SeaDream vs. Seabourn

[glenr]

My wife and I have taken two cruises in the past year, Celebrity in the Caribbean and then Seabourn for the Dalmatian Gems cruise. Not having any reference, I thought Celebrity was pretty good, but then trying Seabourn (Spirit) I was blown away. We really liked the small ship, food quality and our fellow passengers. Can anyone who has tried both Seabourn and SeaDream comment on the differences between them? We want to do the Med in spring, and I would do Seabourn again without a doubt, but SeaDream has some interesting itineraries and its always nice to try something new. Thanks.

 

Glen

[Jim Avery]

My wife and I have taken two cruises in the past year, Celebrity in the Caribbean and then Seabourn for the Dalmatian Gems cruise. Not having any reference, I thought Celebrity was pretty good, but then trying Seabourn (Spirit) I was blown away. We really liked the small ship, food quality and our fellow passengers. Can anyone who has tried both Seabourn and SeaDream comment on the differences between them? We want to do the Med in spring, and I would do Seabourn again without a doubt, but SeaDream has some interesting itineraries and its always nice to try something new. Thanks.

 

Glen

 

Ganttc and Disney Jen are our resident comparo pros and will, I am sure weigh in here. You can also scroll down (maybe on page 2 or 3 by now) as this exact thread has been asked before. Or search this forum. You will get lots of info.

J.

[DisneyJen]

Hi Glen!

 

We (DJ's DH and I) have sailed SeaDream four times and Seabourn once. We sailed on the Seabourn Pride.

 

Here are the links to my trip report which compares and contrasts:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=463309&highlight=

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=463313&highlight=

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=463753&highlight=

 

Our personal preference is for SeaDream because of the following:

 

1. While it is fun on occasion to dress up we really like the lack of formal nights on SD. When we were on SB DJ's DH took his tux and wore it twice during the cruise. When we are on SD he takes his Navy blazer and wears it only when chilly.

 

2. SD has OUTSTANDING outdoor space from the Bali Beds to the loungers by the pool to the Top of the Yacht Bar. DJ's DH burns easily so he is always looking for shade. When we were on SB he had a hard time finding a shady place to relax. On SD it is easy to find a shaded place to relax.

 

3. Location of the pool ... SD has the pool at the aft while SB's is tucked away like an afterthought outside one of the restaurants.

 

4. We prefer the smaller SD yachts with a max of 110 people compared to 200 people on SB's triplets and 400 on the new Odyssey.

 

5. No smoking in doors on SD. This is huge for us as DJ's DH and I cannot stand the smell of smoke.

 

There are folks on the SB board who have sailed SD and preferred that over their SD experience.

[wripro]

The bottom line is you can't go wrong with either.

[Thumper69]

My partner and I are having a similar tug of war. We have sailed SB Pride, Windstar a few years ago and absolutely loved it and recently mass market lines. The mass market lines and are nice but not Seabourn and I'm sure Sea Dream. We want to do a transatlantic crossing, we love sea days. We have decided to do a small luxury ship namely one of the SB ships, possibly Windstar but would love to try SD. My only concerns are the size of the suite and stability of a small vessel on the Atlantic. The usual size suite we get is the similar to a Seabourn suite so we would be looking at deck 2/3. I rather like the look of 215. Do you feel cramped in the suites? I'm not even going to compare the mass market suites of a similar size because I'm not trying to escape 2500 people. Are the public areas like an extension of your room rather than going out? I just love the Top bar area. We love the motion and sound of the ocean so unless it is unusually rough that shouldn't be a problem.

 

Thanks

Anthony

[ganttc]

Hi Glen...And Jim...And DisneyJen and.....

 

My Partner and I have been on Seabourn Legend and SeaDream II. Both are fantastic products. As wripro says, your are not going to go wrong on either. That being said, I found them to be very different experiences.

 

Seabourn - more formal "white glove" type service. SeaDream, elegant but very casual. I own 1 wedding/funeral suit and no tux. Needless to say, for me, SeaDream fits better there.

 

Seabourn - cabins are bigger and I liked the layout better. Bathroom and closet much larger as well. Both are very well appointed and you will want for nothing. I stumbled in late from the Sky Bar / Top of the Yacht Bar so a soft bed was all I needed!

 

SeaDream - Pool area WAY outshines Seabourn Legend.

 

I found food on both great.

 

Upcharge on SeaDream for some premium liquor. I usually drink Kettle One vodka at home (no hangover). and it was on the upcharge list (SD standards were Absolute, Stoly and Sky so it isn't that you'll be drinking well brands, but it is a bit annoying) Seabourn serves all major brands without the upcharge.

