By
Alex Smith |
Food is at the heart of the Oceania Cruises experience. The cruise line employs one chef for every 10 guests onboard its seven luxury ships, with a variety of different cuisines on offer on each vessel at their selection of complimentary speciality restaurants.
“When the brand began over 21 years ago, it was founded by foodies as a foodie cruise experience,” says Jason Worth, vice president of international sales for Oceania Cruises. “It’s a pillar of our brand, and we’ve done some revolutionary things in our dining experience. Our O-class ships Marina and Riviera were the first in the cruise industry to have culinary schools, something we’ve continued with our latest ships Vista and Allura.”
Guests have grown to have high expectations of “the finest cuisine at sea”, says Worth, and the cruise line has looked to keep delivering on those standards with new experiences.
“To keep things fresh and inventive, we’ve introduced a number of new onboard offerings,” he says. “We added our pan-Asian restaurant Red Ginger onboard Marina, Riviera, Sirena and our Allura-class vessels. On our new ship Vista, we launched Ember, an American dining venue, and Aquamar Kitchen, which offers a healthier option inspired by our Aquamar Spa. Aquamar has also now been introduced onboard Marina following a recent refurbishment.”
A recent initiative has been the introduction of ‘Relaxed Yet Refined’ venues across the fleet, which offer a more casual dining experience than Oceania’s speciality restaurants. A sushi station offering 45 new recipes will be added to Terrace Café, along with an Indian Corner that will operate once every cruise during dinner service. Pizza, cooked fresh in a brick oven at Waves Grill, will also be available.
“We’ve seen a trend in the last few years that guests want to sail for longer,” says Worth. “But on those longer voyages, they may not want a three-hour, multi-course dinner every night in our Grand Dining Room or restaurants, especially after a busy day onshore. Our ‘Relaxed Yet Refined’ options allow them to relax with a glass of wine out on the pool deck and enjoy alfresco dining at its best.”
The ’Relaxed Yet Refined’ initiative comes in the wake of the appointment of chefs Alexis Quaretti and Eric Barale as executive culinary directors in March 2024, succeeding Jacques Pepin. Quaretti and Barale are conducting a review of the culinary offering across Oceania’s fleet, with more changes yet to come.
“Chefs Alex and Eric have more surprises to share before the end of the year,” says Worth. “Their review is taking a thorough look at all the venue items across the ships. There are exciting plans ahead for all of our fleet.”
A new sushi station at Terrace Café is among the additions being made as part of the ‘Relaxed Yet Refined’ initiative
As well as receiving a refreshed culinary offering, Oceania’s fleet is also set to welcome a new addition in 2025. Allura, the second ship in the cruise line’s Allura-class, is scheduled to begin sailing from 18 July following its delivery by shipbuilder Fincantieri. While it will largely mirror its sister ship, Vista, Allura will include several changes based on guest feedback.
“We’re very excited to take what we’ve learned with Vista and deliver a great experience on Allura when we welcome her to the fleet,” says Worth. “We’re adding a creperie serving ice cream, waffles, and other indulgent menu items. We’ve also moved the library down closer to the Horizons area, which is a bit quieter and off the beaten path.”
Allura will have capacity for up to 1,200 guests and Worth believes the generally small size of the Oceania fleet provides a unique experience.
“I’ve sailed on a number of cruises over the years and in general it’s a great way to see the world,” he says. “But I love our small ships in particular. There’s no line to wait in, beautiful food made to a high standard, and they represent incomparable value. You know you’re going to have a great time, enjoy wonderful dining experiences and find yourself coming back for more.”
This article was first published in the Autumn/Winter 2024 issue of Cruise & Ferry Review. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed. Subscribe for FREE to get the next issue delivered directly to your inbox.