New to SD

[Maineac]

We are looking into a luxury cruise and SD seems to fit the bill for us. We love smaller ships with a more casual ambiance. The one thing that concerns us is on our past cruises we have enjoyed suites with balconies. ( good for a little down time)

Has anyone had this experience?

Did you miss having a balcony?

Any feedback is appreciated

[Cruisewoman79]

We are looking into a luxury cruise and SD seems to fit the bill for us. We love smaller ships with a more casual ambiance. The one thing that concerns us is on our past cruises we have enjoyed suites with balconies. ( good for a little down time)

Has anyone had this experience?

Did you miss having a balcony?

Any feedback is appreciated

I too thought I would terribly miss my balcony! I have always had one. BUT - did not. We did Seadream 4/16-23 (see my thread below) and we were never in the cabin - and it's such a yacht that we spent all the time outdoors - at the pool or Balinese Sun Beds or the Top of the Yacht Bar. It's fabulous! For casual but luxury! SeaDream is truly great. We're doing Seabourn in July but it's just not as casual. We'll have 2 formal nights. I did not miss that on Seadream at all!

[Maineac]

I too thought I would terribly miss my balcony! I have always had one. BUT - did not. We did Seadream 4/16-23 (see my thread below) and we were never in the cabin - and it's such a yacht that we spent all the time outdoors - at the pool or Balinese Sun Beds or the Top of the Yacht Bar. It's fabulous! For casual but luxury! SeaDream is truly great. We're doing Seabourn in July but it's just not as casual. We'll have 2 formal nights. I did not miss that on Seadream at all!

 

Thank you Cruisewoman79, loved your review.......Enjoy Seabourn.

[carlylecat]

No need for balconies on SD, there is plenty of options for private first rate space outside on the ship

[uk1]

You have very specifically mentioned that balconies are important to you and if balconies are that important to you, (as they are to us) you will possibly miss them on SD. We spend a lot of time on the balcony. The cabins are small on SD and there's no balcony. The room described as a "bathroom" seems to have lost a bath. You may find that the "bathroom" is so small that you have to sit "side-saddle" on the toilet. Also, the ships are more suitable to the Caribbean rather than the Med - where being outside all the time can be a disadvantage. There was in our case no choice where you eat or indeed most of the time what table you sit on. The food was poor, badly cooked and portioned meanly.

 

Obviously, don't assume - for any line (SD included) - that the quality of food and service promised is what you'll receive. We found SD very dissapointing and wouldn't take another SD cruise if it were free. Our only other experience has been Silversea - 4 cruises in around a year or so - which we feel overall is far superior.

 

However clearly SD fans are very loyal and find the product highly satisfactory and you need to judge all this in the round. Just not for us.

[luvtojump]

I too was very concerned with the lack of a balcony on our first SD cruise. I was also worried about the size of the cabin. No need to fret. After the initial "shock" of the size difference, it nevered mattered.

 

I have been fortunate enough to sail SD I and SD II, both in the med and the caribbean. One word..."fabulous". The food, service, staff are amazing.

 

The bathrooms are very well appointed but the commode location does require some maneuvering. That is the only thing I agree with in the previous post.

[uk1]

That is the only thing I agree with in the previous post.

 

I am getting very old and forgetful but as far as I'm aware, we've never travelled together.

 

Jeff

[DisneyJen]

DH and I have sailed on SD1 and SD2, both in the Caribbean.

 

Before our first SD cruise I was very concerned about the lack of a balcony since all of our previous cruises (Princess, HAL, RCCL, Disney) we always had a suite with a balcony.

 

The only time I really missed the balcony was for early morning coffee and perhaps a breakfast or two. I didn't want to scare the guests and staff by wearing my robe to the outdoor dining room:eek: I was able to find quiet and private space for breakfast but I still dressed very casually in shorts and a shirt.

 

We were always able to find a quiet place for down time ... even sleeping under the stars on the Bali beds one evening.

[luvtojump]

That is one more thing that I agree with. We have never travelled together.

[uk1]

Excellent! Thanks for the reassurance. I'm normally good at accounting for those travelling with me and I guess I was struggling with how you were able to disagree with my view of my cruise on Seadream when you weren't with me but I guess that this is one of those mysterious skills us Brits hear so much about.

 

I must be the first to ask, but I have to. Why do you "luvtojump"?

 

Jeff

[luvtojump]

UK,

 

I didn't need to be on your cruise to disagree with you. I have been on SD in the mediterranean and thought it was very well suited to that itinerary. I have been on SD and loved the food. I will cruise on SD again and it doesn't need to be free.

