Oceania Cruises’ Luxury Ship Makes Inaugural Visit to Australia in 2013

The Cruise Ship that Defined Upper-Premium Cruising

Oceania Cruises, recently awarded "Best Premium/Contemporary Cruise Line" by Virtuoso® at the 2012 Virtuoso Supplier Awards, will unveil down-under its newly built ship Marina in March 2013.  The ship made her maiden voyage from Barcelona to Miami in January 2011 redefining the upper-premium cruise market and to this day no other cruise line can match Oceania Cruises' luxuriousness.  Marina will make her first voyage in Australian waters to scheduled ports of call in Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart.

Marina was purpose-built to carry 1,250 guests to the world's most alluring ports in elegance and style.   A ship of many firsts, Marina features the first hands-on cooking school at sea, Bon Appétit Culinary Center; the first namesake restaurant of Master Chef Jacques Pépin at sea; Ralph Lauren Home furnished Owner's Suites; luxurious accommodations by Dakota Jackson; a Wine Spectator wine program; and a Lalique grand stairway.   Onboard facilities include 10 dining venues (six of which are open-seating gourmet restaurants), an array of bars and lounges, a full-service Canyon Ranch SpaClub and fitness centre, swimming pool and hot tubs.

For epicureans at heart, Oceania Cruises' exclusive Bon Appétit Culinary Center, available on Marina and sister ship Riviera, features 24 fully equipped work stations.  Induction cook tops and convection ovens afford guests the opportunity to become "Master Chefs" of the sea through hands-on cooking experiences suitable for all levels of aptitude.  Classes include Oceania Highlights, featuring favourite recipes from the cruise line's signature restaurants: Jacques, Red Ginger, Polo Grill and Toscana; Healthy Cooking, inspired by the line's collaboration with Canyon Ranch; and Emerging Cuisines, focusing on Moroccan, Peruvian and Asian-fusion dishes.

Oceania Cruises recently launched its culinary enrichment program Culinary Discovery Tours in more than 25 ports worldwide.  Available on Marina and Riviera, these tours provide guests the opportunity to explore local food markets in small groups alongside an expert chef.   Guests may visit an artisanal cheese maker, chocolatier, wine vineyard or a fish market.  Tours also incorporate mini-lectures, demonstrations or lunch before returning to the ship's Bon Appétit Culinary Center for a cooking class drawing inspiration from the local market.

For example, in Barcelona guests enjoy a Spanish olive oil tasting, shop at Santa Caterina Market and finish with lunch at a top tapas restaurant.   Across the Tasman in New Zealand, the culinary tour in Tauranga explores a flourishing kiwi orchard followed by a traditional Maori feast using native herbs and ingredients.  In a private area overlooking a hot geothermal pool, guests see and learn how their lunch is cooked using the natural hot geothermal water – a method that Maoris have used for over 650 years.

A leader in destination cruising and defining the upper-premium market, Oceania Cruises offering gourmet cuisine, gracious service and award-winning itineraries at exceptional value.

For more information, please visit www.oceaniacruises.com.au.