A beloved ship reimagined: Oceania Marina’s sweeping transformation
There is a particular kind of traveler for whom a cruise is not merely a vacation but a considered act of curation — one where the quality of the bouillabaisse matters as much as the port of call, and where the weight of a wine glass says something quietly important about the standard of the whole enterprise. For these travelers, Oceania Cruises has long occupied a singular space. Now, the brand is preparing to take that proposition significantly further.
Oceania Cruises has announced a comprehensive reinspiration of Marina, one of its most admired ships, with the 1,250-guest vessel scheduled to enter dry dock in October 2026. The project is the latest undertaking within the line’s new OceaniaNEXT program — an ambitious fleetwide initiative designed to bring every ship into alignment with the design language and experiential standard of its forthcoming newbuilds, with five Sonata Class vessels on order between 2027 and 2037.
Staterooms and suites, reimagined from the ground up
Every stateroom aboard Marina will be fully redesigned — new layouts, new furnishings and entirely new bathrooms finished in marble and fitted with rainforest showers. The suite categories will also be refreshed to bring them into step with enhancements already delivered elsewhere in the fleet.
New spaces for food, drink and discovery
The Grand Lounge is to be enlarged and will gain the Founders Bar, an atmospheric addition devoted to artisanal cocktails — barrel-aged Negronis and inventive small-batch gin creations — that promises to become one of those quietly essential shipboard destinations. The Baristas coffee house will be elevated with a new dedicated Bakery, bringing a daily rotation of French and Italian pastries that make the morning cappuccino ritual considerably harder to abandon.
Perhaps the most significant addition is the new Chef’s Studio, replacing the former Artist Loft. Oceania’s culinary reputation has always rested not just on what arrives at the table but on its genuine investment in food education. The Chef’s Studio will expand that through demonstrations, immersive food and wine tastings, and hands-on sessions with culinary experts.
The four signature specialty restaurants — Polo Grill, Red Ginger, Toscana and Jacques — will each receive design refreshes alongside state-of-the-art galley improvements.
The constant that no dry dock can touch
What will not change is the quality of service that has always defined the Oceania experience — a warmth and attentiveness that goes well beyond formal hospitality. Marina’s reinspiration is Oceania’s clearest statement yet about where the luxury small-ship sector is heading and the standard it intends to set when it gets there.
About the Author: Jason Kerr
