Every glowing review I had read about Sea Dream II turned out to be 100% true and then some. I wanted to cruise solo, but I needed to feel safe and hoped that I would be secure and seen on this yacht as opposed to the bigger cruise ships. From the minute I stepped on board I was greeted by name in every interaction with staff. Without exception, they were welcoming, kind and ready to please. My immaculate stateroom was small as expected, but a wall of mirrors visually doubles the feeling of spaciousness. The room is serviced twice daily, and the first night I came back to find that along with my turndown service, I had been given a beautiful set of cotton pajamas with my name embroidered on the front. This generosity of gifts continued throughout the 7 day cruise. The food service is stellar and the waitstaff bend over backwards to please. All meals were outstanding, but the dinners are especially notable. The options are plentiful, and included were some of the best plant-based offerings I have ever eaten. The presentation and variety make every night of dining an adventure. And I won't even mention the delicious array of desserts... which are served at both lunch and dinner. A 24 hour room service menu provides all you could ask for anywhere you happen to be on the ship, along with nonstop beverage service. The ship is older, but nicely maintained. I didn't partake of the spa services, but heard great reviews from my fellow travelers. For swimmers like me... what a delight to be able to swim off of the "marina" at the stern. The pool is small, but lovely. And the boat tender service is frequent, going to and fro from the islands. Always, the crew welcomed me back by name and I felt happy to return to my floating home. If you are considering a cruise by yourself, I don't think there is any other situation that could afford you such a friendly and comfortable experience. It has been a long time since I have encountered ANY business that not only meets their promise of service, but goes so far beyond in providing you with graciousness you can only dream of. I will be sailing with them again!

I was very lucky this year to go to Australia/NZ with my husband on Seabourn in January and then the Caribbean on SD in March with my family. Having the two trips side by side also gave me a more accurate sense of which style of cruising suits me better. Hands down its Seadream for the win! I know, and people are right, the cabins are TINY and the bathrooms TINIER. It's nice to have a balcony. These are things you have to make your peace with if you are going to really get the most out of a SD trip. That for me is where the griping ends and where my Seadream fangirl-ing begins. I bought this trip as an Xmas present for my son, his wife and their 4 year old son, Ringo. I had no plans to join them but in December they started to ask me, and my 95 year old mum, why we weren't joining them on what they were calling, "the trip of a lifetime". How could we say no? We had an exceptionally difficult arrival in St-Martin the night before the cruise so Seadream had a lot of work to do to get our travel morale up. Well, the minute we set foot on the ship we were being massaged (literally) and pampered with cold towels and drinks. Bliss begins early on SD. I've read people complaining about the state of the cabins and I am no stranger to these snafus (I once had a sprinkler unload all its cache of rust brown water on me as I was getting ready for dinner) but for me (and I'm in the luxury travel business) it's all about the atmosphere and the excellence of the service. I've been to many, many top notch hotels, resorts, cruises, airlines ... nothing but nothing is Seadream quality in delivering a great atmosphere (fun! relaxed! genuine! personalized!) and outstanding service. No one. It's the informal, confident, perfection of it all. When I'm on board I invariably start dreaming of renting the whole ship for a big celebration and, more modestly, planning my next trip (even though I've told myself a million times I should try other small cruises lines like Ponant or Emerald). This time we had a 4 year old with us on a ship entirely populated by 50+ age travellers. You'd think, oh boy, that had to be boring for the little guy. Nope! He developed a huge admiration for Jamie (great cruise director) and the Captain (as friendly and easy going a guy as you could ever hope to find in that role). We briefly lost our boy during lunch and it was amazing to watch everyone, staff and guests alike throw themselves into the hunt (found in his cabin after an attendant let him in!). No one put out or grumpy. Everyone loving our child and making it truly the best trip he's ever been on. The guests tend to be extremely likable, which is a totally uncontrollable variable but one that I look forward to every trip. Love the new (to me) addition of the daily hikes led by the cruise director. I always do 2-5 morning yoga sessions on the deck (such a nice way to start the day) led by the Thai massage therapists. Speaking of which, these are the best massages on the sea. Period. Compared to Seabourn's amateurish and twice as expensive massages, they are a no-brainer. Get one. No, get two. Same goes for the blowout service (less pricey than getting one in Austin, my home town). The food is hard to evaluate. Everyone has their own idea of what is a great food. I consider myself a foodie both personally and professionally (I love to cook and own three restaurants). I am very happy with the food on board. It's not perfect (desserts are definitely so so)but it's often very good and it's always served with a lot of grace and at the correct temp and speed. I am obsessed with the lasagna they serve at lunch on Wednesdays ( I look out for it, ok?). It is THE best lasagna I've ever eaten anywhere. I now have the recipe. Their Vegan menus are such a wonderful addition. I'm super health conscious and I love being provided actually healthy options that are as good for me as they are for the planet. Kudos for this initiative. Love the daily breakfast specials. I don't usually do the excursions as I am a hiker and usually set off for 2-4 hours in the morning for a walk somewhere so those I can't comment on. I love their low key dance parties (when they spontaneously happen on the Top of the Yacht) and the name-that-tune sing along silliness in the piano bar. I like the informality of it. I don't want to see a broadway show on the seas (I've been lucky to do a lot of the real thing). I don't want to meet up on deck 20 for trivia. Again, that's a very personal thing. The sports deck is a HUGE plus for us especially with a 4 year old but let me tell you lots and lots of Seadreamers all ages love it too. I'm going again this year on SD to Norway and we are already planning our next family trip (xmas 2026? Aegean May 2026?). With all the choices available to us we keep coming back for more. It's that good.

