The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection vs SeaDream Yacht Club

The core difference

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and SeaDream Yacht Club both sit at the summit of yacht-style cruising — all-inclusive, intimate, and oriented around couples who consider the absence of a cruise director a feature rather than a flaw. This is the closest comparison in the yacht-category series, because both lines genuinely deliver ultra-luxury experiences with near one-to-one crew ratios, premium beverages included in the fare, and marina watersports platforms. And yet the experience aboard is different enough that choosing the wrong one will leave you wondering whether ultra-luxury yachting is for you — when in fact you simply booked the wrong version.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is Marriott International’s purpose-built entry into the ultra-luxury cruise market. Three superyachts — Evrima (149 suites, 2022), Ilma (224 suites, 2024), and Luminara (226 suites, 2025) — deliver the hushed, anticipatory service of a Ritz-Carlton hotel on the water. There is no buffet, no public-address system, no cruise director, and no casino. Five restaurants include S.E.A., serving seven-course tasting menus conceived by Chef Sven Elverfeld of the three-Michelin-star Aqua at The Ritz-Carlton Wolfsburg. Ilma was named Cruise Critic’s Luxury Ship of the Year for 2024. The guest profile skews younger than most ultra-luxury lines, with roughly half having never cruised before and around forty per cent already loyal to the Ritz-Carlton brand through hotel stays. The Marriott Bonvoy loyalty integration means points, elite nights, and status recognition transfer seamlessly from land to sea.

SeaDream Yacht Club was founded in 2001 by Atle Brynestad — the Norwegian entrepreneur who also created Seabourn — when he purchased the former Sea Goddess I and Sea Goddess II from Carnival Corporation and reimagined them as the only true mega-yachts in the passenger cruise market. Two twin vessels, SeaDream I and SeaDream II, each carry a maximum of 112 guests served by 95 crew — a near-perfect one-to-one ratio that no other yacht or cruise ship can match. The founding principle is “It’s yachting, not cruising,” and the distinction is visible in every detail: no fixed seating, no PA announcements, no production shows, no formal nights. The open bar runs from morning to the small hours with premium wines, champagne, and spirits. Balinese Dream Beds on the top deck invite guests to sleep under the stars. The marina platform deploys jet skis, kayaks, paddleboards, and Hobie Cat catamarans. In 2026, SeaDream celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary.

For Australian travellers, both lines require international flights, neither sails in domestic waters, and both command ultra-luxury pricing. The choice comes down to what matters more: the polish and modernity of a new-build superyacht with five dining venues and Marriott Bonvoy integration, or the unmatched intimacy of 112 guests on a yacht where the crew knows your name before lunch on day one.

What is actually included

Both lines market genuine all-inclusive models — but the details differ in ways that matter when calculating total cost.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection includes all dining across five restaurants without surcharges, premium beverages including champagne, wines, spirits, and cocktails, Wi-Fi throughout the vessel, crew gratuities, and the marina watersports platform. Shore excursions, spa treatments, and speciality retail are additional. The inclusion of Wi-Fi is a meaningful point of differentiation — modern travellers and those needing to stay connected will appreciate this without reaching for a credit card.

SeaDream Yacht Club includes all dining without restriction, an open bar available at all hours — premium wines, champagne, spirits, cocktails, and beer served anywhere on the yacht — crew gratuities, and the full marina platform including jet skis, kayaks, paddleboards, wakeboards, Hobie Cat catamarans, and snorkelling gear. What SeaDream does not include is Wi-Fi, charged at USD $35 per day or USD $99 per week. Shore excursions and spa treatments are additional.

The practical difference for a week-long voyage is minimal in total cost. Ritz-Carlton includes Wi-Fi; SeaDream does not. SeaDream’s marina equipment roster is broader — jet skis and Hobie Cat catamarans are significant additions for water sports enthusiasts. Both include premium beverages, with SeaDream’s open bar widely regarded as the more generous in practice — champagne flows freely from breakfast onward, and the bartenders at the Top of the Yacht Bar are famous for remembering every guest’s preferred cocktail. For a couple on a seven-night voyage, the difference amounts to roughly AUD $700 in Wi-Fi charges on SeaDream versus the inclusion on Ritz-Carlton — a rounding error at this price point, but worth noting.

