INTRODUCING OCEANIA VISTA

Oceania Cruises Vista Ship Review

When I was in my late teens, we went on a family holiday aboard Nautica, one of Oceania Cruises virtually identical Regatta Class ships that were all previously from former cruise line Renaissance Cruises. This was many years ago, and the ship has since been refurbished (most recently last year), so in many ways, when I stepped aboard Oceania’s newest ship, Vista, in Southampton recently, I did so with a completely clean slate.
Oceania Cruises Vista

Vista launched earlier this year in May and was the first-purpose built ship for Oceania since O-Class sisters Marina and Riviera, which were launched in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Although Sirena had earlier joined the fleet in 2016, she – like Nautica – was a former Renaissance Cruises ship, so Vista marks an exciting new venture for the cruise line, and an expression of their confidence and visions for the future. It’s no wonder, then, that I was especially excited to see what she had in store for us.

Artist's Loft, Deck 14 on Oceania Cruises Vista


Carrying a maximum of 1,200 guests, and with a gross tonnage of 67,817 tons, Vista is a similar size to the Oceania Class ships, Marina and Riviera, which both carry up to 1,250 guests, and are both 66,084 tons. However, there are areas familiar to those who have sailed across the fleet, as well as exciting new venues. In many ways, this – the first of the new Allura Class (with the second, Allura, due to sail in 2025, but now on sale) – is an evolution of both the original R-Class and the O-Class. Forgive me for a few statistics (but if I’m going to make myself do some calculations, I might as well share the results, and space ratios are important when it comes to cruising!), but you’ll find a similar guest-to-space ratio across the fleet, although this evolves slightly more spaciously with each new class.


While the R Class ships’ 670 guests sound a lot more intimate than the 1,200 or 1,250 on the Allura and O-Class ships, each Oceania guest can expect plenty of space, regardless of ship. For, with a gross tonnage of 30,277 tons, R-Class guests can enjoy a space ratio of 1:45, while O-Class guests enjoy a space ratio of 1:53, and Vista’s guests a space ratio of 1:57. As I say, there is a steady progression and evolution, but ultimately Oceania is remaining true to itself. (Before I get too bogged down with statistics, it’s also worth noting that Vista boasts an excellent crew-to-guest ratio of 2:3 – for me, space ratios and crew-to-guest ratios are always important to note for onboard experiences, as a sense of spaciousness, rather than overcrowding, and personalised service are both important to me, and these ratios are useful indicators.)


That’s because Oceania prides itself on what it calls ‘small ship luxury’. Its fleet are boutique ships, not too large, not too small, but perfectly sized to create a relaxed, sophisticated ambience onboard that makes you feel at home, while able to access smaller ports ashore (and it prides itself on itineraries offering plenty of longer, even overnight, stays, so guests can truly immerse themselves shoreside, too).


For many years now, it has also prided itself on ‘the Finest Cuisine at Sea’ (and we shall certainly have a look at its many dining options), but more recently, there is a new focus on Wellness, which has been reflected onboard Vista.

Horizons Lounge on Oceania Cruises Vista

We started our ship tour almost at the very top (but not quite!). Heading straight up to Horizons lounge on deck 14, this is one of the ‘Signature Spaces’ onboard, which are a mixture of both grand and cosy spaces from intimate nooks to curl up and enjoy a quiet read, to grand, sweeping staircases or bars ideal for evening cocktails or dancing, each with its own mood and purpose. While some of these ‘Signature Spaces’ can be found elsewhere across the fleet, Vista offers a new perspective, putting its own mark on each space. Located on the forward, Horizons boasts the ideal vantage point for taking in the full majesty of the sea, and beauty of the destinations visited, with its floor to ceiling windows offering up 180 degrees of vistas. Although it boasts a sophisticated back-illuminated onyx bar, the dramatic panoramic vistas are perhaps the most distinctive and eye-catching feature.

