One of the perks to being a Cruise Consultant is that on occasion the cruise line will invite you to inspect one of their ships. Yesterday was one of those days with an invitation to lunch, tour and inspect Oceania Cruises', Regatta. Admittedly not one of the cruise lines that would immediately come to mind when thinking of a cruise, so Ellen and I were curious to learn about Oceania's product.To give you an idea of size... The Regatta was docked alongside Holland America's Eurodam. The Eurodam is about 86,000 tons and the Regatta is less than 40,000. The Regatta looked like a yacht in comparison to the Eurodam. Oddly enough it wasn't all that long ago that ocean going ships were in the < 40,000 ton range. The SS Constitution, for example, the ship Lucy and Rickey went to Europe on, and the setting for An Affair to Remember, was only 24,000 tons. So while the Regatta is small by today's standard, it's not all that small.The Regatta accommodates 600 passengers, and carries a crew of 400, so the crew to passenger ratio is very high. Oceania Cruise Lines is considered a "Upper Premium" line... The ship is very well appointed, beautiful furniture, fireplaces in some of the public rooms, and the lounges are small and intimate. Even the typical upper deck "Buffet Cafe" is small, so you don't have the feeling that you are in a big cafeteria. The balcony rooms are slightly larger than what you might typically expect at 216 sq feet... nice furnishings .... basically mahogany fittings with blue and white accent. There are two specialty restaurants... an Italian Restaurant and a Steak House. (No extra charge for these). The main dining room is only one level... really nice, more like a very good NYC hotel restaurant.
If yesterday's lunch was any indication of the food served on the Regatta, then I would have to say that the food would be excellent.The pool area is typical, only smaller than what you might expect on a Celebrity or Royal Caribbean ship... it is in direct proportion to the size of the ship. The lounges around the pool are teak (traditional) and they are covered with cushions and terry covers. The tables around the pool area are teak as well, as are the tables in any of the outdoor eating areas. On the down side, the pool area did not have a retractable roof, so that could be a negative if you encounter cool or rainy weather.
The passengers are mature... 55+. Oceania does not cater to the passenger looking to whoop it up at the pool bar or at a disco bar (there isn't one), or expecting flaming baked Alaska at the Gala Farewell Dinner. The ship is sedate and reserved for sure. We liked it very much and feel that it is a good compromise between those considering a river cruise, or a cruise on a mega ship.Oceania's pricing generally includes air... Considering the level of luxury and service I thought that prices for a 10 Mediterranean Cruise was more than reasonable. Something to consider when planning your next cruise.