Dining and culinary experience

Both lines boast recognised culinary credentials, but the dining philosophies reflect fundamentally different approaches to feeding guests at the ultra-luxury level.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection offers a multi-venue dining programme of genuine ambition. Five restaurants aboard each yacht include S.E.A., the signature venue serving seven-course tasting menus conceived by Chef Sven Elverfeld of the three-Michelin-star Aqua. Additional venues cover casual poolside dining, Asian-inspired cuisine, a grill, and the main restaurant. All are included without surcharges. The breadth of choice means guests can dine differently every evening of a seven-night voyage without repeating a venue. Ilma’s dining programme benefits from the ship’s extraordinary space-per-guest ratio, ensuring every restaurant feels unhurried. The wine programme spans Old and New World selections curated to complement the tasting menus.

SeaDream Yacht Club takes the opposite approach — a single culinary team preparing everything a la minute for just 112 guests. The Dining Salon and the Topside Restaurant (al fresco, where all 112 guests can eat outdoors simultaneously) are the two venues. SeaDream holds the distinction of being rated the “Highest Rated Restaurant at Sea” by Conde Nast Johansens and earned Forbes Travel Guide’s four-star dining recognition. The signature Le Menu de Degustation presents a multi-course tasting menu with wine pairings, highlighted by the celebrated 24-Carat Gold Leaf-Topped Fondant au Chocolat. SeaDream also offers the only raw food menu at sea — entirely plant-based dishes prepared with ingredients none heated above 48 degrees Celsius. Wine pairings at dinner are included.

The verdict splits cleanly. Ritz-Carlton delivers more choice, more venues, and the prestige of a three-Michelin-star culinary director. SeaDream delivers more precision, more intimacy, and the experience of a single kitchen cooking everything to order for 112 guests with a crew ratio that allows individual dietary requests to be fulfilled without hesitation. For food-obsessed travellers who want variety and tasting-menu theatre, Ritz-Carlton. For those who want the most personalised, made-to-order dining experience afloat, SeaDream.

Suites and accommodation

The accommodation comparison reveals the starkest difference between a purpose-built modern superyacht and a beautifully refurbished heritage vessel — and the gap is significant.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection offers suites designed by Tillberg Design of Sweden with superyacht aesthetics throughout. Evrima’s Terrace Suites start at approximately 300 square feet with private terraces — though these are more studio than suite, and upgrading at least one category is advisable. Ilma and Luminara offer more generous proportions across all categories, with the highest suites exceeding 1,000 square feet. Every suite features a private outdoor space, marble bathrooms, and residential design. The space-per-guest ratio on Ilma is the highest at sea, and the effect is tangible — corridors are wide, public spaces feel uncrowded, and the suites are generously proportioned by any standard.

SeaDream Yacht Club reflects the yachts’ 1984 and 1985 origins, tempered by the comprehensive USD $10-million-per-yacht refurbishment in 2022. Yacht Club Staterooms average 195 square feet across Decks 2, 3, and 4 — no balconies in any category, but ocean views through picture windows or portholes. The 2022 renovation rebuilt everything from bare steel: new televisions, USB charging, Nespresso machines in suites, marble-lined bathrooms, and luxury bath products. The Owner’s Suite (447 square feet, mid-ship Deck 3) includes a separate master bedroom and soaking tub. Across all 56 suites, the standard is high but no SeaDream stateroom offers private outdoor space.

For travellers who prioritise suite size, modern design, and private terraces, Ritz-Carlton wins comprehensively. SeaDream’s philosophy counters that the yacht’s communal decks — the pool, the Balinese Dream Beds, the Top of the Yacht Bar, the marina platform — are the primary living spaces, and that guests return to their staterooms primarily to sleep and shower. Both arguments have merit. If a private balcony is essential, Ritz-Carlton is the only choice. If the absence of a balcony is irrelevant because you plan to spend every waking hour on the open decks of a 112-guest yacht, SeaDream’s philosophy makes perfect sense.

Pricing and value

Both lines command ultra-luxury pricing, but the per-diem comparison reveals a nuanced picture shaped by what each fare includes and the scale of vessel being compared.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection prices seven-night Mediterranean voyages from approximately USD $5,000 to $8,000 per person for entry-level suites on Evrima, with Ilma and Luminara at similar or slightly higher levels. Higher suite categories escalate substantially, with top suites exceeding USD $15,000 per person per week. The per-diem works out to roughly AUD $1,200 to $2,000 per person per night depending on suite category, with five-restaurant dining, premium beverages, Wi-Fi, and gratuities included.