Floor to ceiling windows in Horizons on Oceania Cruises Vista

The panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows also help to create a sense of light and spaciousness, while the soft tones of the surrounding muted blues and greys enhance this effect by allowing the expansive views to command your attention. It’s a transformative space that’s ideal for quiet reflection (perhaps with a book), as well as convivial conversation over pre- or post-dinner drinks, and possibly dancing and entertainment. Furthermore, onboard Vista, the stage and dancefloor have been relocated to the side, rather than the centre, to afford guests the choice between gravitating towards the dancefloor for late-night partying or enjoying a good conversation with their fellow guests. In the afternoons, it plays host daily to afternoon teas, where you can enjoy the soft accompaniment of a classical string quartet in the background as you savour dainty finger sandwiches, colourful petit fours, and debate which way you should prepare your freshly made scones with clotted cream and jam (my potentially heretical opinion is that it doesn’t really matter as it all ends up in the same place!), all served from four-tiered pastry carts in the finest traditional manner.

Onboard Enrichment on Vista

LYNC Digital Centre on Oceania Cruises Vista

Onboard Enrichment: ‘Lync’ing up, artistry and culinary goals


Close by Horizons, on the starboard side, you’ll find two venues designed for enrichment: the all-new LYNC Digital Centre and the Artist Loft, inspired by a SoHo studio and filled with plenty of natural light thanks to a wall of windows overlooking the sea. Art classes have proved popular on previous cruises (particularly World Cruises or Grand Voyages), but the Artist Loft on Vista offers an enhanced permanent space onboard for the talented Artists in Residence to offer step-by-step instructions in visual arts, whether it be painting, drawing, sculpture or photography. The LYNC Digital Centre allows guests the opportunity to enjoy an ‘interactive and fun enrichment series’ designed to help them connect with friends and family on social media, as well as learning how to improve the quality of photos, and more, with complimentary digital learning classes for all levels, and ranging from social media essentials to travel photography and smartphone videography. There’s the option to learn with a knowledgeable Digital Concierge with ‘In-class learning’ or to learn at your own leisure.



On the port side, you’ll find a much more familiar Oceania enrichment activity: the Culinary Centre. Oceania were the first to introduce a purpose-built cookery school at sea, and this tradition has continued onboard Vista, where a master chef hosts up to 20 guests at a time for demonstrations and teaching culinary fundamentals at a cost of $89pp for each lesson. The Culinary Centre onboard Vista was inspired by traditional New England residential aesthetic, as exemplified by the combination of shaker-style panelling and a coastal beach stripe embedded in the floor. Adjacent to the main Culinary Centre, you’ll find the Chef’s Studio at The Culinary Centre, referred to by Kathryn Kelly, Oceania’s executive director of culinary enrichment, as a ‘mix between a library and a dining room, like something on “Succession”’, as Vista seeks to evolve the Culinary Centre principle with more intimate experiences. With its flexible configuration it offers an eclectic mixture of events, demonstrations and private dinners, ranging from mixology courses to a food and wine pairing experience, and even a new after-dinner class which invites participants to prepare desserts ranging from crepes to lava cake to enjoy before enjoying the rest of the night.


