In late February, I was lucky enough to go on a SeaDream Yacht Club Voyage with my husband, Kevin, and some of our dearest friends. The trip, originally scheduled for seven nights and booked in 2019, was rescheduled two times due to the pandemic. The second time it was rescheduled they graciously extended the voyage to nine nights, which gave us two more days in the breathtaking US and British Virgin Islands! Highlights, photos, and a review of our trip is below.

Where We Went

Because of its small size (the yacht only has 54 passenger rooms and a crew to passenger ratio of almost 1 to 1: truly exceptional service!), SeaDream is able to visit smaller, more remote islands. We never “docked” like traditional cruise ships do. The ship would anchor for the day and passengers were able to take tender boats to islands for excursions, site seeing, beach lounging, and more.

We departed from San Juan and visited a total of 8 islands in the Caribbean: Puerto Rico, St. John, St. Martin, St. Barths, Nevis, Jost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda, and Norman Island. Highlights included: visiting St. Barths Island and enjoying a beach picnic and “champagne splash” on White Bay, Jost Van Dyke. St. Barths is well known and lived up to the hype, but White Bay was a beach we were not familiar with before. It was a favorite among many passengers on the yacht who had literally traveled the world!

Champagne Splash with Chef Alistair, White Bay, Jost Van Dyke

What We Ate

Aboard Seadream, Chef Alistair worked with a team to create thoughtful, made to order dishes. Every breakfast, lunch, and dinner were served al fresco on one of the many decks, with servers attentively ready to take our order. Extensive menus featured daily specials, rotating dishes, and standard, fixed options (the Anytime Gourmet Hotdog was a favorite of all!). Copious amounts of fresh fruits, vegetables, and salads were offered at every meal. Everything we ate was outstanding and you could tell Chef Alistair put thought and dedication into every dish. We ordered “Table Pasta” every night (served family style) and ended each multiple course dinner with handmade espresso martini’s (a new personal favorite drink of mine!). By the end of the trip, they appeared at the table without ordering: magic!

In addition to daily meals, there was 24 hour room service and an extensive Anytime Menu. Passengers were surprised daily while lounging poolside with delicious, handcrafted snacks including one of the best ice cream sandwiches I have ever tasted! Pre-dinner cocktail hour every night offered small bites, sushi, and always champagne. One night dessert was served poolside in an over-the-top manner appropriately named “Dessert Extravaganza”.

The wait staff was knowledgable, polite, and attentive, and the ship’s sommelier, Frank, was a clear favorite among the passengers. When you are served rosé daily at lunch what could you possibly have to complain about? After dinner cocktails were served nightly at the Top of the Yacht bar or piano bar saloon by jovial bartenders Gareth and Byron while we listened to piano favorites sung by the ship’s musician, Joshua.

Excursions

Daily excursions off the boat are offered daily on SeaDream (many complimentary!). Our favorite was chartering a catamaran one morning with our group of friends and a few fellow SeaDream passengers. The catamaran took us near a private beach on St. Barths where we were able to take a quick dip and swim to shore. Aboard the catamaran we were near Jeff Bezo’s mega-yacht!

Our last day we visited a lively boat bar called Willie T’s which was an experience like no other with some great people watching!

Jeff Bezo’s Mega Yacht next to our Catamaran!

What Sets SeaDream Apart

SeaDream’s attention to detail, service, and amenities truly are unmatched. The cabins are comfortable, the decks are sprawling with plenty of seating, and the spa is wonderfully relaxing (and the only Thai-Certified spa on the seven seas!). Most nights we arrived back to our room to find gifts: monogrammed pajamas (!!!), personalized glass water bottles, and slippers were among the favorites. With a crew-to-passenger ratio of close to one-to-one, you can clearly feel the attentiveness. The fellow passengers aboard were kind, well-traveled, and a delight to get to know.

Would We Go Again?

Of course: we could only be so lucky! You only regret the trips you do not take, and the way I see it if you are lucky enough to travel with your favorite people, you are lucky enough. We can’t wait for our next trip Aboard SeaDream.