bob lepisto seadream yacht club

SeaDream Yacht Club | President, Bob Lepisto

Bob has been with the company for 20 years so we get to chat about the history of the cruise industry and how with SeaDream they wanted to start something different. Something where you wouldn’t have to organize your own yacht and all the work that goes along with that, but where you’d still get the yachting experience.

SeaDream sails around the Caribbean and Mediterranean and gets you access to gorgeous spots that you couldn’t otherwise see on a cruise ship. The company is famous for its super friendly crew and world class cuisine as well.

Bob and I talk about some of his favorite destinations, parties in the mid-Atlantic, and a few insider tidbits as well.

Listen to hear:

• 02:15 – About Bob’s favorite yachting view
• 04:15 – What the evolution of the yachting experience is
• 09:17 – How SeaDream offers a unique view on yachting
• 11:17 – What the difference between private vs the SeaDream yachts is
• 15:20 – How the itineraries are being made
• 18:09 – About the insider details of the yachts
• 20:03 – How you can visit the less explored islands
• 24:25 – What it is like to cross the Corinth Canal, Turkey, and the Atlantic
• 30:42 – What a day while yachting with SeaDream looks like
• 32:14 – About the cuisine, and the unique experiences
• 38:34 – Why their team goes above and beyond for the guests
• 40:37 – About Bob’s favorite choices on yachting activities
• 45:51 – What you will learn about the world by experiencing sailing with SeaDream

Listener Exclusive Amenities

A $200 per stateroom Spa* Credit for bookings

*SeaDream Yacht Club is the only member of the Thai Spa Association at sea.

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It's Yachting, Not Cruising!" Sea Dream Yacht Club

I recently got on the horn with Bob Lepisto, President of SeaDream Yacht Club, which is based in Miami, Florida. I’ve known Bob for many years and had the pleasure of going on a SeaDream voyage several years ago with eight other couples. We had a blast, and it is still one of the best travel experiences I’ve had in my life.

There may not be another industry that was as negatively impacted by Covid as the travel industry, especially the cruise industry. Bob will shudder a bit hearing the term “cruising” in the same sentence as SeaDream. Its moniker  ‘ It’s Yachting, Not Cruising,” is as important today as it’s ever been in its twenty-plus-year history as people seek smaller, more boutique travel experiences.

To put SeaDream into perspective, its founder and owner, Alte Brynestad, is from Norway. He has an incredible background in the small ship cruise experience. He founded Seabourn Cruise Line, which he sold to the Carnival Corporation, and then served as Chairman of Cunard Line, Ltd.  After selling Seabourn, he purchased two sister ships from his former company, named Seabourn Goddess I and II, and launched SeaDream Yacht Club in 2001. 

The yachting company is consistently rated as the top small ship cruise experience in the world by the likes of Conde Nast Traveler, Berlitz, and ForbesLife , to name a few of the travel press that has bestowed accolades on SeaDream Yacht Club . I wanted to catch up with Bob to find out how SeaDream survived the assault on his industry during Covid. Bob is a positive, likable guy, so I wasn’t surprised that he and the company made the best of a terrible situation. But it also is indicative of how the best businesses respond to adversity.

“Covid for SeaDream was interesting,” says Bob. He went on to say, “It was quite devastating for the travel industry as a whole, but we fared pretty well considering.” When Covid hit, SeaDream was operating its Caribbean voyage schedule. Everything shut down, but they kept their crew and sailed both yachts to Lisbon, Portugal, thinking at the time this Covid thing would be a brief interruption. 

Owner, Atle Brynestad, went to Norwegian officials and got approval exclusively for Norwegians to book passage on SeaDream to sail the Fjords of Norway, an incredibly beautiful excursion. They brought one ship to Oslo, and it sold out within weeks. The sister yacht soon joined them in Oslo to operate voyages as well. 

Bob points out that this enabled SeaDream to keep its crew employed, an important aspect of the company’s emphasis on consistency and guest service. They were the only “yachting” company operating in Norway during the pandemic while Norwegians were not allowed to leave the country.

SeaDream also took advantage of the limited voyage schedule to completely renovate both yachts in Lisbon. Dramatic renovations included all new staterooms and decking, hot tubs, and other improvements. They also revamped their internet service to Starlink, the low-level satellites that increased internet speeds ten times over what existed before. “The “At Sea” industry is notorious for slow internet service, and we were the first to address it with state-of-the-art technology,” says Bob.

