Oceania Cruises: Updates in its Culinary History
Oceania Cruises, the world’s leading cruise line in culinary and destination excellence, has unveiled the next chapter in their culinary history, “Relaxed Yet Refined,” introducing new dining venues aboard their eight small, luxurious ships.
The company boasts the highest percentage of staff dedicated to the culinary experience compared to any other cruise line. To ensure impeccable quality in every dish, they have one chef for every ten guests, and half of the onboard crew is dedicated to cooking or serving food. The ships Marina and Riviera were the first true gourmet ships in the world, joined by Vista in 2023 and Allura in 2025, and were the first ships to have a cooking school onboard.
Today, Oceania Cruises continues to redefine “The Finest Cuisine at Sea.” Their new “Relaxed Yet Refined” offerings of sushi and Indian cuisine at the Terrace Café, along with the refreshed poolside lunch menu at Waves Grill, are now in the spotlight.
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Frank A. Del Rio, President of Oceania Cruises, commented: “Food is the cornerstone of what we do on every one of our ships and globally in the destinations we visit. We are renowned for serving the finest cuisine at sea, as it is the heart of our business. This doesn’t always mean a white linen tablecloth and starched napkins in one of our award-winning specialty restaurants. The best isn’t always the most elegant. It can also be a perfectly prepared pizza or an inviting plate of burrata enjoyed al fresco with a crisp glass of white wine while sailing.”
Bernhard Klotz, Vice President of Food and Beverage, added: “The beauty lies in the simplicity of how we create The Finest Cuisine at Sea; it’s a perfect combination of the most innovative culinary team, the freshest ingredients, and the best food-focused ships—that’s where the magic happens.”
With the addition of a sushi station and an Indian Corner at the Terrace Café, the ship’s impressive array of international cuisines further expands. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the Terrace Café is the hub of the ship’s “relaxed” dining options. The extensive sushi station features 45 brand-new recipes created by Oceania Cruises’ new Executive Culinary Directors, Chefs Alex Quaretti and Eric Barale, along with their talented team. These include two types of sashimi daily, two types of uramaki, three types of nigiri, and a daily vegetarian option.
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The new Indian Corner will be available once during the cruise for dinner, offering 15 authentic Indian recipes such as Butter Chicken and Dhal. The staff, hailing from all corners of the world, bring their knowledge and experience to the table, creating dishes based on recipes passed down through generations.
Waves Grill, Oceania Cruises’ relaxed poolside dining venue, allows guests to enjoy the cruise line’s delicious cuisine directly from their deck chairs if they wish. The menu has been revamped, offering new dishes alongside beloved favorites that have become the venue’s trademark. The menu now features over 20 revamped options, including a new selection of cold sandwiches, hot sandwiches, and burgers. Among these are the signature Surf & Turf Wagyu Burger, a Wagyu beef dish with lobster medallions and truffle mayonnaise, and the new hot Philly Cheesesteak, made with sirloin steak, provolone, sautéed onions, peppers, and mushrooms. All sandwiches are now served with a choice of fries or sweet potato fries.
Waves Grill will thus offer a relaxed yet refined environment where guests can linger, relax, and enjoy a culinary experience that is by no means a “fast” food offering but simply a dining experience offered in a different setting and atmosphere.
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Not neglecting the company’s award-winning specialty restaurants, Chefs Alex and Eric and their team have more surprises to share before the year’s end, as they are conducting a thorough review of all menus across all ships. Many new additions will come in anticipation of Allura’s launch in just over a year. New dishes will be unveiled at Red Ginger, the signature pan-Asian venue; there will be an expansion of Oceania Cruises’ exclusive wine-pairing lunch options and a revamp of the menu at the line’s grand dame restaurant, the Grand Dining Room.
Stay tuned for more updates, news, and reviews of Oceania Cruises on Cruising Journal.
