By
Rebecca Gibson |
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is to expand its newly acquired subsidiary Oceania Cruises by purchasing Ocean Princess from Princess Cruises.
The 684-passenger ship will be named Sirena and is due to be delivered in March 2016 when she will join Oceania Cruises’ trio of sister ships – Insignia, Regatta and Nautica –after a 35-day, US$40 million refurbishment in Marseille, France.
Inspired by the recent renovation of Insignia, Sirena will feature Oceania Cruises’ specialty dining restaurants – Toscana and Polo Grill – and more recent venues such as Baristas and the grill at Terrace Café.
The addition of Sirena, along with the recently completed refurbishment of Insignia, Nautica and Regatta, demonstrates Oceania Cruises’ commitment to mid-size ships and destination-orientated cruising.
Sirena will welcome her first guests in late April 2016, enabling Oceania Cruises to increase the number of destination-rich itineraries in its portfolio. Details of Sirena’s inaugural season will be released in late February 2015.
“The addition of Sirena opens up an entire array of new itinerary options for Oceania Cruises as we think about our deployment strategy,” added Kunal Kamlani, president and COO of Oceania Cruises. “The award-winning guest experience delivered on our ships, coupled with a collection of innovative itineraries that cater to new markets, will combine for an alluring siren song for both our current and future guests.”
Sirena’s addition is also part of Oceania Cruises’ commitment to enhancing its position in the mid-size ship and destination-orientated cruising market.
“The acquisition of Sirena provides measured capacity growth based on the proven platform of Oceania Cruises’ highly regarded mid-size ships,” said Kevin Sheehan, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line. “Our belief in the Oceania Cruises brand and our commitment to its growing base of loyal guests were the rationale behind our decision to bring Sirena into the fleet.”