Oceania To Transform Their Trio of “R-Class” Ships

Last month Oceania Cruises announced details of the largest refurbishment program in the company's history. The award-winning trio of R-Class ships, Regatta, Insignia, and Nautica will undergo a combined $50 million dollar transformation during the second quarter of 2014.

While retaining the warmth, intimacy, and charm Oceania Cruises’ guests have come to expect, all public rooms, suites, and staterooms will feature elegant new furnishings and décor. Many of the amenities and design elements that debuted on the line’s newest ships, including Baristas, Oceania Cruises’ signature specialty coffee bar, and the state-of-the-art grill in the Terrace Café, are being added during the refits.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to incorporate many of the best features and interior design elements from our acclaimed Marina and Riviera to Regatta, Insignia and Nautica. Not only does it enrich and enhance the guest experience, it underscores our commitment to providing our guests with a consistently outstanding experience across the entire fleet,” stated Kunal S. Kamlani, President of Oceania Cruises.

Transformation Highlights:

· All staterooms will receive rich new décor, imbuing them with a new sense of style, elegance and flair.
· Penthouse suites will be transformed with stunning new furnishings, rich upholstery and a vibrant yet calming palette that reflects the sea, sun and sky.
· Owner’s and Vista Suites will receive new bathrooms featuring oversized showers along with new marble and granite vanities.
· The addition of Baristas, our relaxing coffee bar where master baristas prepare complimentary illy® espressos, frothy cappuccinos and fresh pastries throughout the day.
· The Terrace Café will be transformed with dramatic new furnishings, flooring, wall-coverings, and lighting. This restaurant will also feature a state-of-the-art grill, which prepares cooked-to-order specialties such as juicy steaks, succulent lobster tails and mouth-watering chops
· Horizons will be resplendent in a new palate of soothing sea blues, cocoa brown and mint and furnished with all new chairs and sofas that are perfect for conversing, relaxing or simply taking in the stunning views.
· The Main Lounges will be completely refurbished with new carpeting, chairs and luxurious new fabrics and upholstery.
· Ever-popular Martinis will receive new furnishings while retaining its classic ambiance.
· The pool deck will sport all new furniture and new tile work.
· The Canyon Ranch Spa Club will have new Steam and Changing Rooms with dramatic new mosaics.
· The Sports Deck, located atop the ship with magnificent vistas of the sea, features a new mini-golf course, new shuffleboard courts and selection of deck games.

The transformed Insignia's first cruise after she returns from her two-year charter will depart on May 8, 2014 from Barcelona. Nautica will debut on May 16, 2014 in Civitavecchia and Regatta on June 7, 2014 in Vancouver for her Alaska cruise SEASON.

Additionally, Virginia Watters, wife of the line’s Founding Chairman, Joe Watters, and the original Godmother of Insignia, will rechristen the ship in Istanbul on June 11, 2014. The ceremony will celebrate the return of the ship to the Oceania Cruises fleet after a two-year hiatus. Virginia Watters first christened Insignia in March 2004 in the presence of His Serene Highness, Prince Albert in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Since then, the ship has carried tens of thousands of guests on hundreds of voyages around the globe. Ten years later, Virginia Watters will rechristen “her ship” and welcome the 684-guest vessel back in true Oceania Cruises style.