Oceania Cruises’ has announced plans to completely overhaul its R-class cruise liners in a US $100-million project called OceaniaNEXT.

The most obvious changed being made are to the décor of each ship, but the multi-year project will impact all aspects of the cruise experience with Oceania.

The emphasis on cuisine and fine dining, and its destination focused itineraries will also be enhanced.

Insignia will be the first of the four R-class cruise ships to go into dry-dock.

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All four of Oceania’s smaller R-class cruise ships (Regatta, Insignia, Nautica and Sirena) will get overhauled public spaces and completely new staterooms.

The cruise line says it has sought input from its past passengers and travel partners to develop these plans to enhance its on-board product, programs and service.

The initial renderings of the planned décor show a stripped back interior with simple colours and shapes replacing the more complex and colourful palette the ships currently feature.

Staterooms and Suites

The new look for the four ships will be most dramatic in the staterooms and suites, which will be stripped to the frames and redone from scratch.

The dark woods, brown hues and wave-inspired couches and headboards will be replaced with a lighter, brighter and cleaner look.

The silvery grays and greens with sapphire and taupe accents take inspiration from sea and sky, according to Oceania.

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The intended effect is to make cabins feel more spacious. At 176 sq ft on average, the R-class cruise ships have the smallest staterooms in the Oceania fleet, and some of the smallest in the luxury cruising segment.

According to Oceania Cruises’ press release, the cabins will feature “custom-crafted furnishings, exotic stone and polished wood finishes, and designer accessories”.

The staterooms will also get USB ports and an interactive TV system (including movies on demand and weather forecasts for the cruise).

All ensuites will also be remodelled with new designer fixtures and lighting, glass shower enclosures and modernised vanities.

The more spacious bathrooms in the Penthouse, Vista, and Owner’s Suites will be redone in luxury style with Carrara marble, polished granite and onyx.

Public Spaces

The public spaces aboard all the R-class ships will also be completely overhauled. A huge chandelier will be added to the remodelled dining room, hanging above buttery soft leather dining chairs done in cream with metallic bronze threading.

In the dining room and the Grand Bar, the ceiling frescos will be removed, replaced with a more minimalist ceiling design matching the theme of the rest of the ship.

The old and new Martinis Bar aboard Oceania Insignia (all comparison images courtesy Cruise Critic)

The popular country house feel of red accents and elaborate fabric designs of the main bar area, Martinis, will be replaced with a palette of Grecian blue, sienna and chocolate browns and pewter. The walnut-coloured wall panelling will remain the same.

Oceania says the new design for the bar was inspired by Santorini.

The Reception Hall and Upper Hall will also be refurbished, most notably along the Grand Staircase, which will sparkle with highly designed railings and balustrades inset with crystal and overlooked by a chandelier, accentuated with smoked and hand-painted glass.

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Other changes include opening up Horizons to make it brighter with unobstructed 270-degree views and new furnishings in specialty restaurants Toscana and Polo. The Library will be refreshed by keep some of its original decorative elements.

The new design has been created by Miami-based Studio DADO, while interior design firms Baker and Donghia have been hired to provide furnishings, with textile designers Rubelli and Kravet dressing public areas in their fabrics.

Oceania’s 684-passenger Insignia will be the first ship to go into dry-dock, emerging with her new look on December 7^th, 2018. The nearly identical R-class sisters will get their makeovers over the next two years: Sirena in May, 2019, Regatta in September, 2019 and Nautica in June, 2020.

The refurbishment of the ships will be followed with phase two of OceaniaNEXT, which will introduce new dining concepts and experiences. These will expand on the new lunch and dinner menus with a global flair, as well as new culinary classes introduced by Oceania in 2018.