Seabourn vs SeaDream vs Crystal- Summer 2012

[fzcruiser]

Dear CC,

 

I've also posted this on the other boards to gain a larger prospective.

 

How do you do ? :)

 

This is my first (second) post on CC, and I'm seeking advise on the upcoming cruise. As many of you seem to feel the same way, I find cruising to be the most important investment I make during the year, the one that gives me the best satisfaction, and greatest time with my family. This is why when I cruise, I do spend a lot of time pouring over the different options prior to making a decision on the voyage that I feel best suits me. To me, my annual vacation is a big deal and I want to make the right choice, so excuse me if I go into a lot of detail- this isn't just ''a holiday'' for me, but rather the one part of the year I look forward to most.

 

Previously, I've cruised on a lot of the mass market lines like Holland and RCI, prior to settling down with Seabourn. I absolutely adore Seabourn, however it must be noted that I have not sailed on any of their original triplets- only the Odyssey and Sojourn, around the Med as well as in Northern Europe.

 

The above ships are absolutely a delight- both my cruises on them were flawless. One of the things I dislike though, is that when I can travel (peak seasons) they only offer 7 night voyages on the big sisters. I did a back to back once and didn't like the lack of 'flow' on the voyage, if you understand what I mean (especially as the Seabourn big girls have entreatment, which is repeated, etc..).

 

As such, this year I've been looking at longer cruises- either a 12 night cruise on Crystal Serenity, a 10 night cruise on Seabourn Legend or a 7 night voyage on SaeDream II.

 

While it may seem strange that I included SD in that equation, I felt that SD's ships can be experienced well in 7 nights, and that a week's cruise on an SD ship won't feel rushed as it is on, say, the Odyssey, which was really built with longer cruises in mind. If you just relax in your cabin and watch a movie, you won't feel that you're missing so much going on outside, which is the way I felt aboard Seabourn's week-long cruises.

 

The Crystal voyage is longer, quite port-intensive but does have three sea days, many overnights and a company that has a great reputation. Nonetheless, I've been to some of the places on the itinerary before, and as I love smaller ships am afraid that the service as such will be compromised.

 

The Seabourn cruise, well, I stay on the safe side, something I know and love, try a smaller Seabourn ship and go to quite interesting ports a long the way.

 

SeaDream- always on my bucket list, if I don't do it this year I will the next, or the one after, the whole concept seems alluring, I like the ships, have seen them along side many a port. Love the water sports marina, and the concept of jet-skiing around the ship, sleeping under the stars, it really does get to me. Only thing slightly stopping me is the length- 7 days.

 

Prices for the cruises are (prior to addition of tax bar Seabourn which has it included).

 

12 Nights Crystal- $5,410 per person

10 Nights Seabourn- $4,699 per person

7 Nights SeaDream- $4,699 per person

 

As I want the best advise you can give me I'll be very candid in saying that one of the things I like about Crystal is that many of their slightly longer itineraries are within my budget. At the end of the day we all have one, and the price I can pay comfortably for a cruise is about the $5,500 per person range. Anything above $6,000 per person isn't that comfortable, with $8000 + being a splurge, something I'm only willing to do once every few years for truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, not just an annual vacation. The reason my budgeting is such is that I usually have a long three week post and pre cruise tour of the region, which I must calculate into the final cost. I see that whenever SeaDream does a longer cruise, their prices are well above my budget- but for the crossings and 7 nighters, I do have a range of voyages to pick from.

 

Would you advise me to do SD, stick with SB or go for the longer Crystal cruise? My concern with Crystal is again, service will suffer and that the ship will be too big.

[Seabourntraveller]

Dear CC,

 

I've also posted this on the other boards to gain a larger prospective.

 

How do you do ? :)

 

This is my first (second) post on CC, and I'm seeking advise on the upcoming cruise. As many of you seem to feel the same way, I find cruising to be the most important investment I make during the year, the one that gives me the best satisfaction, and greatest time with my family. This is why when I cruise, I do spend a lot of time pouring over the different options prior to making a decision on the voyage that I feel best suits me. To me, my annual vacation is a big deal and I want to make the right choice, so excuse me if I go into a lot of detail- this isn't just ''a holiday'' for me, but rather the one part of the year I look forward to most.

