Cruising the Ocean Blue: Mid-sized Ships Offer a More Personal Experience – Yakima Herald

In a related article in this issue, you read about how I was inspired to travel to Portofino, Italy. Then I faced another decision: how to get there. A Mediterranean cruise immediately came to mind!

After all, there’s nothing quite like being on a floating hotel which travels from destination to destination, with a fresh sea breeze in your face, and blue skies overhead.

I’ve been fortunate to travel on a few larger ships. So, the idea of mid-sized ships intrigued me. They’re advertised as having most of the amenities of the larger, so-called “floating cities.” But there are fewer passengers, and they can cruise into some less accessible, thus more alluring ports.

When I decided to take a cruise last summer, I focused on Oceania Cruises, a line with six ships which each carry between 684 and 1,250 passengers. Although this may still sound like a lot of people — just to put things in perspective, Norwegian Cruise Lines, on which I’ve sailed in the past, has what are known as mega and large ships. The Norwegian Epic, for example, designated a mega ship, carries 4,228 passengers and 1,730 crew members. Norwegian Spirit, considered a large ship, carries 2,000 passengers and 1,000 crew members.

The itinerary I liked best was on the Oceania Riviera, sailing from Athens, Greece, along the coast of Italy and making connections to Capri, Rome, Florence, Monte Carlo, Marseille and Barcelona.

When I called Oceania to get more details, I found it interesting that the recorded voice on the reservation line had a British accent. Company headquarters are in Florida, although registry is in the Marshall Islands. The female voice also mentioned “Jacques Pepin” (the company’s inspiration for cuisine) with an attempted French accent. She assured callers that the “country-club ambiance” of their cruises is “anything but pretentious.” Hmmm, now she had me curious.

When I finally arrived in Athens, Greece, to begin my cruise, I had two more days for anticipation to build. I visited the legendary Acropolis and wandered through other nearby ruins. To experience another dimension of Greece, I took a ferryboat across some of the bluest water I’ve ever seen, to explore the nearby island of Aegina. Here, the pace of life was more relaxing, complete with horse-drawn carriages transporting tourists along the waterfront.

When sailing day finally arrived and I walked down the dock in Athens, I was surprised by how large the Oceania vessel was. With 11 passenger decks, a length of 784 feet, and weighing in at 66,000 tons, the Riviera did not look very mid-sized to me. However, it was beautiful.

A Riviera concierge later explained to me that “mid-sized” on this ship meant fewer passengers and thus more freedom of movement in dining areas, lounges and on shore excursions. There’s also a higher crew-to-passenger ratio (800 to 1,250) than on many other cruise lines and thus, more personal attention.

I’m not sure what country-club ambiance is supposed to look like, but I noticed, from the first moment onboard, that the cruise staff was especially welcoming. Passenger attire was more relaxed. Meals were open-seating, with no reservation required, unless you wanted to visit a specialty restaurant. There are nine restaurants on the Riviera in all, including French, Asian and Italian specialty restaurants.

I was looking forward to reaching our first port, Sorrento, with a shore excursion planned to the Isle of Capri. However, rough seas required a change of plan. Instead, we sailed into Naples. Here, after attending Mass in a beautiful cathedral, I took a taxi to nearby Herculaneum, an ancient Roman town destroyed in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. It was fascinating to see the extensive excavations of this once-wealthy town, exposing the ruins of many homes and gathering spaces such as public baths.

Oceania offers a nice selection of shore excursions, from culinary tours to city explorations, with package deals available for multiple excursions. They also provide more exclusive jaunts for smaller groups. In our next port, Civitavecchia, with connections to Rome, I signed up for “A Private View of the Vatican” tour. This 10-hour outing took us by bus past landmarks including the Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine, then focused on the Vatican itself. We walked through St. Peter’s and the Sistine Chapel, and along museum hallways filled with art masterpieces. We also visited a carriage house full of ornate vehicles which have carried popes through the years, a private chapel and office used by a previous pope, and a back stairway with sweeping views of Rome.

As the seven-day cruise continued, we sailed to Livorno, connecting to Florence where I strolled across the scenic Ponte Vecchio bridge, and Pisa, where I posed for a cheesy “holding-up-the-tower” photo. Monte Carlo was next, with a visit to the cathedral where Princess Grace is buried and then a private car trip to Portofino, Italy (see previous story). After the port of Marseille, France, I disembarked in Barcelona, Spain, taking time to walk along the noted La Rambla pedestrian boulevard. I also saw La Sagrada Familia, the quirky cathedral designed by architect Antonio Gaudi. With a new port every day, this was a whirlwind!

At any time, though, I could have just relaxed on the ship and skipped a port city entirely.

Although Oceania does not seem to focus quite as much as other cruise lines on filling every moment onboard, there are several relaxing options such as afternoon tea. I went to tea twice on this trip, enjoying the orchestra music, the white-linen-set tables and the smiling waitstaff with carts of delicacies. The Riviera also has a Culinary Center and an Artist’s Loft, which offer classes. And, if you still have time on your hands, you can use the outdoor pool, spa or fitness center. Or, since most staterooms on the Riviera have balconies, you can just sit and watch the port activity — and perhaps the tired day-trippers returning aboard.

The décor of the Riviera is quite luxurious, featuring Lalique crystal accents on the sweeping grand staircase and a modern art collection. Of course, passengers pay for all these features in the cruise fares, which tend to be higher than numerous other lines.

Oceania offers the incentive that, with this somewhat higher fare, you can have “free” dining in most specialty restaurants, “free” mini-bar refreshments and other services. I’m not convinced, however, that this was a savings, especially in my case. For instance, by the time I settled in and remembered the promise of no additional charges to eat in those specialty restaurants onboard, all the reservation time slots were filled for the rest of the cruise.

With the flexibility of its mid-sized ships, Oceania sails throughout the world, including Alaska and New England in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the South Pacific. The lowest price I found in company brochures was $799 for an inside cabin on a seven-day European cruise. The highest price was $38,899 for a penthouse suite on an 85-day Miami to Miami cruise, visiting many European ports. Airfare is extra.

So, now I’ve experienced cruising on a mid-sized ship. It might actually have been a bit “pretentious” after all, but it was also an unforgettable adventure!