Oceania Cruises Announces Inspiring New African and Asian Itineraries

Oceania Cruises, Cruises, the world’s largest culinary and destination-focused cruise line, has announced that its 1,250-guest ship Riviera will explore the continents of Africa and Asia with three brand new itineraries at the end of 2024 and into 2025.

The crowning achievement of these itineraries is a once-in-a-lifetime 59-day Grand Voyage, which enables guests to visit genuinely off-the-beaten-path ports in Africa and Asia. Riviera will sail from Barcelona, call at the Canary Islands, and then cruise along Africa’s western coast, calling in charming ports in Senegal, Gambia, Ghana, and Walvis Bay, Namibia.

Guests will spend an overnight in Cape Town at the journey’s southernmost point before continuing up the eastern coast via Madagascar for an overnight stay in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, and then across to the Seychelles, Maldives, Thailand, and Malaysia before concluding with an overnight stay in Singapore.

Frank A. Del Rio, President of Oceania Cruises, said: “These longer, destination-immersive voyages offer curious, well-travelled guests the chance to explore some of the most off-the-beaten-path ports in the world, all from the elegant surroundings of Riviera. Sailing from Europe to Asia, via both coasts of Africa, is a true bucket list journey, combining iconic cities and unknown gems with our incredible onboard service and the best value in luxury cruising; these voyages are hard to resist,”

Riviera will call on bucket-list African destinations like Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Walvis Bay, and Dar Es Salaam, as well as renowned Asian ports such as Phuket, Penang, Colombo, and Male, offering the largest staterooms at sea and home-away-from-home residential-style luxury. Her new itineraries range from 27 to 59 days, taking her from Europe to Africa and Asia.

Riviera will also visit smaller, more specialised ports worldwide, like Antsiranana in Madagascar, Hambantota in Sri Lanka, Sao Tome, and Lome in Togo. With over 400 shore excursions, guests can dig deeper into these destinations’ natural marvels and local cultures.

Riviera’s New Itineraries:

A Tale of Five Seas, a 59-day voyage departing on 14 November 2024, from Barcelona and arriving in Singapore on 12 January 2025.

Ports of call: Seville, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Arrecife, Mindelo, Dakar, Banjul, Abidjan, Sekondi-Takoradi, Lome, Sao Tome, overnight stay in Walvis Bay, Lüderitz, overnight stay in Cape Town, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Maputo, Nosy Be, Mayotte, overnight stay in Dar Es Salaam, Antsiranana, Mahe, overnight stay in Male, Colombo, Hambantota, Phuket, Langkawi, Penang, Melaka, Kuala Lumpur, finishing with an overnight stay in Singapore.

West African Rhythms, 27-day voyage departing from Barcelona on 14 November 2024, and arriving in Cape Town on 11 December 2024.

Ports of call: Seville, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Arrecife, Mindelo, Dakar, Banjul, Abidjan, Sekondi-Takoradi, Lome, Sao Tome, overnight stay in Walvis Bay, Lüderitz, finishing with an overnight stay in Cape Town.

Colonial Crowns, 32-day voyage departing on 11 December 2024, from Cape Town and arriving in Singapore on 12 January 2025.

Ports of call: Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Maputo, Nosy Be, Mayotte, overnight stay in Dar Es Salaam, Antsiranana, Mahe, overnight stay in Male, Colombo, Hambantota, Phuket, Langkawi, Penang, Melaka, Kuala Lumpur, finishing with an overnight stay in Singapore.

All guests sailing on these itineraries benefit from Oceania Cruises’ simply MORE™ offering, which includes a generous shore excursion credit of up to $2,600 per stateroom, in addition to free roundtrip airfare; free airport transfers; free Champagne, wine and more during lunch and dinner; free soft drinks and specialty teas and coffees; free gourmet specialty dining and free unlimited Wi-Fi – for the best value in luxury cruising.

Riviera has been beautifully re-inspired and provides incomparable experiences to curious global travellers. Her incredibly spacious standard staterooms are an incredible 291 square feet, and all categories of staterooms have been tastefully reimagined with luxurious furnishings, thoughtfully designed touches, and larger showers. Service levels are second to none, with 800 officers and crew serving 1,250 guests receiving a friendly welcome at every turn. 

Boasting one chef for every ten guests, travellers can savour sumptuous at seven open-seating gourmet restaurants while marvelling at the turquoise sea in Thailand or unwinding after a day on safari in Tanzania.

Every meal aboard Riviera becomes a memorable culinary experience, whether you choose from an array of international and Continental dishes at The Grand Dining Room, the ultimate steakhouse experience at Polo Grill, bold Pan-Asian fare at Red Ginger, masterfully prepared Italian dishes at Toscana, delectable French cuisine at Jacques, hallmark Chef’s Market Dinners and ever-changing menus at Terrace Café, or handmade pizzas at the new alfresco pizzeria at Waves Grill.

Riviera, Re-inspired
Riviera had a sweeping rejuvenation, with all suites and staterooms being restyled with new custom furnishings, wood finishes and designer accents radiating Oceania Cruises’ signature essence of elegance. Some notable highlights of the reimagined vessel include:

• Concierge Level Veranda Staterooms and Veranda Staterooms are the largest standard staterooms afloat at 291 square feet.
• All Penthouse Suites and staterooms are beautifully redesigned, bringing a chic, warm and comforting sense of home with sleek, restyled bathrooms in Italian marble.
• Riviera’s public spaces have all been elevated with plush new carpets and leather-covered armchairs.
• All the convivial lounges, bars, and decadent dining venues have been elegantly restyled, elevating social and epicurean experiences while maintaining the home-away-from-home ambience.
• The Grand Dining Room reflects a renewed sense of grandeur that radiates from the glistening chandelier, plush carpets, and butter-soft leather armchairs.
• Dining alfresco in the evening has been completely revamped with a delightful new pizzeria and trattoria featuring an array of handmade pizzas, succulently grilled Italian specialties, spicy chicken wings, tantalizing salads, and indulgent desserts every evening.

The ship can provide distinctive wine-pairing dinners since the cruise line partners with Moët & Chandon and Wine Spectator magazine. For example, a six-course Dom Pérignon Experience dinner features dishes like Lemon Caviar and Sakura Tea “Geisha Flower” Ice Cream paired with Dom Pérignon vintages.

Oceania Cruises fleet consists of eight ships. Vista, the maiden ship of the Allura class, debuted in May 2023 and is the most recent addition to the fleet. Malta was the destination for the 1,200-guest, all-balcony ship. After her first summer in Europe, Vista is based in Miami.