Bob reads guest surveys and comments very, very carefully when they disembark from a voyage. “The interesting thing is the dramatic renovations to the yachts took place one at a time. There was about a 9-month period when one was done and the other was waiting to go into drydock.  During this time, we told no one about the renovations.  I didn’t want our guests to have different expectations depending on whether their voyage was on the newly renovated yacht or the yacht waiting for renovation.” Turns out the comments didn’t differ. “Our guests love the renovations, but it wasn’t a key factor in how they viewed their voyage experience.”

That’s what separates SeaDream; service, cuisine, and attention to detail, it’s luxury without the stuffiness. “ It’s far less about the hardware; however, guests are now loving the renovations,” says Bob. By June 2022, both yachts were fully renovated and back in service. When the Covid crisis eased, SeaDream still had over 90% of its crew and didn’t have to start over as a “new” company. That’s a big deal and a testament to their reputation for making guests feel like they are enjoying being on a  mega yacht with friends. 

Each vessel accommodates up to 112 guests in 56 staterooms with an accommodating crew of 95. SeaDream operates a Caribbean schedule during the winter and a Mediterranean / Northern Europe schedule during the summer months. They are adding some voyages in 2025 to the Baltics / Fjords from Oslo to Lofoten Islands in Northern Norway, famous for its fjords and the Northern Lights.

SeaDream is not at all like other cruise ships. They anchor instead of docking at small ports, so guests have the best seats to view harbors like Amalfi, Capri, and St. Barts. “We go where the big ships aren’t!” says Bob. They also offer unique land-based excursions for small groups, or guests can explore by taking advantage of the mountain bikes they have on board. 

Most guests on SeaDream, and to this I can attest, enjoy staying onboard and enjoying the pool and all the water sports equipment available, like sailboats, kayaks, and especially the big new slide they have just added. The incredible spa and fitness center employs five massage therapists from Thailand that guests comment is “the absolute best massage they’ve ever had.”

Many Caribbean voyages include a gourmet beach BBQ along with their famous champagne and caviar splash on semi-private beaches in places like Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, Nevis, and Mayreau in St. Vincent. These are incredible spots and so much fun! 

There is sailing to Israel, and others to Istanbul and the Greek Isles. The Dalmatian Coast is a great trip that I hope to take one day, which includes Venice, Italy, and Croatia. In addition to several travels along the Italian, French, Spanish, and Portuguese coasts, SeaDream has added a trip from Bordeaux to London up the River Thames to the Tower Bridge, on its way to Oslo.

Most SeaDream voyages are 7 days, but frequent guests enjoy the 10 and 11-day voyages. There are still openings available for 2023. “Last week, we had the strongest booking week we’ve ever had on 2023, 2024, and 2025 voyages,” says Bob. Clearly, the pent-up demand to get away after two years of lockdown is happening.   

The service and accommodations offered by SeaDream are second to none, but it’s the esprit de corps and energy that sets SeaDream apart. SeaDream’s success over the years has been based on word-of-mouth marketing.  “Our departing guests are our best salespeople as they return home to tell their family and friends about their voyage with us,” he says. 

The one thing you can count on is that SeaDream Yacht Club will exceed your expectations.

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SeaDream’s Bob Lepisto Looks Back to the Company’s Start

SeaDream Yacht Club marked its 20th anniversary on Sept. 1, a milestone worth celebrating, considering the upscale line was officially launched just 10 days before the horrific 9/11 attacks and the travel shutdown that followed. TravelPulse caught up with Bob Lepisto, president of the two-ship boutique line, to ask about his memories of the launch, how the fledgling company survived, and what was learned then that could be applied to today’s pandemic shutdowns.

TravelPulse (TP): What is your memory of the official launch of SeaDream on Sept. 1, 2001?

Bob Lepisto (BL): When 9/11 happened, I was SeaDream’s vice president of global sales and marketing. Previously, I headed up sales at Seabourn, where Seabourn Goddess I and II were part of the fleet. Under Seabourn, those two small yachts got very little focus, due to the fact we had far bigger ships to deal with. In fact, those two were at the bottom of every spreadsheet. Once becoming SeaDream I and II, they get 100 percent focus.

