Design Time: Oceania Cruises

Visually Classic, Stunningly Chic. Discover the grand style aboard Oceania Cruises’ Riviera.

By Steve Leland

I don’t pretend to be a design aficionado. I wouldn’t know the difference between mid-century modern and French provincial if I sat on it. However, I do know what I like when I see it, and I LOVE what I see on Oceania Cruises’ Riviera.

Cruising with class and sailing in style sum up a recent 14-day trans-Atlantic cruise originating in Barcelona. Although the port calls are more than enough to attract avid cruisers, the most resplendent destination of all is the ship itself. Riviera is a juxtaposition of the tried and true, generously blended with imaginative and contemporary touches.

Elegant Ambience Aboard Oceania Cruises Riviera

I could easily chronicle the exceptional cuisine or the square footage of the idyllic staterooms. It would be equally appropriate to extol the virtues of the exquisite linens gracing the sumptuous bed or wax poetic on the origins of the glittering chandeliers, but it is the stunning blend of elegance and design throughout the ship that is the star attraction.

The 1,258-guest Riviera showcases its intriguing style through the use of crystal, granite, rich leather, and classic furnishings. An opulent designer touch is boastfully displayed in every square inch of public room décor, but the glitz and glamor of the ship is underscored by the cruise line’s iconic Grand Staircase, which is on all of Oceania’s ship, but Oceania Cruises Riviera (and sister ship, Marina) step it up another notch.

Ooh La La Lalique

While museum-worthy glass, ceramic, and crystal accessories radiate from savvy positioning throughout Riviera, all eyes eventually gravitate to its lavish staircase centerpiece. That’s because, through close coordination with the gifted minds of Lalique, this artful masterstroke features dozens of trademark Lalique crystal medallions interspersed throughout the staircase’s ornate railings. The creation of the Grand Staircase involved months of handcrafting more than 4,500 pounds of pure Lalique crystal by the company’s skilled French artisans.

“The Grand Staircase is an icon aboard all the ships of Oceania Cruises and a signature element of our brand,” said Bob Binder, president and CEO of Oceania Cruises. “It is only fitting that Marina and Riviera, being….

This is an excerpt only. To subscribe to Porthole Cruise Magazine, click here.

^{Photo: Steve Leland}