Oceania Riviera arrives for landmark five-month Australian debut with one sailing left

• Oceania Riviera has arrived in Sydney for its first five-month deployment.
• Demand has been huge for the little luxury ship, already slated for a second season next year.
• And James Sitters, Vice President Sales Australia and New Zealand, has suggested a first season success just might lead to more Oceania vessels.

Oceania Cruises’ newly refurbished Riviera arrived in Sydney on Wednesday to begin an unprecedented five-month deployment — one of the longest luxury-ship seasons ever staged in Australia.

But if the line was worried about bookings, they needn’t have bothered. Demand has been so strong that, according to Oceania Cruises’ Vice President of Sales Australia & New Zealand James Sitters, only one upcoming cruise still has cabins available.

Sitters revealed the news in an interview with Cruise Passenger as he stepped off Riviera following her Singapore–Sydney voyage.

“We generally run a very low load — around 99 per cent — but if anyone is looking, there is a voyage up to Bali with some capacity,” he said. That remaining opportunity falls in March 2026, a sign of just how firmly the line’s luxury proposition is resonating with Australian travellers.

The ship’s arrival marks the beginning of Oceania’s biggest-ever commitment to the region, with Sitters describing the season as both a test of Australia’s taste for elevated cruising and a preview of what the line’s expanding fleet may deliver in future years.

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A fully reminagined ship

The 1,200-guest Riviera is no stranger to seasoned cruisers, but the vessel arriving this year is substantially transformed. Following a bow-to-stern refurbishment, Sitters said the ship now embodies a lighter, brighter luxury aesthetic designed for the next generation of high-end travellers.

“The accommodation’s been completely refurbished… the public areas, the restaurants, the fabrics — we’re really elevating the brand in the luxury space,” he said.

Oceania positions itself as “the perfect lead-in to luxury”, bridging the gap between premium cruising and the ultra-luxury territory occupied by sister brand Regent Seven Seas.

Sitters emphasised that luxury, for Oceania, is about more than soft furnishings. It’s about space and choice: a high guest-to-space ratio; carefully curated inclusions; and the ability for passengers to tailor their experience.

“We are inclusive by choice,” he said. “If clients want to take the beverage package, they can otherwise, we’ve got an amazing ship product as well.”

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Finest cuisines at sea

Riviera arrives with serious culinary credentials. The line has long promoted its “finest cuisine at sea” promise — but its recent win in the Cruise Passenger Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Cruise Line for Food underscores that Australian travellers agree.

Sitters attributes the accolade not to marketing, but to rigorous standards and deep culinary investment across the fleet. “We have one chef per 10 guests,” he explained. “Where we source our ingredients is extraordinary — and it’s not just on the ship. We run chef-led market tours so guests can engage with local food culture on shore.”

He added that guests on the Singapore–Sydney sector consistently remarked on the quality and variety of the onboard offering — even if the indulgence occasionally came with a light-hearted warning. “We may have put on a few kilos in the last few days,” Sitters joked, “but it’s all worth it.”

Healthier cruising gains momentum

While Oceania is known for gastronomy, wellness has become a core pillar of the brand’s appeal. Sitters highlighted the line’s plant-forward menus, fresh juices and smoothies, and the expanding offerings of Aquamar Kitchen — a venue available on Oceania’s newest ships.

Though Aquamar Kitchen is not on Riviera, Sitters said the line sees clear demand for wellness experiences among Australian cruisers. “People are cruising for 20, 30, 40 days and they don’t want rich meals every day,” he said. “Guests are actually coming back refreshed and revitalised. They’re skipping off the ship.”

A season spanning Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia and Asia

Riviera’s inaugural summer season in Australia offers a diverse roster of itineraries stretching across the Pacific. After departing Sydney, she will sail to Tahiti, before returning south to undertake an extensive exploration of New Zealand — a destination Sitters says resonates strongly with the Australian market, particularly for its Māori cultural experiences.

Later in the season, the ship returns to Australia before setting course north to Bali, with additional Melanesian ports rounding out the schedule. The breadth of destinations reflects Oceania’s goal of providing immersive, culinary- and culture-focused cruising rather than simple point-to-point travel.

Start of something big

The scale of Riviera’s deployment – paired with the near-complete sell-out of the season – points to a growing alignment between Oceania Cruises and Australian travellers.

Sitters confirmed that bringing Riviera south has doubled Oceania’s capacity in Australia and New Zealand. And with four additional new ships entering the fleet — including Sonata in 2027 — Oceania is hinting that more vessels may follow.

“Riviera is a great thing for the Australian market… The future looks extremely bright,” Sitters said. While he stopped short of revealing concrete plans, he agreed that the ship’s arrival signals a strengthening long-term bond between Oceania and local cruisers.

High demand defines the season ahead

Despite the buzz surrounding Riviera’s arrival, anyone hoping to join her this summer will need luck — or patience. Beyond the limited cabins left on the Bali-bound voyage, Sitters said availability is minimal across all other sailings.

Oceania’s near-99 per cent occupancy rates have become typical, and Riviera appears set to continue that streak in Australia. For the line, such demand reinforces Australia’s status as one of the world’s strongest luxury cruise markets.

For travellers, it means moving fast — or planning for the announced 2026/27  deployment.

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