Oceania Cruises celebrated the arrival of its eighth ship at a pierside ceremony in Miami on Thursday night, christening Oceania Allura, billed as “the very pinnacle of Oceania excellence, where luxury, comfort and The Finest Cuisine at Sea come together in perfect harmony.”
The 1,200-guest Oceania Allura “marks the next chapter in Oceania’s remarkable story,” the emcee of Thursday night’s celebration said. “A story built from the ground up, driven by passion, innovation and a commitment to delivering extraordinary experiences at sea.”
Acclaimed chefs Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Katie Button, Calvin Eng, Aisha Ibrahim, George Mendes and Lawrence “LT” Smith had the honour of representing the prestigious Food & Wine Best New Chefs franchise as godparents during the christening ceremony with the time-honoured tradition of breaking a Champagne bottle across the ship’s bow, bestowing good fortune on Oceania Allura and all who sail aboard her.
The fanfare commenced with a ship-wide cocktail reception and an exquisite dinner before moving to the pier for the ceremony and heartfelt remarks from dignitaries including the line’s Chief Luxury Officer, Jason Montague, and Chief Commercial Officer, Nathan Hickman, as well as Food & Wine publisher Tom Bair. Guests then rejoined the ship for a three-day celebratory round-trip Miami voyage.
The event brimmed with esteemed guests including past godmothers Giada De Laurentiis (godmother of Oceania Vista®), Cat Cora (godmother of Oceania Riviera™) and Claudine Pépin (godmother of Oceania Sirena™ and daughter of the luxury cruise line’s first Executive Culinary Director, the renowned Chef Jacques Pépin).
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to officially welcome Oceania Allura to our fleet,” said Jason Montague, Chief Luxury Officer of Oceania Cruises. “It is only fitting that she be christened in our hometown of Miami – a city that embodies vibrancy and sophistication.
Reflecting on the brand’s history, Montague said: “I can’t help but think back to 2002 when we were just sketching out the original business plan for what would become Oceania Cruises.”
“Never could I have imagined, that over two decades later, we’d be here celebrating Oceania’s Allura, our eighth ship, as we embark on the next chapter of our extraordinary story.”
“Each new ship represents not just growth but a reflection of who we are, our passion for discovery, for craftsmanship and for the joy of travel.”
Tom Bair, publisher of Food & Wine, added: “This is the beginning of an inspiring partnership between Food & Wine and Oceania Cruises. We both share a simple but powerful belief: that excellence never goes out of style.
“For decades, we’ve each stood for craftsmanship, for creativity and for a deep respect for the culinary world – past, present and future. By naming Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs franchise as godparent of this beautiful ship, Oceania Cruises celebrates the future of dining. These chefs are innovators – redefining how we experience food – and now they’ll bring that creativity to the sea.”
Among the 12 onboard dining experiences is the glamorous Grand Dining Room, featuring 270 new recipes across all three meal services, and the Crêperie, a completely new concept for the line, offering a selection of tempting French crêpes, Bruxelles waffles and bubble waffles, alongside gelato sundaes.
In addition, the cruise line reprises its original French restaurant, Jacques, named for Chef Pépin. The menu for the new iteration of this much-loved dining venue is a collaboration between Chef Pépin himself and the line’s current Executive Culinary Directors and Master Chefs of France, Alexis Quaretti and Eric Barale, blending new flavours with well-loved dishes that have been guest favorites since Jacques was first introduced aboard Oceania Marina™ when the ship launched.
