With the tagline of “It’s Yachting, Not Cruising,” SeaDream Yacht Club, which launched in 2001, aims to differentiate itself from other small-ship cruise lines. TMR sailed onboard SeaDream II in the Mediterranean to find out exactly how different the SeaDream yacht experience is.
The SeaDream fleet consists of identical yachts SeaDream I and SeaDream II, originally built in 1984 and 1985 respectively as Sea Goddess I and II, operating as Sea Goddess Cruises. In 1986, the twin yachts were sold to Cunard Line. Cunard joined the Carnival Corp. family in 1998, and in 2000, the yachts were transferred to Seabourn, also a Carnival brand. A year later, Seabourn founder Atle Brynestad purchased them and founded SeaDream Yacht Club.
Both yachts have 56 staterooms and suites with a capacity for 112 guests. There are only three accommodations types: the 195-square-foot Yacht Club Stateroom; the 375-square-foot Admiral’s Suite; and the 447-square-foot Owner’s Suite. Two Yacht Club Staterooms can be combined together to make a Commodore Suite. SeaDream also attracts solo travelers, which means the yachts can be sold out but sail below full capacity.
Yacht facilities include an indoor and outdoor restaurant, a lounge, a fitness center, a spa/beauty salon, a swimming pool, three hot tubs, a golf simulator, a small casino, a boutique, a piano bar, a library, and a retractable water sports platform.
All meals and beverages, watersports, and gratuities are included. Wi-Fi costs extra, although the library has a computer with complimentary internet. Excursions (called Yacht Land Adventures) are also available for purchase.
SeaDream sails in the Caribbean in the fall/winter (typically from the end of October or early November to April) and in Europe during the rest of the year. Sailings are between seven and 14 days in length, and since the itineraries do not repeat week after week, it is possible (and popular) for guests to book back-to-back voyages. SeaDream has also just released a series of Grand Yachting Voyages for 2025/2026 with 21- to 35-day itineraries.
“At your leisure” is a great way to describe life onboard SeaDream. The day starts with an al fresco breakfast at Topside restaurant, which has a self-serve buffet and a full table service menu. Lunch is also served here in the same format, and both meals always feature a Chef’s Daily Special. Morning yoga and tai chi are also offered.
If it’s a port day, many guests take a Yacht Land Adventure, but they are also free – and are encouraged – to explore on their own. The Concierge is happy to provide maps and suggestions for independent sightseeing. The yachts carries 10 bicycles for guests to take ashore, and crew members often lead Shoreside Casuals – walking, biking, and hiking excursions, which are free of charge. On our voyage, the Captain and Club Director led several hikes at various ports of call.
Otherwise, the sundeck is open for lounging, and whenever conditions permit, the watersports platform offers swimming, jet skis, Hobie cats, kayaks, banana boats, snorkeling gear, and more. But the most popular water toy is the inflatable slide that guests can careen from Deck 3 straight into the ocean.
Evening cocktails are followed by dinner in the Dining Salon, but at ports where the yacht stays late or overnight (and in good weather), dinner is held in Topside restaurant so guests can enjoy their meal with a view and cooling breezes. As expected, the dress code is relaxed casual. The day closes with a sing-along at the piano bar or drinks at the Top of the Yacht bar. In short, the yachting life is quiet and slow-paced.
Besides the leisurely pace, a few additional elements differentiate yachting from cruising. First is SeaDream’s unique itineraries, sailing to small and remote ports. Our voyage included a visit to Gozo (Malta), Trapani, Lipari, Ponza, Porto Santo Stefano (all in Italy), and Antibes (France) – none of which we had heard of. That’s because most of SeaDream’s ports are too small for cruise ships to get into, so they aren’t household names. This often results in SeaDream being the only vessel in port, and its guests can explore unique places they otherwise would not experience.
For its size, SeaDream exceeds expectations with culinary excellence, making it great for foodie clients. Led by an Executive Chef from Italy, the 16-member galley team on SeaDream II made pasta and pastries from scratch and cooked all meals à la minute. A diverse number of dishes – from curries and stir-fries to fresh seafood and meats – were beautifully plated and equally delicious. SeaDream also boasts a robust vegan and plant-based menu, an influence from the company founder’s own lifestyle. It is fully possible to eat a completely plant-based meal every day, with different appetizers, soups, entrees, and desserts. Most importantly – we can attest because we tried several dishes – they all tasted flavorful and were completely satisfying.
