Heidi BucoloAfter more than 100 cruises—most of them on megaships carrying thousands of passengers—we spent 96 hours aboard Oceania Allura, the cruise line’s newest vessel. After spending time on ships where the wow factors are top deck attractions and sheer size, we put Oceania’s food-focused philosophy to the test. How does this small, boutique cruise ship stack up? We share our first impressions in this Oceania Allura review.
Oceania Allura vs. Megaships: Size and Space
Oceania Allura is the eighth ship in the Oceania Cruises’ fleet and the second Allura-class vessel (sister ship Vista launched in 2023). The ship debuted in July 2025 and was officially christened in November. This is Oceania’s most innovative and luxurious ship to date.
At 68K gross tons and carrying 1,200 passengers at double occupancy, Oceania Allura is roughly one-third the size of the megaships we typically sail. For even more perspective, the world’s largest Icon class ships carry over 5,600 passengers at double occupancy or nearly five times more passengers.
With that said, you’re sharing pools, bars, dining venues, and deck space with thousands of other people on megaships. On Allura, fewer guests means a passenger-to-space ratio that feels social but not crowded.
Besides size and space, Oceania Allura has some other notable differences:
- 12 distinct dining experiences for just 1,200 passengers
- All dining, even specialty restaurants, is complimentary
- No inside cabins; every stateroom is outward-facing with a veranda
- Standard cabins are larger (290 vs. 180-200 sq ft on Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, or Celebrity Cruises)
- Adult spaces for socializing, relaxing, and rejuvenating that aren’t competing with kids’ clubs and waterparks
- Enrichment-focused activities rather than over-the-top deck parties and game shows
- More inclusions than mainstream cruise lines with no nickel-and-diming
On the other hand: while Allura does have a sports deck with pickleball, a putting green, and shuffleboard; a gym; and a casino, you do sacrifice that megaship energy and the endless activity options. You won’t find Broadway-style productions in the main theater either. Instead, there’s art workshops in the Artist Loft, cooking classes in the Culinary Center, guest lectures, and live music in the evenings.
The question isn’t whether Allura is “better” than a megaship. It really comes down to what you value most in a cruise vacation.
Oceania Allura Dining: Really the Best at Sea?
Oceania bills itself as offering “The Finest Cuisine at Sea.” In fact, half the crew is dedicated to culinary operations, which is a ratio you simply don’t see on larger vessels. But, it goes beyond just what’s on the plate. With variety, no upcharges, and attention to detail, Oceania delivers a personalized and refined dining experience.
Oceania Allura features 12 different dining options including a main dining room, four complimentary speciality restaurants, a coffee shop and bakery, and a few additional casual dining venues. That’s more variety than you’d find on most ships this size. Here’s how they break down:
The Grand Dining Room
The Grand Dining Room is just that, the elegant main dining room serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The menus here have been enhanced with a total of 270 new recipes. There’s signature eggs benedict on the menu for breakfast along with more traditional items like omelets and pancakes. For dinner, menu items include oysters rockefeller, Korean BBQ beef short rib, and nightly pasta selections, along with standards like steak, salmon, and chicken.
We dined here for breakfast and dinner each once and for the extravagent Grand Brunch (which only occurs on longer sailings and special holiday cruises). While our breakfast in the Grand Dining Room was rather average, we did enjoy our dinner selections. And what’s not to love about the endless seafood, crepes, pasta, and dessert at Grand Brunch.
Specialty Restaurants
On most megaships, specialty dining costs $40-75+ per person. On Allura, four specialty restaurants are always complimentary. Guests can choose from the American steakhouse Polo Grill, the Italian Toscana featuring its own olive oil menu, the Asian-influenced Red Ginger with some new Peruvian flavors, and the French Jacques. Jacques is a new rendition of this Oceania favorite featuring a refreshed menu with some dishes even prepared tableside.
During our time onboard, we dined at Red Ginger and Polo Grill. While we have fond memories of our dining experience at Red Ginger when we sailed on Marina four years ago, our dishes this time were a bit more hit-or-miss. Don enjoyed his Beef Teriyaki but my Red Curry Chicken was a bit of a letdown. I much prefer the rendition from Tamarind on Holland America. The fried rice, udon noodles, and desserts were tasty but our appetizers were pretty standard.
However, our dining experience at Polo Grill was top-notch. The french onion soup might be the best I’ve ever had, and the Caesar salad prepared tableside was a nice touch. Don’s signature surf & turf was cooked to perfection as well. And the Baked Alaska and Polo Quartet were the perfect sweet endings to our meal and this showcase cruise.
Casual Dining
Even the casual venues on Allura feel more elevated. One of the new additions that differentiates Allura from Vista is The Crêperie, which serves French crêpes, Belgian waffles, and gelato. The Bubble waffles and salted caramel gelato are must-try items!
