Oceania Cruises $50 Million Upgrade

New York - Oceania Cruises, the uniquely placed premium/luxury brand which has a tremendous loyal following of world travelers who believe cruise ships are vessels cesigned for opulent comfort, not amusement parks, just celebrated its 1,000,000 the cruise booking last week. This coincided with another pivotal leap gorward by the cruise line; the completion of the interior redesigns and refurbishments to the original Oceania ships; Regatta, Insignia and Nautica. These three vessels now have interior decor and amenities to put them in line with the fantastic cruise experiences offered on the newer Oceania vessels, Marina and Riviera. The last of the three older vessels to undergo the refurbishment was Regatta, which is now offering Alaska cruise itineraries from Vancouver. The transformed Regatta set sail this afternoon for a 10-day “Majesty of Alaska” cruise, but will also offer a variety of seven, nine- and 10-day cruises to Alaska, “America’s Last Frontier” throughout the season.

Each of the three vessels had makeovers in quick succession, with Insignia going first followed immediately with Nautica. Those two ships were completed in Marseilles, France. The Regatta work was just completed at a shipyard in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Renovating three ships from bow to stern in a six-week time period marks the largest refurbishment program in Oceania Cruises’ history. It also represented a symbolically unique approach to refurbishments in the cruise industry where it is far more common to upgrade ship individually on a much longer overall schedule. In the case of Oceania, all three ships were completed in quick succession – two weeks per ship, with the three-ship project fully completed in six weeks.

The goal was to bring interior design elements from the newer fleet mates; the gorgeous award-winning Marina and Riviera ships, to these original 684-passenger Oceania ships; Insignia, Nautica and Regatta, while still maintaining the original warmth, intimacy and charm. In addition to elegant new furnishings and décor for all public rooms, suites and staterooms, the upgrades also include several new guest experience concepts borrowed from the newer ships, such as the very popular Baristas coffee bar, a cook-to-order grill at Terrace Café and a new outdoor recreation area on the Sports Decks.

Here is a rundown of the upgrades to the three smaller Oceania ships:

Suites & Staterooms: The Penthouse Suites now feature all new furnishings, with rich upholstery in vibrant yet calming colors inspired by the sea, sun and sky. The Owner’s and Vista Suites now contain an all-new elegant, yet contemporary bathroom design featuring wall-to-wall marble with a decorative inlay in the center, and a large vanity with a granite countertop opposite an oversized shower. All staterooms on the ship received new décor elements for a refreshing sense of style and elegance.

Terrace Café: The main casual dining option, open dining in a Lido-style buffet, has been transformed completely along the lines of the specialized service stations found on the newer ships. New furnishings, floorings, fixtures and lighting accompany the stunning floor-to-ceiling window views. The pièce de résistance is the cook-to-order grill featuring delicacies such as steaks, chops and lobster tail.

Baristas: The popular coffee bar from the newer ships employs master baristas to create complimentary espresso and cappuccino from the illy brand to be enjoyed in comfortable, brand new lounge chairs and sofas. On the upgraded ships this coffee bar is centrally located on deck 5, near the Grand Dining Room.

Upper Pool and Sports Decks: The Sports Deck, located on the ships’ top deck, received new golf putting greens and shuffleboard courts, along with other deck games. The main pool area is now ringed with luxurious sun beds. The pool has new, shimmering blue and white mosaics, beautifully contrasted with darkly rich teak wood decking.

Canyon Ranch SpaClub: The Canyon Ranch SpaClub now includes a flowing mosaic display in reception and brand new peaceful steam rooms with beautiful new tile mosaics, along with renovated changing areas inside the spa.

Lounges: All of the ships’ main lounges have been refreshed and refurbished. The bar called Horizons now features a new palette of soothing sea blues, cocoa brown and mint, complemented by new sofas, chairs and tables. The nightclub Martinis maintains its classic ambiance with all-new furnishings. The Regatta (or namesake on the other ships) Lounge was completely refurbished with new carpet and chairs, along with luxurious new fabrics and upholsteries.

(Source: CruiseMates)