TrapperZimmy

Not sure if he and Blondie are doing the crossing with us. It would be nice. Its been a few years since we have seen them.

Hey, Jim. Royalty? Not sure who you mean. And we don't sail for another month.

I would never discourage anyone from extending recognition in the form of money, but my take on "gratuities included" is that the proprietor, whether it is a cruise, a resort, or a restaurant, has made a decision to pay their employees well enough that they are not dependent upon the whims of the customers. Of course, that means the price you pay reflects the proprietor's increased payroll cost. When crew members leave SeaDream, my impression is that they are leaving the industry and not going to a line where they can make more money. My understanding of the welfare fund is that it covers unexpected expenses that a crew member might incur, such as having to fly home for a family emergency. And that isn't just the waiters and stewardesses, but includes the guys you see wearing the blue or white jumpsuits who keep the ship moving and the toilets flushing. I have been told that crew parties, for instance, do not come from the welfare fund, but are paid by the company.

So true about "average temperatures." When we did our Norway cruise, we planned on sweaters and sweatshirts. I ended up buying shorts and a polo shirt on board because it was so warm. Layers it is.

Glad to see that you are joining us, JES. I don't think we've sailed with your before, so it will be nice to meet you. 65 seems like a nice number. Last I looked, there was one Commodore left and several regular cabins. Is it likely that all of the other Commodores are being booked as Commodores? This is our first crossing, but hardly our first SD. When we get off in Lisbon it is off to the airport for a flight to Paris for a few days. My biggest question at this point is how to pack for varying weather conditions. Will we need to bundle up to sit on deck, or can we sunbathe every day? I expect that Paris will be in the mid-60s for the middle of May.

As cabosal notes, it is really what you are comfortable doing. For our part, with about 25 cruises under our belts, we started contributing to the crew fund as soon as we learned about it. When Piaa says it benefits everybody, she isn't meaning that the money gets distributed to the entire crew. Just as it says, it is a welfare fund to provide for special needs, either individually or for everyone. Our way of giving individual recognition is by making special mention of people or actions in the evaluation form we complete at the end of the cruise. That way management knows who is deserving of special recognition. The crew members know we love and appreciate them by our returning a couple of time a year. And if you let the concierge know a couple of days before the end of the cruise, it will just be added to your final bill. You will get a letter of appreciation.

Well, it was an old picture. I have less hair now, and it is white, and the mustache is gone. Does that help?

I can't think of a time in the Caribbean when we were docked, except for embarkation/debarkation. Its not that the small size allows it to dock, it is that it can go to places that do not have docks large enough for the yacht. In addition to the size of the dock, there has to be a depth of at least 28 feet to accommodate the yacht's 14 foot draft. Because of the reliance upon tendering, all ports of call are contingent upon sea conditions. Looking at our itinerary for next year, Gustavia, Chrishi Beach Club, and Falmouth Bar are all at anchor.

Just spent 11 outstanding days on SD2. In addition to the regular crew whom we have loved for years, there were two new guys who made it extraordinary. First is Captain Charles, who had been on board only a fortnight when we boarded. As great as we have considered other SeaDream captains, Charles is in a class by himself. He is the most personable captain we have seen in all the years we have sailed on SD. He loves to mingle with the passengers and get to know them. He goes down the water slide (with great form, by the way) and attends the beach parties. Having dinner with him was a real highlight. Conversation was fast and funny. And there's a new chef in town, too. At least since we last sailed a year ago. Eldon is Italian and has added that influence to the menu. While the old favorites are still there, Eldon has introduced some new dishes, or some variations on the old ones. He has encouraged his staff to be creative. No longer are the same three rolls served at dinner. There is now an assortment of five or six, and they vary from night to night. As always, everything is expertly prepared with beautiful presentations. And he's a real charmer. Can't wait to be on board with them again.

We regularly eat every dinner on deck unless we are advised that the weather is not conducive. When dinner is served for everyone on deck, the cocktail party is usually also at the pool deck. I always wear long slacks (Dockers) for dinner, but I imagine nice shorts would be acceptable on those nights. When dinner is being served in the dining room, the cocktail party is in the lounge. At the beginning of our most recent cruise, a few young men arrived at the lounge in shorts and t-shirts and were sent back to change.

We just returned from a B2B on SD2. The water slide was inflated on several days when we were allowed to use the marina. It is set up over the portside rail by the pool. Those who went down really enjoyed it, going head first, feet first, and doing flips. Captain Charles (omg will you love him) had the best form on the slide.

