Deal for Dec....Is It Worth It?

[notasilverspoooner]

Hello Everyone!

 

My TA can offer me a great deal for one of the mid Dec sailings. What they are offering is way below the $2,399 that Sea Dream has on the website. We were planning on going in late Mar and the base price then is $3,199 (give or take).

Also, the air for the mid Dec flight is less than $400 roundtrip with taxes and one bag.

 

Our concern is a mid Dec cruise might not be fun and the service and food would not be as good. We are not sure is Sea Dream will hold back a lot of stuff since the fare is so inexpensive. Our other concern is that it will get dark so early and we may not have as much fun.

 

I would like to hear the thoughts of the experts.

[cwaj45]

We were on SD1 last December and SD2 last March. We had a great time on both. The seas were smoother during the December cruise and the days were longer on the March Cruise. We are planning to go again Dec 5 on SD2. I would jump on a good deal in December, I wish we would have gotten one.

[notasilverspoooner]

Thanks for the info!

[frequent traveler]

we went on a 5 day on Dec. 13 last year - no different than any of the others we have taken in March or May. There is no difference in food or service on SD - regardless of the time of year.

[ctbjr1309]

we went on a 5 day on Dec. 13 last year - no different than any of the others we have taken in March or May. There is no difference in food or service on SD - regardless of the time of year.

 

I agree 100% and would add that in my experience the price I have paid for a particular trip (ranging from heavily discounted in Caribbean to close to full fare in Med) has no effect on SD service, food quality or my enjoyment of the cruise.

[notasilverspoooner]

We appreciate everyone assuring us the Sea Dream experience itself will be the same regardless of when we cruise. We do have some questions and concerns about cruising in Dec instead of Mar.

1. Will it be too cold to go in the water and participate in the water sports?

2. How will the short days impact the shore excursions?

3. Will there still be dinner served outside or will it all be served inside because of darkness?

4. Can you think of any reasons not to cruise in mid Dec?

We appreciate all the feedback and may end up booking the trip today. Our last concern is we tend to eat dinner early especially when it gets dark at 5. I think the dinner on SD is served at 7:00 or 7:30. Is it possible to get a snack or something to hold us over to dinner?

[zqvol]

Here are some of my impressions from our 5 day last December. I added them after your questions.

 

We appreciate everyone assuring us the Sea Dream experience itself will be the same regardless of when we cruise. We do have some questions and concerns about cruising in Dec instead of Mar.

1. Will it be too cold to go in the water and participate in the water sports?

 

FT says that I am a wimp about cold water but I had no problem being in the ocean, or pool, last December, which of course means that participating in water sports is no problem. IMO the water is colder in March than it is in December because it has not yet cooled off.

 

2. How will the short days impact the shore excursions?

 

The further south you go the less the season impacts the length of daylight. I cannot recall any impact on shore excursions at all, and we sailed right at the start of winter which has the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. What you are looking at is probably 11.5 hours of daylight instead of 12.5 hours

 

3. Will there still be dinner served outside or will it all be served inside because of darkness?

 

Darkness does not effect where dinner is served. The decision is based on weather more than sunlight. I would suggest a sweater or jacket in case the breeze is cool.

 

4. Can you think of any reasons not to cruise in mid Dec?

 

 

Other than I would like to join the crew on the crossing next week and December seems so far away, there is no reason at all not to cruise in December.

 

 

We appreciate all the feedback and may end up booking the trip today. Our last concern is we tend to eat dinner early especially when it gets dark at 5. I think the dinner on SD is served at 7:00 or 7:30. Is it possible to get a snack or something to hold us over to dinner?

 

Of course, but usually cocktail hour begins about 6 or 6:30 and there are plenty of hors d'ouevres available. Just keep in mind it is not going to get dark much before 6:30 any night.

 

 

Book this cruise and have a great trip!

[notasilverspoooner]

One more question and I can't find a non rude way to ask this.

 

Will the ship be kid infested during the Dec timeframe?

[Jim Avery]

One more question and I can't find a non rude way to ask this.

 

Will the ship be kid infested during the Dec timeframe?

 

We have done early Dec. twice with no kid issues. They seem to be worse around Spring Break/Easter.:eek: You can call SD in Miami and ask if there are kids aboard.

[notasilverspoooner]

It doesn't seem like there is much for kids to do on the yacht as there isn't much for adults to do except relax and get good service :)!

[zqvol]

It doesn't seem like there is much for kids to do on the yacht as there isn't much for adults to do except relax and get good service :)!

 

You need to define kids. There may be some families with college age kids along but you are not likely to find very many if any under the age of 18 or so. I think last Christmas our kids were there (21 and 24) and there were some other young 20 somethings along, but they were certainly not underfoot and managed to act like adults most of the time (though there was an interesting incident in the piano bar around 1:30 one night that I have heard about but unfortunately missed).

 

In all seriousness unless you are thinking about the Dec 19, 21 or 26th voyages you are probably not going to see anyone under 18 on the ship.

[vandrefalk]

Keep in mind you are in the Caribbean, not the cold mainland :)

We usually sail SD in early January -- couple of weeks later than you are sailing. I've never known it to be cold -- the water is delightful -- dinner is outside if it's not windy or raining and it really doesn't get dark that early. Always plenty of food!!

 

Vandrefalk

[wripro]

Mid December should be okay. Kids don't get out of school until closer to the holidays.

[notasilverspoooner]

Thanks everyone, we just paid and registered and will be sailing in a couple of months.

[Lard Greystoke]

2. How will the short days impact the shore excursions?

 

Obviously you're not an astronomer. If you come from temperate Europe or North America the sun will be twenty or thirty degrees higher in the Caribbean. Wear sunscreen and enjoy the longer day. (If you go further south, below the Antarctic Circle, you'll be able to enjoy the midnight sun).

[notasilverspoooner]

I just got some very bad news concerning this voyage (12/12) after talking to SD Miami today. Evidently the ship is now at or past capacity and I may be bumped with my special rate. It seems a large group/possibly family booked over a deck and there will be young kids also. One of the things I signed for the special rate is knowing I could get tossed to the wind if several people book late. It isn't official let that I'll be kicked off but it sounds like the ship will be full and the big group could make the trip less enjoyable. Of course the big group could also have no negative impact, only time will tell.

[knotheadusc]

Oh... what a bummer! I hope this situation turns out okay for you anyway.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

You should be glad they are booting you if there are young children in the large group. SD is just not well suited for children. There is no place to escape them, and the cabins are too small to hang out in (no balcony either). And a group large enough to book a whole deck will monopolize the Top of the Yacht bar, the pool area, etc.

 

Will SD be giving some sort of compensation for giving your the boot? Perhaps a longer cruise at the same price, etc.?

 

On SD, avoid children and large groups like the plague :eek:

[notasilverspoooner]

No compensation since they gave us a rate not available to the public. I don't know if anything is final yet but should find out soon. We have a backup vacation plan since we already bought air. SD has been very good to us with everything.