Oceania Cruises for Informal Style and Comfort

Established in 2002 by luxury cruise veterans Frank Del Rio and Joseph Watters, Oceania Cruises are aimed at couples who enjoy good food and style with excellent service. The vessels in Oceania’s fleet are elegant, provide excellent food and amenities and offer extensive award-winning shore excursions. They all feature a country club-casual ambiance.The flagship MS Regatta was launched in mid-2003 and provides true Five-star luxury. Since then, Oceania Cruises has launched two further 5-Star ships (the MS Nautica and Insignia) with another mid-size ship (the MS Marina) due to start cruising early in 2010.

oceania cruises reputation for luxury and style has been endorsed with the “Conde Nast Traveller Gold List” award for the third year running and Travel & Leisure Magazine’s “World’s Best” for the fourth year running. That’s hardly surprising as the concept of luxury cruises has essentially been redefined by this company.The flagship MS Regatta and her three sister vessels have many points of distinction. Regatta features spacious 1,000 sq ft suites with their own private Jacuzzi and a 42- inch plasma TV with Bose surround sound system.You even get a second bathroom for guests. The suites features a queen-sized “Tranquillity Bed” designed for ultimate comfort while floor-to-ceiling glass doors reveal spectacular views from the wraparound teak veranda.There’s also a fully inclusive butler service and a welcome bottle of champagne!

Oceania Cruises has several award-winning pre-bookable shore excursion packages. The Discovery Collection is the best way to get a taste of each port visited and a perfect choice for the first-time visitor. The Explorer Collection is a more in-depth package for the seasoned traveller featuring full-day or evening events.

The décor on board the vessels harks back to 1920’s and 1930’s grand ocean liners, with wrought iron staircase railings, rich carpets and trompe l’oeil ceilings and while the surroundings are elegantly formal, the style of dress is not.Dining is equally sumptuous, but relaxed, with smaller restaurants and grills as well as a Grand Dining Room. Oceania Cruises itineraries can include ports of call that the larger ships cannot access, so a range of eating out options on shore is also available.