Oceania Cruises has officially taken delivery of Oceania Allura, its eighth ship and the second in the line’s innovative Allura Class.
The handing over of the 1,200-guest vessel, constructed at the Fincantieri Shipyard in Genoa, follows the 2023 debut of Oceania Vista and is described by the company as a symbol of its evolving legacy.
“Oceania Allura is our most innovative and luxurious ship to date. She represents our bold vision for an entirely new generation of luxury travel experiences,” said Jason Montague, Chief Luxury Officer of Oceania Cruises.
“As always, at the heart of this beautiful ship is an extraordinary crew dedicated to providing exceptional cuisine, personalised, intuitive service and immersive enrichment opportunities for our guests.”
At the core of the Allura experience is an elevated culinary program, further reinforcing Oceania’s claim to offer the “Finest Cuisine at Sea”. “At Oceania Cruises, we put food at the heart of everything we do, and our Finest Cuisine at Sea philosophy is the north star that guides our entire company,” Executive Culinary Director Chef Alexis Quaretti said.
Among the ship’s new dining innovations is the Crêperie – a first for the brand – offering authentic French crêpes, Belgian and bubble waffles and Italian ice cream sundaes. Also making a return is Jacques, the cruise line’s signature French restaurant named for legendary chef Jacques Pépin, now featuring dishes like duck à l’orange with Grand Marnier and tableside beef tartare preparation.
In a nod to global flavours, Allura introduces 12 Japanese-Peruvian Nikkei dishes at its popular Red Ginger restaurant. Highlights include tuna ceviche with leche de tigre, and a braised short rib with lomo saltado and a miso sweet potato mousseline.
The Grand Dining Room showcases over 270 new recipes, including more than 30 additions to the breakfast menu, with a new eggs Benedict section featuring options such as eggs Benedict Florentine or eggs Benedict with smoked salmon.
Wine and mixology also take centre stage aboard Allura with the debut of the Gerard Bertrand Wine Pairing Luncheon – a curated journey through fine French wines paired with expertly crafted cuisine.
Beyond the culinary focus, Allura emphasises personalised enrichment and digital innovation. The new LYNC Digital Centre offers complimentary classes powered by Starlink WiFi, ranging from social media basics to photo editing. Nearby, the ship’s Library offers cosy furnishings and curated literary selections in a space evoking “a modern equestrian estate den.”
At 804 feet long and over 68,000 gross tons, Allura hosts 1,200 guests with a staff-to-guest ratio of 2:3, including one chef for every eight guests.
The ship’s maiden voyage departs from Trieste, Italy, to Athens, Greece, on 18 July 2025. A celebratory christening in Miami is scheduled for November, led by Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs alumni.
Looking ahead, Oceania plans to expand its fleet with four Sonata Class ships by 2035. “We are proud to continue our legacy of innovation,” Montague said. “These four Sonata Class ships will herald the next stage in the evolution of the Oceania Cruises brand of exceptional small-ship luxury experiences.”
