Oceania Cruises prides itself on having “The finest cuisine at sea”, but does it deliver? Kaye Holland steps on board the line’s newest ship to find out

In July this year, Oceania Cruises unveiled Allura, the prelude to an exciting run of new vessels due in 2027, 2029 and 2035, respectively. Unsurprisingly for a line that claims to rule the culinary waves, Oceania has pulled out all the stops to ensure delivery on its promise, with Allura featuring one chef for every eight guests.

In fact, half of the ship’s 800 crew are dedicated to culinary operations. The new ship caters to guests’ hunger for learning, too. A cruise on Allura isn’t just about relaxation – it’s about coming back improved.

Unleash your inner Picasso in the Artist Loft, or learn how to post a reel on Instagram and other social media and smartphone basics, courtesy of the clever digital team at the new Lync Digital Centre.

Food glorious food

Twelve dining venues – a staggering number for a ship that accommodates 1,200 passengers at full capacity – means guests can enjoy a different dining experience each day. Refreshingly, every restaurant is included in the price (some lines charge between £30-£45 a head to eat in their high-end ‘speciality’ restaurants).

“There are no ships of this size that have so many dining options,” Alexis Quaretti, Oceania’s executive culinary director, tells me on a tour of Allura’s colossal 2,400sqm galley. Returning favourites include The Polo Grill steakhouse, Italian restaurant Toscana, the wellness-inspired Aquamar Kitchen, and the elegant white and silver-hued Grand Dining Room.

Elsewhere, the line’s signature French restaurant Jacques – named for legendary chef Jacques Pépin, Oceania’s first-ever culinary director – makes a comeback. Introduced on Marina and Riviera (the line’s two Oceania-class ships), it was dropped from Allura’s older sister, Vista, and replaced by casual venue Ember.

However, Jacques’ fans complained and – full credit to Oceania – they listened and brought the crowd-pleaser back on Allura. The new iteration features French classics like duck a l’orange with Grand Marnier.

However, there’s also plenty of newness on Allura for guests to, erm, sink their teeth into. Stop by The Crêperie for, as the name suggests, delicate, authentic French crepes. And be sure to tuck into the new Japanese-Peruvian dishes – think tuna ceviche with leche de tigre, and crispy soft shell crab tempura inside fluffy bao buns – at popular pan-Asian speciality Red Ginger while admiring the restaurant’s stunning wall of floating glass lanterns.

Do all of the aforementioned add up to the best cuisine at sea? That’s questionable, but it’s undeniable that a great deal of effort has gone into Allura’s culinary output.

Sleep talk

Oceania has done away with inside cabins on Allura, which instead offers six categories of accommodation, all with either French balconies or verandas. The lion’s share of the 600 cabins are entry-level veranda staterooms.

Measuring more than 290 square feet, they are the largest standard staterooms at sea. The space ratio remains the same at concierge level, the next category up, but upgrading gets you perks such as access to an exclusive lounge – the serene Aquamar Spa Terrace with its whirlpools, thalassotherapy pool, and open-air deck – as well as complimentary laundry.

A step above that are the penthouse suites, Oceania suites, Vista suites and the icing on the cake, the three Owner’s suites. These span the width of the ship but sell like hot cakes, so if you are thinking of splashing out, be quick.

What unites all the staterooms and suites on Allura is their elegant décor, enlivened with shades of cream and fawn, complemented by large beds topped with Oceania’s signature (and supremely comfortable) tranquillity mattresses, and ample-sized marble bathrooms.

Time to learn

Painting a masterpiece, cooking Greek food, becoming au fait with AI – it’s amazing what you can learn on Allura. Oceania knows that the best trips teach you something, even if it’s only brushing up your social media skills or adding a few mezze dishes to your home cooking repertoire.

To this end, the line has introduced a new digital centre on Allura that offers complimentary creative tech classes such as ‘Shots, Sips and Snacks’ whereby guests are taught how to take the best pictures of food on their phone.

Passengers can then put their newfound photography skills to the test in the state-of-the-art Culinary Centre. Here, two-hour ‘Passport to…’ classes cost £89 and focus on the flavours of the destination du jour. First introduced on Marina and Riviera, the cookery school has been expanded on Allura and now features 24 gleaming individual work stations.

Curious excursions

Allura’s commitment to enrichment is also apparent in its selection of shore excursions. These range from active adventures like kayaking the Dalmatian coastline (£118) to exclusive, small-group options and select tours offering unique experiences that allow guests to explore their destination more slowly.

In Ravenna, Italy, I signed up for one of the line’s select tours (£155) and spent an enjoyable morning pottering about the hill-top town of Brisighella’s charming cobbled streets before stopping for lunch at La Sabbiona – a family-run farmhouse.

After serving us homemade pasta and creamy gourmet cheeses accompanied by sangiovese di romagna wine, the owners chatted to us, opening up their home – and hearts – to us.

Unlike other lines, there’s no pressure to book a cruise-line organised excursion, either. Subsequently, when Allura docked in Dubrovnik, I spent hours strolling around the Croatian city’s striking ramparts.

A floating hotel

The arrival of Allura comes after the debut of sister-company NCL’s 3,571-passenger Aqua, famed for having the world’s first waterslide-rollercoaster. It also comes smack bang between the launch of the 6,764-passenger MSC World America, with its series of swimming pools and Royal Caribbean’s 20-deck, 5,610-passenger Star of the Seas.

Collectively, Aqua, MSC America and Star aren’t so much ships as floating behemoths. Smaller ships have launched this year too – notably the Ritz-Carlton’s 453-passenger Luminara.

By contrast, the mid-sized Allura is the perfect fit: small enough to navigate, but large enough to have lots going on – from sunrise yoga sessions on deck to original production shows in the theatre. Allura has the aura of a boutique hotel afloat – all sweeping staircases, shimmering chandeliers, covetable art and acres of marble.