My SeaDream memory goes back to pre-start up, in July and August 2001, when were in the planning phase. We had no interest in just being another luxury cruise line, as there were plenty of others doing that. We were passionate about creating a uniquely different yachting experience. That is the reason we came up with the name SeaDream Yacht Club, and the slogan “It’s Yachting, Not Cruising.”

Our goal was to create a casually elegant yachting opportunity where every guest would feel like they were on their own private yacht. Focused on incredible service and cuisine, and the enjoyment of traveling with like-minded guests. For our full 20-year history we have stayed true to that mission. It is what has driven our exceptional success over the years and continues to drive our success today.

For all the wrong reasons (COVID pandemic), it rings better today than it did when we launched SeaDream some 20 years ago. In this current environment, travelers love the idea of no more than 112 guests, outdoor dining, an opportunity to sleep outdoors under the stars, and great watersports activities.

TP: What happened after 9/11? Did your business come to an immediate halt?

BL: Yes, after 9/11 we had to stop operating for a period when the airlines were not flying, and no one felt safe traveling. We thought, at the time, that would be the most devastating event possible for the travel industry. In retrospect, as devastating as 9/11 was, the rebound in travel from 9/11 was far quicker and more predictive than the current pandemic. The airlines reinstated service and routes far quicker after 9/11 than we have experienced with the COVID pandemic. It was easier to forecast business rebounding. We weathered 9/11 as a new company and we will weather this current pandemic as well.

TP: What did SeaDream do to stay in business during the travel downturn after 9/11?

BL: We kept our crews on, waiting and ready for travel to rebound. They worked on both yachts as we monitored the situation and waited for the time the public would be ready to fly and travel again. We stayed in contact with travel advisors, educating them on what this new yachting company – SeaDream Yacht Club – was all about. We continued our focus on delivering a yachting experience for our guests. It is critical during challenging times to remain positive and optimistic about what we can control, and plan accordingly.

We did that during 9/11 and we are doing that today as we move forward in the world of COVID-19. We know there is currently greater demand than ever for our loyal guests to sail again and for our loyal travel advisors to confidently promote and sell future voyages. Our entire industry will be stronger and safer in the future as a result of the lessons learned and protocols put in place due to the current reality we live in. Bookings for 2022 are very strong.

TP: Obviously, SeaDream survived and thrived over the past 20 years. How does this pandemic differ from the 9/11 aftermath?

BL: Even during that time, being a new boutique company with minimal brand awareness played into our success as travel rebounded. With COVID, in many ways, it is “onward through the unknown.” We all thought and hoped that after the initial COVID surge it would be smooth sailing again. Unfortunately, with the new variants, higher infection rates and lower level of vaccination than expected, that was not the case. Fortunately, with the greater focus on the requirement of vaccine for travel and booster shots becoming available to enhance protection, we are now moving in the right direction.

TP: SeaDream began operating comparatively quickly last summer, correct?

BL: Many may not realize that during the 2020 summer season we operated 21 COVID-free voyages in Norway, exclusively for Norwegian guests. I believe we were the only cruise line operating at that time. As a small, privately owned company with limited capacity, we were able quickly adjust itinerary plans to the current restrictive environment. Our Norwegian guests loved having SeaDream available at a time they were unable to travel beyond their borders.

Fortunately, SeaDream is having a successful 2021 summer season. This year we started to operate June 26 in the Mediterranean. We have now operated 17 exceptional voyages ranging from the Norwegian Fjords and Bordeaux on SeaDream I, to the Greek Isles, Croatia and Italy on SeaDream 2.

TP: Which protocols are you operating under now?

BL: The safety and good health of our guests and crew will always be our No. 1 priority. SeaDream is requiring all crew and guests to be vaccinated. It is now clear that COVID is not going away anytime soon, and we all need to operate with the reality that it may just be the new norm – requiring strict protocols and policies to help ensure guest safety, now and for the future.

TP: What advice would you give travel advisors now?

BL: My recommendation to all travel advisors is to call their clients and encourage them to book now for 2022 and 2023. Things will continue to get better and better in the weeks and months ahead. Given the great pent-up demand to get away, those that do not book early will find limited availability during the times they want to travel.

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