 

Previously, I've cruised on a lot of the mass market lines like Holland and RCI, prior to settling down with Seabourn. I absolutely adore Seabourn, however it must be noted that I have not sailed on any of their original triplets- only the Odyssey and Sojourn, around the Med as well as in Northern Europe.

 

The above ships are absolutely a delight- both my cruises on them were flawless. One of the things I dislike though, is that when I can travel (peak seasons) they only offer 7 night voyages on the big sisters. I did a back to back once and didn't like the lack of 'flow' on the voyage, if you understand what I mean (especially as the Seabourn big girls have entreatment, which is repeated, etc..).

 

As such, this year I've been looking at longer cruises- either a 12 night cruise on Crystal Serenity, a 10 night cruise on Seabourn Legend or a 7 night voyage on SaeDream II.

 

While it may seem strange that I included SD in that equation, I felt that SD's ships can be experienced well in 7 nights, and that a week's cruise on an SD ship won't feel rushed as it is on, say, the Odyssey, which was really built with longer cruises in mind. If you just relax in your cabin and watch a movie, you won't feel that you're missing so much going on outside, which is the way I felt aboard Seabourn's week-long cruises.

 

The Crystal voyage is longer, quite port-intensive but does have three sea days, many overnights and a company that has a great reputation. Nonetheless, I've been to some of the places on the itinerary before, and as I love smaller ships am afraid that the service as such will be compromised.

 

The Seabourn cruise, well, I stay on the safe side, something I know and love, try a smaller Seabourn ship and go to quite interesting ports a long the way.

 

SeaDream- always on my bucket list, if I don't do it this year I will the next, or the one after, the whole concept seems alluring, I like the ships, have seen them along side many a port. Love the water sports marina, and the concept of jet-skiing around the ship, sleeping under the stars, it really does get to me. Only thing slightly stopping me is the length- 7 days.

 

Prices for the cruises are (prior to addition of tax bar Seabourn which has it included).

 

12 Nights Crystal- $5,410 per person

10 Nights Seabourn- $4,699 per person

7 Nights SeaDream- $4,699 per person

 

As I want the best advise you can give me I'll be very candid in saying that one of the things I like about Crystal is that many of their slightly longer itineraries are within my budget. At the end of the day we all have one, and the price I can pay comfortably for a cruise is about the $5,500 per person range. Anything above $6,000 per person isn't that comfortable, with $8000 + being a splurge, something I'm only willing to do once every few years for truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, not just an annual vacation. The reason my budgeting is such is that I usually have a long three week post and pre cruise tour of the region, which I must calculate into the final cost. I see that whenever SeaDream does a longer cruise, their prices are well above my budget- but for the crossings and 7 nighters, I do have a range of voyages to pick from.

 

Would you advise me to do SD, stick with SB or go for the longer Crystal cruise? My concern with Crystal is again, service will suffer and that the ship will be too big.

 

Stick with Seabourn IMO...the Crystal cruise is too expensive for only being onboard two extra days...not worth paying the extra $$$$ then again I am an "el cheapo"!:D Also Seadream way overpriced for what it is as well.

[NEOPHYTUS]

IMO, Crystal for consistency,predictability and value. Seadream is a different product, not comparable to this cruise category but Silversea and Regent are.

As for Seabourn, the Hollandization process is about halfway through with the former Mercedes/BMW class performer being methodically reduced to Toyota status, thus overpriced, overrated and banking on its old reputation.

You're doing heckuva job, Rick Meadows.....

[NEOPHYTUS]

IMO, Crystal for consistency,predictability and value. Seadream is a different product, not comparable to this cruise category but Silversea and Regent are.

As for Seabourn, the Hollandization process is about halfway through with the former Mercedes/BMW class performer being methodically reduced to Toyota status, thus overpriced, overrated and banking on its old reputation.

You're doing heckuva job, Rick Meadows.....

[Seabourntraveller]

IMO, Crystal for consistency,predictability and value. Seadream is a different product, not comparable to this cruise category but Silversea and Regent are.

