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Oceania Cruises Fleet Explained
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Introduction
In this post we wanted to explain in detail the differences between the three classes of Oceania Cruises ships. In researching this post I realized how Oceania Cruises really doesn’t make it easy to compare the different ships within the fleet. I’ll apologize in advance to those who only have a passing interest in Oceania Cruises because this post most definitely gets into the nitty gritty. With that let’s get into our Oceania Cruises Fleet Explained post.
The Fleet
First a summary of the ships in the fleet. The ships fall into three distinct classes of ships with the R-Class ships being the smallest and oldest in the fleet and the O-Class and new Allura Class ships the largest and newest.
This information was gathered from the Oceaniacruises.com website.
The Staterooms and Suites
The number and variety of cabins varies significantly from smaller ships to the larger ships with the differences between the O-Class and Allura being fairly minimal. This reflects that the larger ships have been purpose built for Oceania Cruises and feature larger cabins with larger bathrooms, more balcony cabins, and more suites. The R-Class ships by comparison have a significant number of inside staterooms and ocean view staterooms that are uncommon or even non-existent on the larger ships. In compiling the breakdown of Staterooms and Suites I’ve included the size of each on each ship as the same grade of cabin can vary a good bit in terms of size from class to class.
One would think that the larger ships garner higher prices than the smaller and older ships; however, that’s not always true with the Oceania Cruises fleet. Because the smaller ships can be dedicated to more niche itineraries and offer a more intimate experience they often command higher fares. The operating cost per passenger on these smaller vessels is also significantly higher adding to the cost.
The Dining Options
Oceania Cruises Sirena Tuscan Steak Dining RoomWhile the “core” dining offerings are fairly consistent throughout the Oceania Cruises fleet, there are some differences as outlined below. One example is that aboard Sirena, Tuscano and Polo Grill have been merged into Tuscan Steak (photo above) to make room to add a Red Ginger. This is unique among the R-Class ships. While aboard the new Allura Class ship Vista they’ve replaced Jacques (named for Jacque Pepin) which is on both of the O-Class ships, with Ember (photo below).
Oceania Cruises is somewhat unique in that they provide complimentary access to every guest to each of the specialty dining venues at least one time per cruise. So for those that really want to enjoy the widest variety of food on board opting for one of the O-Class or Allura Class ships is the best option.
Other Amenities
While amenities like the spa, fitness center, theater, and casinos are similar throughout the fleet, though “scaled” to the size of each vessel, there are some other differences that may or may not be meaningful to you. For example, on the larger ships guests in Concierge Suites have access to a Concierge Lounge that provides access to concierge services, snacks, coffee and tea, and a seating area. Similarly for Suites guests there is the Executive Lounge (photo below) that provides similar amenities though in a slightly more upscale presentation.
Other amenities that are unique to the larger ships are the Culinary Center and the Artist Loft. These are much loved spaces on the O-Class ships for complimentary art classes led by professional artists and cooking classes run by a dedicated (ie not from the galley) culinary team at an additional cost. Aboard Vista these spaces have been leveled up with larger, upgraded facilities.
Conclusion
We have sailed on all three classes of ships and have had amazing experiences across the board. We have noted that the smaller ships tend to attract an more mature demographic of extremely well traveled passengers that appreciate the size of the ships, the longer sailings they tend to offer, and seem to enjoy simply living the good life savoring leisurely meals and telling stories over martinis in the lounges. On the larger ships our fellow passengers have been younger, many of them still in the primes of their careers, and are more active, taking full advantage of the wider variety of activities on board. Many have been new to Oceania Cruises and in some cases new to cruising all-together.
That concludes our Oceania Cruises Fleet Explained. We hope that this serves as a useful resource for those looking to book an Oceania Cruises journey! – Michael
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