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If you ask for a single piece of toast to be well done, that is precisely what you will get. Vista, like all Oceania Cruises vessels, draws a mostly English-speaking passenger that typically hails from North America. Passengers are affable and well-travelled, and are generally drawn to the line for its semi-inclusiveness and focus on destination-driven cruise itineraries. For those who are at peace with the calories consumed on a cruise, The Bakery on Deck 14 adjacent to Baristas coffee bar does not disappoint. Freshly-baked produce of all kinds is available here from morning until evening. The croissants are authentically French, thanks to ingredients imported directly from France, while the beignets will have you thinking you've stumbled onto Bourbon Street.
Fellow Passengers
Oceania brings on real chefs and working artists to lead the workshops. Sign up as soon as you get on board because these popular classes fill up quickly. Vista is also introducing new immersive cocktail experiences for the cruise line, which unfortunately had not yet debuted on my sailing. These will include a customizable Bubbly Bar in Baristas, a Bloody Mary Bar at lunch in the Terrace Café, a Macallan whisky and chocolate pairing, and cocktail-making seminars pairing Brugal 1888 rum with ice cream or tea. The Bakery by Baristas was a popular spot for daily beignets, quiches and pastries. Afternoon tea in Horizons is an Oceania specialty, with your choice of Twinings tea, scones with jam and clotted cream, tea sandwiches and cakes and petits fours all wheeled around in glass carts by formally dressed waiters.
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They're Concierge Level rooms, so solo travelers get extra benefits, such as access to the Concierge Lounge and Aquamar Spa Terrace. Vista also carries a line of nonalcoholic "liquors" to make zero-proof cocktails that taste like the real deal, as well as nonalcoholic beer. It's a fabulous option for sober cruisers or travelers who need to rest their livers after a lively evening.
Additional details
The vegetarian options weren't always the best at the Terrace Café, though it often had gluten-free pasta. For those with an urge to splurge, Oceania has four additional suite categories, each with butler service and access to an Executive Lounge. The Penthouse Suites are simply an expanded version of the balcony rooms, with additional closet and seating areas.
Review: A First Look at Oceania’s New 'Vista' Cruise Ship - AFAR Media
Review: A First Look at Oceania’s New 'Vista' Cruise Ship.
Posted: Fri, 26 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Oceania has long prided itself on being a culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, and Vista upholds that reputation. On a warm, sunny day, Oceania's gorgeous resort-style pool deck is the place to be with padded loungers and day beds, a main pool with a wading area around it and a couple of hot tubs. Sporty types should head to the ship's topmost half decks for an outdoor running track, shuffleboard, croquet/bocce, pickleball, mini-golf and a golf-driving cage. The ship's target demographic is well-off, mature couples who are looking for destination-focused itineraries on a ship with elevated dining. For a small, 67,000-ton ship, Vista wows with eight restaurants, plus a bakery and private dining rooms for wine-paired meals. It also stands out for its expanded Culinary Center, for cooking classes and demos, and Artist Loft, where passengers can get crafty under the tutelage of resident artists.
How much does it cost to go on Oceania Riviera?
They struck the perfect chord midway between formal and casual. Butlers, who service Penthouse Suites and up, leaned more formal, befitting their roles. Concierges, including those available to all passengers, calmly handled questions about, well, everything. A shoutout to the shore excursion desk, who fielded lots of questions and kept their cool. I came away impressed with the sommeliers, too; they knew their wines and sometimes gently steered me to better selections than what I chose.
I tried a "drip technique" painting class where we decorated glass plates, and it was a far cry from the watercolor or needlepoint classes you might find on other ships. The two-part class explored a unique technique, and even though I'm not experienced in crafting and my plate looked pretty bad after the first class, the artist knew what he was doing, and my final product was surprisingly good. It's also a fun way to socialize with other passengers and the artists in residence. An Oceania cruise is a destination-focused trip, so onboard activities are kept to a minimum.
