The 2012 Berlitz Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships released on October 1st, announced that the 112-guest mega yachts SeaDream I and SeaDream II achieved the top two ratings in the ‘Boutique Ships’ category (50 – 200 passengers).

The Berlitz Guide, now in its 27th year, is researched and written by Douglas Ward, the world’s top authority on cruising and cruise ships. Having reviewed 285 cruise ships, Ward has named the top-rating ships for 2012, with the 10 most highly rated being officially ‘small’ or ‘boutique’. The SeaDream ships’ ratings out of a possible 2,000 points are: SeaDream II - 1,788 points and SeaDream I - 1,786 points.

The hard-hitting reviews independently expose the best and worst scoring cruise ships, using an internationally-accepted rating system devised by the author, Douglas Ward, the most feared critic in the business.  Taken into account are 400 separate items based on personal cruises, visits and revisits to ships, as well as observations and comments from Ward’s team.

Since SeaDream’s founding in 2001, it has been honored annually by the Berlitz Guide, SeaDream I and SeaDream II having been described as “Ultimately Exclusive Boutique Vessels”, and named as the tops in its Five Star Club, listing them as the “Crème de La Crème”.

Commenting on the announcement by Berlitz on their 2012 ship ratings, Bob Lepisto, SeaDream’s President, said: “We are honored and delighted to have been so highly recognized once again in this world-renowned guide. We thank Douglas Ward and his publishers. As President, I also want to add my sincere thanks to our colleagues at sea and those in our offices around the world who have all contributed to our continued success. This accolade follows fast on the heels of SeaDream’s recent success in the Condé Nast Traveller Annual Readers’ Travel Awards 2011, when we were voted ‘Favourite Small Ship Cruise Line’, a first for us in the UK marketplace.”

For information about SeaDream I and II sailings in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, on the Amazon and across the Atlantic, see travel agents or visit the website.