Now we are six – Oceania adds another ship to its fleet

Name-changer: Ocean Princess, soon to become Oceania Cruises' Sirena

Oceania Cruises is to grow again – with the addition of a ship bought from Princess Cruises for $82 million (£52 million). The vessel, currently sailing as Ocean Princess, is virtually identical to Oceania’s Insignia, Nautica, and Regatta – all were originally built for the now-defunct Renaissance Cruises.

The 684-passenger ship joins Oceania in March 2016 when it will be given a $40m (£25.5 million) refurbishment in dry dock at Marseille before being re-named Sirena.

The work includes fitting Oceania’s trademark speciality restaurants, Toscana and the Polo Grill, along with a coffee shop and cook-to-order grill at the Gerrace Café.

Sirena is expected to carry her first Oceania passengers in late April 2016.

The announcement of the deal came from Oceania’s new owners, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, who completed the takeover just days ago. Kevin Sheehan, president and CEO of Norwegian, said it was his company’s belief in the Oceania brand and its commitment to the “growing base of loyal guests” that were the rationale behind the decision.

Kunal S Kamlamni, president of Oceania, said Sirena “opens up an entire array of new itinerary options.”

In addition to the former Renaissance ships, Oceania also operates two larger newbuilds, Riviera and Marina, carrying 1,250 passengers each. The line’s total capacity will grow to 5,236. The newly-enlarged Norwegian group, which also includes Regent Seven Seas, now totals 21 ships with a combined capacity of approximately 40,000.

Princess still operates another ex-Renaissance ship, Pacific Princess, which is also believed to be for sale. P&O’s Adonia is almost identical, and the other two – all built between 1998 and 2001 at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique yard in France – are sailing as Azamara Quest and Azamara Journey.

Azamara is likely to be making its own announcement about expansion very soon, but insiders believe the line – owned by Royal Caribbean International – is going for a newbuild rather than buying a “pre-owned” vessel.

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Oceania Cruises audio tour of its onboard art collections

Oceania Cruises has produced a new Art Collection Audio Tour for guests on board  Marina and Riviera. Available from tomorrow 1 November,the complimentary tour provides stories and descriptions behind many of the 2000+ original artworks. 

The audio devices for the Oceania Cruises’ Art Collection Audio Tour are available to guests as a complimentary amenity and include recorded insights on more than 25 signature pieces of art on each ship. The pieces of art included in the tour have a placard with a number and an audio device symbol and guests can simply enter the number into the player keypad to hear the story behind the piece.   

The Oceania Cruises Art Collection book is available on Amazon.co.uk and at OceaniaBookCollection.com. Guests can visit the purser’s desk for an audio device upon boarding Marina and Riviera.

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Oceania Cruises to offer complimentary internet access

Oceania Cruises will provide complimentary Internet access to guests booked in either a suite or Concierge level stateroom on its mid-size ships. This is the first time the cruise line has offered a free Internet programme, with the new benefit commencing during the 2015 winter season.

Guests booked in Owner’s, Vista and Oceania suites will receive unlimited complimentary Internet access to enjoy throughout their voyage.  Guests booked in Penthouse suites or Concierge Level staterooms will receive blocks of complimentary Internet time based on cruise length, starting with 200 minutes for a seven-night cruise and extending to 500 minutes for voyages over 16 nights.  (Pictured, the Owner's Suite on board Riviera)

The complimentary Internet rollout will be staggered across the fleet, tied to the official start of each ship’s winter schedule.  The first sailings will be Nautica on 25 October  2015, followed by Marina on 3 November, Regatta on 4 November, Riviera on 2 December, and Insignia on 4 January 2016, when it begins its third 180-day Around the World voyage.

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Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

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Oceania Offers Free Flights

Oceania Cruises has launched a comprehensive fly/cruise `free air’ programme offering complimentary flights for all of their European and Worldwide itineraries. Coming just days before the christening of their newest ship, Riviera, it represents the next stage in the evolution of Oceania as a major upper premium brand in the UK.

The free air programme is provided from London airports, while regional airport departures and business class upgrades are available at additional cost. Reservations can be made through Oceania’s online booking engine as well as Oceania Cruises’ recently expanded Southampton-based Reservations office.

Clients who have already made cruise-only bookings will have the option to add flights to their existing reservation, at a small additional cost, and all new bookings will be quoted as fly/cruise with an air credit for anyone wishing to take cruise-only.

Oceania will also retain its popular `fully refundable deposit’ policy for both cruise only and fly/cruise bookings.

For more on booking an Oceania cruise, follow this link to the Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's luxury cruise specialists.

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Oceania's New Culinary Discovery Tours

With the debut of its new luxury cruise ship Riviera this May, Oceania Cruises is expanding and enhancing its culinary enrichment programme with the introduction of Culinary Discovery Tours to more than 25 ports worldwide.

Uniquely designed for each port, the new tours provide guests with the opportunity to explore local food markets in small groups, alongside an expert chef. Guests will have the opportunity to visit an artisanal cheese maker, a chocolatier, a wine vineyard or a fish market. Tours also incorporate mini-lectures, demonstrations or lunch before returning to the ship’s Bon Appétit Culinary Centre for a hands-on cooking class, drawing inspiration from the local market. The Culinary Centres feature 24 fully-equipped work stations with induction cook-tops and convection ovens to provide participants with the opportunity to gain a hands-on cooking experience. Classes cater to all levels of aptitude, from beginner to master-chef level.

The Culinary Discovery Tours will launch this spring aboard the 1,250-guest sister ships Riviera and Marina and can be booked prior to departure.

The programme will roll out in Asia, South America and the Caribbean in winter 2012-13. Prices start at $175 per person, including the escorted market tour and cooking class. On Oceania's smaller, 650-guest ships – Regatta and Nautica – the new tours will combine excursions to local markets with hands-on cooking experiences at a shore-side cooking school or a well-known restaurant kitchen. In Istanbul, for example, guests will follow their tour with a cooking class at Cooking Alaturka.

For booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's luxury cruise specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Oceania Cruises Achieves Record Sales

Oceania Cruises exceeded its previous record of single day bookings on Wednesday 16th March by nearly 25 percent as reservations opened for the first cruises on board Riviera, the line’s new 1250-guest luxury cruise ship, due to debut in April 2012.

Riviera will be a sister ship to the recent Marina, Oceania’s first new-build, which launched in January. The two ships join the existing fleet of three mid-sized, 685-guest upper premium cruise ships, Regatta, Insignia and Nautica.

The record bookings coincided with the simultaneous launch of the line’s 2012 European Collection of sailings, operating April through December.

The 2012 highlights include the first sailings on Riviera, a free deluxe hotel stay before every Europe voyage, an overnight stay on every itinerary, more late-night departures, the addition of the line’s first seven-night voyages and 12 new ports of call.

Oceania president Bob Binder explained: “The tremendous response we received from our travel agent partners and loyal guests was outstanding. They demand quality and value and we strive to exceed their expectations, so they, in turn, surpass ours with their support.”

For more information, visit OceaniaCruises.co.uk or contact the UK's leading luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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