Overview
After a near-sold out first spin around the Brisbane river in 2017, Sydney's permanent floating venue, Seadeck, is once again heading north. From May 12 until mid October, the glamorous vessel will be cruising through Brissie waters for another season of luxe parties and hangouts.
Missed Seadeck last time? It's been up and running in Sydney Harbour since October 2016 — after almost two years, 10,000 nautical miles, a run in with Egyptian pirates and a stint in liquor licence limbo. The boat's first venture up Australia's east coast resulted in an 11-week Brisbane stint, and it clearly just can't keep away.
The vessel spans 42 metres, can accommodate 410 passengers and is the epitome of handcrafted luxury — from the handmade tiles and custom-designed brass bar to the bespoke furniture from every corner of the glove, everything you see was tailored for floating. Even the palm trees, standing four metres tall, took a dozen specialists to make to the right specifications. Each of the three decks is connected by sweeping staircases and cast iron lace railings, an homage to Hollywood's golden age of the '20s, '30s and '40s. Yes, the word 'swank' should come to mind.
In 2016, we sat down with the team behind this massive venture — that's managing partner Scott Robertson (Future Music Festival, DIVISION Agency), executive chef Drew Bolton (Vine Double Bay) and design director Alex Zabotto-Bentley (AZBcreative).
"It isn't a nightclub, it's all about impeccable service, beautiful food and nice drinks," says Robertson. Bolton is happy to help with that, bringing the Vine ethos to Seadeck. "At Vine, we reinvent modern European flavours with great respect for regional produce," says Bolton. "At Seadeck, our food will also be very produce drive but more casual and playful," he adds. Seadeck focuses on bar friendly snacks, like fresh ceviche, oysters and lobster rolls, but patrons should still expect the refined food experience that Vine exudes.
Design-wise, this lap of luxury is the handiwork of Zabotto-Bentley, who radiates passion about the vessel. "Imagine it's the 1930s and you're cruising the Nile or the Dalmatia Coast," he says. "The people on board were seen to be on a floating oasis in the middle of the sea, and that's what we want to recreate here."
Seadeck's second Brisbane visit will start on Saturday, May 12 with an afternoon cruise at 1.45pm. Tickets, available from the Seadeck website, start from $25 general admission on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons, and $40 general admission on Saturdays. If you're feeling the need to blow some serious dosh, VIP packages and hosted bottle service is also available.
By Marissa Ciampi, Lauren Vadnjal and Sarah Ward.