Immersive Mixology Experiences: The Finest Booze at Sea


During our visit, the Chef’s Studio appeared to be set up for a mixology class. Oceania boasts ‘immersive mixology experiences’ onboard Vista, promising that ‘enjoying a drink will be an experience unto itself’, and there are several bars (including Horizons) onboard where one can enjoy the finest drinks crafted by skilled bartenders with a new onboard bar programme that’s been designed to mirror the quality and innovation that have long been associated with ‘The Finest Cuisine at Sea’. On Deck 6, near the Casino, you can find the sophisticated Founders Bar, complete with carved onyx bar illuminated with custom lighting, and serving up signature craft cocktails such as Negronis aged in wooden barrels (flavoured with oaky undertones), and even infusing cocktails with vapour-filled bubbles with aromatic flavours. Likewise, the old Oceania classic Martinis – not that far away from Founders Bar on Deck 6 – boasts not only its namesake cocktail, but a fresh new spirits selection – Mermaid gin and vodka – and a tantalizing new collection of drinks called ‘Hollywood Martinis’ inspired by classic Hollywood idols, such as the Bardot Martini, Blue Eyes Sinatra, Monroe Martini, Sir Connery Martini, and The Corleone Martini. With its high-gloss black grand piano, beveled mirrors lining the walls, glistening panelling, and black, white, green and purple accents, Martinis evokes all the Art-Deco glamour of the roaring twenties, and spills out towards the transitive space of the Grand Lounge, which connects Martinis, the top of the Grand Staircase (which Martinis looks out onto), casino and the Grand Dining Room. Oceania’s focus on immersive mixology experiences also include elevated single malt whisky experiences (‘The Macallan Rituals’ brought to you tableside by cart and ‘The Macallan Chocolate Pairing’) as well as indulgent Rum mixology experiences; the Brugal 1888 Tea at Sea gives you the opportunity to become a mixologist for the day with the hands-on Brugal 1888 Rum Tea at Sea Seminar where you’ll learn how to make Brugal rum cocktails with tea and how learn how tea has influenced mixology since the 17th century, while the Brugal 1888 and Ice Cream Masterclass teaches how to make delicious ice cream-inspired Brugal 1888 rum cocktails, guided by your onboard mixologist and dessert chef.


Rejuvenation and Wellness: Relaxing by the Pool and exploring Aquamar Vitality Centre


Going across deck 14 along the sun deck from the culinary centre to the aft, we could admire the Pool area below, on deck 12. The pool deck area on Vista is a veritable oasis of calm and serenity, and its designers – Studio Dado – were aiming for the ‘essence of an exclusive beach resort’ by using layered, natural materials and organic furniture pieces. There are secluded cabana areas where guests can enjoy the ultimate private experience gazing out to sea with floor-to-ceiling glazing, while the Jacuzzis are screened from the pool with natural wood elements, and there is an abundance of space for guests to relax on lounge chairs or circular daybeds subtly delineated into separate areas by umbrellas – there is simultaneously the offering of both space and privacy, as can be expected from the most exclusive of beach resorts, so you can enjoy the outdoors and the sea in peace, perhaps with a cocktail at your side. I loved the natural wood elements used on the outside of the ship itself, giving a warm, even classic nautical, aesthetic.

Pool deck on board Oceania Cruises Vista

Just above deck 14, you’ll find decks 15 and (on the forward side) 16, which are in many ways – like deck 12 with the pool deck area – bastions of rejuvenation and fitness, (if you dip into the pool for a swim to exercise), for it is here that you’ll find the Aquamar Spa & Vitality Centre, Fitness Centre and Sports Decks. As Oceania looks to enhance and expand its focus on wellness (an increasingly popular trend in recent years), Vista suitably boasts the line’s first purpose-built, holistic wellness centre, which includes rejuvenating treatment areas, a spacious new salon and barbershop, state-of-the-art fitness centre (that was, in fact, in use despite not being a sea day!) and personal training spaces. Oceania proudly claim that the ‘crown jewel of this lavish facility’ is the Aquamar Spa Terrace, but this exclusive space was so exclusive…we didn’t get the opportunity to see it, as I think it was locked and the attendant didn’t seem to have the key (guests in Concierge Level Veranda Staterooms and suites can enjoy unlimited access to the Spa Terrace). But it’s supposed to be an open-air deck of plush loungers, plush pools and whirlpool spas. On the aft side of Deck 15, there’s a fitness track and areas for shuffleboard and croquet/bocce. Above the Spa area on deck 16 forward, there’s an impressively expansive golf putting greens and tennis area.