Next to culinary excellence, service is another hallmark feature of a SeaDream voyage. SeaDream boasts a 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio on most sailings, due to the yacht being sold out while carrying less than full guest capacity. We found SeaDream’s crew to be among the best we’ve ever encountered, with an uncanny ability to address guests by name even at embarkation, an intuitive nature in anticipating our needs, and an impeccable attention to detail in providing service. We were most impressed with their genuine interest in connecting and engaging with every guest without sounding forced or scripted.
Wherever possible, the crew also tries to accommodate their guests’ needs. A couple we chatted with said they had asked for a liqueur which the bar did not stock. The next evening, the bartender presented with a bottle of it – he had personally gone ashore that day to purchase it for them. We also experienced this going-above-and-beyond service firsthand. Wanting to catch a live sports event but realizing that the stateroom TV did not have any sports channels, we asked the Hotel Director for advice, and he set up a big screen in the salon and streamed the event through his personal mobile device just for us.
SeaDream guests are perhaps the most loyal we have seen onboard any cruise line, with every voyage consisting of 70% to 80% repeat guests. On our sailing, only 30 out of 101 guests were new to SeaDream. Most guests have sailed on SeaDream multiple times, with the top two most frequent-sailing couples having been on 35 and 40 SeaDream voyages, respectively. The Club Director also told us that nearly 80% of guests book a future cruise while onboard, with many booking back-to-back voyages.
Why do guests keep coming back to SeaDream? Many we spoke to onboard love the small-scale and casual yachting experience, but nearly everyone said they come back for the fantastic crew who they consider as family. Nowhere is this more evident than at embarkation, where hugs and cheers frequently erupted when guests and crew from previous voyages were reunited.
SeaDream Yacht Club isn’t for everyone, but for the right client, it will provide an outstanding experience, and advisors can be rewarded with lucrative repeat business. Here are some tips to help qualify clients to ensure they are a good fit.
Unregimented and quiet ambiance. By far the most noticeable difference from cruising, yachting on SeaDream is an unstructured and casual experience. Guests should not come onboard expecting the busy activity schedule of a cruise ship. Days are spent reading and lounging by the pool. Evenings are very quiet – short of a pianist and an occasional team trivia game, guests are left to socialize among themselves. SeaDream is ideal for clients looking to unwind and recharge, who don’t need to be entertained.
Like-minded, affluent demographic. SeaDreamguests are mostly retired or semi-retired. Guests on our voyage were predominately 60+, nearly all couples and groups of friends sailing together. There may be guests in their 30s or 40s on occasion, and due to the relaxed and congenial atmosphere onboard, solo travelers also find SeaDream appealing. SeaDream guests are well-traveled, outgoing, and are interested in meeting like-minded people. Finally, with an average per diem of $800+ per person in the Caribbean and $1,000+ per person in Europe, SeaDream isn’t for the budget traveler.
Guests should be fairly able-bodied. Getting on and off the yacht is via a gangway of stairs, and due to the small ports it visits and the goal to open the watersports platform as often as possible, the yacht is mostly at anchor (our sailing had nine ports and we only docked once), so guests should also be comfortable with stepping in and out of tenders. There is a small elevator onboard but it does not reach the top sun deck. Door sills are common, although there are ramps in place.
The yachts are older vessels. Both yachts were built in the era when balconies and spa bathrooms were not the norm, so staterooms and suites only have portholes or windows, and the bathrooms in the Yacht Club Staterooms are very small. Although the yachts have been renovated, the “bones” of the vessels cannot be changed, so older equipment and fixtures remain visible.
Consider selling a full charter. With its small size, SeaDream is ideal for a full yacht charter for corporate and leisure groups. Under charter, clients can customize voyage elements such as the length, itinerary, ports of call, menus, onboard entertainment, and activities. Think family reunions, milestone celebrations, weddings, and corporate incentive programs.
