Thursday, June 20, 2024
Reading Time: 4 minutes
Oceania Cruises, renowned as the premier cruise line focused on cuisine and destinations, has unveiled the latest development in its culinary narrative, introducing new Relaxed Yet Refined dining options across its fleet of eight small, luxurious ships.
Terrace Café’s new sushi and Indian cuisine offerings, along with a revamped poolside lunch menu at Waves Grill, are central to the line’s latest enhancement of The Finest Cuisine at Sea.
Frank A. Del Rio, President of Oceania Cruises, commented: “Food is the foundation of what we do on board each of our ships, and globally, in the destinations we visit. We are renowned for serving The Finest Cuisine at Sea, as it is at the very core of our business.
“This does not always mean a white linen tablecloth and starched napkins at one of our award-winning specialty restaurants – finest does not always mean the fanciest. It’s also a perfectly prepared pizza or an enticing burrata dish enjoyed al fresco with a crisp glass of white wine as you set sail.”
Bernhard Klotz, Vice President of Food and Beverage, added: “Beauty lies in the simplicity of how we create The Finest Cuisine at Sea; the perfect combination of the most innovative culinary team, the freshest ingredients, and the best food-centric ships, this is where the magic lies.
“Food brings people together, food brings joy; we are here to ensure that every bite of every meal makes our guests smile – from a decadent ice cream sundae by the pool to an exquisite soufflé – The Finest Cuisine at Sea is everywhere on board our ships.”
The addition of a daily sushi station and an Indian Corner at Terrace Café broadens its already diverse international cuisine offerings. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Terrace Café stands as the hub of the line’s relaxed dining experiences.
The new sushi station introduces 45 fresh recipes, crafted by Oceania Cruises’ newly appointed Executive Culinary Directors, Chefs Alex Quaretti and Eric Barale, along with their skilled team. The offerings include two types of sashimi, two varieties of uramaki, three styles of nigiri, and a vegetarian option each day.
The Indian Corner, featuring 15 authentic Indian dishes, is available once per cruise during dinner, enhancing the dining variety.
“Our staff hails from every corner of the globe and being able to bring their knowledge and their experience to the table, literally, is a wonderful thing,” said Chef Alex. “Creating the new Indian dishes for Terrace Café is a perfect example of this; some of these recipes have been handed down through generations. It’s a privilege to be able to see them through a new lens and to bring them to new audiences. The butter chicken and the dhal are already proving to be popular choices with our guests.”
Waves Grill, Oceania Cruises’ poolside lunch spot, offers guests the chance to enjoy the cruise line’s esteemed culinary offerings without needing to leave their lounge chairs. The venue’s menu has been refreshed to include new favorites alongside its beloved signature dishes, which have become synonymous with the grill.
The updated menu features over 20 revamped choices, including a selection of new cold sandwiches, as well as hot sandwiches and burgers. Highlights include the signature Surf & Turf Wagyu burger, featuring a Wagyu beef patty topped with lobster medallions and truffle mayonnaise, and a new Philly Cheesesteak hot sandwich loaded with shredded sirloin steak, provolone, sautéed onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms. Guests can choose to pair these with either French fries or sweet potato fries.
“At each of our relaxed yet refined venues, our guests can still savor the ritual and theater of a dining experience. You can linger, relax, and enjoy. Guests are not rushed through, these are absolutely not ‘fast’ food options; it’s simply a different ambiance and setting,” explained Chef Alex.
Not to be overshadowed, the line’s award-winning specialty restaurants, led by Chefs Alex and Eric and their team, are set to reveal more surprises before the year’s end. They are conducting a comprehensive review of all menus across all ships.Not to be overshadowed, the line’s award-winning specialty restaurants, led by Chefs Alex and Eric and their team, are set to reveal more surprises before the year’s end. They are conducting a comprehensive review of all menus across all ships.
Chef Alex said: “We have so much going on ahead of the launch of Allura in just over a year. But there are exciting plans afoot for all our ships. We have new dishes to unveil in Red Ginger, our signature pan-Asian venue; there will be an expansion of Oceania Cruises’ exclusive wine pairing luncheon options; and a fresh look at the menus for the grande dame of the line’s dining venues, The Grand Dining Room.”
Additional Information
Marina and her sister ship, Riviera, pioneered the concept of foodie-focused cruise ships, a tradition now continued by Vista in 2023 and Allura in 2025. These were the first vessels to feature an onboard cooking school. Designed with culinary excellence in mind, they offer more galley space and fresh food storage than any other ships, having been constructed around their galleys in the shipyard.
Oceania Cruises stands out with the highest proportion of culinary staff dedicated to the dining experience of any cruise line. To maintain the exceptional quality of each dish, the line employs one chef per ten guests, with half of the onboard crew involved in either cooking or serving food.
