Oceania Cruises has officially welcomed the 1200-guest Oceania Vista in a glittering event in Malta. She’s the cruise line’s first new ship in more than ten years, and the first of its new, Allura-class of ships.

In a ceremony that included centuries-old blessings on the ship and the souls who will sail upon her, Italian-American chef, author, restaurateur and Emmy award-winning food personality Giada De Laurentiis christened the Vista with the traditional breaking of a bottle of champagne against the ship’s hull.

If you have sailed with Oceania before, you’ll know that the cruise line prides itself especially on its culinary experiences, making a chef the perfect godmother of the new Vista.

De Laurentiis will create two signature dishes to be served in Toscana, Oceania Cruises' authentic Italian specialty restaurant, as well as The Grand Dining Room, the luxurious grand dame of the line's culinary venues.

Those are just two of the 11 culinary venues on board the Vista – which introduces three all-new restaurants: Aquamar Kitchen, offering an array of wellness-inspired dishes with a hint of indulgence; The Bakery at Baristas, serving tempting freshly baked pastries; and a new signature restaurant, Ember.

The ship’s 11 restaurants are complemented by 8 bars, lounges and entertainment venues.

Paired with its emphasis on cuisine, Oceania elevates wine and spirits experiences fleet-wide, and on the Vista, it is also introducing The Casino Mixology Bar, a new concept for the line, focused entirely on the art of the cocktail.

Vista bar venues feature the latest cocktail-crafting trends and techniques such as flavored smoke bubbles, an extensive selection of low- and no-sugar wines, and zero-proof cocktails, plus Negronis aged in wooden barrels and specialty beverage carts like the Bubbly Bar and Ultimate Bloody Mary Bar.

In honor of the arrival of the Vista and across the entire fleet, Oceania Cruises will debut a series of rum and whisky programs in 2023. The experiences will feature a collection of The Macallan's via The Macallan Diamond Bar Cart, a flight program, chocolate pairings and more. For fans of rum, Brugal 1888 Doblemente Añejado Rum will be featured in a new Tea at Sea mixology class and a wide selection of newly crafted ice cream cocktails.

On the wine side, guests will also be able to partake in pairing experiences including a Moët & Chandon Champagne three-course pairing, sommelier-guided lunches with wine pairings, and the signature Oceania Cruises Dom Pérignon experience alongside a six-course tasting menu.

You may never want to go home! And, in fact, the Oceania Vista was designed to feel a lot like home at sea – but even better.

1200 guests stay in 600- all-veranda staterooms, and Oceania says the standard staterooms are “the most spacious” at sea at 290 square feet. There are new Concierge Level veranda staterooms for solo travelers, even. And the ship was designed for “residential-style luxury.”

There are two crew members for every three guests onboard, for elevated service levels.

Where You Can Sail on the New Vista

Following her inaugural in Malta, Vista is sailing a sold out summer season in the Mediterranean.

But you may still be able to sail on Oceania’s first Allura-class ship in her inaugural year.

In September, she will sail to Canada and New England before heading south for a series of winter itineraries exploring Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean from her homeport of Miami.

Vista's 2024 summer season will see her sail a series of Grand Voyages in the eastern Mediterranean, Aegean and Adriatic Seas, visiting an intriguing array of iconic cities and smaller boutique ports throughout Italy, Turkey, Greece and the Holy Lands.

You can also plan ahead to be one of the first guests onboard the Vista’s upcoming new sister ship, another 1,200-guest newbuild, Allura, scheduled to set sail in 2025.