SeaDream Yacht Club prices seven-night Caribbean voyages from roughly USD $4,500 to $7,000 per person for Yacht Club Staterooms, with Mediterranean sailings from approximately USD $5,500 per person. The Owner’s Suite commands roughly AUD $2,300 per night. Norwegian fjord voyages carry a 15 to 25 per cent premium. The per-diem sits at roughly AUD $900 to $1,200 per person per night for standard categories, with open bar, dining, gratuities, and water sports included. Wi-Fi adds approximately AUD $50 to $75 per day.

The total-cost comparison for a seven-night Mediterranean voyage reveals comparable pricing at the entry level — roughly AUD $6,300 to $8,400 per person for SeaDream versus AUD $7,500 to $10,000 for Ritz-Carlton Evrima. The premium for Ritz-Carlton buys a newer vessel, larger suites with private terraces, five dining venues, and included Wi-Fi. The savings with SeaDream buy the most intimate yacht experience afloat, a near-perfect crew ratio, jet skis on the marina, and the Balinese Dream Beds. For Australian travellers, international flights add AUD $2,000 to $4,000 per person regardless of which line is chosen.

Neither line is inexpensive. But both deliver genuine value within the ultra-luxury category — and the pricing gap is narrow enough that the choice should be driven by experience preference rather than budget.

Spa and wellness

Both lines offer spa and wellness facilities, but the philosophies differ — one rooted in modern resort standards, the other in Thai-certified authenticity and open-air ocean access.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection provides full-service spas consistent with the brand’s hotel standards across all three yachts. Treatment rooms, saunas, steam rooms, and modern fitness centres complement a menu of facials, massages, body treatments, and beauty services. Ilma’s spa is particularly spacious, benefiting from the ship’s generous space-per-guest ratio. The marina platform provides active wellness through kayaking, paddleboarding, and swimming.

SeaDream Yacht Club operates the only Thai-certified spa service at sea — the Asian Spa and Wellness Centre with highly trained Thai-certified therapists offering Traditional Thai Massage, Sisley Paris facial treatments, and body wraps. Two treatment rooms, steam showers, a sauna, and an open-air private massage area on deck where treatments are delivered with ocean breezes. The Fitness Centre offers ocean-view equipment. Complimentary sunrise yoga and tai chi sessions are held on deck — with six participants rather than sixty. The marina platform deploys jet skis, kayaks, paddleboards, wakeboards, Hobie Cat catamarans, snorkelling gear, a water slide, and a floating trampoline — the broadest watersports roster of any yacht-style vessel.

SeaDream’s marina equipment advantage is meaningful for active travellers. Jet skis, Hobie Cat catamarans, and wakeboards are not available on Ritz-Carlton’s platform. For travellers who define wellness as ocean engagement — swimming, kayaking, jet skiing directly from the ship — SeaDream offers more. For those who want a polished resort spa with modern facilities and a comprehensive treatment menu, Ritz-Carlton delivers the more conventional luxury spa experience.

Entertainment and enrichment

Neither line is a floating theatre — both attract travellers who celebrate that fact — but the evening atmospheres differ in tone and energy.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection offers sophisticated, low-key entertainment in the style of a luxury hotel lounge. Live acoustic musicians, pianists, and small ensembles perform in public spaces. The atmosphere is social rather than programmed — cocktails, conversation, stargazing. No casino, no production shows, no cruise director. Enrichment is destination-focused rather than lecture-based. The feel is a private members’ club on the water.

SeaDream Yacht Club is deliberately minimal in structured entertainment — a pianist in the Piano Bar, occasional guitarists and singers at the Top of the Yacht Bar, late-night DJ sets on warmer evenings. Trivia games and a modest casino with a blackjack table complete the programme. But the signature SeaDream evening is unstructured: champagne at the Top of the Yacht Bar with 360-degree views, stargazing, or retreating to a Balinese Dream Bed with a nightcap and falling asleep under the stars while the yacht sails to her next port. The Champagne and Caviar Splash — champagne and caviar served on a secluded beach or from the marina platform — is the closest SeaDream comes to an organised event, and it is universally cited as a highlight.