Books, Baristas and Baked Goods


Continuing with our tour, as we made it across deck 14 towards the Aft, we first took a look at the Library, an impressive complex housing some 2,000-plus books (although as far as I could tell, no Agatha Christies!). With its sepia equestrian prints adorning the walls, warm wooden tones, chromes, and furnishings resplendent in tans and creams, the library offers a warm invitation to settle inside its literary sanctum ensconced with a good book, cloaked in the very essence of East-Coast American elegance (no wonder, as it’s the only library at sea to be exclusively styled by Ralph Lauren Home), yet its floor-to-ceiling glass walls remind you of the world outside with stunning vistas of the sea itself. Adjacent to the library, you’ll find Baristas, the complimentary gourmet coffee bar reminiscent of a Viennese coffee house. Here, you can sip of illy® coffees brewed by Italian baristas from sleek two-tone leather bar stools overlooking the pool and taking in 270-degree expansive views from floor-to-ceiling windows. On select evenings, the elegant Baristas area will play host to the brand-new Bubbly Bar, a lighthearted and interactive concept where you can customise your own drink as creatively as you like! The bar staff will be on hand to assist as you create your drink from a wide selection of beverages to choose from, including sparkling wines, Champagnes, prosecco and liquors, and an array of homemade syrups and purees, and finally top it off with one of the many fancy beverage garnishes available. Also new to Vista, there’s the perfect accompaniment to your bold macchiato or iced latte, with the popular Bakery at Baristas, which offers moreish French and Italian pastries which change twice a day, emerging fresh from a new Rational oven, and boasting plenty of seating space.

Librabry on Deck 14 onboard Vista

Dining Venues offering the Finest Cuisine at Sea


Completing deck 14, you’ll find two of Oceania’s best-known speciality restaurants: Toscana on the Port side, and Polo Grill Steakhouse on the Starboard side, the latter was especially noted by Oceania’s President Frank A. Del Rio (son of the now-retired founder) as one of his favourite areas onboard Vista. It was actually the first restaurant we saw onboard, and it’s full of character. I seem to recall the Polo Grill onboard Nautica all those many years ago simply as being dark, and whilst the Polo Grill onboard Vista maintains a certain masculinity, I also felt that it had been uplifted and enhanced from that of my memory. Studio Dado took the ‘Polo’ part of the brief very seriously, and used design elements from Persia (where polo originated), England (where it ‘hit its ultimate expression’), and the Americas, where it became associated with exclusivity. The restaurant has all the vibes of an exclusive club house, complete with vitrines and shelves boasting trophies, historic memorabilia and old team photos, and Charleston green colonial-style panel shutters are beautifully complimented by gleaming white. However, as you enter, you are reminded of polo’s origins with a stunning Persian ‘rug’ made of hand-cut mosaics. There was something contemporary yet simultaneously evoking colonial elements, which intrigued me. Continuing through Polo Grill, you’ll find Privée, an intimate private dining venue where you can enjoy unforgettable wine experiences by La Reserve, which incurs a supplement from $150pp (a private dining experience paired with wine can also be experienced in a new private dining area in Polo Grill Steakhouse too, at a slightly lower supplement of $95pp). A sculpted oval table faces stunning oceanviews, and the walls, ceiling and chandelier are designed to make you feel like you’re dining inside a flower.


Polo Grill Steakhouse, Deck 14, Vista


Finally, Toscana in the portside boasts no less character than Polo Steakhouse. As its name belies, this restaurant – another Oceania signature – features Tuscan specialities, and Studio Dado took plenty of liberty with their inspirations from Medieval cities such as Sienna, from the heart of Tuscany itself. You’re welcomed underneath a frescoed ceiling, and its main ceiling also echoes temple frescoes in a reimagined modern style, while Toscana’s private dining room is reminiscent of a museum with a hand-painted ceiling and vitrines showcasing classical Roman-style sculptures. The main restaurant’s walls are periodically adorned with charming mosaics depicting branches of trees and endearing birds, while the furnishings pop with the sunshine hues of Tuscan yellows and butterscotch.


