What travel advisors should know about the SeaDream Yacht Club

With the slogan “It’s yachting, not cruising,” SeaDream Yacht Club, founded in 2001, aims to differentiate itself from other cruise lines with smaller ships. TMR sailed aboard the SeaDream II in the Mediterranean to find out how different the experience is on a SeaDream yacht.

Who is SeaDream Yacht Club?

The SeaDream fleet consists of the identical yachts SeaDream I and SeaDream II, originally built in 1984 and 1985 respectively as Sea Goddess I and II and operated as Sea Goddess Cruises. In 1986, the twin yachts were sold to Cunard Line. Cunard became part of 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 took over bought it and founded the SeaDream Yacht Club.

Both yachts have 56 cabins and suites with a capacity for 112 guests. There are only three accommodation types: the 18 m² Yacht Club cabin, the 34 m² Admiral Suite and the 41 m² Owners Suite. Two Yacht Club cabins can be combined to form a Commodore Suite. SeaDream also attracts solo travelers, which means that while the yachts can be fully booked, they are not at full capacity.

The yacht’s facilities include an indoor and outdoor restaurant, lounge, fitness center, spa/beauty salon, swimming pool, three hot tubs, golf simulator, small casino, boutique, piano bar, library and retractable water sports platform.

All meals and drinks, water sports and gratuities are included in the price. Wi-Fi costs extra, although the library has a computer with free internet access. Excursions (called Yacht Land Adventures) can also be purchased.

SeaDream sails in the Caribbean in the fall/winter (typically late October or early November through April) and Europe the rest of the year. Voyages range from seven to 14 days, and because itineraries don’t repeat week after week, it’s 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 itineraries ranging from 21 to 35 days.

Life as a sailor

“At your leisure” is a great description of life on board SeaDream. The day begins with an al fresco breakfast at the Topside Restaurant, which offers a self-service buffet and a full table service menu. Lunch is also served here in the same format and both meals always include a chef’s special of the day. Morning yoga and Tai Chi are also offered.

On port days, many guests take a Yachtland adventure, but they can also explore on their own – and are encouraged to do so. The concierge is happy to provide maps and suggestions for self-guided sightseeing. The yachts carry 10 bicycles for guests to take ashore, and crew members often lead Shoreside Casuals – complimentary walking, biking and hiking excursions. On our trip, the captain and club director led several walking tours in various ports of call.

Otherwise, the sundeck is open for relaxing and when conditions permit, the water sports platform offers swimming, jet skis, Hobie Cats, kayaks, banana boats, snorkeling equipment and more. The most popular water toy, however, is the inflatable slide that allows guests to whizz straight into the sea from Deck 3.

Evening cocktails are followed by dinner in the Dining Salon, but in ports where the yacht stays long or overnight (and in good weather), dinner is served in the Topside Restaurant so guests can enjoy their meal with a view and a cooling breeze. As expected, the dress code is relaxed and casual. The day ends with a sing-along at the piano bar or drinks at the Top of the Yacht bar. In short, life on a yacht is quiet and leisurely.

The SeaDream Difference

Besides the leisurely pace, there are a few other elements that set sailing apart from cruising. First, there are SeaDream’s unique itineraries that visit small and remote ports. Our trip included a visit to Gozo (Malta), Trapani, Lipari, Ponza, Porto Santo Stefano (all in Italy) and Antibes (France) – none of which we had ever heard of. That’s because most of SeaDream’s ports are too small for cruise ships and therefore aren’t household names. This often results in SeaDream being the only ship in port, allowing its guests to explore unique places they wouldn’t otherwise experience.

For its size, SeaDream exceeds expectations with culinary excellence, making it ideal for foodies. Led by a head chef from Italy, the 16-person kitchen team on SeaDream II made pasta and pastries from scratch and cooked all meals à la minute. A variety of dishes – from curries and stir-fries to fresh seafood and meat – were beautifully presented and equally delicious. SeaDream also offers an extensive vegan and plant-based menu, influenced by the company’s founder’s lifestyle. It’s entirely possible to eat a completely plant-based meal every day, with various starters, soups, main courses and desserts. Most importantly – we can attest to this, as we tried several dishes – they all tasted tasty and totally satisfying.