The distinction is subtle. Ritz-Carlton’s evenings feel curated and polished. SeaDream’s evenings feel organic and spontaneous. Both work beautifully for the traveller who wants conversation and starlight rather than cabaret. SeaDream’s Balinese Dream Beds add something no other yacht offers — the opportunity to sleep on deck under the stars as the yacht sails through the night. For travellers who consider that idea romantic rather than eccentric, it is genuinely unforgettable.

Fleet and destination coverage

The fleet comparison highlights a meaningful scale difference — three growing superyachts versus two heritage twins.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection operates three vessels covering the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Northern Europe, Central America, and Alaska (new for 2026 aboard Luminara). Evrima (149 suites) offers the most intimate option. Ilma (224 suites) and Luminara (226 suites) provide greater capacity and newer facilities. The fleet is young, modern, and expanding — itineraries favour quieter harbours and smaller ports over congested cruise terminals. The Alaska inaugural season aboard Luminara in 2026 signals continuing destination expansion.

SeaDream Yacht Club operates two identical twin yachts — SeaDream I and SeaDream II — each carrying 112 guests. The fleet deploys seasonally: Caribbean from November through April, Mediterranean from May through September, and Norwegian fjords in summer. At 4,253 gross tonnes and 355 feet, these yachts access harbours that even Ritz-Carlton’s smaller Evrima cannot enter — downtown Venice via the historic waterway, overnight in Capri, the Corinth Canal, and the intimate coves of the Grenadines. The limitation is absolute: two ships means finite availability, narrow seasonal windows, and no presence in the Pacific, Alaska, or Asia. Norwegian fjord voyages sell out years in advance.

For Australian travellers, Ritz-Carlton’s broader destination range — including the new Alaska programme — provides more itinerary choice within a single fleet. SeaDream’s twin-yacht operation counters with harbour access that no larger vessel can match and a cult-favourite Norwegian programme that creates genuine scarcity value. Neither line offers Australian departures or Pacific itineraries.

Where each line excels

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection excels in:

• Modern superyacht design. Purpose-built vessels with the highest space-per-guest ratio at sea, suites with private terraces in every category, and residential interiors by Tillberg Design. The hardware is new, immaculate, and optimised for comfort.
• Culinary ambition. Five restaurants including S.E.A. with Chef Sven Elverfeld’s three-Michelin-star influence. The variety and calibre of dining exceeds any yacht-category competitor.
• Marriott Bonvoy integration. Points earning, elite night credits, and status recognition for travellers invested in the Marriott ecosystem — a tangible loyalty pathway that SeaDream cannot offer.
• Suite accommodation. Every category includes a private terrace. Entry-level suites start larger than SeaDream’s standard staterooms. Top suites exceed 1,000 square feet.
• First-time cruiser appeal. Half of guests have never cruised before. The experience is designed to feel like a hotel, removing barriers for luxury travellers who have avoided ships.

SeaDream Yacht Club excels in:

• Intimacy and crew ratio. One hundred and twelve guests served by 95 crew — the near-perfect one-to-one ratio that no other yacht matches. Crew learn your name by morning, your drink by afternoon.
• Open bar generosity. Premium wines, champagne, spirits, and cocktails from dawn to the small hours without signing, without packages, without limits. The bar programme is widely regarded as the most generous in ultra-luxury cruising.
• Harbour access. At 4,253 gross tonnes, SeaDream accesses ports that Ritz-Carlton’s superyachts cannot enter — downtown Venice, Capri overnight, the Corinth Canal.
• Balinese Dream Beds. Sleeping under the stars on the top deck as the yacht sails through the night. Unique in cruising and genuinely unforgettable.
• Marina watersports. Jet skis, Hobie Cat catamarans, wakeboards, kayaks, paddleboards, and snorkelling gear — the broadest complimentary marina equipment roster afloat.
• Repeat guest loyalty. Seventy to eighty per cent of guests on any sailing are repeat travellers — a metric that speaks louder than any marketing claim about the quality of the experience.

Standout itineraries for Australian travellers

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Ilma: Mediterranean (7-10 nights, multiple departures, 2026) — The Cruise Critic Luxury Ship of the Year with the highest space-per-guest ratio at sea. Itineraries favour quieter harbours — Corsica, Montenegro, Croatian islands — over congested terminals. Five dining venues make every evening different. The most polished ultra-luxury Mediterranean yacht experience available. Fly from Sydney, Melbourne, or Perth via Singapore, Dubai, or London.

