T+L’s Cruise Ship Review of Oceania Allura

One of the world’s smallest countries, San Marino has to be among the most picturesque places in all of Europe. Its tiny capital city, also called San Marino, sits at the top of Mount Titano, with impressive views of Italy’s Apennines to the west. Its Medieval fortifications look like something out of Game of Thrones—or, given their crenulated towers, “Rapunzel.”

The narrow lanes of the city are filled with souvenir shops and cafes, not to mention an outsize number of museums. The National Postal Museum, for example, was surprisingly fascinating, full of commemorative Olympics-themed stamps, distinctive San Marino euro coins, and an exhibit on Abraham Lincoln, who was granted Sammarinse citizenship in 1861. The San Marino National Gallery had an intriguing array of contemporary art, including a riveting installation by the Italian artist Enzo Mari. The State Museum was filled with historical artifacts, both from San Marino and, in the case of some Egyptian antiquities, far far away.

Interesting as they were—who knows anything about San Marino, really—I was more charmed by the back-in-time feel of the pedestrian streets and the climb to the famous “Three Towers” of the city. The pulse-quickening hike up to Guita, the first of the city’s towers, afforded stunning views of the Italian countryside which completely surrounds the microstate of San Marino.

As I stood at the top of Guaita, a towering fort that dates to the 11th century, I could just make out the bell tower of Rimini in the distance. Beyond the coastal city was the Adriatic Sea—which is how I came to San Marino, though few would consider the city-state a convenient place to reach by ship. But, for Oceania Cruises, taking guests off the beaten path is a key part of delivering a great vacation.

“We go to probably twice as many unique ports of call and have twice as many itineraries as our competitors,” says Nathan Hickman, the line’s SVP of global marketing. “That’s just our philosophical approach.”

I met with Hickman aboard Allura, the newest ship in the Oceania fleet, and a sibling to Vista, which launched recently to rave reviews. I hopped aboard in Trieste, Italy, for a week-long sailing to Athens that would give me just enough time to get to know the line’s style of service—and to explore all the bells and whistles on the new, 610-cabin ship, which accommodates 1,200 passengers.

I came away impressed. Oceania doesn’t consider itself a luxury line; “my fear personally is that when you say ‘luxury,’ does that repel some people?” Hickman explains. Nevertheless, Allura has many of the trappings of high-end cruise vessels, including a half-dozen specialty dining venues, an expansive pool deck, and plenty of live entertainment. This is the second vessel in Oceania’s Allura ship class, which notably offers more space, more amenities, and a leveled-up pool-and-sports complex in contrast to the line’s older ships.

“The way we describe ‘luxury’ is authentic to us,” Hickman says. “Where we’re coming to it is, ‘the luxury of choice.’ We have the most included dining options of any cruise line. You can be in a standard room or you can be in a 2,000-square-foot Owner’s Suite. You can take a seven-day cruise or 180-day cruise. It’s all about choice.”

I certainly felt that, particularly when it came to the excellent restaurants on board, including Jacques, a French bistro that feels straight out of the 8th arrondissement. More than anything, though, I just love being at sea, with an ever-changing palette of blues out every window and access to some of the most in-demand destinations such as Dubrovnik, Croatia, without the hassle of waiting in lines or figuring out ticketing arrangements. (Oceania’s contracted tour guides took care of all that for guests on pre-arranged shore excursions.)

Like all good cruises, my July sailing aboard Allura managed to feel comfortable and familiar—while taking me to places I never would have experienced otherwise. San Marino: who knew?

Read on for more details about Oceania Allura, including specifics about its staterooms, restaurants, amenities, and wellness facilities.

The Staterooms

Allura has a wide selection of rooms and suites, with entry-level accommodations that are still comfortable while being affordable and high-end spaces that come with top-notch services not offered to every cabin type. In all, the ship has six different room categories, which range from Veranda Stateroom to Owner’s Suite. Upgrading to a Concierge Level room affords guests additional amenities, not least of which is access to a private lounge, staffed by can-do personnel, who can assist with on-ship and off-ship requests, whether a dinner arrangement or details on, say, hiking routes around Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor.

My cabin, 8129, was a Concierge Level Veranda Stateroom, which offered 291 square feet of room, including an oversize balcony outfitted with two chairs, a table, and a chaise lounge. Inside, there was enough space to lounge comfortably, with a sitting area and writing desk, plus an excellent bed with a Matermoll mattress fitted with crisp new, 1,000-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets. (Oceania sells its so-called Tranquility beds, with mattresses starting at $3,625.) The spacious bathroom had storage galore—including a clever set of drawers and cabinets in one corner—plus a rainfall showerhead and the line’s custom Aquamar bath products, which have a subtle vetiver scent. All in all, I found the room functional and well proportioned, if a bit understated in terms of the grey and pale aqua color palette.

Bars and Restaurants

Food is a point of pride for Oceania, which for many years partnered with Jacques Pepin as a culinary ambassador. Today, chefs Eric Barale and Alex Quaretti carry on the tradition, overseeing a lineup of specialty restaurants that are, among guests, regarded as some of the best at sea. I was certainly wowed by Jacques, a stunning bistro with an open kitchen and a menu of elevated Parisian classics like lobster Thermidor, French onion soup, and veal medallions in a morel mushroom sauce.

