SeaDream II Christmas-New Years 2005

[maxx22]

It was only after extensive discussions with the travel agent who spoke with the SeaDream office that we signed on to the SeaDream II Christmas/New Years cruise.

 

We report the following:

 

Groups/Families. A large British contingent, but no business or other affinity groups. Many families, some as large as 10. Many teenagers; some pre teens. Mostly well behaved and stayed with their families rather than roaming the ship in packs. Away on excursions during the day. Did not overwhelm the bars at night.

 

Conclusion: It is probably time for both sides to face reality. SeaDream needs to stop trying to play both sides, and to tell the truth by acknowledging in its written and oral communication that during school holidays, there will be many families with various age children on board. Potential clients need to accept that this will be the population, and it will reduce the number of adults with whom they can eat, interact with, etc.

 

If families are an issue, it is probably better to pick different dates for SeaDream and to make other travel plans for school holiday times.

 

Other Subjects:

 

Food: Very Good. Limited buffet choices at breakfast and lunch (to save waste? (waist?) but many menu alternatives. Good selection at dinner including a spa group. Well prepared and creative. We felt that some pre dinner hors d’oeuvres could use improvement as could the selection and quality of fresh fruits and salads. However, nobody went hungry.

 

Wine/drinks. Wine list starts at $28.00 (many selections). The “poured” wine (especially the red) at dinner was creatively chosen and more than acceptable. Most drinks (including mixed) were included as were some top shelf brands like Absolut. Single malts and brandy started at $6.50.

 

Service. Outstanding. From the cabin to the dining room to the bars to the launches...well trained, polite, efficient, helpful. Couldn’t have asked for more.

 

Cruise director (Angela). Clueless. It was as if she had never been to the ports before and she didn’t appear to spend the time on shore to learn more. Further, we joined a scuba trip that she “negotiated” and ended up paying $214 for a 2 tank dive, well over market.

 

Conclusion: If you think that you are going to need specific port information (restaurants, internet cafés, taxis, stores, prices, distances, etc) or if you plan a special excursion, either do your research in advance or hope you have a different cruise director. Ours was, unfortunately, useless.

 

Internet Access. $20/70 minutes. Painfully slow. Unreliable. Erratic. Frequently dropped by the other end (if you could get through at all). We ended up using shore facilities.

 

Conclusion: If you need reliable, high speed, daily access for business or personal reasons, itineraries on SeaDream that don’t make frequent populated stops (like the transatlantic crossing) may not be for you.

 

Summary: Overall, a good ship but with the qualifications noted above.

[DisneyJen]

Thanks for the report Maxx22.

 

: It is probably time for both sides to face reality. SeaDream needs to stop trying to play both sides, and to tell the truth by acknowledging in its written and oral communication that during school holidays, there will be many families with various age children on board. Potential clients need to accept that this will be the population, and it will reduce the number of adults with whom they can eat, interact with, etc.

 

I agree wholeheartedly with you on the communication/marketing piece!

[zqvol]

Thanks for the report MAXX. It matches my experiences, but my impressions of the food were better than yours, but that is a subjective call.

[Jim Avery]

Hi ZQVOL:

Does sound familiar doesnt it? Some people are less bothered as you have said you are as opposed to FT. I fall on the FT side. Not because I hate kids, just think this is not the ship and we want holidays with out our or others kids. Just as SD markets. Seems though, at least at certain times, that SD is becoming "Disney Deluxe". Whats next, Atle in a monkey suit as mascot? Might be the next hot thing in cruising. BTW, we were going to book December 3 on SD II but it disappeared into the charter blackhole.

Have a great New Year and maybe, just maybe, we will find a slot that fits available time and has no kids booked.

All the best,

Jim.

[palmer10]

Hello Maxx22,

 

I responded to Carlylecat who posted a reply to the thread I originated before I saw this post but I will repeat a summary of what I said to her: This is exactly the information that I needed. I would really like my New Year's celebration to be an all adult experience.

 

You have helped a lot! Thank you

[vandrefalk]

Maxx22,

Thanks for the info. We fly to Barbados tomorrow for a few days before boarding SD2 on 8 Jan. Sorry to note your comments about the cruise director -- unfortunately, this is not the first time I've seen negative comments about her -- guess we will not plan on a lot of help! In any case, we are looking forward to the cruise -- our second on SeaDream. Will let you all know what the rug rat contingent is!

Vandrefalk