The very first thing you see when you go to the Goldring Travel website is my mantra, “What is Your Luxury?“. This is because, alas, everyone has their own definition of luxury. But, like everything else, there are limits. I admit I enjoy a Bud Light after a hike, but is that “luxury”? I also enjoy a great bottle of wine, which, conversely, most would consider somewhere on the luxury scale. I am about to embark on a seven-night custom A&K Botswana safari, staying in amazing camps, and then 19 nights on a Silversea expedition sailing up the west coast of Africa. Yup, that’s hard not to say it isn’t pretty high on the luxury scale. Fair?

Well, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, owner of both Oceania Cruise Line and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, announced last week that Oceania Cruises will no longer be referred to as a “premium”, but rather a “luxury”, brand.  Oceania/Regent’s Chief Luxury Officer, Jason Montague, claims that Oceania has been luxury all along. As you will read below, I take rather strong issue with that! (Seriously, this isn’t putting lipstick on a pig, but it borders on, if not crosses, the “incredulous” line.)

Now, I am not saying Oceania isn’t a good cruise line. I have some clients that really like Oceania, but only on certain of its ships.  In fact, its newest ship, Oceania Vista, is receiving rave reviews, but alas, one ship (or even two) in a stable of seven does not make it the measure of the line. Further, when I was invited on Oceania last year, I was told I was limited to sailing on Oceania’s Riviera or Vista as they were, at the time, its best ships. Three of its ships were built in the late 1990s and have also nothing in common with Riviera, no less Vista. But more on that in a minute.

So, why now the insistence that Oceania is a “luxury” product when it was comfortably, and logically, sitting in the “premium” category? Why not “stay in your lane”? There must be a reason, mustn’t there? Is there a plan to offload its oldest ships? Is there a plan to merge it with Regent Seven Seas? Or is it marketing hype (or worse) to confuse the innocent purchasers of Oceania cruises?

For some context, years back, Regent Seven Seas Cruises began marketing itself, not as luxury, but “ultra-luxury” around the time it changed its name from Radisson Seven Seas to Regent Seven Seas (briefly associating itself with Regent hotels) it unilaterally elevated its rating (determined by nobody other than Regent) no longer as 5-Star, but 6-Star and, recently, 7-Star. In the world of marketing, this has caused other cruise lines (Silversea, Seabourn, etc.) to up their marketing lingo from “luxury” to “ultra-luxury” and from 5-Star (which is a standard that is actually used in independent rating systems such as Berlitz, Forbes, AAA, etc.) to 6-Star.

With newcomers such as Four Seasons and Orient Express, who are clearly focused on the rarified guest, and lines like Explora Journeys with an ever-growing stable of brand new luxury resort-esque ships and Ritz Carlton also growing – and considering some of Regent’s ships are a bit long in the tooth (even with  Navigator having just been sold) – does that make these other lines 8-Star? 10-Star? And, of course, let us not forget Silversea Cruises newest ships and offerings vs. Regent’s current fleet and offerings. Should they claim at least 7+-Star?

Why put Oceania up against these impressive and clearly luxury brands? 

Then there is Viking Cruises. I am not sure how they got themselves to align with being a luxury line. Premium definitely; even if its style, rigidity, etc. isn’t to my liking, as you will see, there is no question it ticks some boxes but not enough to actually be considered a true luxury line. So, should we call Viking 5-Star…to be consistent with the inconsistencies? No, let’s keep it at an understandable and clearly defensible “premium.”

Granted any cruise line can say its products are whatever they want, but one must ask, “It is just marketing hype or is it misleading…or ?” In order to make that determination, whether factually or emotionally, having a baseline standard as to what is considered a “luxury cruise” is a great place to begin. So, let’s do that.

