She is still under construction and not expected to sail until her debut in April 2023, but Oceania’s newest ship is already breaking records. The first cruises for the newest ship went on sale September 15 at 9:00 a.m. eastern, and one and a half hours later, the number of bookings had surpassed the company’s most recent record, which was set in March 2021.
Vista Proves Small Ship Cruising Popularity
Despite the tough times the cruise industry has been going through, many cruise lines have reported record sales for voyages in 2022 and 2023, including once again Oceania Cruises. It once again proves the popularity cruising still has and the confidence guests have in the ability of the cruise lines to sail safely:
“The tremendous wave of bookings we saw on the day we opened sales for Vista underscores the extraordinary demand for our acclaimed small ship, destination focused vacations,โ said Bob Binder, President, and CEO of Oceania Cruises.
It took Oceania Vista only one and a half hours to set a record for the most cruises sold in one day, surpassing the previous record by almost 60%. On top of that, the previous record was set across six different ships for a single season.
The new record set by the 67,000 gross ton Vista is for one vessel only. It doesn’t come as a surprise. The company’s newest ship will be one of the most luxurious and comfortable vessels worldwide when released in 2023.
The ship will have space for 1,200 guests, who will have six passenger decks with a huge variety of comfortable, social, recreational, and wellness-based spaces to enjoy.
Accommodations onboard the ship range from 270 square feet for the solo staterooms to more than 2,400 square feet for the Owner’s Suites which run the entire width of the ship. The cruise line stated that nearly all the Owners, Oceania, and Vista suites have already sold out for the inaugural season.
โWe are seeing exceptional demand from both our loyal Oceania Club repeaters and new-to-brand guests who are attracted to Vistaโs new restaurants and culinary concepts, residentially styled staterooms and suites, and unique itineraries that present the destinations from a new perspective,” stated Bob Binder, President & CEO of Oceania Cruises.
Sailing 2023 Vista Will Be a Global Ship
When she sets sail in 2023, Vista will be a genuinely global ship, much in line with Oceania’s vision of being a destination-focused cruise line. The vessel’s inaugural season will sail the British Isles and Canada, the Mediterranean, Holy Lands, and Panama Canal.
Her maiden voyage will set sail from Rome with calls in Messina (Sicily), Italy, Valletta, Malta, Monte Carlo, Toulon, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, and more before arriving in Barcelona, Spain. The ship will remain in the Mediterranean until July when she repositions to London in the UK.
From London, the ship will be sailing on her first transatlantic voyage to New York, with calls in the UK, Ireland, and Canada.
The rest of the Oceania fleet, besides Marina which sailed in late August, is not operational yet. Riviera will be sailing around the Greek Isles from October 18. Insignia will sail from Miami on December 21, 2021, she will be sailing on an epic six-month voyage that will see the vessel around the world in 180 days.
The other vessels will need to wait until 2022 before their return to service. Sirena will be sailing the Caribbean from January 21, 2022, Regatta will set sail on February 5, 2022, in Polynesia, and Nautica will be cruising the Mediterranean from April 1, 2022.