New Ports of Call for SeaDream's 2009 Caribbean Season

SeaDream Yacht Club has announced its Caribbean itineraries for 2009 (January through April). They've done a great job spicing things up! I was just lamenting to someone the other day that all of my favorite luxury cruise lines are doing the same-old same old in the Caribbean. With SeaDream's new itineraries, there are quite a few that will lure even die-hard Caribbean cruisers who feel as if they've seen every bay and cove there is to discover.

In January 2009, SeaDream I alternates between 5- and 9-day voyages between San Juan and Puerto Rico. Some of the more interesting ports of call include:

Gustavia, St. Barthelemy
Virgin Gorda, BVI
Honeymoon Beach, Water Island
Anegada, BVI
Saba, Netherlands Antilles
Peter Island, BVI
Culebrita, Puerto Rico
Esperanza, Vieques
Iles des Saintes, Guadeloupe

During the same time period, SeaDream II is plying the waters around San Juan with 7-day cruises.

In February 2009, SeaDream extends its reach to Dominica, St. Lucia (Rodney Bay and Castries), Montserrat, and Antigua. There's an especially intriguing 4-day Valentine's Day sailing that whisks travelers from San Juan to Culebrita, Puerto Rico; Esperanza, Vieques, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Honeymoon Beach, Water Island; Jost van Dyke, BVI; and back to San Juan.

SeaDream continues to explore St. Lucia in March, with calls on Soufrier Bay and Marigot Bay. The Grenadines are also added to the mix (Tobago Cays, Bequia, and Mayreau).

With temperatures rising in April, SeaDream's yachts focus on Samana, Dominican Republic, the Bahamas (Port Lucaya, Egg Island, and Nassau), Turks & Caicos (Cockburn Town), and Florida (Miami and Key West).

It's nice to see this change-up when it comes to Caribbean cruising. I'll be looking forward to a getaway in 2009! For more information, visit SeaDream's recently redesigned website.

Photo courtesy of SeaDream Yacht Club.

Seabourn Ups the Ante & Orders Third Luxe Vessel

The U.S. economy may be sagging but it hasn't hurt the luxury markets any. In fact, high-end travel companies are aggressively investing in the future. Just look toward The Yachts of Seabourn. We've all heard about the Seabourn Odyssey that will sail the seven seas starting in 2009. The company also has a second ship on orer with Italian shipbuilder T. Mariotti S.p.A.

Now, a year after announcing the two new ship builds, Seabourn surprises us all by ordering a third sister ship for delivery in the summer of 2011. The decision was made after such strong advance bookings for Seabourn Odyssey.

For those who can't wait until 2011, you can still book a voyage during Seabourn Odyssey's maiden season. The yet-to-be-named second ship in the series is scheduled to enter service in the summer of 2010.

All three 32,000-GRT ships will accommodate 450 guests in 225 suites, 90 percent of which will offer private verandas. The design specifications call for hulls 650 feet long, with a beam of 84 feet and a draft of 21 feet. The ships will be powered by diesel-generated electricity and operate with twin screw propellers, with a service speed of 19 knots. They will be equipped with two bow thrusters to enhance maneuverability and two stabilizers. In addition, these "green ships" will employ advanced wastewater treatment technology.

To learn more about Seabourn Odyssey, or any other Seabourn ship, visit the cruise line's website.

Illustration courtesy of The Yachts of Seabourn.

SeaDream Chefs Share Their Recipies in New Cookbook

Here's a fun holiday gift for SeaDream fans and those who like to tackle new recipes: the newly published Dream Cuisine: An Adventure for the Senses cookbook from the chefs aboard SeaDream I and SeaDream II.

Executive Chef d’ Cuisine, Robert van Rijsbergen, spearheaded the creation of the cookbook to include “a subtle combination of classic French culinary techniques, sophisticated international offerings, and a mingling of Asian influences.”

The book presents more than 90 recipes and covers hors d’oeuvres, appetizers, lunch and dinner entrees, desserts, and a unique spa menu. Vegetarian choices are also highlighted.

Some of the dishes you can now prepare at home in the SeaDream method include:

Gratinated Escargot—served with aubergine caviar and mushrooms
Thai-Style Chili Garlic Quail—served with Basmati rice and coriander
Sautéed “Gariguette” Strawberries—with candied black olives and olive oil ice cream
L’Oeuf Poule au Caviar “Surprise”—caviar served in an egg shell
Cream of Pumpkin Soup—garnished with pumpkin seeds, a bit of lobster and whipped cream
Champagne Sorbet—enhanced by a drop or two of Kirschwasser
Honey and Five Spice Roast Saddle of Veal—served with caramelized Belgian endive
Lemon Soufflé

If you're into fine wine, there's even a section devoted to the SeaDream wine cellar at sea, its bar menu featuring unusual beverages, and SeaDream’s noted and playful Champagne & Caviar Splash.

“We have received so many wonderful compliments from our guests about their dining experiences with us that it just made perfect sense to publish this Dream Cuisine cookbook," noted the company's President, CEO, and Co-Owner, Larry Pimentel. "It was a labor of love and I hope it not only reminds our guests of one of the great joys of sailing with us, but also sends them into their home kitchens to try some of these recipes.”

SeaDream Owner Atle Brynestad added, “As a family-owned and operated company, we strive to provide each guest with a memorable yachting holiday experience. We welcome all guests as if we were welcoming them into our own home, which in a way, we are.”

The Dream Cuisine cookbook is available for $30 per copy (plus shipping) through the Boutique section of SeaDream’s website and in the onboard Boutiques on SeaDream I and II.

Photo courtesy of SeaDream.