Review: Oceania Riviera

What is the line? Oceania Cruises

Name of ship? Riviera

Passenger occupancy? 1,238

Itinerary? Venice to Athens

Riviera hits the sweet spot for food and wine devotees, delivering exceptional cuisine, wine pairing extravaganzas, and culinary and vintner-driven shore excursions.

Start out with the big picture—what is this cruise line known for?

Oceania Cruises maintains a strong focus on quality food and wine with complimentary specialty dining. Its loyal clientele, often younger than on luxury lines (Oceania Cruises is ranked premium, with luxury-level cuisine), love to eat and drink in style as they sail the globe. And sail the globe they do, as Oceania’s six ships cover more than 450 destinations. (Vista, Oceania’s newest and most glam ship, debuts in May 2023.) Port-intensive itineraries, including many late-nights and overnights. Among the well-maintained vessels, Riviera and twin Marina rank the largest, and arguably, the most stylish. The two were purpose-built for foodies, showcasing more dining choices and a Culinary Center offering hands-on cooking classes.

Tell us about the ship in general

The 1,238-passenger Riviera was built in 2012 and underwent a massive refurbishment in late 2022, including all staterooms and suites and many public venues. Its smart design emphasizes contemporary cool with lavish flourishes, like the Lalique-embellished grand staircase and gleaming Italian marble. Designed for foodies, this vessel lures connoisseurs with seven complimentary dining venues, mostly astonishingly good. Fares depend on the category of stateroom or suite booked, and can run from budget-minded to as pricey as a luxury line (with similar amenities.) Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center includes a large, well-equipped fitness center and features complimentary wellness lectures and fitness classes, a comprehensive list of treatments and medi-spa services. Come nighttime, passengers move between the casino, bars, and Riviera Lounge for primarily musical revues.

Who is onboard?

Riviera draws an active crowd of repeat guests, mostly American, who indulge well onboard and explore energetically ashore. While 55+ might cover the age range, I saw plenty of couples and groups of friends who looked younger. These cruisers are a friendly bunch and engage with other passengers in bars and lounges. Passengers definitely utilize the fitness center, although I always found a treadmill or free weights when needed. The jogging track draws many cruisers, too, if not to run, then leisurely walk at sunset. Complimentary classes, like yoga, do fill up. I packed casual-to-elegant country-club-ish attire, and fit right in.

Describe the cabins

Staterooms and suites were gutted during the recent redo, receiving a more modern design in tasteful neutral-driven brown and grey hues. Bathrooms were enlarged for all but the largest suites (Oceania, Vista and Owner’s), with passengers losing tubs but gaining oversized showers. The makeover also added better storage space, roomier closets and more USB outlets and power sources.

The variety of staterooms and suites do provide distinctly different experiences. Entry-level inside staterooms are but 174-square-feet yet still possess Riviera signatures, like a custom plush bed and granite and marble bath stocked with Bulgari toiletries. Veranda staterooms kick it up a big notch, with 291 square feet of space including a furnished teak veranda, and a larger bath. Concierge Level Veranda Staterooms are the next notable level, providing a private lounge with a dedicated concierge, complimentary laundry and Grand Dining Room (main restaurant) room service.

I stayed in a Penthouse Suite, the lowest suite level. I loved it. My 440 square feet included a dining table, spacious veranda and access to the Executive Lounge with its concierge and coffee, soft drinks and snacks. I only used the lounge once, but I really appreciated Penthouse amenities, like welcome Champagne, priority restaurant reservations and laundry service. I didn’t interact with my butler other than for breakfast room service, but I liked the idea of  having one. The biggest, fanciest suites are dubbed Oceania, Vista and Owner’s and grouped behind an etched glass door. Those lucky occupants wallow in more than 1,000 square feet and up, with media rooms, indoor and outdoor whirlpool spas and other luxurious appointments.

Tell us about the crew

Enthusiastic servers in lounges and restaurants were keen to please. I actually felt sad saying goodbye to a few. They struck the perfect chord midway between formal and casual. Butlers, who service Penthouse Suites and up, leaned more formal, befitting their roles. Concierges, including those available to all passengers, calmly handled questions about, well, everything. A shoutout to the shore excursion desk, who fielded lots of questions and kept their cool. I came away impressed with the sommeliers, too; they knew their wines and sometimes gently steered me to better selections than what I chose.

What food and drink options are available on board?

The absolutely best aspect (besides the ports) of my sail was the food and wine. There are now seven venues; the newest (which I have yet to experience) is an al fresco trattoria and pizzeria. Reservations are needed for Toscana, Polo Grill, Jacques and La Reserve; passengers are promised at least one reservation in each (other than La Reserve) per cruise. Book as far in advance as possible; once onboard, add your name to waitlists to score additional bookings.