But now we are on board. And all is right with the world again.

Looked out our hotel window this morning and saw SD II in the harbor. Pier 4 is not the pier we have used before. That was Pier 1 across from CVS. 4 is just a couple of blocks further down, across from Walgreens. Old Town has been very crowded, but that may be because of the holiday weekend.

Nice to hear from you, Jim and ctbjr. We wish the four of you were sailing with us. The cruise is ending in Lisbon, not London, so it might be chillier at the end, but not as bad as London would be. Isn't that pretty much where all the TAs begin or end? We are hoping that we will still be able to get some sunbathing time on deck. The counter to your last paragraph, ctbjr, is that it is easy for us to get to the yacht, which is why we were interested when we saw it was sailing out of Palm Beach. It's nice that we won't have jetlag at the beginning of our vacation. We are doing a few extra days in Europe before flying home, and we'll plan on dealing with the jetlag at the end of the trip on our own time. We were in Scotland in October, and I think we are still a little jetlagged from that trip. To a pair of some of our favorite SD couples, Zimmy and I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy (and healthy) New Year.

Dan, I probably have a hundred questions. Zimmy and I have sailed SeaDream many times in both the Caribbean and Europe, but we are doing our first crossing in April. I don't know how similar eastward crossings are to westward, so maybe someone else can tell me. My biggest concern about the voyage is the length of time we will be at sea. We have one stop in Bermuda on day 4, and that is it until we get to Lisbon on day 16. The most consecutive sea days we have had on SD was 3, and I said at the time that I could never do a crossing. This year, however, I decided to give it a try and the timing worked out for us. I've got a book of 200 Saturday New York Times crossword puzzles and will have a few books on my Kindle. But what else is there to occupy my mind? Besides eating, that is. Please describe some of your typical days. Was the internet non-existent because it just isn't available at sea, or was there some problem? Did that mean you had no contact with the rest of the world all that time? (That can be a good thing, I suppose.)

While the menu is going to be the same whether you are dining on deck or in the dining room, there are different vibes. Upstairs, the waiters are wearing black t-shirts and it is a much more casual atmosphere. In the dining room, everything is more formal (at least to the extent that SeaDream is formal). Waiters are more dressed up and it is more like eating in a fine restaurant. That doesn't mean a jacket and tie, but nobody would look askance if that is they way you dressed. I may wear freshly pressed Dockers for dinner, but I'd dress them up with a nice looking button-up shirt. Part of the experience is what you bring to it.

By the way, you can plan on White Bay Jost Van Dyke being the Beach Party.

Hi, Naveron. We will be on that cruise with you. Welcome aboard. We have had the concierge make private arrangements for us, but I think it largely depends upon where we will be. Gustavia might be a place where it can be done, since they go there regularly. One word of caution about making your own plans. Don't put down any non-refundable deposits. The seas can be dicey that time of year, and it is not out of the ordinary to miss a port if it is too dangerous to get on and off the tender. We had one year when the harbor at Gustavia was closed and all the yachts had to leave.

Nah, that doesn't scare me. I'll just be very careful tying my plane down on the deck. Excuse me, waiter, the fish that just landed on my plate looks like it hasn't been cooked. It may be a new experience - eating dinner in the dining room. Can someone please show me where it is?

Looking forward to your reports, Dan. If they have an ocean swim, would you please post the longitude and latitude. I'm very curious as to where they do it.

That's what I meant when I said "now that we know who you are." I remember that light bulb going on when we were on the pier in STT. That was quite an afternoon, eh?

I just want to say that I did it. Of course, I've taken credit for doing a lot of things that I haven't, and I am counting on fellow passengers not ratting me out. I'd be happy to do a swim during one of the sea days before we get to Bermuda, where the water might be a little warmer. Maybe going down the new water slide? Sorry you won't be joining us, CTBJR, now that we know who you are. Hope to see you again sometime soon.

Have always said I wasn't interested in doing a crossing, but now I'm really looking forward to it. Being away for that long is now more attractive. I will probably have several questions for those who have done crossings, so here is my first. Is stopping to swim in the ocean done on the eastward, or only westward when I assume the water is warmer?

Dan, I am assuming you are kidding when you ask if there will be friendly passengers and staff. I've been told that anyone who isn't friendly is put off the ship mid-cruise. That's why sometimes you will see the yacht arrive in the Caribbean short one lifeboat.