 

These boards are for all to express their experiences. I was merely expressing my two personal experiences with SD. It is a lovely cruise line and I encourage everyone to try it. Find someone else to argue with.

 

The comment regarding Americans was out of line.

[uk1]

You seem very touchy - and I thought you were arguing with my opinion about my experience. I'm also entitled to state my view.

 

I made no derogatory remarks about Americans, but don't let that stop you.

 

Jeff

[Maineac]

Oi....:eek: As the OP I was hoping for a bit more helpful information....

Someone has their boxers in a bunch... Could be very painful in not fixed.

Please make the proper adjustments and return to the board. ;)

[uk1]

Some (as I indicated in my post) do not like to see anything negative about SD.

 

Your issue related to balconies - and only you can decide - and asking others their view I fear isn't going to make your decision easier. In my case it confirmed I can't do without it - others it'll prove the opposite. You may want to consider Cloud or Wind which may fit your bill.

 

Jeff

[surfklutz]

There seems to be some hostility here which is not very useful to the OP

question.

 

I have sailed on several luxury lines where I have had a balcony- and felt it was essential. I was worried about SeaDream but other elements really attracted me so I took the plunge. Turns out that I did not miss the balcony at all because the atmosphere on SD was so unique and different. I think a lot of it has to do with the size of the ship. Other lines twice as large - or larger and I did feel I needed a place to just get away. With so few people on SeaDream - and people that I particularly related to on many levels, I did not have the same need to "flee" the masses. The balinese beds provided a balcony feel - but I was able to get service that I may have wanted whenever I wanted it- certainly not the case with my private balcony.

 

I have sailed SD both in the Caribbean and the Med - and thought it was very suitable to both areas. I enjoyed being anchored off ports in the Med and eating topside with these great ports as my view. I thought the food on each of my cruises was very good - very some rare exceptions. But food is such a subjective type of thing.

 

Since finding SD - I have sailed nothing else. And haven't missed a balcony at all. And I wish SD would give me a free cruise!

[uk1]

I think you're right.

 

On our cruise, a group took over the balinese beds and in particular the whirlpool and couldn't be dislodged. Even when asked politely by members of my group whether "others could have a turn" were treated rudely. They were drunk. That ruined it for a large number of others who wanted to share these facilities.

 

There seemed to be a quality issue amongst some of the more senior members of crew. Sufficiently that one guy - mentioned in an almost godley nature on these boards was so remorseful about his rudeness - bought me an expensive bottle of wine to try and head-off a complaint.

 

Many people do agree - and it's opinion of course - that these boats aren't suitable for the med - particularly when SD refuse to allow customers to eat in the restaurant as an option. They decide rather than the customer when people are cold and where people eat. Only one place open for any meal. On another evening - a group took over the inside bar for kareoke - forcing those that didn't wish to participate in singing "we all live in a yellow submarine" to sit outside in the rain in the only other bar. You're right - we had a choice.

 

I agree that if you are gregarious and like to mix then the balcony might not be a loss. But then who you travel with on a small ship can make mixing a bit of a lottery. Search Seadream for "Children" to see what I mean.

 

Jeff

[surfklutz]

I think you're right.

 

On our cruise, a group took over the balinese beds and in particular the whirlpool and couldn't be dislodged. Even when asked politely by members of my group whether "others could have a turn" were treated rudely. They were drunk. That ruined it for a large number of others who wanted to share these facilities.

 

There seemed to be a quality issue amongst some of the more senior members of crew. Sufficiently that one guy - mentioned in an almost godley nature on these boards was so remorseful about his rudeness - bought me an expensive bottle of wine to try and head-off a complaint.

 

Many people do agree - and it's opinion of course - that these boats aren't suitable for the med - particularly when SD refuse to allow customers to eat in the restaurant as an option. They decide rather than the customer when people are cold and where people eat. Only one place open for any meal. On another evening - a group took over the inside bar for kareoke - forcing those that didn't wish to participate in singing "we all live in a yellow submarine" to sit outside in the rain in the only other bar. You're right - we had a choice.

 

I agree that if you are gregarious and like to mix then the balcony might not be a loss. But then who you travel with on a small ship can make mixing a bit of a lottery. Search Seadream for "Children" to see what I mean.

 

Jeff

 

You are correct - for a small ship to work, you have to have the right passenger mix. Did you encounter trouble with children on your cruise? Sounds like you were traveling with some pretty obnoxious people!

[naperleigh]

The differences between every area were so stark that my conclusion is that I would not go on SD again if it were free. I said in my first post I couldn't go through everything but here are other differences.

