Oceania Cruises’ eighth vessel, Allura, is due to enter service on 18 July 2025, when it will embark on a six-day voyage from Trieste, Italy, to Athens, Greece.
The 1,800-guest ship, which is a sister to Vista, will call at what Jason Worth, vice president of international sales at Oceania Cruises, calls “gems in the eastern Mediterranean” during its maiden voyage. This includes Rijeka and Dubrovnik in Croatia, Ravenna in Italy, and Kotor in Montenegro.
The ship will then continue to explore the region throughout the 2025 summer season, visiting cities and smaller destinations such as Cadiz and Palma de Mallorca in Spain; Caligari, Cinque Terre, Messina and Palermo in Italy; and Monte Carlo in Monaco.
On 27 August 2025, Allura will depart on a 34-day trip from Civitavecchia, Italy, to New York, USA, visiting Spain, France, Portugal, the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, and US states of Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island along the way.
In September, Allura will also sail a one-of-a-kind, four-day roundtrip from New York to Saint John in New Brunswick, Canada. One of the highlights for guests in Saint John will be the opportunity to take part in a lobster fishing experience led by a seventh-generation fisherman. They will learn how to haul in lobster traps and enjoy a meal of fresh lobster at the Gaban House restaurant near the dock.
For the winter season, Allura will homeport in Miami, Florida, offering regular roundtrips and voyages to a range of Caribbean and South American destinations, including Aruba, Barbados, Curacao, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
“Allura’s inaugural season was designed to entice curious world travellers,” says Worth, explaining that destinations were chosen to allow both new and returning guests to “reconnect with well-loved favourites and discover new ones for the first time”.
Allura will spend the summer 2025 season exploring the Eastern Mediterranean before moving to the Caribbean for winter
Oceania Cruises has a strong focus on delivering high-quality culinary experiences, so it has developed ‘Go Local’, ‘Go Green’ and ‘Culinary Discovery Tour’ excursions to provide guests with a chance to dive deeper into the local culture and cuisine in a variety of different destinations.
“For example, the ‘Culinary Discovery Tour’ in Barcelona, Spain, offers guests the chance to browse the stalls at La Boqueria and Santa Caterina Market whilst accompanied by one of our talented chef instructors from the onboard culinary centre,” says Worth. “They will then head back to the ship for a Catalan cooking lesson using local ingredients.”
Culinary excursions aim to blend education and cuisine with immersive experiences that give guests the opportunity to gain an authentic point of view into life around the world.
Guests calling at Saint George’s Port in Grenada, for instance, will learn about the history of the ‘island of spice’ by visiting a nutmeg manufacturer, hearing about other spices farmed on the island and sampling premium rums made with local sugarcane.
Meanwhile, in Rijeka, Croatia, guests will be able to take part in a Croatian Hinterland excursion to explore Bajer Lake and Vrelo cave, sample homemade liqueurs and honey in the hamlet of Lic, and enjoy lunch made using farm-to-table ingredients, such as smoked meats, cheeses and vegetables, in Bribir village.
Guests visiting Saint George’s Port in Grenada will be able to learn about the history of spice farming on the island
In addition, guests can choose from a range of excursions exploring local history and attractions. For example, in Ravenna, Italy, they can see different parts of the Unesco World Heritage Site, including the sixth-century Mausoleum of Theodoric, ancient Byzantine mosaics at the Sant’Apollinare Nuovo Basilica and the tomb of medieval poet Dante.
Meanwhile, in Oranjestad, Aruba, guests seeking the thrill of adventure can explore the ocean depths in a submarine or take a ferry across to a private island where they can snorkel, visit the waterpark, zipline and enjoy a lunch buffet.
For guests seeking a more private and unique experience, Oceania Cruises also offers exclusive excursions for small groups where they are provided with a personal driver and allowed to design their own itinerary based on their own interests.
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