frequent traveler

when you listen to Christophe and Elena and book Croatia in July on SD anyway - to heck with the crowds.

When you spend the equivalent of a week on SD for airfare to get there for Christmas! Thankfully it was for more than one person :)

When you try to schedule (or nudge your boss into scheduling) 2012 meetings to avoid conflicts with your SD "got to go ons."

FT

Hi T. Have to agree. Wow, thats pricey. We usually love the heli tours but would not do 2 days on SD:eek::eek: for a heli tour. Wonder what it is without the dogs?

I should qualify -- Two days in the Caribbean on SD - not the Med. Retail price, not the discount for the ship would be two days in the Med on SD. Didn't mention a discount if you didn't drive the dogsled! Tour is 2.75 hrs. And if you weigh more than 250 lbs you pay another half fare. :rolleyes:

Not to hijack and turn this into a Regent thread, but I'm particularly interested to know what excursions you've booked. Did you by chance schedule the *gulp* take-out-another-mortgage "helicopter and dog show on Mendenhall Glacier"?

 

Is it even hijacking if I started the thread? Oh well, I'll send you an e-mail with the details of our excursions but no, we have not booked the helicopter and dog show . . . Not quite ready to take out another mortage. Not when its the equivalent of two days on SD:D

Hope you all have a great trip. I guess the only consolation is that if you want to visit Alaska by cruise ship these days SD isn't an option so the guilt should be slightly less as a result!

So I guess I can use the same reasoning when we visit the South Pacific on another non SD sailing . . . BTW, check the Regent Board out starting on Monday if you want to follow our adventures in Alaska ;) I'm thinking of titling the thread "Navigator in Alaska - From a SD Addict"

FT

You are feeling really guilty . . .instead of excited, when starting to pack for an Alaska cruise not on SD :o

You just about break down into tears when you check the SD web site and realize that the Corinth Canal & Croatia on SD 1 in 2012 isn't going to happen since the B2B you were going to book while next on board is no longer available. The whole 2nd week went poof. :eek: Guess it was another charter. Great for SD. Back to planning for us.

When you spend a week at an all inclusive resort but find yourself telling everyone about how much better the service and food is on a SDYC voyage. :)

Great Exuma does have a beautiful beach though.

FT

you know you are addicted when . . . . you don't mind foreign business travel on US holidays because it gives you make up vacation days to aggregate for an extra week on SD! Working on New Year's Eve was one. Working in Chile on MLK is two . . . wonder where I can be on Memorial Day . . 4th of July . . .

FT

I appreciate and am honored by the motion!

 

 

DJ's DH - "Instead of the Corinth Canal Transit on SD?"

 

Me - "Yes ... You know we are doing that on SD anyway!"

 

DJ's DH - "What??"

 

Me - "It's a given, isn't it!:p"

 

DJ's DH leaves the room, mumbling under his breath "She's always right!":D

you are so right. . . .my addiction is -- 2011 won't work for me schedule wise, so I am waiting for 2012 schedule to come out and see if Corinth Canal works out on SD . . . and I"m thinking of committing adultery by choosing another line for Alaska or Tahiti this summer thanks to scheduling issues on SD . . .d *X@n CHARTERS for interfering with my addiction!

when you check these boards hourly, grumbling why the heck hasn't SD I posted day 3 of the crossing pictures so I can get my fix . . . .

FT

I would love to go - but ZQ Vol can't due to that pesky thing called work . . . so I'd have to figure how to deal with SD's "single supplement" - I refuse to pay . . . unless I win the lottery between now and then!

perhaps its time to start a new thread for that voyage . . .

FT

I really really miss being able to post daily from on board . . . November and the fall crossing can't get here soon enough . . . and you have plenty of opportunities but chose to go elsewhere, so I have no sympathy . . . and remember no snarky remarks, you promised in exchange for the Artichoke Guacamole!:D

FT

When you have already checked in to see if FT/Zqvol have started reporting yet.:eek:

we do have to leave to start reporting;) but we will since both laptops and crackberries are making this trip :rolleyes:

FT

Okay, my question is how many SeaDream cruisers are addicted to SeaDream as opposed to luxury cruising in general? Do people that have cruised the other luxury lines--Crystal, Seabourn, RSSC--and then try SeaDream find themselves addicted to SeaDream and unable to go back to those lines as well as (shudder) the "mass market" lines?

I don't think we qualify to answer your question since we haven't tried the other luxury lines - one primary reason -- I refuse to take formal clothes on a vacation. I will not be told how to dress to eat in public places or appear after 6 pm. And the larger the ships get, the more likely there are to be lines and crowds so I'm less likely to try to larger ships but I love reading the comments of others . . . . I hope DisneyJen and DJ's DH weigh in here

FT

You don't faint when you authorize the final payment on 13 nights in the Med :eek:(reserve that for when the credit card bill arrives!):rolleyes:

FT

As FT has alluded to, getting the numbers for a charter/partial charter does not seem to be the problem--its scheduling. Using just FT/ZQVOL and Lois & I as examples, FT/ZQVOL, understandably need to count on days when school is out. Lois and I strongly avoid those time periods as that is when you stand a chance of sharing SeaDream with kids. Not for us. Also, St. Thomas is a "no fly zone" for us. Until that airport zoo changes completely, we will not go there by air. So, that only partially illustrates the logistics potential problems for just 2 couples. It will take considerable planning to work for 40-50 couples. What we were hoping for is the CC crowd on a more easy to get to schedule (possibly cheaper) such as R/T Miami with a stop or two in the Bahamas or possibly R/T Charleston to Bermuda. Sea days and a port! Keep those ideas coming as I know I want to sail with old friends again as well as meeting all the good CCers met here on the boards.

