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ama22

By ama22,
in SeaDream Yacht Club

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ama22

ama22

Posted
Posted

Ok, SeaDreamers. This board is getting lonely!

 

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy holiday, and a New Year of cruising on Sea Dream.

 

Mary Lou

 

P.S. I haven't been on Sea Dream yet (going in Sept), but I'm already hooked.

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Archipelago

Archipelago

Posted
Posted

I had a cruise on the QE2 one year at this same time as Jen . I did not care for it because it was a mad rush when I got back for Christmas . It could be that she is really busy with preparations for the holidays because of losing the week that they were on the Pride ! Just a thought .

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ctbjr1309

ctbjr1309

Posted
Posted
Disney Jen, don't keep us in suspense!

 

Oh... could it be that she's found a new home and is leaving us twisting slowly slowly in the wind?

 

Jen... say it isn't so!!!:eek:

 

I'll bet that she's busily writing a review of her Nov. '05 SD 2 from Palm Beach to St. Thomas. It'll no doubt be worth the wait....

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alita

alita

Posted
Posted
I'll bet that she's busily writing a review of her Nov. '05 SD 2 from Palm Beach to St. Thomas. It'll no doubt be worth the wait....

If that's the case then we won't hear about Seabourn till January 2008!

 

And speaking of January 2008, I wonder if she'll desert Seabourn to join us on the SD2 cruise?

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bfw10

bfw10

Posted
Posted

Hi Everyone. I just did my first Sea Dream trip in November in the Med. It was fabulous. Almost as great as the Paul Goguin but I missed the balcones. The staff was wonderful. Spoiled me to pieces. Wishing all of you cruisers out there a happy holiday. B

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LBLBSC

LBLBSC

Posted
Posted

The board has been way too quiet, so I thought I would liven things up a bit! After all the excitement of the crossings, everyone has gone silent.

So, while everybody else is enjoying this eve, I will chime in with a cruise comparison comment - in response to BFW10 recently on this SDYC board.

We just returned this week from a voyage on the Regent Paul Gauguin, mentioned by BFW10, in French Polynesia / Tahiti / Society Islands.

I was surprised to click onto this cruise critic site and find a comment on the SDYC board comparing the SDYC and Paul Gauguin ships, so I am adding my 2 cents, for whatever it is worth.

I don't think the Regent Paul Gauguin and SDYC are even comparable ships. It is akin to describing the difference between apples and oranges.

The SDYC is the best at sea!

The Regent Paul Gauguin, although holding itself out as "small" and intimate (at a passenger capacity of 300+), is at heart, a "traditional" (albeit somewhat casual) cruise line.

SDYC is not a traditional cruise, and was created (according to what I have read), to duplicate a private Yachting experience, and not to even attempt to be a standard cruise line .

Yes, I would agree with BFW10, that the balcony is a definite plus on the Paul Gauguin, and inherent in that comment is the heart of the comparitive issue.

The "problem" is that differing levels of service are accorded to guests on the Paul Gauguin depending upon the stateroom booked. On higher decks, and in certain staterooms, (which come with balconies), guests are provided "butler service", but on the lower decks, only "standard" service! And certainly not "5 or 6 star service" on a lower deck!

This difference reminds me of class distinctions, or of the differing experience between first class, business class, and economy class on the airlines.

Guests on the Paul Gauguin are very aware of deck level, and stateroom, and who is receiving better service, and who spent more to get better service. The "competition" of better staterooms and service, and balconies, is always present in an undercurrent inherent in the competive culture between the passengers.

An overwhelming number of passengers in Tahiti are Californians, although most parts of the world are represented.

On the Paul Gauguin, you do get a better level of quality service depending upon your deck, your stateroom, and also then how much you pay for your cruise.

On SDYC, (and we have cruised twice on SD), all guests are treated the same- with the very highest level of 6 star treatment, even though booked in a lower deck. The food on SDYC was, and is, superior and exceptional, way beyond the fare offered on Paul Gauguin, and dining reservations on SDYC are not needed for a "special" french dinner experience.

Bali beds are available to everyone on SDYC- and nobody needs to purchase a balcony stateroom in order to be accorded a personal view!

The top deck of the Paul Gauguin actually had a yacht bar that never opened during the entire week! I asked and learned it was for "private parties or special occasions" - I still have not figured that out.

I could go on and on.....I just wanted to present another point of view. I don't think the two experiences can, or should, be compared, especially on the SDYC board.

If you are seeking a traditional cruise, with showtime entertainment, and dinners scheduled around showtime, and photographers, and are willing to pay for extras, then the Regent Paul Gauguin, which cruises in one of the most beautiful places in the world, is a good choice for you.

But you should be sure to pay the Regent premium pricies, and book a balcony to receive premium service.

However, if you wish to just have the best service, best food, and the best personal small yachting experience available, then SDYC has no comparison on the seas, and that is why they have been named #1.

I could go on and on, I am only offering my opinion and comparisons to add to the comments of BFW10.