Aquamar Kitchen is a wellness-inspired venue with menu selections like avocado toast, smoothies, poke bowls, and salads. This is a nice healthy alternative for breakfast and lunch — at least that’s how we justified getting dessert from the Crêperie afterwards.
Terrace Café is Allura’s buffet, which is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For breakfast, guests will find all the typical selections along with a custom egg and omelet station. At lunch and dinner, guests can enjoy a variety of cuisine with distinct stations including a grill, carving station, pasta bar, and other hot and cold selections. There’s even sushi and lobster at the grill on select nights for dinner.
Additionally, Waves Grill serves gourmet burgers and sandwiches poolside for lunch and turns into a pizzeria during dinner hours. Baristas and the adjacent Bakery offer fresh-baked pastries and specialty coffee throughout the day. We loved the selections here, including the daily featured quiche and almond croissants.
The casual dining selections on Oceania Allura are certainly a step above the offerings on mainstream cruise lines.
Oceania Allura Staterooms: Space We Could Actually Get Used To
Another thing that struck us about Allura was our cabin. Oceania claims to offer the most spacious standard staterooms at sea at 290 square feet, which is noticeably larger than typical balcony cabins on most megaships.
We stayed in a Concierge Level Veranda Stateroom on Deck 9, 9073. While this category does come with some extra concierge level perks, all cabins on Oceania Allura feature a Tranquility Bed, sitting area, and spacious bathroom. The over-sized bathroom features a large vanity, marble finishes, and a rainforest shower.
All Oceania staterooms include Aquamar bath products, robes and slippers, free room service, and complimentary soda and Vero water replenished daily. Additional Concierge privileges include free laundry service, access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace, and an expanded in-room dining menu, among others.
The cabin felt modern, upscale, and roomy with a neutral color palette and luxurious appointments. The bed was comfy as was the upgraded balcony furniture. However, while considerably larger, we didn’t feel that the extra square footage in the cabin was all functional space.
We certainly appreciated the larger shower which was a welcomed change from the often tiny cruise ship showers; however, we could have done without the additional vanity near the toilet, which featured a medicine cabinet and small drawers that didn’t seem to serve much purpose. We wish this space would have been afforded to the closet instead.
Given that Oceania offers longer itineraries, we were surprised to see just one solitary closet with a full length clothes bar. There were no shelves or drawers to stow away packing cubes and shoes. While there were a few drawers at the desk and nightstands, they were too small to fit our packing cubes with folded clothing, underwear, and other such items.
Activities, Entertainment & Nightlife: What You’ll Actually Do
It’s true that if you’re coming from megaships, you’re giving up a lot when it comes to activities, entertainment, and nightlife. There’s no waterslides, bumper cars, race track, or ropes course. There’s no Broadway productions, no pool deck parties, nor belly-flop contests.
Yes, Oceania Allura does have a casino, a sports deck with amenities like a running track, pickleball, a putting green, and shuffleboard, and a fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment and included group classes. But that’s it for high-engergy activities and thrills. The entertainment is more intimate and the pace is slower, so if you need constant stimulation you’ll probably be bored by day two.
However, what you do gain is space, enrichment, and evening entertainment where you can actually get a seat.
The Allura Lounge serves as the main theater and hosts nightly shows and performances. We saw two shows, Flash Back and Our World. Flash Back featured four singers and a cast of dancers performing songs from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, and Our World celebrated music from around the globe with the string quartet accompanying the production cast. While we never had issues finding a seat at the shows, the theater did lack appropriate pitch making it difficult to see over others’ heads in front of us.
The ship’s bars and lounges are the main gathering spots. Perhaps the most popular is Martinis, the piano bar serving martinis and live music in an intimate setting. There’s also the Founders Bar which specializes in craft cocktails. It’s located off the casino and connects to the Grand Lounge. If you’re looking for smoked drinks or photogenic cocktails, this is the place to be. It is rather small, so we often grabbed our drinks and headed over to the Grand Lounge to listen to the live pre-dinner music from the string quartet.
Horizons is the observation lounge at the front of the ship. During the day, it’s the venue for Afternoon Tea or relaxation with panoramic views. In the evenings, there’s live music from the house band and it becomes a popular gathering spot for cocktails and even late-night karaoke.
Additionally, there’s the Waves Bar for the poolside crowd and Baristas for specialty coffee. If you know us, you know we made multiple trips to Baristas each day!
Where Oceania separates itself even further from typical mainstream cruise lines is with its daytime activities. Instead of organized pool games and trivia in every venue, Allura focuses on enrichment. Along with guest lecturers, Oceania Allura has two dedicated venues with hands-on activities: The Culinary Center and The Artist Loft.
