Opinions please

I realize that opinions are personal and varied, but that said, this is what I am asking you for, your personal opinion.

For those who have cruised with more than one of these cruise lines, could you please compare and give any particular reasons?

Seabourn

SeaDream

Regent

Crystal

Silversea

FYI.

I will be sailing in the Caribbean.

I love good food and service.

I have sailed on Seabourn Legend, don't know whether to stay with Seabourn or try another line.

Thank you in advance for any input you can give.

L

You asked for opinions. You came to the right place to get them. SeaDreamers are known for having opinions....lots of opinions but the group here can be civil discussing them, unlike many of the other boards. To your question, we have sailed SeaDream and Seabourn (only the "Little Sisters") from your list. My opinion, in the Caribbean, no one comes close to SeaDream. We prefer the Seabourn little ships in the Med but then, that ship has sailed.:eek::D

Thanks for the reply Jim,

Hi 123.....,

Unfortunately HH cant help you as he has no experience of other boats but Jim is pretty much the oracle round here (maybe HH mis-heard...sure sounded like "oracle") so his vast experience and expertise counts a lot.

No, HH is enquiring whether you would consider the SB Legend under it's new owners Windstar.

It's kind of changing with something that is a favourite.

We have been on SD, Silversea and Regent. Silversea and Regent in AK. Based on the size of those small ships IMO SD is #1 in the Caribbean.

We have been on SD multiple times, Seabourn once, and Silversea multiple times. Compared to both SD and SB, I find Silversea to be a bit too formal - both in dress and attitude, both passengers and crew. And while I have heard for years rumors of Silversea being not up to par in cleanliness issues, of late several inspections have bourne that out. But I saw no evidence of that when we were on the ships - it was all rumors. We did like SB - we were on a sixteen day Caribbean voyage over Christmas & New Year's - but on that voyage we felt the ship was populated by elderly people and their parents. But that might be because younger people don't do sixteen day voyages, especially over the holidays. We do feel, however, that no one does the Caribbean like SD; there really is no comparison. I woudn't do the Caribbean on either of the other lines - I'm too spoiled by SD. Europe would be a different story; if we didn't do SD, we would do SB.

Have only done SD in the Caribbean. Did Silversea in Norway and Denmark last year and can't see how the more formal style would fit well in the Caribbean. As luck would have it, I'm writing this from Meads Bay, Anguilla where on the horizon I can see Prickly Pear island which if memory serves is one of SD's champagne and caviar splash party sites. That's reason alone to take SD to this part of the world!

I realize that opinions are personal and varied, but that said, this is what I am asking you for, your personal opinion.

 

For those who have cruised with more than one of these cruise lines, could you please compare and give any particular reasons?

 

Seabourn

SeaDream

Regent

Crystal

Silversea

 

FYI.

I will be sailing in the Caribbean.

I love good food and service.

I have sailed on Seabourn Legend, don't know whether to stay with Seabourn or try another line.

 

Thank you in advance for any input you can give.

L

All of them our over priced and not worth the money move on:)

All of them our over priced and not worth the money move on:)

Well, the OP did ask for opinions.......:eek::D

All of them our over priced and not worth the money move on:)

Kindly advise how you see the Caribbean sir.

Of course I agree with everything my DW says, but I do have to add my two cents. How you cruise largely depends upon why you cruise. Do you like the casino and the shows? Getting dressed to the nines for dinner? Do you want a large suite with a balcony? Bathtubs and double sinks? If that is what you are looking for, you will hate SeaDream. I often say the best thing about SD is that there is nothing to do. Spend an afternoon lying on a Bali bed with a good book (and DW) while the crew brings fruit, ice cream and pop corn, and then cleans your sunglasses. Meet charming people from different countries (like ho-hum and Blondie) who are not the least bit pretentious. Go to islands that the bigger ships can't get to, i.e., the places are not packed with people from other ships. That is my idea of a cruise vacation.

Zimmy's DH

All of them our over priced and not worth the money move on:)

Perhaps a nice tour of New York Harbor on the Staten Island Ferry is a better value for you.

Perhaps a nice tour of New York Harbor on the Staten Island Ferry is a better value for you.

It is a pretty good value Henry.:D:D

It is a pretty good value Henry.:D:D

We need a "Like" button!

Have sailed Seabourn once, it was a nice "cruise", very formal in my opinion. SeaDream is like going on a rich friends boat, who is the perfect host - very casual but upscale - we keep returning year after year.

Pirate, your perfect description is exactly what keeps us coming back.

Have sailed Seabourn once, it was a nice "cruise", very formal in my opinion. SeaDream is like going on a rich friends boat, who is the perfect host - very casual but upscale - we keep returning year after year.

Not sure when you last sailed Seabourn but they are much more informal now. There's usually one or two formal optional nights which mean only a jacket with no tie required and the rest of the evenings are elegant casual where you can dress the same as on Sea Dream.

All of them our over priced and not worth the money move on:)

Just what was the point of your comment if you were respectfully requested to elucidate what would be good value.

And do not.

HH may have been naive in taking you on good faith, sadly that is HH's way.

How do you reply sir ?

Settle your hackles down ho-hum, I think the :) indicates it was an attempt at humor.

Another example of why humor should be left to professionals.

Settle your hackles down ho-hum, I think the :) indicates it was an attempt at humor.

 

Another example of why humor should be left to professionals.

Ever grateful Sundance.

HH is not "Emoji" literate.

Sadly Hum's school kept to the classis (Greek, Latin) you know.

We look forward to experiencing Seadream for the 1st time end of January 2016. We have been on Seabourn for 3 cruises and are boarding again in the Med on the 25th July. We experienced Silverseas last year and did not find it to our taste.

We loved the Carribean cruise we did on Seabourn Spirit but as someone already said - those days are past. Seadream seems just what we are looking for small and relaxed.

I've sailed them all and nobody does the Caribbean like SeaDream. Seabourn, Crystal and Silversea are outstanding (and I'm really looking forward to see what Crystal does with its yachts) but they are missing that barefoot "own yacht" feeling that SeaDream has. I used to love Regent and am astounded that they continue to offer shore excursions in their fares (and excellent ones!) but on my last sailing with them (maybe three years ago), I noticed their on board quality isn't what it used to be.

Why are you astounded that Regent offers excursions in their fares? You are paying for them upfront whether you sue them or not.

Wripro, I hope you meant "use", not "sue"?? If you do a cost comparison (as Regent often does in their brochures), you'll find that the differential between those that include shore excursions and those that don't often pretty much disappear. It's just less of a hassle when they really are included, rather than paying for every little thing. If I'm going somewhere (that SD doesn't!), then that can be a very strong criteria for me!

But no one does the Caribbean like SD!

Vandrefalk

I don't believe that's true. I have done cost comparisons between Regent and Seabourn and Regent is usually more expensive. At least that's what I've found.