In addition to culinary excellence, service is another hallmark of a SeaDream voyage. SeaDream offers a 1:1 crew to guest ratio on most voyages, as the yacht is fully booked despite not being at full guest capacity. We found SeaDream’s crew to be one of the best we have ever experienced. They have an amazing ability to address guests by name as they board, intuitively anticipate our needs, and impeccable attention to detail in service. What impressed us most was their genuine interest in connecting and engaging with each guest without seeming forced or rehearsed.

Wherever possible, the crew also tries to accommodate their guests’ requests. One couple we spoke to said they had asked for a liquor that the bar didn’t have in stock. The next evening, the bartender presented a bottle of it – he had personally gone ashore that day to buy it for them. We too experienced this superior service first hand. We wanted to watch a live sporting event, but found that the TV in the cabin had no sports channels. We asked the hotel manager for advice, and he set up a large screen in the salon and streamed the event for us via his personal mobile device.

An extremely loyal clientele

SeaDream guests are perhaps the most loyal we have seen onboard any cruise line. On any given voyage, 70 to 80% of guests are repeat guests. On our voyage, only 30 of 101 guests were new to SeaDream. Most guests have sailed on SeaDream multiple times. The two most frequent-traveling couples have taken 35 and 40 SeaDream voyages, respectively. The club director also told us that nearly 80% of guests onboard book another cruise, with many even booking back-to-back voyages.

Why do guests keep coming back to SeaDream? Many we spoke to onboard love the small and casual yacht experience, but almost all said they come back because of the amazing crew, who they consider family. Nowhere is this more evident than during embarkation, where hugs and cheers often broke out as guests and crew from previous voyages reunited.

What consultants should know when selling SeaDream

SeaDream Yacht Club isn’t for everyone, but for the right client, it offers an outstanding experience and consultants can be rewarded with lucrative repeat business. Here are some tips to help you qualify clients to ensure they’re a good fit.

Unregulated and quiet atmosphere. By far the most noticeable difference from a cruise is that sailing on SeaDream is an unstructured and casual experience. Guests should not come on board expecting to have the full activity schedule of a cruise ship. During the day, time is spent reading and relaxing by the pool. In the evenings, it is very quiet – apart from a piano player and the occasional team trivia game, guests can socialize with each other. SeaDream is ideal for clients who want to relax and recharge and do not need entertainment.

Like-minded, affluent population group. SeaDream’s guests are predominantly retired or semi-retired. The guests on our trip were mostly over 60, with almost all couples and groups of friends sailing together. There are also occasional guests in their 30s or 40s, and the relaxed and pleasant atmosphere on board makes SeaDream attractive to solo travelers. SeaDream’s guests are well-traveled, sociable, and interested in meeting like-minded people. Finally, with an average daily rate of over $800 per person in the Caribbean and over $1,000 per person in Europe, SeaDream is not for budget travelers.

Guests should be reasonably physically fit. Entering and exiting the yacht is done via a gangway with stairs. Due to the small ports she calls at and the aim of opening the water sports platform as often as possible, the yacht is mostly anchored (our trip included nine ports and we only docked once), so guests should have no problems getting in and out of the tenders either. There is a small elevator on board, but it does not reach the top sundeck. Door thresholds are common, but there are ramps.

The yachts are older ships. Both yachts were built in an era when balconies and spa bathrooms were not yet the norm, so cabins and suites have only portholes or windows, and bathrooms in the Yacht Club Staterooms are very small. Although the yachts have been refurbished, the ‘bones’ of the vessels cannot be changed, so older equipment and furnishings remain visible.

Consider selling a full charter. SeaDream’s small size makes it ideal for a full yacht charter for corporate and leisure groups. When chartering, clients can customize trip elements such as length, itinerary, ports of call, menus, onboard entertainment and activities. Think family reunions, milestone celebrations, weddings and corporate incentive programs.