Oceania Riviera

Cabins are comfortable and spacious—at 291 sq. feet they’re some of the largest standard staterooms at sea. Cabins are residential in design, with plenty of decorative touches that make the rooms seem like they’re not staterooms on a ship—wall decorations are a particular luxury. 1,000 thread count Tranquility beds melt away even a relaxing day, there’s twice-daily housekeeping, marble-and-granite baths spacious enough for an extra dresser, and plenty of closet space.

Concierge level veranda staterooms come with large room service menus, free laundry service, a dedicated Concierge Lounge, a welcome bottle of Champagne, priority specialty restaurant reservations, access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace sun deck, and complimentary pressing and shoeshine.

Expansive suites feature many of the same services as concierge level veranda staterooms, with the added benefits of a 24-hour butler who can provide packing and unpacking services, present evening canapés, make dining or entertainment reservations ashore, or present in-suite dining serially, course-by-course. Suite passengers also have their own dedicated Executive Lounge.

Riviera has six accessible staterooms with wider doors, roll-in showers, grab bars, and turning spaces. Gangways are wide enough to accommodate most mobility devices, and all dining and bar venues are rated accessible for passengers with limited mobility. There’s also accessible showroom seating and accessible casino seating. There are accessible public restrooms available around the ship, and several counters like guest relations and shore excursions are lower to accommodate wheelchair users.

Bathrooms in suites aren’t purpose-designed for wheelchair users, but are larger, and are roll-in like the bathrooms in the accessible staterooms without the step-up found in other cabins.

There are limited facilities for accommodating wheelchair users in tenders at ports when the ship is not docked alongside a wharf, but there is an elevator to the tender dock onboard. Oceania does reserve the right to disallow disembarkation of passengers are ports where they determine it cannot be accomplished safely. Oceania also requires users of any mobility or medical device to inform them in advance of sailing. They can also provide a referral to a mobility device rental company that will deliver devices to the ship if it’s not preferred to travel with them.

Oceania is able to accommodate diabetic, gluten-free, lactose-free, kosher, vegetarian, and vegan diets with advance notice. Other diets may be accommodated on a case-by-case basis.

There’s a delightful number of options for breakfast each morning, from the smoothie station on the pool deck to pastries, cold cuts, and cheese in Baristas, the bright, airy coffee shop one deck higher (specialty coffee drinks are included in cruise fares). Guests can also breakfast in their rooms, in Waves Grill, the Terrace Café buffet (where there’s also outdoor seating), or the Grand Dining Room (although hours are limited).

For lunches, Waves Grill and Terrace Café rule the day, but the Grand Dining Room is also open for lunch on sea days. There’s an ice cream and smoothie hut on the pool deck, which inexplicably wraps up each day by late afternoon.

In the evening, the Grand Dining Room is open-seating, meaning guests can dine whenever they wish during its opening hours for dinner. They can also choose from specialty restaurants, which require reservations, but don’t levy an additional fee:

Polo Grill – Steak & Seafood

Jacques – French classics by Executive Culinary Director Jacques Pepin

Red Ginger – Pan-Asian favorites

Toscana – Italian cuisine featuring fresh-made pasta

Two specialty dining options do charge an additional fee:

Privée – A private dining experience for up to ten guests, with custom menus

La Reserve – The food is included, but there’s a surcharge for the wine tasting

Martinis, near the main lobby feels like the ship’s main bar—it’s generally livelier than the adjacent Grand Bar, which occupies the corridor between Martini’s and the Grand Dining Room. There’s also a tiny Casino Bar in an alcove just off the small casino. The Waves Bar is open at the pool during the day, specializing in cocktails and blended drinks for sun-worshipers. In the evening the coffee bar Baristas rolls out an aperitivo menu of cocktails, wines, cordials, and after-dinner coffees. Horizons Bar is the closest venue to a nightclub, open until the wee hours with a cocktail menu and entertainment ranging from live singers to karaoke.

Oceania includes soft drinks, juices, and specialty coffees in the cruise fare, while lunches and dinners include select beers and wines. There are also more inclusive beverage packages available if you don’t want to purchase drinks a la carte.

The ship’s entertainment staff works hard, from putting on cooking classes or art workshops to more traditional fare like pub trivia or MENSA quizzes. There are also guest speakers and production stage shows in the theatre, but there’s notably not a late show for those who prefer to dine in the middle of the evening, thus missing out on both showtimes. Nevertheless, there’s no shortage of live entertainment in virtually every venue on the ship, from a string quartet in afternoon tea in Horizons and evenings in the Grand Bar, to a piano player in Martini’s and a live showband in Horizons into the wee hours.

The fitness spaces have up-to-date machines and lovely ocean views, plus free water or Gatorade. There are also plenty of outdoor recreation areas, like an outdoor jogging track, golf putting green, and space for shuffleboard, pickleball, and paddle tennis.

For spa, there’s a variety of spa treatments available ranging from body treatments to massages, plus medi-spa treatments like dermal fillers or skin tightening treatments. If you have a spa treatment booked you can use the spa terrace, which has sun loungers and a thalassotherapy pool, or the indoor aromatic steam room. Spa treatments generally start with a form for guests to list their “chief complaints,” but that’s an entrée to a product pitch, so it can be beneficial to leave that blank.