shaskelly

This is just so sad ... we have fond memories of his big smile. What an awful thing for his family and for the SeaDream team. :(

Hi all

Wishing to hear experiences of anyone who's taken back to back cruises on SD. What was it like on 'changeover day'? Any special tips or hints or things to be aware of, logistically or otherwise?

It will be interesting as we'll be cruising with SD friends on the first leg, then on our own on the second.

We'll be on St Thomas for the change.

Thanks

Shaskelly

To quote:

A Bali bed is an outdoor daybed for two on a platform with a mattress. It can be as simple as a double chaise or as elaborate as a richly upholstered pleasure dome on a beach with a natural wooden frame around it. Curtains, which can be drawn for privacy, surround the bed. Unlike a palapa, a Bali bed offers little or no protection from overhead sun.

The name Bali bed originally comes from the wood culled in Bali and Java to make the beds.

Today these beds are made from a variety of natural materials, including bamboo.

Beach resorts throughout the world that cater to couples may offer a Bali bed on the beach, where you can sunbathe during the day and even sleep under the stars at night. Depending on the resort, there may be a fee to reserve and hold a Bali bed, or its use may be included in the rate.

Hi all

Although we are regular SeaDreamers, we have never used the Bali beds. Can anyone give me their experiences and recommendations/tips?

I am also interested in using the Bali beds during the day - what's the protocol for this? Do you book for the daytime or is it first come first served? Is there a way to rig shade for during the day? Is there a time limit?

Thanks in advance

Here's a question for SD regulars - I always feel like I'm missing out on something at the 'splash' because I don't like caviar (:eek:). Has anyone ever asked for something else to be provided, or is that simply 'beyond the pale'?!? I usually just avoid the surfboard and stick with champers, but .... any thoughts? :confused:

So...has anyone been on SeaDream on NYE at St Barts? I'd love to hear what happens, recommendations for the night, the port, etc.

I'm counting the days! :D

Thanks guys - great information.

Shaskelly

Hello Seadreamers

Anyone got any recommendations re a hotel for pre-cruise in St Thomas? I was looking at Marriott Frenchman's Cove - anyone stayed there?

Thanks

Shaskelly

:)

Thanks guys!

Hi guys

Recently did SDII in the Med and we plan a Caribbean trip late 2016. For we Australians, the Caribbean is a long way away so it'll be our first trip to the region.

While cruising off Italy, during convivialities with several US SeaDreamers, we were informed (sort of 'cautioned') that the Mediterranean and Caribbean cruise passengers are quite different..... different attitudes and more dressy in the Caribbean than the Med.

I wonder if anyone here thinks there's a marked difference between Med and Caribbean cruise passengers (especially on SeaDream)? Just curious...

Shaskelly

We just said the Civitavecchia/Amalfi cruise - it was marvelous. A few minor problems with weather and so the Captain had to change the itinerary (twice) but it all worked out really well in the end and only one guy on board got a bit stroppy about the changes. The Amalfi coast is gorgeous, and there's so much to see and do (and BUY) in those parts.

Highly recommended is the walking tour of Bonifacio - it was excellent. We were also lucky enough for this to be a wine cruise and we went on a wine tour which only had 9 people on it and was the best shore excursion I've ever been on, ever ever. Winery on the slopes of Vesuvius, fabulous wine tasting, and unexpectedly they decided to 'accompany' the wines with full blown courses of fabulous Italian food, so the 3 hour excursion lasted for almost 6 hours! Josh (activities director) was having such a great time that he decided to keep the party going and bought bottles of wine and we continued 'tasting' on the bus all the way back to the port!

Boarding took 5 minutes. We got there at 1.45 and had to wait until 2 on the dot.

Disembarking was staggered but we docked at 7-ish. I would not risk trying to get flight before 12, to be hones - Rome traffic being what it is, and unpredictable.

We had cabin 408 - it was excellent but then we've never had a bad one. We've done deck 3 and deck 4. Next cruise (already booked) is Deck 3.

We dined outside every night except one. Goran K (call him GoGo!) organised a lovely table whenever we requested it, and we even had a lovely decorated table for my husband's birthday!

Have a great time!

:)

Shaskelly

Hi all

Just got off Seadream II in Rome and now working out details of our next planned voyage.

We have booked NYE cruise for 2016-2017 out of St Thomas. Has anyone cruised out of St Thomas? There is a flight from Miami that lands at 13.53 and I'm wondering would it be too risky to get that flight and still make embarkation? Anyone done this??