On the deck below (deck 12), not far from the poolside, you’ll find several dining venues offering more informal options. Waves Grill is a transformative area, starting its day as the only cold-pressed Raw Juice & Smoothie Bar at sea, serving up energy bowls as well as raw juices and plant-based smoothies, before offering made-to-order all-American favourites from lunchtime until late into the afternoon. Here, you can savour mouth-watering Wagyu burgers topped with juicy tomatoes and a savoury black truffle sauce, and finish with a hand-dipped milkshake or a whimsical ice cream flavour by Humphry Slocombe for dessert. While we saw it during its daytime incarnation, it transforms yet again at night into an authentic Neapolitan trattoria complete with a pizza oven at its epicentre. Oceania have partnered up with Basque butcher Imaol Jaca, founder of Txogitxu and proponent of mature beef, and this culinary partnership has expanded the selection from USDA Prime Beef to included a more flavourful mature beef from the Basque country, and Jaca has been creating dishes at the poolside Waves Grill. The venue itself embraces its al fresco location with metal structures mimicking tree canopies and the tile flooring recreating the effect of rippling water. Nearby is the Terrace Café, where breakfast, lunch and dinner can be self-served from the central ‘market place’. There is outdoors seating available at the ship’s stern, but also plenty of seating inside. Striking floral mosaics adorn the wall as you enter, while a crane mosaic features on the back wall, continuing the luxurious, contemporary flair already enjoyed elsewhere throughout the ship so far. During lunch, you’ll also find the Ultimate Bloody Mary Bar hosted here, where a vibrant and colourful display of vegetables, ingredients and unique garnishes ranging from spicy shrimp or stuffed olives to dried bacon can be found, with several custom-made options – such as the Italian Mary made with grappa and Italian skewer or the Ave Caesar prepared with Clamato juice – available, as well as the opportunity to craft your own!


Completing the trifecta of casual eateries found on Deck 12 is a brand new venue, which is in keeping with Oceania’s focus on Wellness, proving that a cruise line that has virtually since its inception focussed on culinary matters, can also balance gastronomy with wellness. Open for breakfast and lunch, the new Aquamar Kitchen boasts a breezy ambience with its light and airy look, and serves up healthy selections ranging from smoothies, homemade granolas and organic power bowls at breakfast to yellowfin tacos, wraps and the supremely popular avo-toast at lunch. Another Oceania partnership – this time with Lyre’s – offers up a selection of alcohol-free cocktails and wines here. Think coastal vibes here – whether it reminds you of Californian beach cool, or a beautiful Greek Island – and you’ll also admire the stunning bench table at its heart by the serving counters.

Aquamar Kitchen, Deck 12, Vista


Two more speciality restaurants can be found on Deck 5, one a staple of Oceania, the other brand new for Vista. Found on the Portside, as well as other ships across the fleet, Red Ginger is Oceania’s renowned Pan-Asian speciality restaurant, and its venue suitably evokes an intriguing combination of traditional elements from intricate wooden screens, a flamboyant cabinet housing pottery by the entranceway, to vibrant floor lamps inspired by pagodas and Edo-style wooden panelling on the ceiling and a partition screen. Its aesthetic inspirations are as diverse across Asia as the dishes enjoyed for dinner, where a blend of Thai, Korean, Japanese and other Asian specialities are served up, equally fusing both tradition and innovation like the surroundings.


On the starboard side, you’ll find the brand new venue, Ember, which – according to Oceania’s VP Food and Beverage, Bernhard Klotz – provides a ‘speeded up’ experience in an elegant atmosphere, where dishes such as lobster roll, crab cake, roasted salmon, and grilled beef tenderloin can be enjoyed in under an hour and a half. With its menu inspired by hearty American classics reinvented with modern twists, Studio Dado similarly took its inspiration for the venue from America; specifically, a Napa or Sonoma tasting room, and more generally by American craftsmanship, fusing together the rustic and industrial as well as mid-Century and historical elements to set the right casual mood. The central fireplace is a nod to the restaurant’s name, while the eye is also drawn to the distinctive barrel-shaped ceiling, its bricks giving a feeling of warmth.


Finally, but by no means least, the Grand Dining Room – which Oceania proudly refers to as the ‘Grand Dame’ of their culinary world - can be found on Deck 6, at the Aft. Here, you can enjoy the finest international dishes in the grandest of settings, set in regal surroundings inspired by the world’s finest conservatories. Hydrangea-style chandeliers are the most extravagant of the subtle garden motifs, while the custom-designed parquet floors and hand-painted wallcoverings were designed by Studio Dado to give the feeling of sitting under a willow tree. The crisp, clean and gleaming white of the walls, archways, columns, and furnishings uplift and enhance the airy ambience, while there are the occasional dainty pops of yellow banquettes towards the middle section. We enjoyed a sublime four-course meal for lunch in the Grand Dining Room; my favourite course was the main, a stunning sea bass dish (although I was the only omnivore to order the fish dish on our table), which was served with stir-fried udon and a delicately delicious pineapple-curry sauce.


