I stayed in Oceania Cruises' veranda stateroom aboard its new Vista cruise ship. It's the most luxurious floating hotel room I've ever boarded see inside.
- Oceania Cruises invited me to spend one night aboard its new cruise ship, the Oceania Vista.
- The veranda stateroom I stayed in starts at $2,350 per person through 2023.
I spent one night in a veranda stateroom on Oceania Cruises' newest $656 million Vista cruise ship and it was the most luxurious hotel room at sea I've ever bunked in.
Oceania Cruises is unlike parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings' eponymous brand. Oceania doesn't have Norwegian's over 3,000-guest cruise ships with waterslides, go-karts, or casual food halls. Instead, it specializes in smaller vessels, luxury dining (think caviar and foie gras), and staterooms so nice they could rival high-end on-land hotels.
From the comfortable beds to the Bulgari toiletries, the 1,200-guest Vista isn't home to any average cruise stateroom.
Let's take a look around the one I stayed in.
On Sept. 17, Oceania invited me to spend one night in the Vista's veranda stateroom while the vessel was docked in New York City.
The cruise line launched this new ship in early May. Through the end of 2023, the Vista will spend the majority of its time homeported in Miami.
When I first walked into my hotel room at sea, I was greeted with a large balcony, luxurious amenities, and the biggest bathroom I've ever had on a ship.
This stateroom can be divided into four sections: the bathroom, balcony, bedroom, and living room (although the latter two are in the same space).
At a little over 290 square-feet, the room is quite compact.
But the clean and minimal decor, light color palette, and uncluttered furniture kept the floating hotel room feeling larger than the square footage might suggest.
The clean gray, blue, and white aesthetic created a mature, elegant, and understated space without feeling too flashy.
The gray walls were lined with white accents and a textured design above the bed and couch, creating a visual subdivision between these two spaces.
The art on the walls was just as subtle and can only be described (rather inarticulately) as blobs and lines of color.
I didn't give these pieces more than a few seconds glance. And while they weren't the star of the room, they kept the walls from feeling bare.
Starting from the rear of the stateroom, the balcony overlooking the ocean was larger than most stateroom balconies I've seen on cruise ships.
While only two chairs and one small table were provided, this private outdoor space could've comfortably fit three people.
Back inside through the heavy sliding doors, the living "room" had the typical furnishings: a small couch, desk, bed, and coffee table.
There's not much to say about this space — it had all the comforts of a typical large stateroom. Nothing bad, but nothing outstanding.
And past this small lounge, the bed was nestled in front of the television and between two side tables.
This slumber space had 1,000-thread-count linens and Oceania's "Tranquility Bed."
It's so renowned, the cruise line even sells its own mattress and bedding. And after a nights rest on this bed set, I understand why.
From there, a beverage station, closet, and full-length mirror separated the living and bedroom from the bathroom.
The complimentary soft drinks in the mini refrigerator are restocked daily. But if you're not a big soda drinker, the still and sparkling water bottles are "free" as well.
And onto the final space: the bathroom.
If the Bulgari toiletries didn't give it away, this bathroom was luxe.
This is no typical home to the porcelain throne.
Here, there were designated cupholders, a large rainfall showerhead, and marble walls.
And unlike most cruise ship bathrooms, this space could've easily fit another person without feeling cramped.
There was also more storage than I was used to. Other than the vanity, there was a separate standalone unit lined with more drawers (pictured above).
Just remember, it is a premium cruise brand. Bulgari and bathrooms this large don't come cheap.
Through 2023, a vacation in this veranda stateroom starts at $2,350 per person — with the current promotional fare — for a seven-day roundtrip cruise from Miami to Mexico, Belize, and Honduras.
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