Oceania Marina Floats Out & Welcomes A Baby Sister Ship

According to Frank Del Rio, chairman and CEO of Oceania Cruises’ parent company Prestige Cruise Holdings, “The only thing better than one new ship is two new ships.” So, to kick off the float-out of Oceania Cruises’ new 65,000-ton, 1,258 passenger Marina at the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, Italy last week, the cruise line celebrated by starting construction of its sister ship on the very same day. Marina is scheduled to begin service in January 2011 and her sister ship, to be named Riviera, will launch in April 2012.

Marina is the first new ship purpose-built for Oceania and promises upscale new features. Unusual for a mid-size cruise ship, Marina will have ten dining venues, including six specialty restaurants for which there are no surcharges. Highlighting the importance of food, Marina will also boast a Culinary Center where instructor chefs will hold culinary demonstrations and classes. Libraries are an outstanding feature of the trio of Oceania’s smaller ships and Marina’s library will take it up a notch by adding a coffee bar with a wall of windows overlooking the pool deck. The pool itself will feature double chaises with canopies and flowing curtains for a South Beach vibe.

A leader in the trend for luxury beds afloat, Oceania will introduce a new bedding system aboard Marina. The new Prestige Imperial bed, will eventually be rolled out fleetwide. The mattress will feature a 1.5-inch layer of memory foam, topped by a 2 inch thick a gel cushion, and wrapped with chamomile-infused padding. Bedding will include 1,000-thread count sheets in suites and Concierge-level staterooms. Standard accommodations will have 700-thread count sheets.

For additional information, call 800-531-5658 or visit Oceania Cruises online.