I would really prefer not to spend the night before in St Thomas as we already have to overnight in Miami on our way from Australia, and two nights 'en route' seems a bit excessive.

Any advice gratefully received, please.

Shaskelly

PS - Captain told us that SeaDream II goes into drydock in a week or so - they are doing technical upgrades and some refurbishment. Cruise was fab, despite having to change itinerary twice due to weather, but we still managed to have the BEST time, as usual!

Can't wait!! SD2, Corsica, Sardinia, Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento then back to Rome.

Any tips for us from Italian cruisers? We've sailed SD before, but this itinerary is new for us so all tips gratefully received!

Shaskelly

I've just finished a cruise on L'Austral (Ponant) from Cairns to Sydney, over NYE. Capacity 260 passengers, mainly French.

I've posted a full review on the Ponant page on CC. It will probably go up tomorrow when they vet it.

I have to say it wasn't bad... but it wasn't SeaDream either. The ship was immaculate and also styles itself as a 'mega yacht', but the little things were telling. For example, I hardly saw any officer for the whole voyage. No-one called us by name for the whole week except for our cabin attendant. No ordering 'off menu' at all...I would certainly treat it as a 'fall back' for SeaDream (which is what this cruise was for us as we couldn't travel to the Caribbean this year), but it would never be my first choice.

If anyone has any questions, I'll be happy to answer them about points of comparison.

Bring on SeaDream in September 2015!!

Shaskelly

Thanks very much guys - will look into each of these.

I've also had a firm recommendation for Hotel Barocco, so that will be on the list too.

Many thanks again.

Shaskelly

Hi guys

Wondering if any of you have recommendations for great places to stay in Rome? Or places to avoid??

Thanks

Shaskelly

I'd love to get your review and opinions on the cruise from Rome - we are doing the same cruise next year and some extra insight would be great! :)

Shaskelly

Just got a newsletter from SeaDream saying:

'It's our pleasure to provide you with advance notice of SeaDream's Nov. & Dec. 2015 Caribbean voyage schedule. As a Club member, you may reserve now before we open these dates to the general public. Booking early ensures you obtain the stateroom of your choice at the best possible tariff SeaDream's Nov. & Dec. 2015 Caribbean voyage schedule won't be posted on our website for two weeks; only Club members are given the opportunity to book now.'

Obviously NY on both yachts is planned for the Caribbean (and I guess no charters are planned given outrage re 2014).

Good news! :)

Just got word through my TA (after I got her to chase it up). We are 'offloaded' as it's a full charter. Bummer. They have offered refunds and credits and such, but it's still disrupted plans we had for the rest of the trip. We will still do the second cruise (it was supposed to be a back to back) but we can't change our other plans to do the one on the other side.

Oh well.

:(

I'm hoping for someone to tell me it's just a glitch on the website... if it's a charter, will my reservation still be valid? What might I expect - has anyone else been on board with a charter group??

I am booked on back to back cruises out of Rome in 2015, and suddenly one of the cruises has disappeared from the website 'list of voyages'.

I've sent SeaDream an email asking what's the story, but heard nothing back yet. Does anyone know why this might happen? Could it be a charter?? :eek:

Shaskelly

Thanks all - good info. :D

Shaskelly

Hi all

I wanted to get some feedback from you all about your experiences with shore excursions on SeaDream.

Do you normally book them before you embark? I've never done that before... worried about things getting cancelled if there are insufficient numbers, etc.

Do you think the excursions offered on SeaDream stack up to other lines? Great experiences and awful ones?

Love to hear what you've all done, loved, hated, and any recommendations or tips.

Thanks

Shaskelly

:)

Hey Whatnot - that would be cool if we met on board in the Mediterranean next year!

We are planning some time in London before our cruise next year - we went to London for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and had a great time, so we are planning to be in London around 9 September 2015 when She becomes the longest reigning English monarch ever... we think there might be some celebrations and we want to be at the party! Maybe a few days in Paris on the way to Rome as well.

We've been given a hotel recommendation by some Aussie SeaDreamers for a hotel to stay at near the cruise port and also near enough to Rome to sightsee. It's called Posta Vecchia and it looks great online, and our friends reckon its fabbo. Anyone on here ever stayed there?

Shashkelly

La Suvera in Tuscany - divine 11th century palazzo...

We have booked SDII in Sept 2015 for a back to back out of Rome.:D

We have also booked L'Austral (Compagnie de Ponant) sailing from Cairns to Sydney leaving 27 Dec 2014. NYE again at sea....and close to home here as it ends up at home.

That's all we can fit in over the next two years....

Shaskelly