Azamara Cruises vs Oceania Cruises

The core difference

Azamara and Oceania are the comparison I discuss with clients more than any other in this segment. Both lines operate mid-size ships with Country Club Casual or resort casual dress codes, both include dining without surcharges in their core offering, and both attract the same demographic — well-travelled couples in their 50s to 70s who have outgrown mainstream cruising and want something more refined without the formality of traditional luxury. The ships even share DNA — Azamara’s entire fleet and Oceania’s R-class ships are sister vessels built from the same hull design.

But the priorities diverge sharply, and understanding this divergence is the key to choosing correctly.

Azamara is destination-obsessed. The line’s entire operating model revolves around maximising time in port. Over half of all port time — 51 per cent — is spent during late-night or overnight stays. The 30,277 gross tonne ships dock in city centres, navigate narrow channels, and access boutique harbours that larger vessels physically cannot reach. The AzAmazing Evenings programme delivers complimentary shoreside cultural events — private concerts in historic venues, vineyard dinners, festivals in medieval squares — that effectively make the destination the entertainment. The line spends its marketing and operational budget on getting you off the ship and into the destination. Under Sycamore Partners since 2021, Azamara has sharpened this identity to a razor’s edge.

Oceania is food-obsessed. The line’s trademarked claim to “The Finest Cuisine at Sea” is backed by Jacques Pepin, one of the most accomplished chefs in culinary history, who has served as Executive Culinary Director since 2003. On O-class ships (Marina, Riviera, and the incoming Allura and Vista), guests choose from up to ten dining venues — Jacques (French bistro), Polo Grill (steakhouse), Red Ginger (pan-Asian), Toscana (Italian), Aquamar Kitchen (wellness), and more — all included without surcharges. The Culinary Center on O-class ships is a professional teaching kitchen with eighteen individual workstations. Under Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings alongside Regent and Norwegian, Oceania has built the most comprehensive culinary cruise programme at sea.

For Australian travellers, the question is not about quality — both deliver premium cruising at a high standard. It is about whether you want the ship to get you to the destination or to the dining table. Both work brilliantly for the right traveller.

What is actually included

Both lines are inclusive, but the specifics create different daily experiences.

Azamara includes in every fare: select standard spirits, international beers, and rotating wines by the glass throughout the day, gratuities for all onboard staff, one AzAmazing Evening per qualifying cruise, shuttle bus services, self-service laundry, speciality coffees, and 24-hour room service. Wi-Fi is available for purchase. Speciality dining at Prime C and Aqualina carries a US$49.95 surcharge waived for suite guests.

Oceania’s Your World Included programme (launched October 2024) covers all speciality restaurant dining without surcharges, shipboard gratuities, unlimited Wi-Fi, speciality coffees, still and sparkling water, laundry services, in-stateroom dining, and group fitness classes. From September 2025 bookings, guests choose one amenity: either complimentary wine and beer by the glass during lunch and dinner, or a shore excursion credit scaled by voyage length. Premium spirits, cocktails, and wines by the bottle remain additional.

The practical difference: Azamara includes wider beverage selection throughout the day. Oceania includes Wi-Fi and laundry where Azamara charges separately. For non-drinkers, Oceania’s base fare delivers better value. For regular drinkers, Azamara’s all-day beverage inclusion is stronger. Both provide excellent budget certainty for Australians.

Dining and culinary experience

This is the section where the comparison diverges most dramatically — and where Oceania holds its strongest card.

Azamara’s dining is compact and refined. Six venues per ship, four included. Discoveries Restaurant uses open seating with nightly changing menus. Windows Cafe provides buffet dining. The Patio transforms from poolside grill to candlelit restaurant. Mosaic Cafe serves coffees and pastries. Prime C (steakhouse) and Aqualina (Italian) carry the US$49.95 surcharge waived for suite guests. The kitchen cooks for fewer than 700 guests, and the intimacy shows — the maitre d’ knows your preferences by mid-voyage. The forthcoming Chef’s Table on the refurbished Quest adds a dedicated venue from late 2026.

Oceania is a restaurant ship. On O-class vessels, guests choose nightly from Jacques (French bistro named for Pepin), Polo Grill (premium steakhouse), Red Ginger (pan-Asian, lauded for its lobster tempura), Toscana (Italian heritage), Aquamar Kitchen (wellness-inspired), The Grand Dining Room (main restaurant with over 270 rotating recipes), Terrace Cafe (buffet converting to themed evenings), and Waves Grill (casual poolside turning pizzeria at night). The Culinary Center offers hands-on cooking classes at eighteen workstations — a professional teaching kitchen with no equivalent anywhere in this comparison. La Reserve by Wine Spectator carries a surcharge. Every other restaurant is included. On R-class ships, the count drops to six venues but the culinary commitment holds.

