A surf and turf burger in the Waves Grill tops a thick patty of wagyu beef with medallions of lobster. A spicy salad in Red Ginger stacks strips of crispy duck with succulent cubes of watermelon and cashews. And wherever you go there are decadent pastries that are tiny works of art.
Oceania Cruises has trademarked the claim that they serve the Finest Cuisine at Sea. Have they still got what it takes? On their new Vista, the temptations are everywhere and included in the fare. Let’s have a taste test:
Red Ginger This intimate Asian restaurant might cost you hundreds for an evening out if it were in Tokyo, but it’s one of the perks of sailing on Oceania. The service is so elegant the waitress even offers a choice of artistic chopsticks to match your style and mood. The menu features intriguing takes on the flavors of Thailand, Korea, Japan and Malaysia. Start with the sushi chef’s selection or one of nearly a dozen exotic appetizers from spring or summer rolls to caramelized jumbo prawns. Then, it’s impossible to resist the signature salad made with scrumptious pieces of roast duck with big cubes of sweet watermelon and cashews and tangs of mint and Thai basil. And for an entrée, it was a hard choice between the lobster pad Thai and the miso-glazed sea bass I decided to choose. Every bite was a treat.
Toscana Imagine a family-run restaurant in Florence but with vaulted ceilings, marble walls, inlaid floors, Venetian glass and Versace China. Resist the urge to sample all the fresh breads served with a choice of olive oils and maybe try a couple of the first courses: the octopus carpaccio with Champagne vinaigrette or the artichoke and parmesan cheese timbale with black truffle sauce. Pastas and risottos are standouts, many of them actually from recipes that came from the mothers and grandmothers of the restaurant’s Italian culinary staff. My risotto with lobster medallions and shallots was so tempting that it disappeared before I was able to take a photo to share. And in good Italian tradition, there are always daily chef’s specials. One of the most intriguing desserts I’ve ever had was a creamy froth served in a coffee cup made of dark chocolate. This restaurant not only satisfies the palate, it’s fun.
Polo Grill It seems no cruise ship’s complete without a steakhouse and this room gives a modern twist to its classic dark woods and burgundy leather and white table cloths. As expected, dry-aged USDA Prime beef is the star here along with a selection of seafood, including grilled swordfish and whole Maine lobster. You can go up to 32 ounces with the porterhouse but really, the seven-ounce filet mignon (maybe turned into a surf and turf with a lobster tail) is more than enough with all the sides available, like sautéed mushroom Persillade, or steamed asparagus, and of course, steak fries. Or think outside the box with house specialty pancetta wrapped filet of veal with bay lobster tail Oscar style. No matter what, come hungry because there’s a daunting menu of rich desserts.
Ember is a new addition to the Oceania Cruises’ family of restaurants devoted to comfort foods and a menu you can spend a leisurely time enjoying or having a quick dinner before catching a show. Open for lunch and dinner, it features a menu of inventive American dishes that includes such out of the ordinary creations as braised short ribs on polenta and grilled swordfish with asparagus, I went with the blackened crab cakes with spicy aioli, and a Cobb salad with smoked chicken, A treat is you can watch the chefs in constant motion around the open kitchen preparing he dishes you’re about to be served. Coming soon, Jacques. In October, 2025, Ember will be transformed into a restaurant devoted to the French country cuisine inspired by Oceania’s celebrity chef and culinary advisor Jacques Pépin.
The Grand Dining Room on Vista successfully uses Art Deco dividers to make the restaurant feel like a series of smaller dining spaces rather than a vast room. Oceania’s main dining menus have always featured ever-changing selections of Continental dishes, but with Vista comes a new array of options, with a daily suggested menu from Chef Pépin’s classics, a set of featured Global flavors, and a selection of healthy Aquamar Spa Vitality Cuisine. Frankly, there are so many choices, it’s daunting.
The Bakery on deck 14 with its kitchen freshly baking French and Italian pastries, is the place to meet and eat through the day. There are cinnamon swirls, decadent croissants in intriguing variations. Think almond croissants filled with chocolate. And then at 11 they bring out brunch options like mini bacon and mushroom quiches beignets, sandwiches.The large seating area is fringed by Baristas that offers complimentary illy® espressos, cappuccinos and lattes along with finger sandwiches and homemade biscotti If the fragrance of the baking doesn’t make you hungry, the sun coming through big picture windows overlooking the ocean will definitely inspire you. Or you can head across the hall to the gorgeous Library, packed with art books and more reading than you could ever get to on a full year of cruising. I’d set up here all morning long on a sea day, if only they provided more convenient plugs for powering up my computer.
Terrace Café is the ultimate informal dining experience any time of day, whether inside the plushly adorned dining room or alfresco at one of the shaded tables on the rear terrace. At breakfast, Terrace Café features station after station of savory and sweet temptations including cooked -to-order eggs, omelets, pancakes and waffles. Lunch features themed international buffets along with carving stations and a pizzeria. In the evening, the offerings switch over to grill selections of fish and meats as well as freshly prepared sushi and sashimi. Special Chef’s Market Dinners feature locally inspired specialties from the ports of call.
Aquamar Kitchen is an alternative to the buffet with a promise of “wellness-inspired indulgence.” Breakfast selections include cold-pressed raw juices and super-food smoothies, homemade granolas and avocado toasts, organic power bowls, and savory breakfast wraps. For lunch, an extensive menu of tasty, healthy dishes are offered. Including slow-roasted organic salmon with quinoa tabouleh and lemon tahini, yellowfin tuna tacos with white cabbage slaw, and crunchy chicken sandwich on a freshly-baked whole grain bun.
Waves Grill Where else in the world will you find a surf and turf burger made with wagyu beef and medallions of lobster any time of the day and at no extra charge? It’s among the all-American/ world dining faves at this casual, if sometimes very busy, shaded area steps between the swimming pool and Terrace Café, The menu is extensive and you can have things made to order. Along with the burgers, there are classics like grilled Reubens that are so laden with meat and cheese that they really are best shared because you’ll also want to have a fresh salad and some truffle fries alongside. And there’s also a gelateria with homemade sorbets and creamy-rich ice creams made by San Francisco company Humphry Slocombe with names like After School Delight that are too good to pass up. Caution: don’t put a scoop of the ice cream on a chocolate brownie if you don’t want to find yourself doing it every day.
The Verdict: Oceania’s Vista hits the sweet spot. If the specialties on menus aboard Oceania’s Vista were offered at restaurants on shore, you might have a tough time snagging a table. On Vista, an experience at each of the specialty restaurants is included in the fare for each segment of a cruise. A week or two on board is scrumptuous, but you can also settle in and stay a while on this ship because it’s purpose-built for world travel. In fact, in 2026 you could sail on Vista without repeating a port for 245 days. That would make for a lot of visits to these world-class restaurants. Sweet.
Story by Wallace Immen, The Cruisington Times
