Oceania Cruises’ New Ships Offer Fab Food + Tasty Teambuilding

Group cruising is kicked up a notch with Oceania Cruises’ two new luxury vessels, offering exotic itineraries and an expansive list of dining and activity options. Onboard their 1,250-pax Marina, or sister ship Riviera (set to debut in May), groups can enjoy: 10 fine-dining venues on each and designer touches that include a Lalique Grand Staircase and staterooms furnished with Ralph Lauren Home. They can also treat themselves to and an endless list of experiences that are sure to educate and entertain. But posh doesn’t always mean pretentious.

“Our products are country club casual,” says Katina Athanasiou, VP, charter & incentive sales. “While people still like to travel well, they don’t want to put on a tuxedo or ball gown. Some groups still want to put on galas, but other than that there are no formal nights.”

The Marina was designed with foodies in mind. Six of the ship’s dining venues are open-seating and carry no additional surcharge. Care for some tea? Every day at four o’clock groups can stroll over to Horizons lounge, with its dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows, for afternoon tea and treats, as a string quartet plays softly in the background. How’s that for fancy?

“A great thing about our ships is that you can offer your group a dinearound since there are no additional charges for most meals,” Athanasiou says. “It’s definitely a fun option.”

For the utmost in French cuisine, try the duck leg confit and sausage in tomato Provence bean stew at Jacques Pepin’s namesake specialty restaurant, Jacques. Pepin serves as the executive culinary director for the cruise line and works closely with a team of executive chefs to develop fresh and flavorful menus that blend new and exciting dishes with revered classics.

For a chance to meet Chef Pepin, book the May 12 Tuscan Artistry itinerary, sailing between Barcelona and Rome. Chef Pepin will be onboard offering an array of cooking classes and hands-on demonstrations.

Groups who aren’t able to make it onboard for that event, fear not. The ship also features La Reserve by Wine Spectator, which offers enlightening information on the perfect food and wine pairings. And the Bon Appetite Culinary Center is the only hands-on culinary studio at sea in the world. With 12 individual cooking stations, up to 24 pax can learn about various cuisines, create their own savory dishes and battle it out in Iron Chef-style competitions.

Produced in conjunction with Bon Appetite, a publication catering to fine food and wine, the center is manned by master chefs that guide groups through a large range of classes that cover regional cuisines, secrets to easy cooking and techniques that will have you cooking like a pro in no time.

Their Elegant Egg: Breakfast, Brunch and Desserts course teaches groups how to wake up your cooking with some innovative ideas on how to incorporate eggs into a variety of dishes. Learn to make frittata three ways and master a few egg techniques like poaching, scrambling and making the perfect omelet.

Or give their Trendsetting World Cuisines: Recipes from Peru, Modern Mexico and Miami class a shot, where Latin-inspired dishes heat up the kitchen. Learn to make roasted vegetable enchiladas with creamy tomatillo sauce or a Cuban paella, swimming with seafood and spices just like the ones you dig into at the authentic hole-in-the-wall restaurants in Miami. Yum.