As another point of context, noting the recent Oceania announcement triggered this article, I want to mention my March 2024 Japan cruise on the Oceania Riviera. I encountered so many issues, frustrating nuances, irrational rules, service lapses, etc., that I cannot fathom it honestly being considered – or considering itself – a luxury ship or experience; especially remembering that I was limited as to what ship I could sail on! Oceania Riviera in Japan – Discovering a Premium Experience: Reflections (What Does One Problematic Cruise Tell Me?) – Goldring Travel. As I wrote in that article:

Obviously, one thing that struck me even before I boarded the ship was all the extra charges. Yes, Oceania markets itself as a premium line, and with its “Simply More” wines and beer at lunch and dinner + shore excursion credits, and smaller-sized ships, it tickles “premium”.  But when you add in all that I paid extra for “premium,” it really doesn’t hit home. (Yes, I know I was trying to see how close to “luxury” I could get, but I found that to be an unrealistic goal.)

I invested in my Oceania Riviera experience in every way possible to upscale my Oceania Riviera cruise; hopefully showing off Oceania at its best. I paid to upgrade to a suite, paid for the premium beverage package, paid for the faster internet, paid for the La Reserve dining experience, paid for a tour, paid for bottles of premium wines, and paid for a cooking class. But as you will read, most of it was not a good investment. 

In fact, I had a client sailing on Oceania’s sister line, Regent Seven Seas, on essentially the same itinerary at the same time, and Regent was thousands of dollars less expensive!

My Oceania pre-cruise experience was – reflecting back – filled with frustrations and disappointments from the outset.  That is, in part, due to the category you book affecting your access to pre-cruise options.  When I was booked in a Veranda stateroom I could not make dinner reservations or book tours until after Suite and Concierge level guests had access to them. By the time I could book them, virtually all of the tours were sold out (yes, there were waitlists, but I only cleared one), and times and dates for dining were less than optimal (usually the last two seatings). 

Just a few months later, in September 2024, Oceania cut back its included amenities further, eliminating the beer/wine and shore excursion credits but including gratuities and basic wi-fi: Oceania Cruises Cuts Included Amenities…Again! – Goldring Travel.

Add to this that Oceania has three quite old and smaller, 684 guest, ships that sell inside staterooms that are only 160 square feet, oceanview staterooms ranging from 146-165 square feet, and veranda staterooms at 216 square feet including the veranda; and all have tiny bathrooms with showers that you can hardly turnaround in as well as loveseats rather than sofas and no place to dine. The limited number of penthouses and above are the only luxury-style suites on Oceania’s smaller ships. Granted, Oceania’s larger ships have larger and nicer accommodations and functional bathrooms, but with 1,250+ guests and issues – as I noted – there remain dinner reservations and other logistical nightmares – even if you pay more for a suite and its attendant “special treatment,” just having a better stateroom or suite are not the panacea, and complaints about cuisine are on the rise.

So, how exactly does Montague spin Oceania into the luxury market (leaving aside the service, cuisine, amenities, issues):

Oceania is also in the luxury space, but it allows the luxury of choice, because it’s not the most inclusive … It gives guests the option of choosing exactly what they want: “Your World. Your Way”‘.

Huh? Wait!  I can readily book you on an NCL, Royal Caribbean, Princess, etc. cruise, and each of those lines would happily accept your money to upgrade every aspect of your cruise. NCL has The Haven, Royal Caribbean has some amazing and enormous suites with tons of amenities, MSC has The Yacht Club, etc. Celebrity Cruises, an undeniable Premium cruise line, has its luxury option, The Retreat…and like the others defines it as a separate product from the rest of the ship…but starts at a much higher level to begin with.

So, does having the option to pay for things not included in the base product make it “luxury” or “create a luxury experience”? Didn’t I just answer that with my recent Oceania experience? You can add things to a basic cruise experience, but if those around you are having a “basic” experience and that undercuts what you paid extra for, it clearly won’t have the value-add that you were expecting. It epitomizes the saying, “Just because it costs more, doesn’t make it better!“

Now, let’s set out some very basic parameters that I believe the vast majority of cruise travelers would agree are legitimate measures of “luxury”.