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ctbjr1309

ctbjr1309

Posted
Posted
Happy New Year to all. Any Disney Jen sightings? Maybe Frequent Traveler or ctbjr know? Still waiting on a review. Hope all is well.

Jim.

 

Happy New Year to you also, Jim. I have seen no post cruise postings from Jen but did exchange emails with her last week. She's home and said that she plans to post something in the near future. Like everybody else, I'm waiting anxiously to hear her comparison of SB and SD.

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alita

alita

Posted
Posted

LBLBSC.... I'm hoping this board will come to life again and so I'll make my own contribution to the PG~SD discussion. We first sailed PG nearly 5 years ago, a back-2-back cruise which was absolutely wonderful, we'd never had such a great experience... food, space, staff and crew all were fabulous and this was without factoring in the beauty and fascination of the South Seas. It was a 10 on a scale of 1-10.

 

Then we returned a little over a year ago for a 2 week cruise which visited the Cook Islands in addition to French Polynesia. There had been a major change in PG management and not for the better; we knew about this and went ahead anyway but upgraded to a Grand Suite just in case it wasn't the great experience that it had been earlier. And that was the smartest thing we did for the rest of the ship had changed in ways that made the voyage seem more like a small mainstream cruise w/o the nickel and dimeing: many more tables crowded into the dining room, food mediocre for the most part, staff rushed and service so-so, officers sitting around one of the better tables night after night but never interacting with passengers, morale low among many of the crew/staff I spoke with, large groups that had been booked through the new owners/managers who hogged chairs, took over the pool, etc... on a scale of 10 I gave it no more than a 6 and it would have been lower than that if we hadn't been in the large suite with a huge verandah, lots of space and superb service from the butler. I personally would *never* sail again on the Paul Gauguin... for me it had deteriorated from one of the finest experiences at sea to an ordinary cruise on an overcrowded ship which didn't deliver the advertised product.

 

Then we come to Sea Dream, both I & 2. Having spent 3 weeks on them during the last two months I feel well placed to evaluate them and I have to say there is no contest... none! Against the PG of 2000-2003 I think there would have been similiarities and perhaps an equally enjoyable experience but sadly those days are gone... but the good news is that Sea Dream does provide an experience which is equal to and often better than the old PG. I did both a crossing and a sailing around the coast of Spain; in spite of the fire on the Barcelona-Seville sailing it has replaced the first PG trip as my all-time favorite cruise... service, ship, food, ambience were all tops. A lot of the credit goes to Captain Johannes who was always around and very accessible... one of my favorite memories was reaching for a bottle of water in the ice chest as I was getting off at one of the ports; he took it from me and grabbed a towel and carefully dried it off before handing it back... how's that for service!!

 

Sea Dream I was equally as good with wonderful food and service... this was a younger crowd and there was a lot of partying, especially when we crossed the equator. I don't shock easily but then again, perhaps I'm a little too old to enjoy the kind of hi-jinks that went on for a couple of days and nights. But the ship was always welcoming, the staff never said no to a request, and I felt at home from the moment I boarded. The one thing I particularly remember from this sailing was the kindness of the wait staff, especially Donatos, the Maitre 'd... he took very good care of me, even to meeting me at the top of the gangplank with a glass of champange on our last night as I returned from Buzios... it can't get better than that!!

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LBLBSC

LBLBSC

Posted
Posted

Alita:

You were on target exactly in describing our current PG experience...especially when describing the crew and staff of the PG in comparison to SD.

It was my mistake in my expectations....I was accustomed to wonderful treatment without a balcony, because on deck 2, with SD I was treated as special. I was surprised to experience mass cruising instead on the highly rated PG.

Although I guess "Captain T" would treat all guests with similar graciousness, (when handing out a water bottle), I do understand your noticing that he is a Captain who cares about his guests.

We did not experience that one of a kind specialness on the PG. Captain T just has that special way of making each guest feel unique, doesn't he?

I am sure the SD is pleased to have you share your experience on this board. I have enjoyed following along on our letters. Thank you.

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alita

alita

Posted
Posted

A couple of comments on your post...

 

"It was my mistake in my expectations...."

 

I don't think it was your mistake, I think it was their extravagant advertising... I regularly get expensive glossy brochures from Regent and those for the PG are over the top.

 

Captain Johannes was wonderful to everyone on that cruise... this was a sailing that started with a fire and could easily have been a disaster but Capt J, his officers and staff/crew--always accessible and friendly--made sure we all felt safe and protected. Had this not been true the passengers could well have reacted in a different way to the situation...

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DisneyJen "Live from...." Rare

DisneyJen

Posted
Posted

Happy New Year all!!

 

Sorry for the delay in check-in after our Brand X cruise. Archipelago hit the nail on the head ... cruising so close to Christmas meant that it was a jam-packed holiday period. Thank goodness DH returned to work today so I can get caught up on important things ... like CC!!

 

I have the first 1 and 1/2 pages of my review finished. And no ctbjr it is not of the Nov 05 cruise:p

 

Let's just say that there is no place like home ... and for us that is SD!

 

More to come ... I promise!

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