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Amid huge fireworks displays and to Calypso beats,
Oceana
made her debut in the P&O Cruises fleet on Friday 1 November,
2002 as she set sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Quite
unusual for the British cruise line,
Oceana
debuted in the Americas rather than her traditional European home
waters. But then,
Oceana
has a distinctively American background, having previously
sailed for P&O subsidiary Princess Cruises as
Ocean Princess.
Today, her American legacy makes
Oceana
the most "buzzing" ship in the very British P&O Cruises fleet,
catering to a largely British crowd looking for the ship that
has it all.
Oceana
sure seems to fit the bill! She can be found sailing from Ft.
Lauderdale this winter on attractive 14-day cruises before
returning to Europe next spring to pick up her season of 6- to
17-day cruises from Southampton.
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After a successful maiden winter
season in the sunny Caribbean, Oceana crossed the Atlantic in the spring
and was enthusiastically welcomed to her new home waters. On May 21st,
2003, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal and her daughter Zara Phillips
performed Britain's first-ever double cruise ship christening in the port of
Southampton and both Oceana and twin sister Adonia officially
received their names. "The White Sisters" were then put into service on cruises
from Southampton to both the Mediterranean, Canary Islands and Northern Europe.
It was on one of these cruises that Oceana made her maiden call at the
port of Amsterdam and yours truly was one of the happy few that were given the opportunity
to visit the ship. |
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Whereas P&O's more traditional ships
Aurora and Oriana generate a subdued "whoopi" feeling when first entering,
Oceana is
obviously "dressed to kill" and one cannot helped but being overwhelmed when
first stepping on board and seeing the wide 4-deck high Atrium with its shiny marble
surfaces, glass elevators, stained glass ceiling and tall palm trees. One of the
obvious remnants of her previous life in US waters, Oceana's glitzy atrium is proof of
the fact that P&O Cruises is aiming at a younger audience for their
"The White Sisters". Interestingly, while both ships are virtually identical,
Oceana is marketed as a "family ship", catering to parents and their children,
whereas sister Adonia is an adult-only ship, having no childcare facilities. |
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The very beautiful Atrium houses a
couple of passenger services on the lowest level, including a 24-hour Reception
Desk and a large Shore Excursion Center. Also on deck 5 (Formosa Deck) is
Explorer's, a pleasant coffee house and pastry shop overlooking the hustle and
bustle of the "main square" with its beautiful inlaid carpets and oversized
seating groups. The tickling of a small waterfall underneath the floating marble
staircase adds a touch of elegance, while the use of intricate lighting and touches of wood paneling
create a warm feeling to this otherwise huge area.
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One deck higher, two large shops
surround the Atrium on both port and starboard side. Appropriately called
"Regent Street" and "Bond Street" after their slightly busier London
counterparts, both feature the standard cruise ship assortment, including many
P&O logo items. Aft of the atrium on the two lower decks are Oceana's two main
dining rooms. The Ligurian Restaurant on deck 5 is an exact carbon copy of the
Adriatic restaurant on deck 6, with both restaurant sporting a classy
wood-trimmed look with good lighting, some tables for two and an attractive
layout featuring some nice artwork. The ship operates on a traditional two
sitting system for breakfast, lunch and dinner on most days, with additional
casual meal options at The Plaza up on deck 12 and at Cafe Jardin. This, the ship's
Pizzeria and 24-hour Bistro, is located on the highest level of the Atrium
offering great views of the action down below.
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Our lunch in the Ligurian Restaurant
is very tasteful and the service from the stewards that traditionally hail from Goa
is friendly and attentive. I especially like the more liberate use of herbs and
spices in some of the dishes, separating Oceana's cuisine from the bland
food that is served on some other cruise lines. No need for "fresh pepper, Sir?"
here! If you sail on Oceana, don't forget to try the Indian curry specialties that frequently appear on the menu.
They are delicious!
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No time for a long lunch though -
Oceana's interiors are waiting for inspection. One flight up and we arrive at
Tiffany's. This lively open-plan lounge and bar completely surrounds the atrium
and is used for all sorts of activities. There is an inviting bar on one side,
lots of intimate seating groups, ideal to "see and be seen" and even a small
dance floor. The light filtering through the huge stained glass ceiling creates
a warm atmosphere, making Tiffany's a very popular room both day and night.
