I went on Norwegian's newest luxury and ultra-luxury ships targeting wealthy travelers — see how a $685 per night cruise compares to a $210 per night one

14.01.2024 - 13:25 / insider.com

When you think of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, you probably think of its giant amusement park-like cruise ships with 10-story-tall slides, go-kart tracks, and many families.

Norwegian Cruise Line is its parent company's bread and butter. But what the average cruisers might not know is that NCLH also manages two premium cruise lines: upscale Oceania and ultra-luxury Regent Seven Seas.

You'll be hard-pressed to find waterslides across either of these brand's ships. You will, however, find truffle-topped dinners, peaceful pool decks, afternoon tea, and sailings that start at over $200 a night.

After spending at least one night on both operators' newest ships, it's easy to see how they differ while targeting the same demographic: wealthy travelers.

Think of Oceania as the bougie (but at the level of owning a rare Hermes Birkin) cousin of Norwegian. According to its parent company, Oceania is known for its food and "diverse itineraries." It recently announced a two-month cruise that would sail to less frequented ports along Africa and Asia.

While still in the premium category, in 2023, Oceania inched closer to the ultra-luxury segment with its "simply more" package. This move, akin to an all-inclusive model, means travelers now get dining, shore excursion credits, house beverages, roundtrip flights, airport transfers, and on board WiFi all in one fare.

Like all cruise lines of this caliber, Oceania's fleet of seven ships has a relatively low guest capacity, accommodating between 684 to 1,250 travelers per ship. Its newest Oceania Vista ship, which debuted in May 2023, is at the higher end of the range with a 1,200-guest capacity.

Say goodbye to repetitive Caribbean and Mexico itineraries. As a self-proclaimed "destination-focused" operator, the ship is scheduled to visit ports in countries like Greece, Italy, Spain, and Turkey throughout 2024.

Four months after the Vista's debut, the cruise line invited me to spend one night on the vessel while it was docked in New York City. At the time, my assigned veranda stateroom on the Oceania Vista was the most luxurious and spacious cabin I had ever stayed in, complete with Bulgari toiletries, marble bathroom walls, and a large balcony.

The latter isn't particularly special for the ship: Every cabin on the Vista has one.

The food better be decent for a "culinary-focused" cruise line. Fortunately, it was — and included in the fare.

For breakfast, travelers can order various avocado toasts and fresh juices.

Come nightfall, options include porcini-dusted bone-in ribeye steak at the modern American Ember, and ceviche with hummus foam at the Grand Dining Room. The latter also serves favorites from the company's executive culinary director, famed chef Jacques Pépin.

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