"*****--Best Cruise Line"
"Dreams come true for cruisers"
"Benchmark for seafaring world"

Mike Thiel, reflecting on our 40-year friendship, decreed: "Even you will love this." Nevertheless, as my wife, Ann, and I made the rounds of the docks in Piraeus, Greece, looking for this SeaDream Yacht Club^THC, I was still thinking, "Too good to be true!"

As our cab stopped, a crisply uniformed woman walked right up and opened the door: "Welcome to SeaDream Yacht Club!" Quickly, we were ushered through "credentials," keys, land excursions, and spa possibilities, and then over the gangway to the waiting handshake of our captain--tall, wiry Valter Berg. His opening line was a killer: "Welcome aboard your yacht. I am your captain; how may I be of service?"

Decked out in full dress-whites, Captain Berg led us to our stateroom, where we met our personal attendant, Kim, from Thailand. She explained the amenities of our quarters, opened a bottle of chilling champagne, and excused herself to locate our luggage. I scrutinized the cabin--very well appointed, with a queen-size bed, separate sitting area, high-tech entertainment center, and a not-tiny marble-lined bathroom. I remembered Mike telling me we would not miss a private terrace: "Yachting is made to be enjoyed outside; you'll find your own special nook on the pleasure decks." Soon Captain Berg was on the intercom; he thought we might depart Piraeus an hour ahead of schedule, so we might start our way through the Corinth Canal by twilight. A big "Yea!" rose from the staterooms. "Our" yacht was leaving on "our" schedule.

Evening 1: The Corinth Canal

Approaching the 100-plus-year-old canal at twilight was awesome. It appeared our yacht would never fit through the narrow, straight-as-an-arrow cut between looming, 285-foot cliffs, where calcareous rock and sands glittered and pulsated in the changing light.

The canal, connecting the Aegean to the Ionian Sea, is only 69 feet wide and a shallow 23 feet deep. We mingled with our yachtmates at the bow, libations in hand and lavish hors d'oeuvres coming at us in waves. We were awed not only by the sight but the seamanship. Somehow, Captain Berg had gotten the SeaDream I here at twilight, hours ahead of schedule, and somehow, the 47-foot vessel was being tugged through the passage with what looked like less than three feet on each side.

But the cognoscenti were already moving on for dinner. By the time Ann and I arrived at the dining saloon, we had our first SeaDream disappointment. We would have preferred dining alone but were told we'd have to wait much longer for a table for two. Chief Steward Sean suggested we share a table with a couple whose company he thought we would enjoy. Sean was a good matchmaker; we had a delightful five-course meal with two physicians from New Jersey. The food was tasty, and the "yacht" wines poured freely.

Frankly, Dear Journal, I'm impressed.

Day 2: Relaxing At Sea

Ann and I set out to explore the yacht and find our "nook." After discovering comfortable chaises on the sun deck, we studied the day's on-board activities. Ann opted for some spa services, including the exotic-sounding Asian Blend Massage. We also signed up for cooking lessons in Sicily the next day, at a farmhouse on Mt. Etna.

For lunch we had fresh seafood salads and fruit desserts from the buffet. Wonderful wines, including French Sauvignon Blanc and Australian Shiraz, were there for the asking. Yachtmates were talking across tables now, and invitations were extended to sit together and get better acquainted. The sea air, sunshine, fine food, and wine were working their mojo.

Day 3: Taormina, Sicily

Following a hearty breakfast, we boarded a tender and landed at a dock dwarfed by the walled medieval city of Taormina. Our sightseeing coach carried us, winding halfway up volcanic Mt. Etna, to the village of Mascali and Villa Trinita, a rural farm owned by the Bonajuto family.

Five couples gathered around the kitchen table as Marina Bonajuto guided us in preparing a Sicilian family-style luncheon. Each couple split up; one helped prepare the meal while the other furiously scribbled down the recipes. We worked through zucchini capriccio (marinated in lemon sauce and mint), eggplant/pepper componata, pasta with pistachio sauce, chicken and grapes (from the villa's vines), and a torte sweetened with preserves. Even the red and white wines came from the villa's renowned vineyards.

Baron Bonajuto took us for a walk through the estate's centuries-old, park-like gardens and vineyards. With appetites bursting--you'd have thought we hadn't eaten in three days instead of three hours--our group was led to a giant harvest table in a converted barn. Bon gusto!

That evening, as we departed for Corsica, Captain Berg revealed a special plan; we would pass close enough to detour past volcanic Stromboli, which had been literally blowing its top the past few days. If anyone wished to stay up, he said, we would be in position about 10 p.m. Despite the detour, he assured us we would, of course, arrive in Bonafacio right on schedule.