This was our fourth voyage on Seadream and every time we come away thinking that it could not have been better. We have cruised extensively on larger ships but once we discovered Seadream we have made it an annual event. Large ships have much going for them and if you enjoy all that they offer, you might find Seadream lacking - no shows, no balconies, no big buffets, no organized activities for children, no big ports, etc. But if you enjoy being pampered, fed well, interesting fellow passengers and off the beaten path stops, it's hard to beat the nearly 1-to-1 crew to passenger experience. Most cabins are the same, although there are a few suites on board. Although the bathrooms are small the cabins are well appointed and housekeeping leaves them pristine throughout the day. Every effort is made to accomodate individual preferences throughout the experience. Crew seems genuinely motivated to express hospitality and every need seems anticipated.

My last cruise on SeaDream 2 was pre-Covid. The ship has had a major refurbishment and looks well with a few additional features. Sun beds on the top deck and a waterslide which deposits you straight into the sea. All the other water toys, jet skis etc are still there. The cabins have new fixtures and fittings and soft furnishings but remain basically the same. We had a large window, not portholes. The shower room remains compact and really only space for one. The big disappointment for me was the quality of food. Very few of the original signature dishes are now served at dinner. The choice of canapés is nothing to what it used to be, in fact I'd say the choice is poor and we never partook. Even having put in a special request for breakfast items at the time of booking and being confirmed these were not available. The staff onboard are always helpful and polite and within hours get to know you by name. The ports of call were as you'd expect with a small ship able to get up close and personal instead of docking miles away. Overall I'd say the product is now expensive for what it offers.

This was our third trip with Seadream. Before I get to more comments, I think that it is important to realize that SD is very different than a traditional cruise and quite different from most other luxury lines. It lacks many of the amenities of larger ships many of which we also enjoy. But, it also offers a level of relaxed intimacy and service that few can match. The recent remodel has certainly addressed many of the past criticisms that the yachts felt dated and worn. The cabins are more spacious and brighter (although the bathrooms remain essentially the same). The new decking throughout also brings a welcomed updated look. The level of service is exceptional and the cuisine is way beyond what you would expect on a vessel with 100 guests. The ports we visited in the Caribbean were absent large ships or crowds and continued the theme of relaxed elegance. The size of the yachts lends itself to a social environment where guests mix and mingle regularly. Most are well traveled, have interesting backgrounds and are friendly. But none of this feels forced or pretentious. On board activities are limited but the new cruise director has added a few on board activities like trivia, Zumba, etc. The water sports marina is great and the new slide into the ocean from the pool deck is a blast.