SeaDream Yacht Club, a small, all-inclusive luxury cruise line, is definitely worthy of Jet-List status. With only two 112-passenger mega-yachts staffed with 95 crew, lucky SeaDreamers truly get the feeling of yacht ownership. Tack on first-class service and intimate ports – you’d be a fool to not try this line.

My interview with Atle (pronounced, “Ott-lee”) Brynestad, SeaDream’s CEO & Owner, offers insight into Northern European itineraries for summer 2011 (new for 2011) and, after a couple of nosy questions, we find out how Mr. B chose the fabulous cruise line’s name.

I’ve had the pleasure of being onboard SeaDream two times and can personally vouch for how wonderful and first-class the experience is.  Our next SeaDream cruise is in February 2011.  Join us!


CEO and Passenger

~Carole: Mr. Brynestad, thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule to participate in this interview. I can’t imagine anyone more perfect to interview, especially regarding SeaDream’s new itineraries.

~Carole: How often do you have the opportunity to be a passenger on one of your yachts?

AB: I try to be onboard 3 or 4 times a year so I can have good contact with the crew and our guests.


~Carole: Which itineraries do you enjoy most?

AB: I like all of our itineraries and I try to go on different itineraries every year.


~Carole: I know that you founded SeaDream in 2001 after many successful ventures in the cruise industry. How did you choose the name, “SeaDream Yacht Club?”

AB: We discussed many different names during the summer of 2001. We were at our summer house, so we had extra time to spend to find a good name.

‘SeaDream’ expresses what we deliver as an extraordinary vacation.

‘Yacht’ expresses the style of the ships. It is causal and style at the same time.

‘Club’ expresses the feeling that each guest is important [to] us and that the ships are their “club house.”


~Carole: You were instrumental in developing the yachting concept that *is* SeaDream. What did you base SeaDream’s yachting concept on? Was it as simple as experiences you had over the years – one of those deals where you said to yourself, “If I could create my own cruise experience, *this* is what it would be.”? It’s obvious you knew what you were doing because it’s an amazing product in so many ways.

AB: Thank you for your comment. We as a family have been involved in the cruise business for more than 20 years.

I was the founder and owner of Seabourn Cruise Line and also the CEO in the first years. I have also been the chairman of Cunard, and based on all the experience from the top end of the cruise industry, my wife and I discussed what kind of quality we would like to experience.

The SeaDream product has been developed based on all of this, and we hoped there would be many more people that would like to enjoy the same quality as we would like.


SeaDream’s New 2011 Northern European Itineraries

~Carole: Of the new itineraries, which ones excite you the most?

AB: They are all great.


~Carole: You must be thrilled that one of your yachts is finally visiting your home waters. What, in particular, would you suggest SeaDreamers not miss if they choose one of the two Norwegian voyages 11122 (Hamburg, Germany to Bergen, Norway) or 11123 (Bergen, Norway to Copenhagen, Denmark)?

AB: They are both great, but I advise to book early since there are only two [Norwegian] voyages.


~Carole: I recently read an article about special activities related to a garden tour & beach BBQ of sorts that you are “hosting” during the Norwegian voyages [click HERE for the article]. Is there anything else SeaDreamers should look forward to on these particular voyages?

Image used with permission granted by Atle Brynestad.

AB: The only thing I can say is that to visit Norway onboard SeaDream will be great and if it works out, I would like to invite all guests to our Crystal Factory with its location only 1 hour from Oslo. Hadeland Glassverk was founded in 1762 and is one of the most visited places in Norway. [Link to Hadeland Glassverk website.]


~Carole: Do the SeaDream yachts display or use Hadeland Glassverk products?

AB: Yes we do use Hadeland products onboard the ships.

We are using the following SURF series Hadeland glasses in the Stateroom and the Piano Bar: wine, long drink, champagne and rock glasses. [Special thanks to Sigurd at Hadeland for this information.]


~Carole: I’m sure a lot of planning has gone into these new itineraries. Do you expect any growing pains? This is, after all, the first time mega-yacht SeaDream 1 has been in northern European waters.

AB: We know these areas very well and our Captains are also from this region, so this will be more than fine.


~Carole: Is the yacht suited for the weather in these northern waters?

AB: Yes, it is. And the summer in Scandinavia can be extremely nice. Sun is up 0400 am and goes down 23 pm, so the light is great and the nature is great. Some of our best vacations on ships have been to the Norwegian fjords and in the Baltic to Sweden and Russia.


~Carole: SeaDream’s yachts are perfect for enjoying their outdoor spaces. Will it be possible to do so in Northern Europe during questionable weather?

AB: We live in Norway and we know the weather well. Most of the time the summer weather is great. People are swimming in the ocean or in the lakes. It is normal to have dinner outside in the gardens or in the streets of towns and cities.

Some of the best experience we have is to sail along the coast of Norway and there are a lots of small boats along the whole coast of Norway and Scandinavia. The SeaDream ships are perfect for these waters because we also can go close to the coast and behind islands. The big ships have to be outside and can not benefit from what SeaDream can.

The ships have been to Scandinavia many times before and they will do great. All the outdoor space we have will make it extra nice to experience Scandinavia with SeaDream.


~Carole: Again, thank you so much for your time. I know my readers will enjoy this interview and your point-of-view.

AB: Kind Regards.

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