Oceania Cruises to Convert Older Ship for Luxury, Long Cruises
Oceania Cruises announced plans to convert one of the line’s oldest cruise ships as the platform for long, luxury cruises. The brand has been working to move more upscale in its offerings while also pursuing a strong expansion program that will add five new, larger cruise ships.
The brand was launched in 2002 using two small cruise ships, Regatta and Insignia, as a reincarnation of the failed Renaissance Cruises. The original company was building six 30,000 gross ton cruise ships at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in France but got into financial trouble and collapsed in 2001. The new Oceania Cruises expanded with a third ship, Nautica, in 2003 and was acquired by Apollo Management, later merged into the holding company Prestige Cruises, and was acquired in 2014 by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.
The new plan harkens back to the earlier days of luxury long cruises, as it will see the current Oceania Nautica (capacity 670 passengers) rebuilt with new suites and redecorated cabins while reducing capacity to 476 passengers and 400 crew. Built in 2000 as R5, she is 30,000 gross tons and 594 feet (181 meters).
She will return to service in November 2027, renamed Oceania Aurelia, with the line calling her “The Ultimate Explorer.” She will operate around-the-world cruises in 2028 and 2029 and also feature a series of “grand voyages.” Oceania says she will be redesigned for extended voyages, setting a new standard with a “club-like sense of community.”
"Oceania Aurelia is our ultimate world explorer," said Jason Montague, Chief Luxury Officer of Oceania Cruises. "She is designed specifically for guests who desire greater space, more suites, and a deeper level of personalized care, particularly for extended journeys. Oceania Aurelia will be a smaller, more club-like ship that truly feels like a home at sea, providing travelers a deeper connection to the ports they visit."
The ship’s current approximately 335 passenger cabins will be reduced to a total of 238, of which 179 will be suites. They will range in size from 300 to 1,000 square feet, with many of the suites offering living and dining areas as well as butler service. In addition to redesigning existing suites on the Nautica, it will add new suite categories. It will also relocate the existing coffee bar and add the bakery and creperie concept, and the Chef’s Studio, a hands-on cooking program, from the line’s newer ships.
Oceania has been exploring different opportunities for its four smallest ships from the original fleet. One ship, Oceania Regatta, is sailing on long-term charters for world cruises to an Australian firm, My Cruise. The company had also agreed last year for its Oceania Insignia to become a residential ship for a new company called Crescent Seas. That charter was relinquished, and Oceania has said it would redo the ship in 2027 for future service.
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Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is investing in the brand, which also has two pairs of larger cruise ships, with the first pair introduced in 2011 and 2012, and the last of the ships, Oceania Allura, was launched in 2025. The line has also ordered five new ships from Fincantieri, starting with the 86,000 gross ton, 1,390 passenger Oceania Sonata due in 2027. The sister ships are scheduled for delivery in 2029, 2032, 2035, and 2037.
The decision to reduce the capacity in the conversion of Nautica to Aurelia bucks a trend in the cruise industry where ships traditionally add passenger accommodations during their refits. The concept looks to offer a higher level of luxury and service on a small ship for long cruises.
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