Oceania Cruises’ Next New Class of Ship to Be Larger, More Spacious

Fresh on the heels of adding its second Allura Class ship to the fleet, Oceania Cruises is offering details on its next new class of ship, the Sonata Class. Debuting in August 2027 with Oceania Sonata, the Class will be the line’s largest ever, holding 1,390 guests, but will also offer more space per passenger than any other Oceania class of ship.

“Sonata will be a third larger than the ship you’re on now [Allura] in terms of tonnage and space but only with 190 more guests. What that means is more space and we’ve devoted that to the public areas,” Oceania Cruises’ chief commercial officer Nathan Hickman told an audience of travel advisors and media onboard a preview sailing of Allura.

He added, “When someone comes to Oceania Cruises, it’s not their first cruise and a lot of times they’re stepping up. They’re stepping up from a contemporary or premium line and what we’ve learned is they don’t want to trade off. They want to upgrade. They don’t want to have less dining experiences. They don’t want to less enrichment opportunities.”

The 1,390-guest Oceania Sonata fits into what Hickman called “the goldilocks size,” which he described as between 1,200 and 1,400 passengers. “It really allows us to deliver those big ship experiences in terms of amenities and choice but still delivery the luxury of detail and bespoke service that people expect.”

“We wouldn’t be doing these larger orders if we didn’t have a firm belief in the luxury leisure space as we move forward and the firm partnerships that we have with all of you,” added Jason Montague, Chief Luxury Officer for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.  

Oceania Sonata Ship Details

The Sonata Class will lean into the line’s new positioning as a luxury cruise brand, with 30% of all accommodations onboard being suites, and the introduction of two brand-new suite categories, plus reimagined two-bedroom Owner’s Suites.

The two new suite categories will be a Deluxe Penthouse suite with a larger balcony, and the all-new Horizon suite, which falls between the Penthouse and Oceania suites.

“We took what is the equivalent of two standard staterooms and turned it into a one-bedroom suite, just over 600 square feet,” Hickman said, adding there will be 50 of them on Sonata.

Regardless of category, all staterooms and suites onboard will have a balcony.

Oceania Sonata will be the ninth vessel for Oceania Cruises and will feature a mix of signature classics as well as new offerings, which will be slowly announced over the next two months.

Returning spaces will include the Grand Dining Room, Jacques, Red Ginger, Polo Grill, and Toscana.

Additionally, Sonata will feature two new dining concepts, which Hickman described as ranging from “haute cuisine to something far more casual but just as interesting.”

Speaking of relaxed dining, Hickman said the option is becoming “more and more popular.” As a result, Waves, Terrace, and Aquamar Kitchen will all be enlarged on Sonata.

The Culinary Center and Chef’s Studio will also return, as will the Artists’ Loft, and an almost doubled-in-size Lync Digital Center.

Currently under construction by Fincantieri, Oceania Sonata will set sail in August. Bookings open in January 2026, with preference going to Oceania Club members first. Oceania will also roll out trade partner training in early January, so the advisors are ready to market and sell the ship once bookings open.