Residential-Style Luxury


During our ship tour, we had the opportunity to look at three different categories of accommodation, including a new category of suite. With the most spacious standard stateroom on the high seas at 290 sq ft, and all accommodation featuring verandas (the lead-in stateroom is a French Veranda), Oceania aim to set new standards for comfort and what they call ‘residential-style luxury’ onboard Vista. Regardless of category, all suites and staterooms feature oversized rainforest showers in their beautifully appointed bathrooms, along with large vanities, and copious storage space as standard. Throughout the ship, guests can enjoy sleeping on Oceania Cruises’ exclusive Tranquility Beds with 1,000 count linens, and regardless of stateroom or suite category can also enjoy complimentary soft drinks replenish daily in the refrigerated mini-bar, complimentary still and sparkling Vero Water, luxury bath amenities, a room service menu available 24 hours a day, twice-daily maid service (including delicious Belgian chocolates at turndown), an interactive TV system with on-demand movies, weather and more, wireless Internet access & cellular service, and plus cotton towels, thick cotton robes and slippers.


Vista has introduced a new Concierge Veranda Stateroom category dedicated for solo travellers (at 270 sq feet), which has all the upgraded privileges you can expect from a Concierge Veranda. We had the opportunity to look at a double capacity Concierge Veranda Stateroom, which – in addition to the standard amenities included with French Veranda and Veranda staterooms listed above – offers enhanced amenities, such as an expanded lunch and dinner room service menu from the Grand Dining Room, complimentary laundry service (up to 3 bags per stateroom), priority noon ship embarkation, a bottle of Welcome Champagne, priority online reservations for restaurants, unlimited access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace, and exclusive card-only access to the dedicated Concierge Lounge, manned by a dedicated Concierge and offering complimentary soft drinks, coffees and snacks throughout the day. Concierge Veranda Stateroom guests can also request an iPad for their enjoyment, wrap up warm on their verandas with cashmere lap blankets, and make use of a complimentary shoeshine service, as well as a complimentary pressing of a garment on embarkation.


At 291 square feet, the Concierge Veranda Stateroom itself is beautifully appointed, with a neutral colour palette offset by blush and pink accents. It’s very classy and chic, with a light airiness that enhances a sense of space.


Concierge Veranda Stateroom on board Oceania Cruise Vista

We also saw a Penthouse Suite, the entry-level for suites. As such, it offers an enhanced and more exclusive range of included amenities than a Concierge-level stateroom. Penthouse Suite guests, like their Concierge counterparts, have priority noon embarkation, but with priority luggage delivery too (other suite guests staying in Oceania, Vista or Owner’s Suites can embark earlier, from 11am). They can also enjoy 24-hour Butler Service, and card-only access to the exclusive Executive Lounge that’s available to suite guests only. It’s also far larger, with an expansive 440sq ft of space, and the added luxuries of a walk-in closet, oversized bathroom boasting dual vanities and a spacious shower with inlaid mosaic Italian tiles, and a larger veranda. The aesthetic in the Penthouse Suite has more blues than the Concierge Veranda Stateroom, but also boasts an eye-catching headboard wall as its architectural focal point.