As for Seabourn, the Hollandization process is about halfway through with the former Mercedes/BMW class performer being methodically reduced to Toyota status, thus overpriced, overrated and banking on its old reputation.

You're doing heckuva job, Rick Meadows.....

 

IMO Crystal=Floating OVERPRICED EXPEN$IVE NUR$ING HOME:p

[claudiaYVR]

I am 46, husband is 51. Sailed Crystal three times, Seabourn (Odyssey) once, soon to sail Seabourn Spirit in the mediterranean.

 

In our opinion (for many reasons but right at the top is the quality of service) and based on our limited experience, Crystal is near flawless and Seabourn comes close. If your main concern is service on Crystal you need not worry. Having only sailed on the Symphony I

cannot comment on the Serenity but the Crystal ships' size does not impact the level of service in any way, the crew to passenger ratio does; and on Crystal it is so high that we have never had a service issue whatsoever.

 

For us, as we're still employed full time and vacation time is limited, itinerary drives the decision between Crystal and Seabourn knowing that we really cannot lose either way.

 

Finally, demographics vary depending on the itinerary, length and time of the year. Allowing that the Crystal crowd may be older in general terms, there is never a shortage of pax in the 40 to 60 range and by the way, the best friendships we've forged on either line have been with folks who could easily be our parents.

 

Good luck, I don't think you can go wrong but because I will always go for the longer cruise that has some sea days to rest up and relax, I would vote for the Crystal cruise you're considering.

[alexandra cruiser]

many to detail,,,first cabins,,VERY SMALL and bathroom is TINY,,for a tall person,,almost non functional...

 

then NO BALCONY,or windows that open,,very dark and clautrophobic..

 

TOO SMALL,,,and no entertainment.

 

Food and service were excellent,,but to sit outside for most dinners,,,you had to reserve the 5 tables available,,,WHAT???

 

NO room service...

 

Yes, servers KNEW your name,,,but ship felt VERY small after 7 days...

 

Stick with Seabourn,,,,IMO;)

[Emperor Norton]

IMO Crystal=Floating OVERPRICED EXPEN$IVE NUR$ING HOME:p

 

IME That's not near accurate. While on one Crystal cruise one obnoxious/self important individual set himself and his wheelchairbound mother up for a walking intensive tour (Chichen-Itza) the people I've met on Crystal have at least been up to me in mobility (eg: so long as you aren't shot along the way, good to go). Well, there was that one mindless freak in Ketichikan who torpedoed our whole trip (bus slid off into a 3' ditch and she started doing her best impression of poulet sans tete - as "the bus was going to explode and kill us all" so instead of being able to die in the initial explosion we had to wait outside the bus. In the rain. For the explosion that was ne'er going to happen. In any way, shape or form. Consequently those of us not related to headless fowl received the "I survived Ketichikan" pins (as opposed to her and her lot who got the far more mundane "I Canoed Ketchikan". That reminds me of all the nursing home types that I rafted Mendenhall Glacier with and had waterfights using 5gallon buckets of that oh-so warm glacier water. Oh wait, broadbrush/oversweeping generalizations FTW.

 

If you want Gods waiting room type ships, Regent is the current forerunner.

 

Crystal to me was the first line to IMO deserve 6* ratings. Granted that was back when dinosaurs roamed the planet and the restaurant staff all had

Western European service backgrounds. Since then they're still (again IMO) the only line that deserves a 6* rating (however check back with me in say the middle of August after my first Seabourn cruise on the Pride).

 

For the ADD/TLDR crowd: Crystal is consistently awesome and at least Seabourntraveler and Mariner have given Seabourn mostly glowing reviews, ergo can't go wrong with either one.:cool:

[fzcruiser]

IMO, Crystal for consistency,predictability and value. Seadream is a different product, not comparable to this cruise category but Silversea and Regent are.

As for Seabourn, the Hollandization process is about halfway through with the former Mercedes/BMW class performer being methodically reduced to Toyota status, thus overpriced, overrated and banking on its old reputation.

You're doing heckuva job, Rick Meadows.....

 

 

First of all thank you to everyone for their input.

