Travel advisors who believe Oceania Cruises straddles the line between the premium and luxury categories, would be well-served to reconsider that view – as did I following after sailing on 68,000-ton, 1,200 passenger Oceania Allura’s four-night shakedown cruise from Genoa to Trieste earlier this month. Suffice it to say Ocean Allura, and its sister, Oceania Vista, fall squarely in the luxury category.
A New Take on Luxury
The line’s executives contend that what distinguishes Oceania from its competition is the concept of “luxury with choice,” which enables guests to choose between fully all-inclusive options and those with fewer amenities.
“Oceania was founded on that aspect of delivering that luxury experience,” said Jason Montague, chief luxury officer for Oceania and its sister line, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises.
Montague, who worked on the business plan for the fledgling cruise line in the early 2000s, returned to the Norwegian Cruise Holdings’ fold earlier this year as chief luxury officer of Oceania and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. (Norwegian Cruise Line also falls under the Norwegian Cruise Lines Holdings umbrella.)
“When we started up, there were five ships that weren’t purposely built,” Montague said, in reference to the ships that once comprised the now-defunct Renaissance Cruises fleet.
“As you can see from our purpose-built ships [Allura and Vista], this is luxury from top to bottom, and we couldn’t be more pleased,” Montague said.
Indeed, Allura is replete with all the bells and whistles of a luxury cruise ship.
Just for starters, the service was as good as it gets – from suite stewards to butlers to wait staff to concierges.
Oceania Allura’s Grand Staircase (Source: Claudette Covey)
Food Glorious Food!
And then there’s the food –something that Oceania has focused on since its inception. With 50-plus cruises under my belt, I’ve never experienced culinary offerings across the board of this caliber. In all, Oceania said there is one chef for every eight guests – with half the ship’s crew focused on culinary operations. And that commitment to all things culinary shines through.
Just a handful of culinary highlights include The Grand Dining Room, which introduced 270 new recipes for breakfast lunch and dinner. Be sure to recommend your clients sample the over-the-top Sunday brunch, which is an indulgence worth partaking in.
The dining room also features a three-course food-and-wining pairing in the evenings, and the new Gerard Bertrand Wine Pairing Luncheon, coupling vintages from the French winemaker with complementary dishes.
Jaques, which pays homage the chef Jaques Pépin. The restaurant, which is also on Oceania Marina and Rivera, and will soon be added to Vista, has been enhanced with a number of new dishes, including duck à l’orange and hand-cut beef tartare prepared tableside. It’s a dining experience that your clients won’t to miss.
Red Ginger, which specializes in Pan-Asian cuisine, added 12 Nikkei (Peruvian-Asian) dishes, including such entrees as Peruvian-style beef and miso-glazed scallops.
A new culinary offering is The Crêperie, which is located adjacent to the Baristas coffee bar, and serves up French crêpes, and Belgian and bubble waffles along with ice cream sundaes.
For lighter fare, the Aquamar Kitchen, which is open for breakfast and lunch, proffers up a range of cold-pressed raw juices, smoothies and such as dishes avocado toast, energy bowls and yellowfin tacos.
Recommend that your clients sample the offerings at the Pizzeria at Waves Grill in the evenings – they won’t be disappointed.
The Terrace Café, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, never failed to exceed my expectations.
Amazing Accommodations
The smallest suites – the French Veranda Stateroom, Veranda Stateroom and the Concierge Level Veranda measure a generous 290 square feet.
All accommodations are equipped with spacious, marble bathrooms with large rainforest showers.
Suites in Concierge level accommodations categories include a considerable number of perks. As a case in point, I was accommodated in a 440-square-foot Penthouse Suite, which included access to a Concierge Lounge, which is manned by concierges who will assist with bookings, reservations and a variety of other requests. The Concierge lounges include comfy seating areas, sweet and savory snacks, coffees, teas and soft drinks.
Consider booking clients looking for even higher level of luxury accommodations in Oceania Suites, which measure between 1,000 to 1,200 square feet, and are equipped with verandas outside the living room and bedroom, and a study; or Vista Suites, which measure between 1,450 to 1,850 square feet.
Allura’s three 2,400 square foot Owners Suites, which in addition to verandas off the living room and primary bedroom, are boast bathrooms featuring a soaking tub and oceanview showers.
The ship also features Concierge Level Solo accommodations for solo travelers.
Stunning Public Areas
Oceania Allura’s Grand Stairdase (Source: Claudette Covey)
Allura’s public areas are some of the prettiest at sea, and include the handsomely appointed Grand Lounge, which is evocative of a private club and serves as an excellent spot for pre-dinner cocktails.
For its part, Martini’s serves up perfectly concocted cocktails of the same name (and more), which is something I found out for myself!
Suggest your clients visit the Founders Bar, aft of the casino. They’ll find mixologists whipping up showy hand-crafted cocktails, some of which emit foam and smoke. Some of the more unusual concoctions include Chai Fashion, with Chai tea-infused scotch, maple syrup, Old Fashioned bitters and fig jam; and the I Like You So Matcha, with mezcal, Domaine de Canton (a ginger-flavored liquor), honey matcha syrup, pineapple puree, lemon juice egg white and matcha.
Lifelong Learning
Allura features a slate of immersive programs that focus on go far beyond stereotypical cruise activities.
“The vast majority of our guests are retired or semi-retired, but theyre not coming onboard to be passive participants in their vacations, said Chief Commercial Nathan Hickman. “They are active travelers, and they want to continue learning.”
The Culinary Center, which is also available on Regent ships, is incredibly popular and sells superfast. Book your clients well in advance of their sailings to ensure spots in the classes.
I had the opportunity experience one of the classes, and it was I now understand why they are so popular. Participants work from individual cutting-edge workstations, with classes led by experienced chef/instructors.
The classes generally reflect the destinations visited, and in some cases the program also includes visits to local markets and more.
The Lync Digital Center offers a wide of classes, including those that focus on the basics of social media and photography essentials, such as lighting, focus, composition and exposure for cameras and mobile devices.
Allura also offers an Artist in Residence program, with workshops and presentations which, may include painting, mixed media, sculpture and photography – or a mixture incorporating elements in each category. The program also includes art demonstrations featuring with whomever the artist in residence happens to be. On my cruise, the artist in residence was the painter Frank Hyder, who work has appeared in museum shows in the US and Latin America.
In summer 2027, Oceania will debut its first Sonata class ship, the 1,390, 86,000-ton Oceania Sonata, followed Oceania Arietta in 2029.
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