Finally we had the opportunity to view the brand-new Vista Suite, second only to the exclusive Owner’s Suites. There are eight onboard, with two found at the forward of decks 8, 9, 10 and 12, and ranging from 1,450 to 1,850sq ft in space. With the darker tones, largely from the natural woods and marble lined walls, in the Vista Suite, I found it to be more masculine than the others we had seen, but it was certainly impressive. Earthy browns accented by splashes of green tend to be the colour palette in the Vista Suite, which first opens onto a living room area through which floor-to-ceiling glass doors take you through to a large private wraparound veranda boasting 180 degree views from the very front of the ship. The living room area is also flanked by a dining room and bar area, which not only catches the eye with the bespoke furniture and dramatic ornamental ceiling lights above the marble table, but is where Vista Suite guests can enjoy their complimentary in-suite bar setup with 6 full-size bottles of premium spirits and wines from the suite beverage menu, one of the additional amenities enjoyed by those staying in Oceania Suites and above. Rather than a walk-in closet, the bedroom features an experiential dressing area (complete with chaise-longue), adjacent to the extravagant master bathroom, which boasts a grand soaking tub with marble surrounds and a generous vanity. Guests in the Vista Suite can also enjoy additional included amenities over and above those enjoyed by Penthouse Guests such as a daily fruit basket, customised entertainment system, Bulgari gift set and a variety of amenities, choice of a daily printed newspaper, and a choice of pillow from a luxurious selection.

Vista Suite, bathroom, onboard Vista

SimplyMORE from Oceania


As the first purpose-built ship for Oceania Cruises in a decade, Vista is – in the words of cruise line President Frank A. Del Rio – ‘the perfect evolution of the brand’, as design partners Studio DADO ‘took the essence of Oceania and made it more modern, more contemporary.’ To create Vista, the first of the new Allura class, Oceania and Studio Dado ‘share[d] a vision for a new approach to luxury based on a well-honed understanding of what sophisticated travellers look for in a cruise experience’, and whilst Studio DADO have certainly accomplished that with the interior design onboard, it seems that this also inspired Oceania to evolve their onboard offering fleetwide with a new all-inclusive value, simplyMORE. This new value offering will be applicable from all cruises departing on or after 1 October 2023, replacing the decade-old ‘O Life Choice’ offer, which typically included flights and transfers and a choice of either a beverage package, or onboard spend or shore excursions (occasionally, there may be special offers in the past which allowed for all of these amenities to be included, but it was generally a choice of one amenity to be included). SimplyMORE is designed to offer guests more value, greater choice and more convenience than ever before, with more inclusions built in, and a hassle-free arrival and departure with free airfare and airport transfers, as well as onboard Wi-Fi. Instead of having to make a choice, guests can now enjoy free shore excursions, and a free House Select beverage package, which now includes a wide selection of vintage champagnes, wines, and beers with lunch and dinner (Oceania has now stocked 80 new wines!), as well as speciality coffees, soft drinks and still and sparkling Vero Water. For guests who would prefer to have all-inclusive drinks (although, to be fair, the House Beverage Package is valued at $2,800 per stateroom!), they can upgrade to the all-inclusive Prestige Drinks Package, which includes wines and spirits and is available at any time (rather than just with lunch and dinner) for $30pp per day. The new Shore Excursion Credits start from $600 per stateroom, up to $1,600 per stateroom, and can be used towards over 8,000 shore excursions across a wide range of tour types: Go Local tours, Go Green tours, Culinary Discovery Touts, Food & Wine Trails, Wellness Discovery Tours, Beyond Blueprints (a new touring category introduced by Oceania last year for architectural buffs), Evening Excursions, Private Car & Driver, and + City and Regional Highlights. The simplyMORE offering really adds exceptional value, enabling guests to immerse themselves shoreside as much as being able to relax onboard, including enjoying the ship’s many and varied speciality restaurants.


Stepping onboard Vista, you’ll first be greeted by its Atrium, which strikes a new, and different tone, to what I recall (albeit vaguely) from my family holiday onboard Nautica. It expresses a new mission statement for Oceania, that is ‘more modern, more contemporary’, with its lighter colours, and a curving grand staircase set against shimmering gold accents, and an eye-catching floor-to-ceiling chandelier designed to mimic a vortex of water or school of fish swimming upwards. You’re met with a sense of spaciousness and calm serenity, a hint of refined elegance and luxury – and what better feeling when embarking on a cruise?

To find out more about Oceania Cruises, Oceania Vista or her upcoming sister, Oceania Allura, contact our cruise specialists today!

 01234 326 758

 [email protected]


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