The three pleasure decks were jammed as Captain Berg positioned our yacht so close to the billowing volcano we could feel the heat off the lava flowing down the side of the silhouetted mountain. We heard the sizzle and smelled the burning steam as lava hit the sea. Applause greeted each new eruption. Our 344-foot yacht danced around the volcano for 45 minutes before turning into the Tyrrhenian Sea toward Corsica.

Dear Journal: A memory of a lifetime--going out of our way to bob at the foot of an exploding volcano in darkness!

Day 4: At Sea, At Play

Captain Berg followed up the previous night's magic with a stroke of genius; he brought the yacht to a dead stop in the flat, warm Tyrrhenian Sea for an hour of water sports off the rear deck. Everyone flocked to the sports platform marina to pick their personal preference for going overboard: skidoos, kayaks, sunfish, banana rafts, water skis. The sight was unbelievable--50 or more passengers cavorting across the vast, bottomless Tyrrhenian Sea as if it were a giant swimming hole.

At dinner that evening, there were plenty of tables for two; as Chief Steward Sean had predicted, by mid-cruise almost everyone wanted to dine with another couple. In fact, we requested a table for six, joining two couples traveling together from Moline, Illinois.

Day 5: Climbing Around Corsica

We awoke with the yacht berthed dockside. That afternoon, Ann and I ascended to the old town of Haute Ville, winding our way through the narrow, cobbled streets while canvassing for jewelry and souvenirs. By taking a "wrong" turn, we came upon the homerun of the day, a sun-baked terrace with an incredibly stirring panorama of white cliffs surrounding the bay and the island of Sardinia shining across the straits.

Back on the yacht we heard some scuttlebutt; bad weather lay directly ahead, between us and our next stop in Porte Vendres, France.

Day 6: On Rough Seas

Ann and I were up at dawn to take pictures as SeaDream I sailed out of the harbor through high stone cliffs. Almost immediately the ship began pitching and banging very hard. Breakfast was breezy and bouncy. By lunch, even a Champagne and Caviar Splash couldn't get people out of their staterooms. I bounced off the treadmill. Ann reluctantly admitted she was nauseated.

I couldn't help thinking, "What will Captain Berg do now?" Captain Berg had done more than think. He quickly announced that the SeaDream would be turning away from Porte Vendres and would instead head for Port Mahon, Menorca, in Spain's Balearic Islands.

My thoughts, Dear Journal, as I (with normal appetite) finished fried oysters and veal and mushrooms at dinner that evening: "The captain takes us out of a storm and trades up to one of the most exclusive islands in the world."

Day 7: Safe and Sound in Menorca

Thankfully, the sun was shining and our yacht was snugly docked. We chose to take the Land Adventure. The excursion was delightful, with stops at a hillside monastery and some ancient ruins.

Yes, Journal, somehow Linda, our activities director, produced a tour for 40--in less than 15 hours!--on an island she admitted she'd never seen before.

That night was our anniversary, and when Ann and I were seated at our private table, we found a congratulatory note from Captain Berg, the chief steward, and our activities director. After a marvelous meal, we took a nightcap at the Top of the Yacht bar. The stars were out, the sea was smooth. What could be better? When we returned to our room, we found that Kim had turned two towels into kissing swans on our rose-petal-covered bed.

Day 8: Barcelona

We debarked as easily as we had boarded; I offered a congratulatory handshake to Captain Berg, who gave us a John Wayne, "Aw shucks, it was nothin' " shrug.

The general consensus among passengers, as we waited for taxis into Barcelona or to the airport, was that this had been one of our most spectacular vacations ever. The basics--and extras!--had far exceeded my expectations. Can SeaDream Yacht Club be that good? Yes, Mike was right. Even I loved it!

HL

A longtime compadre of Hideaways Founder Mike Thiel, Bill Giles has been a Hideaways Member and Ambassador for more than two decades.

AT A GLANCE SeaDream Yacht ClubTHC Ships: SeaDream I and SeaDream II; 110 passengers each. Registry: Bahamas Intineraries: Winter in the Caribbean, summer in the Mediterranean; beginning November 23, 2006, SeaDream I will sail South America in the winter. Features: Open-seating dining, spa & fitness center, library with computers, Balinese dream beds on deck, marine platform offering water sports. Rates: Call Hideaways for the latest rates and specials. Member Perk: $200 spa and boutique credit on select sailings (restrictions apply) and a gift membership in Hideaways Aficionado Club. Reservations: 877-843-4433 (+1-603-430-4433 internationally), or e-mail ts@hideaways.com. Heading South . . . South America, That Is! On the suggestion of past guests, SeaDream Yacht Club has decided to relocate SeaDream I to "hot, sexy, and exotic" South America next winter, with nine-night itineraries featuring trendy and unexpected ports of call between Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires. Excursions will include a day trip to Iguazu Falls via private jet charter or a stop at Ilha da Gipoia, a stunning little island off the coast of Brazil. Sailings begin November 23, 2006.

January 2006