The gap is genuine. Oceania offers nearly double the venue count, a legendary culinary director, a professional cooking school, and the most diverse complimentary dining programme in the upper-premium segment. Azamara’s dining is quality but cannot compete on breadth. However, I consistently find that clients who love Azamara’s dining love it for the intimacy — the smaller kitchen, the personal attention, the feeling of being known. Oceania’s food peaks higher; Azamara’s dining room feels warmer.

If food is your primary motivation for cruising, Oceania is the unambiguous choice. If food is important but secondary to destinations, Azamara holds its own.

Suites and accommodation

The accommodation comparison reveals the shared R-class heritage — and where Oceania’s O-class ships diverge significantly.

Azamara’s staterooms across all four R-class ships: Club Interior (158 square feet), Club Veranda (175 square feet plus balcony), and suites from Club Continent (266 square feet) to Club World Owner’s (793 to 836 square feet). Butler service from suite level. The Azamara Forward refurbishment adds Panorama and Grandview Suites on Quest from late 2026.

Oceania’s R-class ships (Regatta, Insignia, Nautica) share virtually identical cabin layouts — the same hull produces the same dimensions. The difference is soft furnishings: Oceania’s Prestige Tranquility Beds, Bulgari amenities, and twice-daily housekeeping.

Oceania’s O-class ships (Marina, Riviera, Allura, Vista) offer significantly larger accommodation. Veranda staterooms run 282 to 291 square feet — roughly 60 per cent more space. Penthouse Suites reach 440 square feet. Owner’s Suites span approximately 2,000 square feet.

The takeaway: on R-class ships, accommodation is essentially identical. On O-class, Oceania offers substantially larger staterooms. If cabin space matters, book an O-class ship.

Pricing and value

Both lines compete aggressively on value in the upper-premium segment, and the pricing comparison is closer than most travellers expect.

Azamara’s directional pricing for a 7-night Mediterranean voyage: Club Veranda from approximately US$350 to $500 per person per night, including drinks, gratuities, and AzAmazing Evenings. A 14-night sailing costs roughly AUD $8,000 to $14,000 per person.

Oceania’s directional pricing for a comparable voyage: Veranda on O-class from approximately AUD $600 to $800 per person per night, including all dining, gratuities, Wi-Fi, and laundry. A 14-night sailing costs roughly AUD $10,000 to $16,000 per person. R-class Veranda pricing runs lower — approximately AUD $450 to $650 per person per night.

Oceania’s O-class per-diem is higher than Azamara’s, but the staterooms are roughly 60 per cent larger and the dining programme is significantly more extensive. Oceania’s R-class pricing is competitive with Azamara’s — understandable given the identical ships. The value equation depends on what you prioritise: Azamara’s included drinks and cultural events, or Oceania’s included Wi-Fi, laundry, and ten dining venues.

For Australian travellers budgeting in AUD, both lines provide reasonable budget certainty through their inclusive models. Promotional pricing — Azamara’s early-booking bonus and Oceania’s combinable offers — can shift the comparison substantially on any given sailing.

Spa and wellness

Both lines offer quality spa facilities, with Oceania holding the edge on scale.

Azamara’s Sanctum Spa features Elemis products, multiple treatment rooms, steam rooms, and the Sanctum Spa Terrace with a thalassotherapy pool (complimentary for suite guests, modest fee for others). The fitness centre offers free weights, machines, and complimentary classes.

Oceania’s Canyon Ranch SpaClub spans approximately 5,000 square feet on O-class ships with a thalassotherapy pool, aromatic steam room, Finnish sauna, and Canyon Ranch-trained staff. Aquamar Kitchen extends the wellness philosophy into dining. Oceania wins on spa breadth and the Canyon Ranch partnership.

Entertainment and enrichment

Neither line is entertainment-driven — a feature, not a bug, for their target audience. Azamara’s enrichment centres on destination immersion: over 250 Destination Speakers, AzAmazing Evenings, and Stories Under the Stars. Oceania’s enrichment centres on culinary education: the Culinary Center’s professional cooking school with eighteen workstations is the marquee offering. Azamara makes the destination the entertainment. Oceania makes the kitchen the entertainment.

Fleet and destination coverage

Azamara operates four R-class ships visiting over 70 countries. Consistent fleet, no ship lottery. Oceania operates eight ships — four R-class and four O-class — providing significantly more departure dates and destination coverage, with over 230 Mediterranean cruises per season. Both deploy to Australian waters from Sydney. Oceania’s larger fleet means more choice worldwide.

Where each line excels

Azamara excels in:

• Destination immersion. Over 51 per cent of port time during late-night or overnight stays. Boutique harbour access. AzAmazing Evenings. Destination Speakers programme. No other line in the segment matches this commitment.
• All-day beverage inclusion. Standard spirits, beers, and wines available throughout the day — not restricted to mealtimes.
• Port access. The 30,277 gross tonne ships dock in city centres and navigate channels that Oceania’s O-class ships cannot.
• Budget transparency. Drinks, gratuities, cultural events, and shuttles included — total cost known before departure.

