Ahead of Allura, Oceania Cruises Reminds Travel Advisors that Food Is Their Domain

For a self-proclaimed cruise line created by foodies for foodies, Oceania Cruises is putting its money (and lobster thermidor) where its mouth is. At an event hosted by the cruise line in Miami, which included a preview of Allura’s new menu offerings, executives were bullish on the brand’s culinary excellence.

“Food is our calling card, so we’re not going to shy away from that,” said Nathan Hickman, the newly promoted chief commercial officer for Oceania Cruises, who’s been with the company since its inception.

And the data does attest to that: Recent guest satisfaction surveys found that the culinary excellence is routinely mentioned as a top reason that guests book an Oceania cruise.

On a galley tour of Vista, as sous chefs rolled and chopped and prepped, we learned that the ship employs 140 chefs, who account for more than 17% of the crew. Not to mention that Oceania is the only cruise line to boast two resident Master Chefs of France, Alexis Quaretti and Eric Barale, the line’s executive culinary directors.

So, four months ahead of the launch of Allura and about two years ahead of the line’s forthcoming Quattro Class, how is the brand building upon its culinary claims?

A Return to Jacques

Originally envisioned to meet the demand of guests who didn’t want to sit every night for a multicourse meal, Ember debuted onboard Vista in 2023, replacing Jacques as a specialty restaurant. In retrospect, it didn’t work as a standalone space and should have been an addition to the main dining program, said Tim Rubacky, senior director of marketing development and communications for Oceania Cruises.

“You could almost hear our guests cheering when we sent out the email that it would be reverted back to Jacques,” he told TMR. The retrofit on Vista will take place this October.

Luckily, for the cruise line, that decision was made in time to build Jacques into Allura, which debuts in July. Not wanting to disappoint guests a second time, Oceania’s resident master chefs have been hard at work pouring their passion into classic French recipes with a modern sophistication. This includes more tableside preparations, like a traditional beef tartare. For us, the experience truly begins with the bread, which is served with a beautifully salted butter presented in a dish resembling a miniature milk can.

The Evolution of Main Dining (Plus Crepes)

In addition to developing a new menu to honor Chef Jacques Pepin, Oceania’s former executive culinary director and the namesake of Jacques, Chef Quaretti spent 15 months developing more than 300 new dishes to be worked into the rotation across the fleet’s main dining rooms. This includes a more prominent vegetarian offering that will highlight elevated dishes for those with dietary restrictions.

Additionally, 15 new dishes are being added to popular specialty restaurant Red Ginger to keep in line with Asian cuisine’s emerging trends. At the Terrace Café, five new lunches are being hosted per sailing featuring culinary themes from Mediterranean to American.

Aquamar Kitchen, a poolside healthy dining venue that debuted on Vista, will return on Allura featuring new gastronomic experiences for guests.

New to Allura will be a creperie, situated behind Baristas on Deck 14. The sizeable library normally located just behind the coffee bar will now be across the deck, leaving room for the casual, all-day eatery offering sweets like waffles, gelato, and made-to-order crepes.

Oceania’s Culinary Center Still a Hit

“Maybe 20 years ago when we talked about culinary, it was only what we served in our restaurants,” Hickman said during a panel discussion. “Now there is a broader culture surrounding that; it’s how food ties into the destination, what culinary classes [and tours] are offered — it doesn’t begin and end with the restaurants. It’s been fun to figure out how to tell that [broader] story, because it’s authentic for us.”

The classes offered onboard in Oceania’s Culinary Centers are not just full, they have waiting lists. Chef Kathryn Kelly who is the creator of these first cooking schools at sea, told us that there are guests who plan and book their entire cruise around which classes are being offered on each itinerary. Today, there are more than 120 classes offered in the curriculum across both Oceania and sister brand Regent Seven Seas Cruises that are rotated in and out.

The Culinary Center onboard Vista will be replicated on Allura, a stunning, $12 million facility offering 24 cooking stations for guests (double the amount on Marina and Riviera). The concept of the demo kitchen, originally developed during the pandemic as a way for guests to interact with the chef without having to cook, has become highly requested and a demonstration space will be built into Allura.

“We’re taking over the 14th deck,” Chef Kelly told us, laughing.

The Culinary Center has remained the top-rated experience across Oceania Cruises for 14 years running. “The secret sauce of the program is the talented chefs teaching these courses,” Chef Kelly added. “There are 18 chefs dedicated just to the Culinary Centers across Oceania and Regent.”

Food and Wine Partnerships Still Important

Oceania continues to tap both well-established and new talent with its epicurean partnerships. A series of specialty sailings featuring the Food & Wine Best New Chef will take place in 2025 as well as 2026. Hosts and guest chefs for other specialty cruises include Jacques’ daughter and Sirena godmother Claudine Pepin, as well as TV personality Sara Moulton, who is not only hosting a sailing but also filming the entire next season of her show onboard an Oceania ship.

Ongoing relationships with TV host Samantha Brown and Vista godmother Chef Giada De Laurentiis add to the line’s culinary and travel brand recognition.  

The Oceania Cruise Client Has Time — and an Appetite

When asked how they discovered Oceania Cruises in feedback surveys, former guests replied “culinary reputation” first, followed by “friend referral,” then “recommended by a travel advisor.” As a brand with a 50% repeat rate, it can be difficult to evangelize a cruise line that mostly does business with loyal guests. “There is almost a natural progression between the clients who book into Norwegian Cruise Line’s Haven with their families and then ‘graduate’ to Oceania,” said Brennan Quesnele, Oceania’s newly appointed senior vice president of sales, said.

“I do think that what we’ve been doing for the past 20-plus years is clearly resonating with our repeat guests,” Rubacky said. “But now we’re seeing that the whole foodie culture is a very effective limelight to shine on the brand to attract those new guests coming in from the big ship brands.”

For advisors looking to identify potential Oceania Cruises clients, chances are they not only have an appetite for fine cuisine but for extended travel. The most popular sailing of 2023 was a 54-day-long cruise and the next world cruise is already 70% sold.