by Ming Tappin
Last updated: 10:00 AM ET, Fri November 6, 2026
Oceania Cruises
wants its guests
to live well,
eat well, and travel well,
and travel advisors
got a taste of this
philosophy during Oceania Vista’s visit to the Port of Halifax on October 25.
Hosted by Toronto-based Shirley
Lew, Oceania’s director
of sales and head office relations, and Business
Development Manager Stephanie
McDonald, the event welcomed 50 travel advisors
from the Maritimes onboard Oceania Vista for a
presentation, lunch, and ship tour.
TravelPulse Canada was there to cover the
event.
The appeal of smaller ships
Launched in 2023, Oceania
Vista is one of eight
mid-sized ships in Oceania’s current
fleet, with capacity for 1,200 guests in 607
staterooms and suites. Its smallest vessels accommodate fewer than 700.
“Oceania is perfect for clients
who don’t want to share
their vacation with 5,000 people
anymore,” said Lew. As
travellers enter “a different season” in their lives, she continued, some
gravitate towards smaller ships, refined experiences, and perhaps an
adults-only environment, as they transition to a different style of cruising.
Jane Benjamin-Hunt of Maritime Travel,
a 25-year veteran
advisor who was onboard for the tour, shares
that view. She has longtime clients who have turned to Oceania because their
travel preferences have changed.
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“More of my clients
are moving in this direction so they are on a smaller ship,
visit destinations that are
not accessible to the big ships, enjoy incredible cuisine, and meet like-minded
travellers who they can connect with,” Benjamin-Hunt told TravelPulse Canada.
Fewer guests also mean quicker embarkation and debarkation, she noted, and
Oceania’s personalized service also contributes to her clients’ satisfaction.
Advisors attend a presentation onboard Oceania Vista to learn about Oceania Cruises. (Photo Credit: Ming Tappin)
A home away from
Lew described Vista,
sister ship Allura,
and the upcoming
Oceania Sonata (launching in summer 2027)
as “residential ships”, purpose-built with space and comfort in mind.
Upon touring Vista,
her point became clear. The ship’s public spaces
felt like living rooms, with tasteful artwork, inviting sofas, wood floors,
decorative wall panelling, and elegant upholstery, and the accommodations
resemble upscale apartments more than cruise ship cabins.
Steven Courchene of Envoyage Travel, who joined the travel industry
less than a month ago, also appreciated the ship’s residential ambience. With a
background in interior design, the newcomer immediately noticed the ship’s décor, calling
Vista “a beautiful
balance between luxury,
sophistication, and comfort.”
“What stood out to me most was how the furniture and seating were not only beautiful
but genuinely inviting and comfortable,” he noted. Courchene felt Vista would
be an ideal home for clients considering longer itineraries.
While waiting in line to board, we also spoke
to Stephanie Popovitch of Travels with Stephanie and Anita
Foster of Where 2 Next. Having only cruised on big ships, both TTAND agents
were looking forward to experiencing Oceania for the first time. After the
tour, I asked what they thought.
“The ship felt very elegant, modern, and
luxurious without being overly formal,” said Popovitch. “It’s a refined,
upscale experience with a strong focus on dining and comfort,” she added.
For
Foster, the ship’s interiors came as a pleasant surprise.
“The Vista is the
smallest ship I have been on, so I was expecting
the layout to be tight, or crammed,
but it was so open and spacious,
lots of light coming in from the windows, it’s impressive.”
The Penthouse Suite, like all Vista accommodations, feels like an upscale apartment. (Photo Credit: Ming Tappin)
Global destinations and onboard enrichment
Oceania sails to 600 ports in 100 countries
– “we are everywhere except
the polar regions
and the Galapagos,” said Lew.
Voyages range from seven to 180 days and are port-intensive, designed to
immerse guests in the destinations they visit. With itineraries that rarely repeat,
the ships are well
suited to back-to-back and extended voyages for guests who wish to explore
more.
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Life onboard
is centred on enrichment, with cooking classes
offered in an oceanview Culinary
Center, computer classes in the Digital Center, and creative workshops
with the ship’s resident artist in The Artist Loft. Bridge,
mahjong lessons and tournaments, an expansive library,
and insightful lectures provide additional ways for
guests to learn and engage.
Vista’s expansive library is a beautiful retreat for quiet reading. (Photo Credit: Ming Tappin)
A focus on value
Oceania’s ‘Your World
Included’ fares provide
value and peace
of mind, including specialty dining, crew gratuities, Wi-Fi, non-alcoholic
beverages, 24-hour room service, and self-serve laundry.
Guests can also choose to have beer and wine included
at lunch and dinner (and during set hours at bars
and lounges) or receive a generous shore excursion credit based on the voyage
length.
A full beverage package upgrade is available for US$40 per person per
day. This nearly all-inclusive approach represents compelling value for today’s
travellers.
Public areas have a living-room feel, with contemporary furnishings. (Photo Credit: Ming Tappin)
The foodies’ cruise
Above
all else, dining is the highlight of every Oceania voyage. Oceania takes its
brand statement, The Finest Cuisine at
Sea, seriously, dedicating one chef for every 10 guests. Meals are
prepared à la minute, lobster is on every restaurant menu, and an olive oil
sommelier curates the perfect pairing for each palate.
The elegant Grand Dining
Room and specialty restaurants Red Ginger (Asian), Polo Grill (steakhouse), Jacques
(French), and Toscana
(rustic Italian) deliver
gastronomic experiences, alongside a variety of casual venues and complimentary room service.
Benjamin-Hunt
had also told us that Oceania’s dining experience, along with included
specialty restaurants, is a “huge reason” her clients love the cruise line, and
we could see why.
Over lunch in the Grand Dining Room,
advisors enjoyed dishes
from several specialty restaurants, including the signature Miso-Glazed Sea Bass, perhaps
the most popular
dish from Red Ginger. The filet mignon,
a staple of the
Grand Dining Room menu, was another popular choice.
The elegant Grand Dining Room is complemented by four specialty restaurants and a variety of casual venues, all at no extra charge. (Photo Credit: Ming Tappin)
Travel advisor support
Oceania is demonstrating its commitment to supporting advisors
by eliminating NCFs beginning with summer 2028 sailings.
The
cruise line has also created the Oceania Cruises Travel Advisor Center, a
central resource for advisors to research
itineraries, browse promotions, and book clients.
Advisors can also complete
Oceania Insider University training to access bonus commission and reduced rates for personal
travel after graduation.
Through Oceania Insider Connect, advisors can create a complimentary
co-branded website, with all client inquiries and booking requests
referred back to them. The platform also provides ready-to-post social media content.
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Lew closed
her presentation by reminding advisors
to offer Oceania
to clients. “Plant
the seed,” she said.
“If you don’t offer it, your clients will never know about it, or that you sell
it. They look to you to help them optimize their buying decisions, so introduce
them to new experiences and challenge them to try new things. It’s not only for
clients moving from the big ships, but also for growing your business.”
On that note, our final question to Popovitch was whether she
already has potential candidates for Oceania,
to which she replied: “Absolutely! I can see Oceania being
a great fit for clients
who appreciate quality,
excellent food, personalized service, and a more relaxed luxury cruise
experience without being on a crowded
ship.” Ultimately, that’s what Oceania’s promise
to live well,
eat well, and travel well is all about.
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