Red Ginger, a pan-Asian concept, is probably the toughest reservation on the ship, and I unfortunately wasn’t able to get a table during my six-night cruise. Other passengers were raving, as my T+L colleague did when she tried the restaurant on Vista, the sibling ship of Allura, in 2023.

Other specialty dining options include Toscana, with a large menu of Italian favorites, and Polo Grill, a chophouse with an elegant vibe. The Grand Dining Room has classic Continental dishes, many of which were excellent—a delightful contrast to the sometimes-disappointing “main dining” cuisine found on other cruise lines.

I was somewhat underwhelmed with the buffet, which is less of an occasion given that the ship offers so many other choices, except for one evening, when the crew went all out for an Italian theme night, complete with fresh pasta made to order, a caprese salad station, and an over-the-top display of antipasti. Aquamar Kitchen, with its smoothies, fresh juices, and health-conscious bowls and veggie-forward sandwiches was a welcome alternative to more formal (and decadent) dining around the ship. Similarly, Baristas, with its light bites and excellent coffee, was a terrific hangout both early in the morning and mid-afternoon. A nearby Crêperie is new for Oceania, doing trendy bubble waffles and classic crêpes. I didn’t have time for Waves Grill, which does burgers and the like, near the pool—but it was often full of happy guests.

Shore Excursions

While Oceania puts an emphasis on its cuisine, the brand has also heavily invested in making more excursions in more ports available to guests. (T+L reported on Oceania’s “vast catalogue of outings” in 2022, when contributor Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon sampled many of the line’s “Go Local” tours in Greece.) On my weeklong trip, there were 51 choices available in the four intermediate ports we visited, with options that included introductory walking tours, active adventures like sea kayaking, and wine- and food-focused options that would ferry guests to languid lunches in the Croatian countryside.

“Our guests don’t want to be passive participants in their vacation,” says Hickman, the Oceania executive.

Besides my day spent in San Marino, which was a highlight, there were several other worthwhile tours on my sailing. In Dubrovnik alone, there were 21 choices, including a Game of Thrones–themed tour and a sea-kayaking expedition that took me (and around 20 other participants) around the city walls to the remarkable Betina Cave.

In Rijeka, Croatia, a number of guests took a trip to Hum, which bills itself as the smallest town in the world, a bitsy agglomeration of medieval walls and, frankly, not much else. I stayed in the city proper and found myself pleasantly surprised by a well-done walking tour that seamlessly connected Roman history, the region’s 20th-century struggles, and information about contemporary life in what is now Croatia’s third-largest city.

Where Oceania Allura Sails

Oceania Allura will sail in southern Europe, on the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas, in the summer, and winter in the Caribbean with a home port of Miami. This year, when the ship crosses the Atlantic, it will spend some time cruising in Canada and New England before heading south.

Amenities and Entertainment

Allura is big enough that it offers plenty to do on board, including lots of sports, fitness classes, stage shows, live music, dancing, and other cruise-ship pursuits like trivia, needlepoint meetups, and art classes. Sorry, but if you’re bored, you’re not trying hard enough.

The pool deck has plenty of daybeds in addition to chaise lounges, with a main swimming pool and two whirlpools, plus a bar and grill. Also on the open decks are several well-done sports facilities, including the nicest minigolf course I’ve ever seen on a ship, a pickleball court, Baggo sets, shuffleboard, and table tennis; there’s a running track, too. The fitness center, which is full of the latest Technogym machines and plenty of free weights, was often very busy but not so much so that you couldn’t work in.

In the evening, guests bop between the several bars on board, which play host to various musicians, who do classical, piano-bar standards, and revues of pop hits. The casino, with its table games, roulette, and slots was bustling most nights.

A compact spa had plenty of treatments—massages, facials, wraps—as well as steam and sauna facilities. Guests can also access the quiet Aquamar Spa Terrace at the bow of the ship, with two whirlpools and a plunge pool.

One other notable amenity were several guest launderettes, scattered around the ship, with free washing machines, dryers, and ironing equipment. They were among the most well-appointed I’ve ever seen on a ship and proved popular among passengers.

Family-friendly Offerings

Oceania doesn’t have anything in the way of kid-specific entertainment, but I noticed and spoke with several families with younger children on my sailing, including one couple who told me they were relieved their kids weren’t the only ones on board. There were also lots of families traveling with adult children or in groups of three generations; another couple I spoke with told me the ship was ideal for their multigenerational gathering of more than a dozen. The official policy of Oceania is that the company does “not provide services for the care, entertainment, or supervision of children,” which makes the line better suited to more mature and independent kids. (The one exception is Oceania’s Alaska Explorer Youth Program, for kids aged 5 to 12, which is exclusive to itineraries in that state; there are currently no plans for Allura to operate in Alaska.)

Accessibility

Allura is accessible to those with mobility challenges, a spokesperson for the brand tells T+L. “Aboard all Oceania ships, amenities are accessible by elevators; no guests should encounter stairs as a barrier to experience Oceania’s on-board amenities. Staff is trained to accommodate additional needs on an individualized basis to ensure all guests are comfortable and safe. Allura has ADA-accessible staterooms/suites in the following categories: French Veranda, Veranda, Concierge, and Penthouse. Additionally, all destinations have ADA-accessible shore excursions.”