The Oceania Allura has just been voted the Number 1 new cruise ship for 2026. But how true is this? In the Ritzy Travel Guide Cruise Diary, we take a full and honest close up look, behind the scenes at what goes into making the cruise ship a potential winner. Whether it really delivers on the promise of “The Finest Cuisine at Sea.”
We compare the Oceania Vista and Oceania Allura to some of the best in the world, how it stacks up against Azamara, Regent Seven Seas, Crystal Cruises, Silversea, Viking Ocean, Explora Journeys, Seabourn and and even the Celebrity Edge class from Celebrity Cruises. Is it worth paying the extra compared to Cunard, Princess, Celebrity & Holland America?
We also take you on some brilliant exotic shore excursions in Belize and Roatan in the Honduras
Key venues mentioned in this review include: Specialty Dining: Jacques, Red Ginger, Polo Grill, Toscana. The Grand Dining Room, Terrace Café, Waves Grill, The Creperie, and Baristas, Culinary Center, Enrichment & Library Lounges & Luxury: Horizons, Martinis, Allura Lounge, Aquamar Spa Terrace, and the exclusive Concierge Lounge. The full Oceania Cruises Fleet includes, Marina, Riviera, Vista, Sirena, Insignia, Nautica, Regatta, Allura
How Does Allura Compare? We evaluate the Oceania Allura experience against the "Big 7" of luxury and premium cruising: Regent Seven Seas: Comparing all-inclusive vs. Oceania's "Your World Included." Viking Ocean: Comparing Scandinavian minimalism vs. Allura’s residential luxury. Silversea & Seabourn: Testing the "Ultra-Luxury" service gap. Crystal: Analyzing the classic luxury vs. the modern Allura build. Azamara: Comparing small-ship intimacy with Allura’s updated tech. Celebrity Cruises: Does the Allura offer enough "extra" to justify the jump from a Celebrity Edge-class Infinite Veranda?
00:00 - Introduction to the Oceania Allura 03:23 - Embarkation at Miami 05:22 - Best Crepe ever! 06:29 - Baristas Coffee 06:58 - Oceania Culinary Center 07:37 - Sail Away! 08:40 - Our Cabin - Concierge Balcony 13:47 - What's Included 14:30 - Jacques French Restaurant 19:20 - The Theater 20:05 - Ritzy on Social media 20:52 - Sea Day Fun! 22:42 - The Allura Gym 23:11 - Breakfast 24:51 - The Pool 25:42 - Afternoon Tea 28:22 - The Buffet! 32:50 - The Shore Excursions 33:13 - Roatan, Honduras 35:18 - Sloths & Nature Reserve 37:53 - Room Service 39:33 - Toscana Italian 42:37 - Belize 44:32 - Rafting Through Caves 46:59 - Polo Grill Steak House 48:59 - Dessert Buffet! 50:20 - Blue Night 50:57 - Our Verdict 52:20 - Who is Oceania Best Suited To? 57:31 - The Casino 57:48 - Newt Series