 

Service level on both great.

 

We did Med on SB, Caribbean on SD....The crowd on SD was much younger - probably average 50 or so. SB was easily 10-15 years older. May have been the itinerary. Both crowds were great, well traveled and fun to be around. I even enjoyed hanging out with Jim A. on the SD trip. I imagine we'll keep in touch with several people from each sailing.

 

As a testiment to our enjoyment, we put a future deposit on Seabourn before leaving, and booked the 5/29 Rome-Athens trip on SeaDream before we got off that trip. We're sold on small luxury cruising and may end up in the poor house as a result.

 

If you need a personal valet for whatever trip you select, please send the address for me to send my application.

 

Good luck and have fun!

 

Best regards,

Gantt Cookson

Atlanta

[flag fan]

Cammiem -- Thank you for your post. I am on the verge of booking a SeaDream cruise for next year, but even after researching for about a year I still have some questions and in the information in your links has really helped.

[wripro]

Flag Fan,

 

In the interest of obtaining a fair comparison I suggest you also post your query on the Seabourn board.

[DisneyJen]

I agree with wripro as one needs to research both lines to get a feel as to which will be the best fit.

[Cammiem]

Cammiem -- Thank you for your post. I am on the verge of booking a SeaDream cruise for next year, but even after researching for about a year I still have some questions and in the information in your links has really helped.

 

My pleasure, flag fan. :)

 

You're welcome to contact me directly with the rest of those questions. My email address is on the blog.

[glenr]

Thanks to everyone who posted a response. This only makes it more difficult .:)

 

My hope is to do an Athens-Istanbul (or reverse) 7-8 day cruise in late May, early June. Seabourn's at that time is on the new ship, which sounds intriguing, but SeaDreams itinerary looks really nice. My wife and I are 53 and found we were amongst the youngest people on the Spirit (Dalmatian Gems). That might have been the time of year or itinerary, but we met very nice people so it turned out not to be a factor, although during embarkation I was a little worried. I don't have a problem with dressing formally, or not, but it might be nice to try a new line as we are new to cruising and the only way to know is to go.

 

Jury is till out. I will let the wife decide. Thanks again.

 

Glen

[Jim Avery]

Jury is till out. I will let the wife decide. Thanks again.

 

Glen

 

Smart---very smart.:D

[Cammiem]

Jury is till out. I will let the wife decide. Thanks again.

 

Glen

 

Smart---very smart.:D

 

Yes, letting the wife decide is very smart. It's worked for us for the past 22+ years. :D

[spunky123]

With regard to Seabourn - they have a hard time finding what you want when you want it. I drink decaffinated English Breakfast tea. I was told for three days they did not have any which I found hard to believe since I put it on my order form months before we sailed. On the third day I finally was able to get my tea. They also could not find any decaffinated coke and kept bringing me diet coke which is not what I had put on my order form. They were able to find the decaffinated coke but it took a few days. The products were on board but where on board was the question.

 

Also on Seabourn they do continue to remind guests to rate them a 10. However, we found that in the restaurants the service for those who want non alchoholic beverages is slow. The wait staff is unable to serve those drinks as quickly because they have the bar staff pouring wine but the bar staff doesn't want to travel to get the non alcoholic beverages and if you get your first drink you most certainly won't see a refill anytime during your meal - maybe by dessert. My husband and I don't drink alcohol and every night we waited and waited for our drinks while those drinking wine with dinner were served promptly because the decanters were very close.

 

Seabourn will not deliver room service to a table by the pool. If you like to sit outside they want you to order the food to your room and then the question becomes how to get it by the pool. My husband was in all day due to a food allergic reaction. He hadn't eaten since breakfast when he had the reaction to buckwheat pancakes. By 10 at night he was hungry so I requested some food by the pool because he wanted to sit outside after being in the room all day. I was told we could not have room service by the pool only to the room. It was suggested to me that I order to the room. So I asked then are you saying I should carry the tray to the pool? Even after explaining that my husband suffered an allergic reaction which required medical attention and the use of his epi pen they still had no interest in serving us by the pool.

 

I have no interest in returning to Seaboun. I also forgot to mention with the water sports platform they had fairly young people driving the boat that was pulling the bananna. They are not supposed to go more than 10mph when pulling the bananna. We were on and they sped up to much faster than 10 mph and when I hit the water I felt my ribs were broke. The force took the wind out of me and two others as well. I had deep brusies all over my legs, arm and body. I don't think they were paying attention to their speed and to the people on the bannana. I really enjoy swimming off the back of the ship on Wind Star but not on Seabourn because they have a small cage and it feels very closed in and small. Definatley not like swimming off the back of a ship.