It’s astonishing that all complimentary restaurants use primo ingredients with abandon. You can indulge on lobster or aged prime beef every night. I tried, and liked, many new plant-based plates, such as power bowls with sea vegetables.  Main restaurant Grand Dining Room felt as festive as specialty eateries and delivered sophisticated delicious plates night after night.

I had my favorites. French restaurant Jacques presented exquisite onion soup. Polo Grill steakhouse’s bacon rolls were insane; don’t do as I did, which is eat the entire breadbasket before the big beefy main event. If Asian-fusion Red Ginger ever loses the lobster pad Thai, I think passengers (including me) would revolt. I often revisited Toscana, for its hand-fashioned pastas and rolling olive oil cart. What’s better than dipping fresh-baked focaccia into markedly different olive oils?  I barely went to the beautiful afternoon teas but when I did, the flaky scones made me swoon. La Reserve, the only fee-based eatery, offers multi-course meals with wine pairings. The Dom Pérignon six-course extravaganza was worth the decidedly steep $295 charge per person on my cruise; different vintages were paired with excellent cuisine and glasses were generously refilled. The passionate head sommelier explained each vintage and pairing in depth. Speaking of wine, I adored the bin finishing sheet added to restaurant wine lists; I found really good bottles at substantial discounts.     

Is there a spa on board and is it worth visiting?

Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center is a rather glam and worthwhile destination for its vast array of services, from facials, detox wraps and massages to medi-spa. It offers complimentary fitness classes, like spinning and Pilates. The sauna and steam are open to any guest; no need for a treatment. Same goes for relaxing on heated ceramic loungers. Aquamar Spa Terrace features a thalassotherapy pool and whirlpools, open post-treatment or to spa-dwellers. The big adjacent fitness center offers the typical TechnoGym equipment like stair climbers, weight machines and treadmills. This spa also offers specific shore excursions dubbed Wellness Discovery Tours, like visiting hammams in port.

Activities and entertainment

Riviera offers activities galore – even pickleball. My favorite was a hands-on cooking class with recipes from Red Ginger in the Culinary Center. Our chef instructor expertly demonstrated each dish and then we tried – and succeeded – in duplicating them at our well-equipped stations. In the Artist Loft, a resident artist displays his work and offers workshops. The big library tempts with diversified tomes and beckoning comfy chairs with ottomans. I saw lots of the same faces playing table tennis, paddle tennis, putting, croquet, bocce and shuffleboard. Some passengers attended port enrichment lectures. The pool and hot tubs stayed popular. Pre-dinner, I relished a talented female string quartet playing classical music in the Grand Bar, although the adjacent Martinis lounge was the busiest and buzziest. Post-dinner, I attended a musical show or two starring shipboard singers and dancers in the Riviera Lounge, which were okay, much like those on luxury lines. The casino was sometimes busy when I looked; with many early morning excursions, passengers tend to turn in early, although some head to Horizons for nightcaps and dancing to a live band. Props, too, to Riviera’s inclusiveness; my cruise featured an LGBTQI+ social evening.

How was the experience for families?

Riviera vibes like an adults-only ship, although children aged one-year-old and up are allowed to board. There are no kids clubs or programming and I didn’t see any little ones on my cruise.

Where did it sail and how were the excursions? Did anything stand out?

My cruise sailed from Venice to Istanbul, with visits to Athens, Mykonos and Croatia’s Split and Rovinj. It’s a fairly common route with competition from other premium and luxury lines. Plentiful shore excursion choices meant choosing was challenging. My standouts were food and wine-driven. In Kusadasi, Turkey, when most visitors toured Ephesus, I joined a small group for a cooking demonstration and sumptuous Turkish lunch prepared by local cooks at a mountain resort hideaway. In Santorini, our guide whisked us to vineyards and wineries. How fascinating to learn how grapevines here thrive on dew alone, and that many island residents make wine with grapes grown in their backyards.

Are there any stand out sustainability or green initiatives about this cruise?

On all ships, Oceania Cruises offers Go Green Tours, where cruisers engage with residents and businesses on conserving and sustaining surrounding environments. For example, in St. Kitts passengers may learn about hydroponic farming in rainforests, or in Athens, observe injured and ill sea turtles undergoing rehabilitation.

Anything we missed

My food memories astonish me. Months later, I can still taste the illy crema, a frozen blend primarily of espresso and cream, at Baristas. I currently crave Waves Grill’s fragrant vanilla-forward milkshakes, and Wagyu burgers, their juices dripping down my hands. I see the tall chef in a tall toque expertly carving a crackling-skinned whole suckling pig at lunchtime in the Terrace Café. Long story short, the cuisine pretty much blew my mind. 

Finally, give a sentence or two on why the cruise is worth booking.

If you’re passionate about food and wine and exploring the world in style, you’ll love life onboard Riviera.