The makeover also added better storage space, roomier closets and more USB outlets and power sources. As the most discerning, up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel, Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse, offering both inspiration and vital intel. We understand that time is the greatest luxury, which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal, a drink, or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world. It’s worth nothing that none of these specialty restaurants come with an upcharge. Oceania does not have a complicated dress code with specific attire required on certain evenings. Instead, the line suggests "elegant casual resort wear" for evenings and requests that guests do not wear casual jeans, shorts, T-shirts, baseball caps, casual sandals or sneakers in the restaurants after 6 p.m.
To take one example, closets were moved from next to the bed to a spot closer to the door, which freed up room to expand those showers, Walton explained in a conversation with T+L. The absolutely best aspect (besides the ports) of my sail was the food and wine. There are now seven venues; the newest (which I have yet to experience) is an al fresco trattoria and pizzeria.
Its cabins are beautifully designed yet feel comfortable and sensible at the same time. The top-tier suites can only be described as opulent, with marble detailing and lush fabrics practically everywhere; the Owners Suites are Ralph Lauren branded. If you’re passionate about food and wine and exploring the world in style, you’ll love life onboard Riviera. It’s astonishing that all complimentary restaurants use primo ingredients with abandon.
I missed the two special-guest acts, a pianist and a guitarist, and the song-and-dance performances by the onboard cast failed to impress. The ship didn't offer any secondary shows at night — no comedians or musical acts you came to listen to and not talk over. The new mixology program on Vista is one of its standout features.
It's the kind of ship where you can book an inside cabin, but still enjoy four specialty restaurants with no additional fees and never have to wait in a long queue. Where you can book a luxurious suite designed by Dakota Jackson or Ralph Lauren, but choose whether you want to pay for a beverage package or shore excursions rather than having those inclusions bump up your base fare. Where you can order a vegan smoothie or energy bowl after your morning workout, down wine during a cooking class and order multiple desserts after a long sea day of lying in the sun. The ship will come stateside in the fall, starting with an 11-day sail from New York to Montreal, then head to the Caribbean for the winter. The 1,238-passenger Riviera was built in 2012 and underwent a massive refurbishment in late 2022, including all staterooms and suites and many public venues.
On my cruise, I found them on the menu at the new Aquamar restaurant and Horizons observation lounge. The bold center archway of the Grand Dining Room will immediately catch your eye, as will the ceiling design of the intimate Privee dining room. Each specialty restaurant has been designed with care, from the brick oven-inspired ceilings of Ember to the pagoda-style floor lamps in Red Ginger. Vista is clearly a ship for travelers who love to explore new destinations, prioritize fine dining and premium beverages and immerse themselves in chic surroundings. However, in the cruise space, this ship is clearly in the upscale category and not true luxury.
Vista's culinary center is three times larger than the versions found on sister ships Marina and Riviera. In addition to the test kitchen with 24 individual cooking stations, a second room can be arranged for lectures or even dinners. Classes are themed, often related to the ship's destination, and yes, you can eat what you cook.
Menus are vast and balanced; even people who don't think of themselves as foodies will be happy with the selection. As we sailed away from Corsica, I went up to the main pool area, which Walton said is “designed to feel like a resort” with cabanas and light wood–colored accents, ordered a barrel-aged Negroni, and took it with me to the whirlpool. After my soak, I watched the sunset from Polo Grill, over martinis and filet mignon, and then went back to Founders Bar, to continue my absolutely crucial cocktail-sampling mission. I hit the jackpot – which, on Vista, isn’t winning big at the deck-six casino, it’s scoring a Red Ginger reservation — about halfway through our cruise, as we sailed from Malta to Naples.
This policy applies to e-cigarettes, pipes and cigars, in addition to regular cigarettes. The Aquamar Spa on Deck 15 offers a barber shop, salon, fitness center with aerobics studio and sauna and steam rooms in the men's and women's locker rooms. Concierge Level and suite guests receive complimentary access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace at the front of the ship, with two hot tubs and a thalassotherapy pool.
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