 

1. Poor bar work. People queuing at the bar without the bar man taking the orders and bringing. The head bar man needing to refer to a cocktail book for basic cocktails.

 

2. Safety. Contradictory instructions given by the Captain. First tannoy - "wear your life jackets". Second tannoy "bring your life jackets". Not even bothering to take passengers to the lifeboats to show them where they are. The rail up and down to the embark deck was very loose and unsafe - several passengers complained. Passengers embarked and disembarked the tender without anyone helping them on or off.

 

3. Abysmal concierge. Completely clueless and scared of the cruise director.

 

4. Cruise director was rude to customers. He took over the single cocktail bar for his sales pitches and then shouted at customers who were talking quietly during his sales pitch.

 

5. The Maitr D reserving prime tables for his favourite customers when the stated printed policy is no resefvations and first come first serve. And then being rude to customers who are puzzled as to why they cannot sit on vacant tables.

 

6. The "standards" were completely different for SD than for SS.

 

.................... I could go on.

 

 

The notes above are from an earlier post by UK1 regarding SeaDream. I suggested that maybe the issue was going on a 4 day sampler but it seems the issues much greater than that.Some of us love Seadream and some of us don't ...balcony or no balcony

[carlylecat]

sign me up for the free SD cruise!!!

 

to each his own, this is our cruise line, we do 2 a year and love it, one med and one caribean, leaving week after next

 

I am really confused why many people would feel this is not suited for the med, how else to you get to go to giglio or other small destinations?

 

I actually think the food works better in the med as we have nice long lunches at some of teh best places in the world in port (palazzo sasso, chevre d'or, san pietro, hotel splendido, etc.) and can eat a light healthy meal when we return to the ship

 

How do you go to Portofino and not bring a few hundred people with you to trample through town unless you are on these deliciously small ships

 

We have now done 6 SD/SG vacations and met our share of rude folks (the 15 year old prentending to shoot birds over the rail for an hour next to our sun bed while off of capri comes to mind) and we have always managed well

 

We are very careful about what we eat and have always been more than satisfied and often times thrilled...The SD1 chef at New Years even made a special menu just for us based on a lengthy chat over breakfast one morning...He even named a dish after one of us.... I am a huge wine fan, I have brought my own wine aboard each trip and have always been served with aplomb and style, I always offer the head waiter and sommelier a taste as they are really unique wines they can not find anywhere else, some expensive, some just rare and some just aged

 

I really feel bad for anyone who does not have a good trip on SD as I really believe these trips are what you make of them....read the reviews, focus on what you need...ask the staff (dont tell them, ask) nicely and the world will open up for you....I have never been refused a table outside, everyone knows my favorite table in the dining room but they also know if someone else sits there it is fine with me... I bring small type gifts when I board and give them through the cruise...last year at new years we had special lance armstrong "CRUISE Strong" wrist bands made and gave them to all aboard and teh captain even let the dress code get modified so the crew could join in...I love these people and this cruise line, to the OP I hope you try it...I really dont think the balcony thing will mess it up for you

[uk1]

Naperleigh kindly copied and pasted my comment on my first experience with SD. I'm absolutely certain that my experience was proably a one-off and by the other enthusiastic customers I guess I must have been unlucky.

 

For the sake of completeness - this was my follow up comments.

 

Posting here to help anyone searching the Seadream versus Silversea question in future.

 

Just returned from a mini-experience on SeaDream2 as a genuine "looksee" to establish whether Mrs UK1 and I would enjoy SeaDream as an SS alternative for longer cruises.

 

Everyone's needs and expectations are different. The vast majority of people would have found the cruise enjoyable and the product adequate or better. We however found that from almost every perspective, the cruise was in totally different league to SS and couldn't match it at all, with the exception of room stewardess and junior bar and waiting staff who were all exemplary and delightful.

 

We found the whole experience dissapointing but the largest disappointment was the food. I’ve had 4 SS cruises in just over a year and the very worst experience was way ahead of the best SeaDream could do. SD make large claims for their food particularly cooking to order ie “a la minute”. Not one single course in one single meal appeared cooked to order and wasn’t pre-prepared and dry. Even fresh fish which would be cooked to order was batched baked and dry. Typical of the short cuts was a mushroom and asparagus vol-au-vent. This appeared to contain half a sliced asparagus with less than a mushroom cooked in sauce made from thickened canned mushroom soup on a soggy pastry base. Staff seemed clueless about how to defrost prawns, if such an exercise is necessary when cruising in the med. Lunch menus were sparse and even the burger used economy mince containing sinew and bone. On one meal a sauce give a fancy name was Heinz tomato ketchub.