 

I am looking forward to trying SD although I anticipate that the rooms will be much smaller than they were on SB.

[frequent traveler]

Thanks to everyone who posted a response. This only makes it more difficult .:)

 

My hope is to do an Athens-Istanbul (or reverse) 7-8 day cruise in late May, early June. Seabourn's at that time is on the new ship, which sounds intriguing, but SeaDreams itinerary looks really nice.

 

Jury is till out. I will let the wife decide. Thanks again.

 

Glen

 

We've never tried SB but have been considering lately as our calendars are highly structured. But we did a back to back - Athens to Istanbul to Athens on SD II in 2010. I posted daily (Tthis the first time I've ever tried to insert a link

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1154823

 

if it doesn't work the thread is called "SD II May 23-June 5,2010" and if you sort the board by number of views it comes up as number 4.

 

Anyway, this cruise was magical - from the service, food, and weather - Med was smooth as glass to the itinerary. We loved it.

 

FT

[fpebbles]

Seabourn will not deliver room service to a table by the pool.

 

Disclaimers

1. I have not sailed Seabourn.

2. I am a Seadream fan.

 

But in the interest of what fairness I can offer wanted to say that Seadream's offering of incabin room service is somewhat limited. This is not an issue for me, but I know it has been for some.

 

On the one occasion that I was ill (not Seadream's fault, a lovely little beachside restaurant was to blame :eek:) they did not stick to the "rules" but were trying to bring me all sorts of food.

 

Happy sailing. Whichever you choose, these are wonderful dilemas. I just got off a big mainstream cruise ship. While I look forward to returning to Seadream shortly, I was hardly suffering even with those 3000+ other pax. :D

[Jim Avery]

I can say we had room service food delivered to the Sky Bar on Seabourn Spirit. Of course we have often had food delivered to the Bali Beds, the Pool Deck, etc. on SeaDream.:D I never seem to have a problem on either line gaining a pound a day.:eek: No shortage of food options.

[Naveron]

I drink decaffinated English Breakfast tea. I was told for three days they did not have any which I found hard to believe since I put it on my order form months before we sailed. On the third day I finally was able to get my tea. They also could not find any decaffinated coke and kept bringing me diet coke which is not what I had put on my order form. They were able to find the decaffinated coke but it took a few days. The products were on board but where on board was the question.

 

.

 

With all due respect, the items you mention are not exactly everyday items and in fact, are counter-intuitive. I think its a bit harsh to judge Seabourn on the delay in supplying those products. After all, you are not at home where you know where to readily buy those products.

[Zimmy]

With all due respect, the items you mention are not exactly everyday items and in fact, are counter-intuitive. I think its a bit harsh to judge Seabourn on the delay in supplying those products. After all, you are not at home where you know where to readily buy those products.

 

But Naveron, the poster said that the items were already on the ship. They didn't have to find a place to buy them. I'm not knocking Seabourn - I like Seabourn. But on SD if you go to a bar and ask for something they don't have there, the bartender knows where they do have it and sends for it on the spot.

[Jim Avery]

Now that Seabourn has sold the 3 small ships, maybe we will never have the "compare SeaDream to Seabourn" threads again. There will no longer be any legitimate comparison. As far as Windstar (Xanterra Resorts) running the 3 Seabourn Triplets, I understand it will not be all inclusive so that also will be a non comparison issue. Sounding more like SeaDream will become more unique.:D

[knotheadusc]

Well... there is always Tere Moana... It sounds like they've had a rough start, though.

[commodoredave]

Jim, I don't agree. For many years Crystal was not all-inclusive yet it was often compared to the other large luxury lines. So I personally don't consider including booze a defining element of comparing small ships. On our last Windstar cruise, we just bought the alcohol package -- no big deal.

[Jim Avery]

It is not the money, I just hate having to sign the little chits every drink. Just reinforces the fact that you are not on a "private yacht" as they market.

[commodoredave]

It is not the money, I just hate having to sign the little chits every drink. Just reinforces the fact that you are not on a "private yacht" as they market.

 

I agree. But on our recent Windstar cruise, we never had to sign chits -- just show our card with the sticker on it. And after awhile, they remembered us and never asked to see it.

[richb21]

Commodore Dave,

 

I note you have recently sailed with both Windstar and SeaDream.

 

We are weighing options between the two on an Athens to Istanbul cruise this summer, Windstar seems to have raised their game (at least with ship refurbishment) and are much less expensive (even when considering tips and alcohol), but SeaDream itinerary seems more interesting with later nights in port.

 

Would love to hear observations you might have comparing the two. I know it is been commented on in the past but your experience seems more recent.

 

Thanks.