• Hardware: Old ships with old design and their incumbent limitations do not allow for a luxury experience. 
• Itinerary: I want to start with one that gives a nod to Oceania because although I have been a bit brutal so far, Oceania has some fantastic itineraries and for most luxury clients, that matters. (Sometimes even enough to look past its deficiencies.)
• Accommodations: While suites with two room or more most certainly heighten one’s comfort and experience, to have a luxury accommodation, whatever the accommodation is, it means “quality,” “space,” and “amenities.” It is easier to mention what undercuts luxury than what creates it. Old and undersized furnishings, repainted cabinets, small bathrooms with little storage, worn sheets and towels, plastic glasses in bathrooms, poor quality toiletries, limited room service, etc. are not luxury; especially if you encounter all or most of them in a suite on the same ship. You want to walk into your “suite” (an overused term, to be sure) and go “Ahhh” if not “Wow” and feel it to be a sanctuary rather than sleeping quarters. 
• Service: The key to luxury service is anticipating a guest’s needs while exceeding their expectations. Granted this is not something that all luxury lines uniformly achieve, but delivery has to make it far more than just being aspirational. In fact, on Oceania – and not only my experience – things are set up to contrary to this. Getting beyond half of the staff being disinterested at best, bar waiters are encouraged to ask if a guest wants a “double” because they are paid based upon the number of shots they sell. Overall, the level of service – even at the most expensive of its restaurants – is less than outstanding on a consistent basis.
• Beverages. Don’t get me started on the Oceania beverage packages which, because the wine by the glass selections is so limited and any decent quality wine is only available by the bottle for purchase, and the spirit pours are carefully measured (and no topping up your glass), you aren’t going to have a luxury experience. That’s it.
•  Multiple Dining Options (And this means that you can actually utilize those venues, with a bit of flexibility). This doesn’t just mean rotating menus (though that is essential if there are limited venues) but different dining experiences.  Again, using Oceania (it did start this whole thing), if you aren’t in a top accommodation, your chance of dining in its venues other than first or last in an evening with limited night options is slim (and, for me, even getting that was a time-consuming exercise in frustration). Granted, it isn’t like an NCL cruise where it can be a battle royale to get a seat. And, to be fair, I have never been a fan of Explora Journeys’ reservation requirement for two of its restaurants, but at least it is flexible with walk-ins and opening up spots along with enough alternatives at all times.
• Culinary Quality: This is one of the Top Two reasons for complaints…and praises. Once you have access to a dining venue, quality ingredients, wonderful presentations, and a wide variety of offerings are required. While I know there are many passengers that aren’t food quality focused, in the luxury market it matters. And at Oceania the quality is not what it used to be, and the complaints are more frequent. Consistent therewith, I was a repeated victim of the hype of Oceania’s cuisine falling far short.
• Inclusivity: There is the well-known phrase of “Nickel & Diming,” and it can be exhausting. But I’m not just talking about having to sign for cocktails (though it can break up the flow of conversations and keep your glass from being topped up) because the beverage packages are worthless. I’m talking about having to pay for working internet or as it is now pitched, you have the “luxury experience” of paying for everything other than gratuities, laundry services…if you do it yourself!, coffees and soft drinks, internet and some dining (including a limited room service menu). 

Of course there is more to a luxury experience than these items (how shore excursions are handled, intimate spaces, etc., empowerment of staff, etc.), but you get the idea.

The reality is – and it is reality – that Oceania just cannot measure up to being a luxury product…I guess unless you denigrate the concept of luxury by elevating Regent Seven Seas (which are exceeds Oceania in many of these categories) to an unrealistic 7-Star Ultra-Luxury cruise line. 

To my mind, and as I present it to my clients, Oceania is a premium cruise product that has some rough edges to be worked on. Those edges – as I have shown – only become sharper and more obviously when measured against it’s alleged new category of luxury. 

What to do? Easy: Stay in your lane! Then Oceania easily measures – even with some flaws – as a Premium cruise line with much that is positive.