Luminara: Alaska (2026 inaugural season) — Superyacht luxury meets Alaska for the first time. At 226 suites, Luminara is intimate by Alaska standards, and itineraries will emphasise scenic cruising and smaller ports. A genuinely differentiated Alaskan experience for travellers willing to invest at the highest level. Connect via Vancouver or Seattle from Australian gateways.

Evrima: Caribbean (7-10 nights, winter season) — The most intimate Ritz-Carlton yacht (149 suites) in the warm-water setting that maximises the marina platform. The Grenadines, Windward Islands, and Central American coast in superyacht comfort. Fly to San Juan or Barbados via the United States.

SeaDream Yacht Club

SeaDream I or II: Best of the Secluded Caribbean (7-10 nights, November-April) — The quintessential SeaDream experience. The US and British Virgin Islands, St Barts (overnight in Gustavia), the Grenadines, and secluded anchorages where the marina platform deploys for jet skiing, kayaking, and the signature Champagne and Caviar Splash on a beach. At 112 guests, the yacht penetrates harbours that Ritz-Carlton’s Evrima cannot access. Fly to San Juan or Barbados from east coast Australian cities.

SeaDream II: Norwegian Fjords (7 nights, July-August 2026) — The programme that sells out years in advance. Oslo, Bergen, and the secluded fjord villages of Maloy, Kalvag, and Olden. Kayaking through Ulvesundet, fjord fishing, and deep-channel navigation possible only at 4,253 tonnes. Doubled capacity for 2026 reflects extraordinary demand. Fly to Oslo via a single connection in the Middle East or London.

SeaDream I or II: Grand Mediterranean (14 nights, 2026) — SeaDream’s first two-week Mediterranean voyages: St Tropez, Corsica, Taormina, Capri (overnight), downtown Venice. Extended format maximises the yacht experience. A direct comparison with Ritz-Carlton’s Mediterranean offering — the same waters, radically different scale.

Ship-by-ship recommendations

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Evrima (149 suites, 2022) — The most intimate of the three and the closest in scale to SeaDream. Choose for Caribbean itineraries and travellers wanting the smallest Ritz-Carlton yacht experience. Note the Terrace Suite studio-style layout — upgrade at least one category for genuine suite living.

Ilma (224 suites, 2024) — The most awarded vessel in the fleet with the highest space-per-guest ratio at sea. Choose for Mediterranean itineraries where the larger capacity and five dining venues match port-intensive programmes. The spa and public spaces are the most impressive in the collection.

Luminara (226 suites, 2025) — The newest yacht, debuting Alaska in 2026. Choose for the newest hardware and the Alaska inaugural season. Sister ship to Ilma with comparable facilities and suite programme.

SeaDream Yacht Club

SeaDream I or SeaDream II (112 guests each, 1984/1985, refurbished 2022) — Identical twins delivering identical experiences. Choose by itinerary rather than ship. For a first SeaDream experience, the Caribbean is the ideal testing ground — calmer seas suit the yacht’s smaller displacement, the marina platform gets maximum deployment, and the Champagne and Caviar Splash is the signature experience. The Owner’s Suite (447 square feet) and Admiral’s Suite (375 square feet) are the only staterooms with soaking tubs. Book early — with 56 suites per yacht and a 60 to 70 per cent repeat guest rate, top categories sell out rapidly.

For Australian travellers specifically

Neither line has a significant Australian presence, and both require international flights from Australian gateways — a practical reality that deserves honest acknowledgement.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection benefits from the broader Marriott International infrastructure. Australian travellers with existing Marriott Bonvoy status — earned through stays at The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne, W Brisbane, Westin Perth, Sheraton Sydney, and the extensive Australian Marriott network — receive loyalty recognition at sea. Points earning, elite night credits, and status-matched benefits create a genuine loyalty bridge from hotel to yacht. Marriott’s global reservations system and multi-language support simplify booking for Australians. The guest mix aboard is international, with a growing proportion of non-American travellers as the fleet expands.

SeaDream Yacht Club has a growing but nascent Australian presence. The line offers an Australian freephone number and has appointed dedicated APAC sales leadership, but the market remains small. The passenger mix is predominantly American and European with a notable Scandinavian contingent reflecting founder Atle Brynestad’s Norwegian heritage. Australian specialist cruise agents — including Pan Australian Travel — are the recommended booking channel, offering expertise in itinerary selection, flight routing, and pre- and post-cruise arrangements that SeaDream’s Norwegian and Miami offices may not provide with Australian-specific knowledge.

