Berlitz Guide to Cruising

Overview

Insignia (sister to Regatta) was one of a series of almost identical ships originally built for the now-defunct Renaissance Cruises. The ship’s present owners (Cruiseinvest) have chartered the ship to new company Oceania Cruises. The exterior design manages to balance the ship’s high sides by painting the whole ship white (it previously had a dark blue hull), with a large, square white funnel. The addition of teak overlaid decking and teak lounge chairs has greatly improved what was a bland pool deck outdoors.

The interior decor is quite stunning, a throwback to ship decor of the ocean liners of the 1920s and ’30s, with dark woods and warm colors, all carried out in fine taste (but a bit faux in places). This includes detailed ceiling cornices, both real and faux wrought-iron staircase railings, leather-paneled walls, trompe l’oeil ceilings, rich carpeting in hallways with an Oriental rug-look center section, and many other interesting (and expensive-looking) decorative touches. It feels like an old-world country club.

The public rooms are spread over three decks. The reception hall (lobby) features a staircase with intricate wrought-iron railings. A large observation lounge, the Horizon Bar, is located high atop ship. This has a long bar with forward views (for the barmen, that is).

There are plenty of bars – including one in each of the restaurant entrances. Perhaps the nicest is the casino bar/ lounge, a beautiful room which is reminiscent of London’s grand hotels and includes a martini bar. It has an inviting marble fireplace, comfortable sofas and individual chairs.

The Library is a grand Regency-style room, with a fireplace, a high, indented, trompe l’oeil ceiling, and excellent selection of books, plus very comfortable wingback chairs with footstools, and sofas you could sleep on. Oceania@Sea is the ship’s internet connect center.

There may not be marble bathroom fittings, or caviar and other expensive niceties, but the value for money is extremely good. The dress code is “smart casual.” The onboard currency is the US dollar. Gratuities are added at $10.50 per person, per day (accommodation designated as suites have an extra $3 per person charge for the butler). A 15% gratuity is added to bar and spa accounts.

There is no wrap-around promenade deck outdoors (there is, however, a small jogging track around the perimeter of the swimming pool, and port and starboard side decks). Stairways, though carpeted, are tinny. The staircase in the main, two-deck-high foyer will remind you of something similar in the 1998 blockbuster movie Titanic.

Oceania Cruises is a young company with a refreshing vision and desire to provide an extremely high level of food and service in an informal setting that is at once elegant yet comfortable, and that is exactly what it has achieved in a short space of time.
Berlitz Guide © Apa Publishing 2008

Ship Facts

Mid-Size Ship: 30,277 tons
Lifestyle: Premium
Cruise Line: Oceania Cruises
Former Names: R One
Builder: Chantiers de l’Atlantique
Original Cost: $150 million
Entered Service: July 1998/Apr 2004
Registry: Marshall Islands
Length (ft/m): 593.7/181.0
Beam (ft/m): 83.5/25.5
Draft (ft/m): 19.5/6.0
Propulsion/Propellers: diesel
(18,600 kW)/2
Passenger Decks: 9
Total Crew: 386
Passengers
(lower beds/all berths): 684/824
Passenger Space Ratio
(lower beds/all berths): 44.2/36.7
Crew/Passenger Ratio
(lower beds/all berths): 1.7/2.1
Navigation Officers: European
Cabins (total): 342
Size Range (sq ft/m): 145.3 – 968.7/
13.5 – 90.0
Cabins (outside view): 317
Cabins (interior/no view): 25
Cabins (for one person): 0
Cabins (with private balcony): 232
Cabins (wheelchair accessible): 3
Cabin Voltage: 110 and 220
Elevators: 4
Casino (gaming tables): Yes
Slot Machines: Yes
Swimming Pools (outdoors): 1
Swimming Pools (indoors): 0
Whirlpools: 2 (+ 1 thalassotherapy)
Fitness Centre: Yes
Sauna/Steam Room: No/Yes
Massage: Yes
Self-Service Launderette: Yes
Dedicated Cinema/Seats: No
Library: Yes
Classification Society: Bureau Veritas



OVERALL SCORE: 1,574 (OUT OF A POSSIBLE 2,000 POINTS)
Berlitz Guide © Apa Publishing 2008