 

Just a question for Neophytus- in what ways have Seabourn been recently ''Holland Americanized''? My last sailing on Seabourn was just a week or so after the annoucement, I am intrested in knowing how things have declined (or not) since.

 

 

Thanks ! :)

[wripro]

Please remember that this is just one person's opinion and he is in the strong minority. Seabourn is still the best small ship experience out there.

[Miss Jet Set]

Having read all previous replies to your enquiry which ship to choose as we have spent many Christmas/New Year holidays on Crystal's Harmony, Symphony and Serenity I can only say we would definitely recommend the latter two. Every cruise was worth 10/10

and as for the 'Nursing Home' I certainly have no recollection of that. Their service and food we have not found better only equal to Seabourn's little sisters.

 

Seadream we have tried once and I agree with every word that Alexandra Cruiser we

would not return, not even for free.

 

Now we come to Seabourn which we also love and have sailed on all three of the

little sisters for quite a few years, we were on the Pride last Christmas and we will be

back next month for another 18 days of luxury and being pampered by the wonderful

crew. We tried the Quest once but found it was not for us and I am afraid we kept

comparing it with Crystal and in our opinion it did not come close.

Yes Crystal is more expensive but you get much more for your money and if we return

to a larger ship it will be with them not Seabourn.

My advice is if you are travelling with a family any under the age of 25 years go with

Crystal. Do let us know what you decide on at the end of the day.

[Caroldoll]

Christmas and it was the cruise from hell. Granted they had a bad drydock, but as far as service--OMG, no service. EXCEPT they had great room service in you want to sit in your room. Too old, too small and too tired. Most of what went wrong was because they didn't leave it in drydock long enough--but no, no, no...Crystal has it all. And, I am not a million years old. Crystal wins hands down.

[wripro]

Carolldoll,

 

I followed your blog while you were one the Pride and commiserated with the mishaps you encountered. I even defended your right to post about them while some criticized you for it. And I still say you were right to let us know what was going on. Seabourn should definitely allow more time after a dry dock to make sure everything is in working order. HOWEVER, based on your one cruise I do not think it accurate to stipulate that Crystal has it hands down over Seabourn. I know people who have come off the Symphony and who swore never to set foot on Crystal again because of the poor service and general dissatisfaction during their cruise. Does this mean Crystal is bad? Of course not, It only means they had a bad experience as you did on your Pride cruise. No line is perfect 100& of the time. I have encouraged my friends to give Crystal another try and I encourage you to do the same with Seabourn.

[Miss Jet Set]

We were on the Pride along with Carol Doll and I read her blog on our return and

have to say our experience was very different to hers. All the problems she

mentioned were in HER stateroom. Yes we had a few problems to start with but

they were fixed and after two days we were back to normal. We all were given a credit

which we did not expect. We never heard any other passengers complaining so I

can assume they too had a minimum of problems.

It was a great cruise as far as we were concerned.

[rl787]

I have been on both Seabourn and Seadream. I personally agree with Alexandra about Seadream, it just wasn't for us. We may have been unlucky as our weather was poor and Seadream is at its best in warm climes but the small suites and bathrooms etc just don't compare to Seabourn.

I personally had some sympathy for Caroldoll on her Seabourn trip, she did a very precise blog however I do think she set the bar particularly high. If you would like to read her blog it is on the links below, you can make your own mind up. I was pleased to see that Miss Jet Set who was on the same cruise as Caroldoll had a different perspective.

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1534521

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1536764

 

I am sure in truth all three will give you an excellent cruise experience and as is quite common in life if you find that 80% of people like something it will probably be good, I feel that judging by these boards Seabourn has a satisfaction rating of nearer 100% than 80%, it should be a great experience for you.

Let us know what you decide.

[fzcruiser]

Thank you all !

 

Have decided to go with Seabourn, although now also considering the July 4 departure of the Spirit.

 

Decided to stick with what I know best, would love to try Crystal and Silversea, but perhaps on another voyage.

 

The triplets won't have more than 3-4 years of Seabourn 'life' unfortunately left in them and they are truly in their twighlight years as Seabourn ships. I'd like to do a few voyages on them before they are replaced by newer vessels.