Seadream II to Lisbon from Palm Beach April 19, 2025

[Carnac767]

Let's try this again. We were booked on this cruise in 2023 but had to cancel because of health reasons. We've been to Lisbon before and have lived in Bermuda (long time ago), so we can't wait to return. For those of you who are traveling to LIS for the first time, I recommend you watch the "Somebody Feed Phil" Lisbon episode on Netflix. You'll get lots of ideas of places to visit and places to eat. We highly recommend dining at Ponto Final. You'll need to make reservations about two months in advance, but if you can't score a reservation, don't worry. Get there at six, wait in line, and around seven they'll start taking people without reservations. One of the waiters there guaranteed us we'd be seated, and he was right. It's worth the wait. The Time Out Market is also worth a visit, especially to enjoy Pateis de Nata (Portuguese Egg Custards), which are amazing. If the line at Pastel Manteigaria is too long, just go outside around back on the street and they have a counter on the back end of the building that never has a line. All the tourists who've watch Somebody Feed Phil are in line inside. We also recommend you get the "Eatwith" app, where you can find local families who host people for dinner. We've used the app in Lisbon, Rome, and Paris, and have always had a fantastic experience. The people who want to host on Eatwith are carefully vetted by the company, so you can feel confident about wherever you book. The last time we were in Lisbon we had dinner with Zé at his apartment in the city, and he was a great host. I can't remember how many courses we had and lost track of the wine after the fifth bottle. We stumbled out of Ze's place at two a.m. He said when he has several guests, the revelry has gone on until five in the morning. You can also make bookings for Eatwith at Eatwith.com. 

 

One word of caution if you book a hotel in the Bairro Alto section of Lisbon. It's a great location but it can also be crazy noisy, as it's the hip and happening part of Lisbon. We had an apartment there that was surrounded by bars and nightclubs, and those places didn't seem to close until three or four in morning. Bring earplugs.

 

Well, this has gone on long enough. Feel free to ask questions, and we'll try to answer them. I'll add a few photos.

 

 

Rent a bike in Bermuda and live on the edge, especially when a squall hits. Weather in Bermuda in April can be windy and rainy.

 

 

The Swizzle Inn, located near the airport. Famous for its Rum Swizzles. Their motto: Swizzle In and Stagger Out. You might want to take a taxi if you visit here.

 

Lisbon's Time Out Market. Lots of different food choices in here.

 

Get your Pasteis here, hot off the press. Be sure to sprinkle nutmeg and powdered sugar on them.

 

I could eat these all day

 

Zé, our EatWith host

 

With each course, Zé showed us where in Portugal the food came from, the history behind the dish, and the wine that paired best with it.

 

One of the many courses we were served

 

Outdoor seating at Ponto Final. Don't push your chair back too far. Indoor seating is also available for the less adventurous. 

 

[Carnac767]

If you're interested in dining with Zé, you can find his Eatwith link here: https://www.eatwith.com/events/8982?date=2024-04-30&seats=2

 

[Carnac767]

What's everyone doing pre and post-cruise? We're taking Amtrak from Jacksonville to West Palm the day before. In Lisbon we're staying at the Indepentende Prícipe Real, which is in the Bairro Alto but a quieter section than the last place we stayed. It's about a 15-minute walk to the ferry terminal by the Time Out Market. The ferry is the quickest and cheapest way to get across the river and get to Ponto Final. We're only going to spend two nights in Lisbon before flying to Nice to spend a couple of weeks in Provence, something Sarah's been wanting to do for ages.

[Carnac767]

One thing I forgot to mention about dining in Lisbon. Your server will bring you a platter of bread, cheese, olives, and the like, and you'll think, "wow, this is nice."  They don't tell you that it's not free. It will be added to your bill and in some places it's as much as ten Euros. However, you can refuse it. Just tell your server you don't want it, though I usually found it hard to resist because that bread and cheese is usually really good.

[TrapperZimmy]

Restaurants in Paris used to charge a few euros for the pain et beurre they would put on the table when you sit down.  Last year we didn't see that in any of the restaurants where we ate.  Then again, I can't remember if we got any pain et beurre.  But after a 16-day crossing, we weren't all that hungry.  Ours was the 2023 Palm Beach to Lisbon, but we went right to the airport after we docked and spent the rest of the vacation in Paris.  We had been to Lisbon a number of times, but for some reason we have never been able to find a SeaDream cruise that starts or ends in Paris.  So we made our own.  It is true, though, that springtime is when it drizzles.  Starting out in Palm Beach, however, was really convenient.  Even got to have dinner with other SeaDream friends who live there.

 

By the way, we made good time across the Atlantic, and got a bonus day ashore in the Azores.

[Carnac767]

The restaurants in Paris don't charge for bread and butter any longer. Spanish restaurants used to provide free tapas but that custom has pretty much died away except in the eastern, less touristy, parts of Andalucía.  

 

Hey, Trapper Z, did you do the mid-Atlantic swim? How was the water temperature? I've done a mid-Pacific swim, but I consider any water temp below 78 Arctic conditions. I used to teach scuba in Bermuda and the water in April was usually pretty damn cold, unless you're a Canadian, eh. 

[ctbjr1309]

We are booked on this voyage.  Living in Orlando, we'll be driving down to Riviera Beach (where Port of Palm Beach is located) the day of departure.  After the cruise, we're staying on board for a while so not spending time in Lisbon.

[Carnac767]

4 hours ago, ctbjr1309 said:

We are booked on this voyage.  Living in Orlando, we'll be driving down to Riviera Beach (where Port of Palm Beach is located) the day of departure.  After the cruise, we're staying on board for a while so not spending time in Lisbon.

Welcome aboard. 

[TrapperZimmy]

On 4/27/2024 at 5:13 PM, Carnac767 said:

Hey, Trapper Z, did you do the mid-Atlantic swim? How was the water temperature? I've done a mid-Pacific swim, but I consider any water temp below 78 Arctic conditions. I used to teach scuba in Bermuda and the water in April was usually pretty damn cold, unless you're a Canadian, eh. 

 

I don't believe we stopped for a swim.  At least, that's my excuse.  Because we started in Florida and headed north, the water was cold.  And then it got choppy.  I'm hoping to try it this fall when we do the westward.

Edited Tuesday at 04:33 PM by TrapperZimmy

[Carnac767]

2 hours ago, TrapperZimmy said:

 

I don't believe we stopped for a swim.  At least, that's my excuse.  Because we started in Florida and headed north, the water was cold.  And then it got choppy.  I'm hoping to try it this fall when we do the westward.

I saw on SD's instagram that on the current crossing SD II held swim call somewhere between the Azores and Lisbon. They reported the water depth was 4,500 feet where they stopped for swimming but the water temp was not noted.