Oceania Nautica

Oceania Nautica was built in 2000 by Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, though she began life under different ownership. After sailing for Pullmantur Cruises between 2002 and 2004, she entered service with Oceania Cruises in 2005. She is a mid-sized ship, carrying around 700 passengers, and forms part of Oceania's R-Class with sister ships Regatta, Insignia and Sirena.

Nautica was designed to create an atmosphere more like an English country house hotel than a conventional cruise vessel, with a well-balanced range of amenities while maintaining a comfortable and intimate feel. The ship features four open-seating restaurants, the Aquamar Spa and Vitality Center, eight lounges and bars, a casino, and 340 suites and staterooms, with nearly seventy percent featuring private verandas.

Food is taken seriously here. The Grand Dining Room serves as the main venue, alongside specialty restaurants including Toscana, Polo Grill and Red Ginger, as well as the Terrace Cafe for more casual international dining, all included in your fare. There are more than two thousand books in the ship's library, and bars range from the chic Grand Bar for pre-dinner cocktails to the laid-back Waves Bar by the pool and Horizons lounge.

Entertainment includes high-energy production shows, vocal performances and classical music. The deck games include shuffleboard and a nine-hole mini-golf putting green. The ship's decks feature fine teak, custom stone and tile work, with lounges and staterooms furnished in neo-classical style. Suites and staterooms are generously dimensioned, with interiors in traditional hardwoods, rich fabrics, fine furnishings and original art.

Nautica suits adults seeking a smaller, sophisticated ship with substantial onboard facilities, attentive service from a crew of around four hundred, and the kind of restrained elegance that appeals to seasoned cruisers. Passengers can track the precise route their ship took on The Cruise Globe.