Oceania excels in:

• Culinary programme. Jacques Pepin. Ten included dining venues on O-class. The Culinary Center professional cooking school. The widest restaurant choice in the upper-premium segment.
• Value positioning. The most competitive per-diem for this calibre of dining and inclusion.
• O-class stateroom space. Veranda staterooms from 282 square feet — significantly larger than any Azamara cabin.
• Fleet breadth. Eight ships providing more departure dates, itineraries, and destination coverage.
• Loyalty pathway. NCLH integration connects Oceania to Norwegian and Regent — a genuine pathway from mainstream to ultra-luxury.
• Wi-Fi and laundry inclusion. Both covered in the base fare where Azamara charges separately.

Standout itineraries for Australian travellers

Azamara

Melbourne to Auckland (16 nights, January departure). Small-ship access to New Zealand’s intimate ports. No international flight required from Melbourne.

Sydney to Singapore (22 nights, February departure). Australian coastal ports, Indonesia, and an easy fly-home from Singapore.

Japan Cherry Blossom Season (spring sailing). Boutique Japanese ports during cherry blossom season with late-night stays for evening culture.

World Voyage (155 nights, 36 countries). The ultimate expression of Azamara’s destination-immersive philosophy.

Oceania

Riviera: Outback to Verdant Bali (14 nights, February, Sydney to Bali). Great Barrier Reef, Top End, Komodo, Bali. No international flights needed.

Riviera: Maori Heritage Route (14 nights, January, Auckland to Sydney). Trans-Tasman via New Zealand ports. Air New Zealand connects from Australian capitals.

Mediterranean Grand Voyage (28 to 42 nights, combinable segments). The definitive Oceania experience for food-motivated Australians.

Ship-by-ship recommendations

Azamara

Azamara Onward — Australian-waters workhorse. Features the Atlas Bar exclusive to this ship. Recommended for first-time Azamara travellers in Australia.

Azamara Quest — First into the Azamara Forward refurbishment late 2026. New Deck 11 suites and Chef’s Table. The future of the fleet.

Oceania

Riviera (1,250 guests, 2012) — The flagship experience. All ten dining venues, Culinary Center, Canyon Ranch SpaClub. Deployed to Australian waters for 2025-2026 — the easiest entry point for Australians.

Marina (1,250 guests, 2011) — Near-identical to Riviera. Choose based on itinerary.

Regatta or Insignia (684 guests) — The R-class experience. Sister ships to Azamara’s fleet. Fewer dining venues but a devoted following. The most intimate Oceania ships and the fairest direct comparison to Azamara.

Allura (arriving 2025) — The newest O-class ship. Worth watching for introductory pricing.

For Australian travellers specifically

Oceania’s Australian presence operates through NCLH’s Sydney office (1300 355 200). Riviera’s Australian debut for 2025-2026 signals serious commitment. The NCLH loyalty pathway — status transferring across Norwegian, Oceania, and Regent — is a significant advantage for frequent cruisers building toward ultra-luxury.

Azamara’s Australian commitment has deepened since independence, with two ships deployed simultaneously and extended seasons through April 2028. Sydney departures and regional itineraries provide accessible entry.

The R-class connection is worth noting. Azamara’s ships and Oceania’s Regatta, Insignia, and Nautica are the same hull with different interiors — switching between the lines feels seamless. The layout is immediately familiar, lowering the barrier to trying the other brand.

The onboard atmosphere

Azamara’s atmosphere is destination-focused and intimate. Fewer than 700 guests, resort casual throughout, no children’s facilities, and a demographic of curious, port-savvy travellers. Port days are long — often past 10 PM. Sea days are quiet.

Oceania’s atmosphere is culinary and conversational. Country Club Casual dress code, no formal nights. The evening energy centres on the restaurants — which venue for dinner is the day’s recurring conversation. A casino adds a late-night dimension. The cultural vibe is comfortable, food-obsessed, and English-speaking.

The distinction is subtle but real. On Azamara, the conversation at dinner is about the port. On Oceania, the conversation at dinner is about the dinner.

The bottom line

Azamara and Oceania are the closest competitors in the upper-premium segment, and the shared R-class heritage makes the comparison uniquely direct. The ships are siblings. The target travellers overlap substantially. The quality is comparable. The choice comes down to philosophy.

Choose Azamara when destinations are the reason you cruise — overnight port stays, AzAmazing Evenings, boutique harbour access, and included drinks throughout the day. Accept the smaller dining programme, the lack of included Wi-Fi, and the 25-year-old ships.

Choose Oceania when food is the reason you cruise — Jacques Pepin, ten included dining venues, the Culinary Center, larger O-class staterooms, and the NCLH loyalty pathway to Regent. Accept that overnight port stays are the exception, not the rule.

For Australian travellers, both lines sail from Sydney, both serve the Mediterranean and Asia, and both are investing in the region. The ideal approach is to sail Azamara for port-intensive itineraries and Oceania for culinary voyages. The shared R-class layout means switching between them feels like coming home.