The flight factor is identical for both lines. Every embarkation port — Barcelona, Athens, San Juan, Barbados, Oslo — requires 20-plus hours of travel from Australian gateways. Pre- and post-cruise hotel stays are advisable. The choice between lines should not be influenced by accessibility, because neither offers any advantage over the other for Australian travellers. The decision rests entirely on which onboard experience better matches your preferences.

The onboard atmosphere

The atmospheric comparison between these lines is the subtlest in this series — both are intimate, both are casual, both reject the conventions of traditional cruising — and the differences matter most to the traveller who has already committed to yacht-style luxury and is choosing between two excellent options.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection delivers the atmosphere of a floating five-star hotel. Wide corridors, hushed public spaces, superyacht design, and the anticipatory service that defines the Ritz-Carlton brand. The guest profile skews younger than most ultra-luxury lines — couples in their 40s and 50s — with roughly half having never cruised before. The social energy is polished and contemporary. The absence of a cruise director, PA system, and casino creates the feeling of a private club rather than a passenger vessel. The dress code is casually elegant.

SeaDream Yacht Club delivers the atmosphere of a private mega-yacht. With 112 guests maximum, the intimacy is immediate and inescapable — in the best possible way. The Captain dines with guests, walks with them ashore, and is a visible daily presence. Crew call you by name from the first morning. The passenger mix skews slightly older — couples aged 45 to 65 — with seventy to eighty per cent repeat travellers on any sailing. The dress code is resort casual, even more relaxed than Ritz-Carlton. The evening rhythm is organic: champagne at the Top of the Yacht Bar, dinner al fresco, a nightcap on a Balinese Dream Bed. The atmosphere is often described as a house party on a yacht owned by a very generous friend.

The distinction is scale and tone. Ritz-Carlton feels like the most exclusive boutique hotel you have ever stayed in, set on the water. SeaDream feels like you have been invited aboard a private yacht by someone who happens to have 95 crew at their disposal. Both are magnificent. The choice is personal — and either will redefine what you expect from travel.

The bottom line

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and SeaDream Yacht Club are the two strongest ultra-luxury all-inclusive yacht experiences available — and comparing them is a privilege, because both represent the apex of what yacht-style cruising can deliver. These are not lines that disappoint. They are lines that deliver different versions of excellence, and the distinction matters because booking the wrong one does not mean a bad holiday — it means a slightly less perfect one.

Choose The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection for the most modern, polished ultra-luxury yacht experience at sea. Choose it for purpose-built superyachts with the highest space-per-guest ratio afloat, suites with private terraces, five restaurants with a three-Michelin-star culinary director, and a genuinely cashless all-inclusive fare. Choose it for Marriott Bonvoy integration that rewards Australian hotel loyalists with points and status recognition at sea. Choose it for the feeling of boarding a floating Ritz-Carlton property where everything has been designed from scratch. Accept that even the smallest yacht (Evrima, 149 suites) carries more guests than SeaDream’s maximum, that the experience is curated rather than spontaneous, and that the brand is new — launched in 2022 and still refining its identity.

Choose SeaDream Yacht Club for the most intimate luxury experience afloat. Choose it for 112 guests maximum, a near-perfect one-to-one crew ratio, and the kind of first-name recognition that only a yacht this small can deliver. Choose it for the open bar from dawn to the small hours, the Champagne and Caviar Splash on a Caribbean beach, the Balinese Dream Beds under a canopy of stars, and the Forbes four-star dining where everything is prepared a la minute. Choose it for the harbours no other yacht can reach — downtown Venice, Capri overnight, the Corinth Canal, the Norwegian fjords. Choose it for a line founded by the man who created Seabourn, now celebrating twenty-five years of defining luxury at the smallest possible scale. Accept that staterooms are compact with no balconies, that Wi-Fi costs extra, that two ships means limited availability, and that the yachts’ 1984 origins are evident despite the superb 2022 refurbishment.

For Australian travellers who can afford either line, the most honest advice is this: try both. A Ritz-Carlton Mediterranean for the superyacht polish and Michelin-level dining, followed by a SeaDream Caribbean for the intimacy and the Dream Beds. These are not competing products — they are complementary experiences at the pinnacle of yacht-style cruising, and both deserve a place on any serious traveller’s list.