Stay Warm.

J & L.

Think college break Jim for our schedule, not Easter Break . . . and having been on board with a few children v. misbehaving adults our last voyage, I'll take the children any time. I don't think with the current pricing that we have any danger of repeating the voyage we had several years ago.

Ft

Agree with zqvol on the BVIs and St. John. Also agree with ctbjr that embarking and disembarking from SJU is preferred.

 

I suspect we are looking at an existing itinerary as we won't have the numbers for a charter. Thoughts?

While SJU may be preferred, for us, calendar is an issue -- so take a look at Voyage 21110, SDII, March 5, 2011, St. Thomas to St. Thomas.

FT

Just need the charter Queen to look into it for us. Should be able to easily come up with 60 to 70 fellow travelers.

The Charter Queen is happy to look into it and will be glad to negotiate contract . . . etc . . . but who is the deep pocket? . . . SD management in Miami has this nasty requirement that there must be a deposit plus a Letter of Credit or full payment 90 days in advance. . . I don't think my signature will get it done and my AMEX doesn't have that kind of limit (I wish . . . maybe DJ's new Starwood does with all the points she's been racking up for the crossing). :rolleyes:

FT

You are a hoot Dmitri!!

 

One can only imagine what it was like around the TOYBar with this group!!

I just burst out laughing on a conference call (too bad I forgot to put the phone back on mute before reading Dimitri's posting) . . . did you guys keep Chad up all night at the Toybar? No wonder Jim was lazy all day! its clear what happens on SD stays on SD . . . just a couple weeks later no one told any tales about you wild and crazy folks.

FT

Very interesting observation on the chair saving. That's the first I have heard of it:confused:

I don't think we had any chair saving on our SD II voyage on Dec. 13 - unless you count my leaving my book while I went upstairs for lunch. I hope that doesn't offend anyone but I will fight to keep my chair for after lunch (a 45 minute or so jaunt - not 2.5 hrs).

I have to second or third the comments on the pj's. Ours were embroidered (got to remember to ask for "Frequent Traveler" next time) - but much smaller and of lower quality than the pair I got in March/ I do like the little things at the end of the ties that keep them from slipping through- I often lose them in the waist and don't with new version. Didn't know you could ask for a different size - guess there is more than "one size fits all"

Agree with the comments on the upcharge . . . I don't often switch from champagne but occassionally would like a Grey Goose martini . . . believe it or not - even when you charter the ship -- there's an upcharge!

On our voyage - I agreed with your assessment of the 2nd champagne, Christophe commented it had been a local purchase while he was off the ship and we ran out of it the last day - moved back to the gold label (DJ - what is it?) that I like much better.

Thanks for the review . . . just triggered another SD craving . . . wonder how long this thread will stay active. Must be close to a record.

FT

SeaDream II Notes/ review Caribbean Voyage 11/29/09 through 12/04/09 (St. Maarten to San Juan)

 

 

I used one standard carry-on size rolling piece of luggage plus a really useful laptop-friendly backpack piece which I ordered from Amazon (“Upscale UGIO Metro laptop backpack” in brown quilted nylon, $56). We carried everything onboard.

 

He also told us that the seven (or 8?) transatlantic crossings that he has made would all be considered smoother than our current voyage. I was one of the very few passengers wearing a Scop patch, and I never heard anyone complaining about the seas. I am not particularly seaworthy, so I think I am a good test case for someone who wonders what it is really like onboard. I would even consider a transatlantic crossing now.

 

 

 

As a first-timer, I would like to have known several things. For example, to know that the Concierge is very well-trained and can help you with almost anything. To know that you should probably try to arrive at the very beginning of dinner service if you want a table for two. To know that it is preferable to let the Hotel Manager know in advance if you wish to dine outside when dinner service is inside the Salon that evening. To know that the Concierge desk will allow you to use their free internet pass card for up to 10 minutes’ time on the day before disembarkation if you need to check in/print your airline boarding pass. Most importantly, to know that you won’t be able to order Eggs Benedict on disembarkation day! (I was disappointed, but not until I returned to my little CC board after the trip did I learn of FDA regulations against this).

 

 

We are looking for the right trip to take for our return to SeaDream II, probably one of the Med voyages during warm weather. Then, we would like to try SDI for the French wine trip in 2011. And, that, my CC Friends, is the very best way to know that we are addicted to SeaDream!

Roll Tide . . .

Thanks so much for the review. I very much enjoyed your insight. I especially loved to hear from another female who can travel with a carry on. Hope the new travel security restrictions don't change this ability.

I will confirm the captain's statement about sailings on the crossings. Having made 3 (from Europe to the Caribbean) with a 4th this fall, there's never been weather like we've encountered in the Caribbean.

I would love SD to post a FAQ covering the helpful hints you've mentioned along with other areas on the Website. It would be so helpful.

And for your Med trip . . . may I suggest SD II for the Greek isles in late May or early June 2010. Captain T will be on board then. :D

Happy New Year.

FT

and the latest is spending an hour every day checking to see if Delta has released FF business class seats to Athens because you can't bring yourself to spend more on airfare than a week on SD in the Med costs. . .:rolleyes:

thank you thank you thank you. Brightening a raining cold day here in the Triad and heightening the anticipation for next Saturday's departure.

FT