. A suggestion: after this trip, book one for the two of you. Enjoy the full deal that SeaDream markets to "55 privileged couples". When SeaDream is on their game, they are the best there is. Also, we expect a review when you return. Helps us poor souls not on the ship to survive between cruises. All the best.

Jim.