The Culinary Center is Oceania’s teaching kitchen where guests can take cooking classes led by trained chefs ($129 per person). These aren’t demonstrations where you watch—you’re actually preparing dishes alongside the instructor. In select ports, the line offers Culinary Discovery Tours where you shop for local ingredients with a chef and then prepare them onboard. The Artist Loft hosts art classes and workshops throughout the cruise as well. Unfortunately, we did not get to partake in either of these during our short cruise.
Additionally, the Library is in a new location near Horizons and features alluring ocean views. It’s a great place to read a book, grab a board game, or work on a puzzle.
Finally, there’s the Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center. The Aquamar Spa offers a full menu of treatments, along with a spa terrace and salon services. The Spa Terrace is a good-sized outdoor space with whirlpools, stone loungers, and plenty of upgraded lounge furniture for relaxation.
The Bottom Line: the passenger-to-space ratio on Ocenia Allura means you’ll never fight for a deck chair or struggle to find a quiet corner. But that comes at the cost of variety and energy. Though, if you can entertain yourself with a book, good conversation, and enriching activities, you’ll likely appreciate the slower pace on Oceania Allura.
What’s Included: Why Oceania Costs Less Than You Think
Another differentiator for Oceania Cruises is its more-inclusive nature. Similar to other small ship cruise lines that we’ve sailed like Viking or Atlas Ocean Voyages, there’s a lot covered in the standard cruise fare. When it comes to Oceania Cruises’ inclusions, the “Your World Included” package bundles in many things that cost extra on most cruise lines:
- Specialty coffee
- Soda
- Juices
- Still and sparkling Vero water
- Starlink WiFi
- In-room dining 24/7
- Smoothies and milkshakes
- Gelato and gourmet ice cream
- All four specialty restaurants
- Group fitness classes
- Gratuities
- Laundry (self-service launderettes)
- PLUS your choice of EITHER beer and wine at lunch and dinner OR a shore excursion credit
Guests who choose beer and wine at lunch and dinner can upgrade to the Prestige beverage package for premium spirits and cocktails if they choose.
When you add up what we typically spend on a megaship cruise for specialty dining, beverage packages, WiFi, and gratuities, the price difference shrinks considerably. For instance, a sample 7-day Caribbean voyage in January 2027 is priced starting at just $2799 per guest. Or, a 7-day Mediterranean itinerary in Summer 2026 starts at $3399 per guest.
Who is Oceania Allura For?
Admittedly, Oceania Cruises’ target market is well-traveled individuals who are 65 and older. But as a couple in our 40’s, we’re here to tell you that you don’t have to be that demographic to enjoy an Oceania cruise. If you’re looking for an immersive, destination-rich itinerary, Oceania could be a perfect fit. If you like smaller, more intimate ships with luxurious finishes and personalized hospitality, Oceania is a great choice as well.
After spending 96 hours on Oceania Allura and comparing it to the megaships we typically sail, here’s our honest take on who will love this experience versus who should stick with larger vessels.
You’ll love Oceania Allura if:
- You’re a foodie who wants to eat well without constantly pulling out your wallet. The four complimentary specialty restaurants and elevated food quality across all venues are impressive.
- You’re tired of the crowds. The pool deck isn’t massive, but we never struggled to find a chair. The buffet didn’t involve long lines. We didn’t have to arrive 30 minutes before showtime to find a seat in the theater.
- You want a more adult-oriented, sophisticated atmosphere without the constant stimulation. The average passenger age skews older than mainstream cruise lines, and the vibe is “country club casual”. The activities and entertainment are more subdued too with a focus on destinations, culture, and education.
- You value a truly inclusive vacation without the nickel-and-diming. With WiFi, specialty dining, gratuities, and beverages all included, you’re not constantly calculating costs or deciding what’s “worth it.” You can just enjoy the cruise.
Stick with megaships if:
- You love the energy and plethora of activity options. If you feed off the buzz of thousands of people, multiple pools, high-energy thrills and attractions, and lively nightlife, this ship might not be for you.
- You’re traveling with kids or teens. While Oceania technically allows children, this is not a family-focused cruise line. There are no kids’ clubs or youth staff and nothing designed specifically for those under 18 years old.
- You want the best value per dollar without caring about inclusions. If you typically skip specialty dining, don’t drink much, and are happy with the main dining room and buffet, a megaship offers more amenities for less money.
- You like the wow factor. These ships are elegant but understated. There’s nothing like walking into the atrium or promenade of a megaship. There’s also nothing like the Broadway-style entertainment on Disney Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean. Instead, Oceania Allura shines with personalized service and luxury touches.
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