SeaDream I
Fodor’s Expert Review
Ship Overview
Prototypes for an ultra-luxury yachting experience, the SeaDream Yacht Club megayachts have a history of sailing under several banners. Conceived as a Sea Goddess vessel for that long-defunct boutique cruise line, Sea Goddess I—the first ship, which launched in 1984—subsequently joined the Seabourn fleet to sail as Seabourn Goddess I. SeaDream Yacht Club acquired her in 2002 and named her SeaDream I to launch the cruise line with her twin sister ship SeaDream II.Read More
Although these vessels are not huge, the public rooms are quite spacious; the Main Salon and Dining Salon are large enough to comfortably seat all passengers at once. Decor is elegant in its simplicity and is surprisingly non-nautical. Instead, it’s modern and sleek, utilizing the hues of the sea, sky, and sandy beaches. Oriental rugs cover polished teak floors in the reception area and in the large, sun-splashed library, where you’ll find more than 1,000 books from which to choose, as well as computers to access the Internet. The library also lends movies to watch on the flat-screen TV/DVD player in your suite.
Balinese sun beds are the ideal spot to relax by day, either for sunbathing or reading beneath an umbrella. A telescope mounted at each ship’s stern is handy for spotting land and other vessels at sea.
SeaDream yachts began sailing in 1984 beneath the Sea Goddess banner, and after a couple of changes of ownership and total renovations, they have evolved into the ultimate boutique ships. A voyage on one of these sleek megayachts is all about personal choice. Passengers enjoy an unstructured holiday at sea doing what they please, making it easy to imagine the diminutive vessel really is a private yacht. The ambience is refined and elegantly casual.
Fine dining and socializing with fellow passengers and the ships’ captains and officers are preferred yachting pastimes.
A well-stocked library has books and movies for those who prefer quiet pursuits in the privacy of their staterooms. In addition, MP3 players stocked with all types of music—enough to play for a complete sailing without repeating a selection—are available for personal use at no charge.
The weekly picnic on a private beach is considered by many passengers as their most memorable experience ashore during a SeaDream cruise. It begins with refreshing drinks served during a wet landing from Zodiacs and is followed by SeaDream’s signature champagne-and-caviar splash served to passengers from a surfboard bar in the crystal clear water. On voyages where it isn’t possible to host the champagne-and-caviar splash ashore, it is celebrated poolside.
SeaDream yachts are often chartered by families, corporations, and other affinity groups, but the company does not charter both ships at the same time. If your chosen sailing is closed to you because of a charter, the other yacht will be available.
- 5 passenger decks
- Dining room
- buffet
- Internet
- safe
- refrigerator
- DVD
- Pool
- Fitness classes
- gym
- hot tub
- sauna
- spa
- steam room
- 3 bars
- casino
- library
- show room
- Dry-cleaning
- laundry service
- Internet terminal
- No-smoking cabins
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
What to expect on board
Staterooms & Cabins
Although none has a balcony, every stateroom has an ocean view, a seating area, and plenty of drawer space for storage. Bathrooms are marble-clad and have large, glass-enclosed showers with twin showerheads that make up for the tiny bathrooms. The single Owner’s suite has a living room, a dining area, a separate bedroom, a bathroom with a sea view (as well as a separate tub and shower), and a guest bathroom. Each ship has an Admiral’s suite, which features an open-plan living-dining area, a separate master bedroom, three panoramic windows, a marble bathroom with separate tub and shower, and a guest half-bath. Commodore Club staterooms are basically double staterooms with one side configured as a sitting-dining area room and feature two identical bathrooms with showers.
All cabins have a large flat-screen TV, CD, and DVD system; broadband Internet connection; personalized stationery; and a wet bar stocked with complimentary beer, soft drinks, and bottled water. A lighted magnifying mirror and hair dryer are at a vanity table. Beds are dressed with Belgian linens and your choice of synthetic or down pillows. Bathrooms are stocked with deluxe Bulgari shampoo, shower gel, soap, and lotion. Turkish cotton bathrobes and slippers are provided for use during the cruise.
One stateroom is designed for wheelchair accessibility.
Food & Drink
The formal dining room serves open seating breakfast, lunch, and dinner during scheduled hours. For a more casual setting, the Topside restaurant has outdoor seating for breakfast and lunch—either with table service or from a small buffet—plus scheduled dinners alfresco (the indoor restaurant is also open for those who do not wish to dine outside). Snacks are available at the Top of the Yacht Bar, and you only have to ask to receive anything from popcorn to caviar, although the caviar is no longer complimentary. A beach barbecue is scheduled once during every cruise. Room service is always available, and servers will bring your order to you on deck or in your suite.
Entertainment
Passengers gather nightly before dinner for cocktails and a review of the next day’s activities. On two evenings during each cruise, the captain hosts welcome aboard and farewell cocktail receptions in the Main Salon. Other than a pianist in the tiny piano bar and perhaps a movie or “disco night” in the Main Salon, there’s no formal entertainment. The Top of the Yacht Bar is where most passengers gather to socialize and dance on the teak deck after dinner.
Spa & Fitness
The Asian-inspired SeaDream Spa features Thai therapies in an extensive menu that includes such treatments as an Asian Blend massage, Javanese Lulur body treatment, and Traditional Thai Massage either in the tiny spa facility or in the open air private massage area (weather permitting). The sauna and steam room are complimentary, but appointments are recommended due to their small size.