 

The chef’s tasting menu on the last night (which presumably was designed to show off the best he could do) was awful with attempts to be clever by for example mixing what appeared to be soy sauce with 5 spice powder had in fact been burnt. Portions were mean. I had "fish and chips" for one lunch and the kitchen was sending out 2 to 3 oz portions of fish.

 

On no meal could you choose where you ate as only one venue was open for each meal. This meant sitting outside for breakfast and lunch through some quite windy weather.

 

Secondly, the cabin supposedly had a bathroom in the marketing information. A bathroom contains a bath. Bathrooms on SD do not necessarily have baths, merely showers. You have to sit side-saddle on the toilet if you don’t want to graze your knees.

 

SeaDream vessels are designed for Carribean cruising and can be unsuitable for the Med.

 

Writing a more detailed report would take years but I’m happy instead to answer any specifics for anyone also considering this as an alternative.

 

Jeff

 

There was virtually no fresh food - and I saw no supplies being loaded on, I guess I must have missed it. Even the tomatoes where "past the point", which for the Med is unacceptable.

 

What I learned and concerns me greatly is that it seems that if you tell people convincingly that what they will receive and are receiving is gourmet food, produced to order (a la minute as they repeat) - then it seems to me that 90%+ think it really is. The reality is that 90%+ of the people were probably delighted. So the line gets the benefit of reasonably high satisfaction without having to take the trouble and expense to provide what it promised. There is a market for people that want better.

 

An example fo the very fine food (!) was (described as you would expert more prosaically) a mushroom and asparagus vol-au-vent.

 

It was in fact less than half a chopped mushroom, half a chopped up asparagus tip (the bottom untrimmed woody half) swished around in a can of mushroom soup thickened with cornflour and dunked on top of a square of puff-pastry and left to congeal nicely until it was served. Everyone around me thought it was wonderful! A champagne sorbet on the menu became a table spoon of supermarket quality lemon sorbet when delivered to the table. Am I the only person who knows the difference between lemon and champagne?

 

The chef Seemed to spend more time swaggering around to receive the adulation of us punters, and giving a great rendition of the archtypical London taxi driver, "Guess 'ooo we 'ad on board last week then ......."

 

 

Jeff

 

The reason why I do not think the ships work in the Med is that there isn't anywhere to go if you do not want to participate in what's going on in the main lounge. This meant that many of us found ourselves outside in the rain and cold rather than having to sit through sales pithces or lectures. Also the size is a two edged sword. It sometimes means the Captain doesn't want to leave port when a slightly larger ship ie Wind or Cloud - or even morel ikely Shadow or Whisper would be fine.

 

Anyway - as I said - my experience I think was unusual but the food wasn't just below par - it was awful and people we spoke to were about 50/50 either saying it was good or very poor - and the staff were odd.

 

Just bad luck but as I said I personally wouldn't return, but that of course should be only another piece of input to be put against all of the other more enthusatic customer feedback when people are considering the product.

 

Jeff

[luvtojump]

How one can repeat again and again.

 

But let's get back to the balconies. The whole ship is your balcony. I highly recommend you give it a try and decide for yourself. I don't think you will be disappointed.

[uk1]

I DID give it a try and I was dissapointed. Most people understand that the whole boat is not your own balcony. Why do you keep picking on me?

 

Jeff

[Maineac]

Thank you all for your responses. They have been both informative and entertaining. :)

As we research which line will be suitable to our needs, your input will be most appreciated.

[uk1]

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Jeff

[Luxury Traveler]

As one who has been fortunate enough to have travelled over the years on Seabourn, Silverseas and now SeaDream, I think we should all count our lucky stars that we have had these great experiences...to comment on.

Sorry Jeff, as it seems you have touched a nerve with some on this board but you comments are welcomed as we should all realize that everyone's expections may be different...I find that all of these great products are tops in what they offer, but if you look at what some of the problems really are here, it is the different personalities of the actual guests that create or mess up a cruise which is the same as in life.

I think your comments are what you felt and we should all realize that...

They only major point that I can differ with you on after being a multi time cruiser with all of these luxury brands is that the Food quality on SD is not poor at all but in fact could have been some of the best I have seen afloat, but this is of course very subjective...Also don't get carried away about the balconies as unless you have one of the proper suites on Seabourn the French balconies are a joke...(Just a sliding window/door with 12" of outside space..)

All in all, we should be grateful to have the ability to go on Super products such as these...As I have said before "Different Strokes for Different Folks"

It has been interesting to see how protective we all are about our different Cruise operators..Each one has its plusses...

Regards,

LUX