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Some things never seem to change. One of the very few negative comments I made
five years ago after a cruise on Oceana's sister
Dawn
Princess
was that the ship was littered with additional "artwork" that was part of the
on-board Art Auction. The company that organizes these auctions apparently
also has persuaded P&O Cruises to load up on the collection of fake Renoirs,
framed baseball shirts and teary eyed gypsies. During my visit to Oceana
it is sometimes hard to avoid the forest of easels. On Promenade Deck, the corridor leading forward to the Footlights
Theatre is littered with Art Auction stuff, almost obscuring the attractive
displays of showbiz memorabilia. |
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In true P&O style, the 550 seat Footlights Theatre is being used as a fully fledged cinema
during the day, so we tip-toe through the gently sloping room that
offers all guests an uninterrupted view of the large stage. The cruise
line is well known for offering good-quality production shows specifically aimed
at their large UK following. Next door is the delightful Yacht & Compass, a
watering hole in the true sense of the word. Done in an attractive old-fashioned
maritime style with colorful carpeting and deep leather chairs, an inviting bar
and lots of wood paneling, this room is arguably one of the most popular places on
board. Across the atrium is the Le Club, the ship's disco. Like most other
public rooms it has changed very little from the days when this ship was called
Ocean Princess. It must be said though that Oceana is maintained wonderfully and I
can spot not a single sign of wear and tear during my visit. |
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One area that has changed considerably
since the transfer to to P&O fleet is the Casino. Reached by a beautiful little
secondary atrium with roulette wheel ceiling, the windowless Monte Carlo Club
now is home to Winners, a nice bar area done in bright colors. And when
you're all done gambling, you can proceed downstairs by means of the marble
grand staircase and celebrate your winnings - how convenient - in Magnums,
Oceana's champagne bar. Attractive wood paneling, a sea view through large
windows and comfortable plush seating make this a popular area. |
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Further aft on Promenade Deck, running
parallel to the delightful teak wooden wrap-around outdoor deck with its classic
steamer chairs is the Photo Gallery, looking rather dull during the day as all
panels are closed. Tucked away on port side is the beautiful little
Library/Writing Room and an all-new Cyb@Study, the stylish state-of-the-art
Computer Center offering guests access to the Internet. Last but not least, all
the way aft on Promenade Deck is Oceana's secondary show lounge called
Starlights. Done in an attractive color scheme of grays, burnt oranges and golds,
the room is set up as an amphitheater with a gentle slope
towards the stage. A large bar and attractive artwork make this a impressively
beautiful room, but do come early at show time to secure a seat with a view! |
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Let's move up to deck 12, Lido Deck.
Using the aft stairwell, we first stumble across the hairdressing salon and Spa.
Oceana offers spa facilities for all tastes and wallets, including
massages and complete beauty treatments. Panoramic floor to ceiling windows
offer a fantastic view of the sea while walking the treadmill in the huge gym,
whilst the Terrace Pool can be seen "floating" between two decks. A huge canopy
offers shelter of the circular outdoor pool and Jacuzzi and the nearby Terrace Bar
offers a choice of liquid refreshments to all guests enjoying the sunshine on
the expansive aft sun decks. Most people however will flock to the Riviera Pool
that is located amidships on Lido Deck. This is Oceana's "sun bowl",
featuring two nicely sized swimming pools plus three Jacuzzis.
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An attractive stainless steel
sculpture adds a touch of class to the wonderful Pool Deck that would look even better
if it had teak flooring. Forward of the Riviera Pool is the -you guessed it- Riviera
Bar, while one deck higher, sweeping views and decent grilled dishes can be
ordered at the Horizon Grill. Not featured in our quick tour of the ship, but
worth mentioning is the uppermost deck with its Pennant Bar (great views!) and
Kid's Splash Pool all the way forward with beautiful views of the bow. And one
thing that is unique to Oceana and her sisters is the sports area. If you
have ever dreamed of a game of basketball or volleyball IN a ship's funnel,
don't look any further! |
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Last but not least on this ShipTour is
The Plaza, located all the way forward on Lido Deck. This very attractive
multi-purpose room houses the ship's buffet restaurant and is completely
surrounded by tall windows that offer fabulous views. If the looks of the room
look familiar: it is similar to most of the Horizon Court restaurants on the
Princess ships. Oceana's The Plaza is open most of the day and night,
including buffet breakfasts, luncheons and bistro dinners.
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The time has come to say goodbye to
Oceana, a wonderful new addition to the P&O fleet. She is a superbly
maintained ship that brings palm trees, marble, glitz and glamour to this very
traditional cruise line. But to me, Oceana is still Ocean
Princess as most areas remain unchanged since the ship was transferred to
the P&O fleet. However, this ship and her running mate Adonia are meant
to attract Brits that have never cruised on more traditional ships and I am sure
Oceana will be very successful in quickly becoming the British "Love
Boat"! |
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