T+L’s Ship Evaluation of Oceania Riviera

From the entrance row of the whale-watching boat, I may already see the fluke of a grey whale’s tail within the distance. I’m from Alaska initially, and I’ve definitely seen whales earlier than, however each time I see one in every of these unimaginable animals, I can’t assist however smile.

I used to be simply two days into an eight-night journey aboard Riviera, an Oceania Cruises ship that was going from Whittier, Alaska, to Vancouver. The adrenaline rush was full on. Many others on my tour boat from Icy Strait Level have been additionally in excessive spirits: there have been outright squeals of pleasure and not less than one individual was clutching the individual subsequent to them as if to say, Are you able to imagine it? 

“I assume we gained’t must refund anyone in the present day,” joked Tyler Hickman, who was driving together with us. He’s the vp of operations at Icy Strait Level, which affords a money-back assure on whale-watching excursions. Since Icy Strait opened in 2004, as the primary Native-owned, purpose-built cruise port in Alaska, they’ve by no means as soon as needed to make good on these refunds.

As Hickman was explaining all this, have been interrupted by the decision of “Bears!” from the wheelhouse. We weren’t that near shore, however, by means of my digicam’s telephoto lens, I may see {that a} mom brown bear with two cubs had come out of the spruce forest to forage on the rocky seaside of Chichagof Island. The ensuing exclamations from the boat should have startled them, for they regarded up in our path earlier than scurrying again into the protection of the timber.

After we weren’t marveling at whales or bears, our group additionally noticed bald eagles, seabirds, and harbor porpoises. Then there have been the ocean lions, who appeared to thrill in jostling for place atop a crimson channel maker, barking sturdy opinions at one another as they tried to leap out of the water and knock one another off the bobbing buoy.

The remainder of the day was spent feasting on Dungeness crab, taking a scenic experience up a mountain in a cable automobile for a hike to a hidden lake, and—for a lot of passengers—screaming again down the mountain on a zipline. (I skipped that in favor of a slower, calmer experience again down within the cable automobile, though it was enjoyable to look at my new buddies make the leap.)

And that was all simply at some point. Attending to Icy Strait concerned a gorgeous day of cruising from Whittier, previous the Hubbard Glacier. Then, leaving Icy Strait, we took in views of the Tongass Nationwide Forest, the world’s largest temperate rainforest, whereas we loved afternoon tea full with smoked salmon sandwiches and a number of pastries. Our journey would proceed on to different compelling ports, together with Skagway, Sitka, and Ketchikan, in addition to Prince Rupert, BC.

Whereas Oceania has lengthy operated cruises in Alaskan waters, this journey was additionally one of many first for Riviera, which is a bit bigger than the ships that the road has traditionally operated within the state.

Right here’s my evaluation of Riviera, the ship’s many facilities, its cabins, and its eating and leisure choices—in addition to my ideas on journey within the forty ninth state.

The Staterooms

Staterooms on Riviera have high-end finishes, equivalent to crown moldings, marble counter tops, and trendy sconces, plus comparatively massive bogs and excellent bedding. All of it provides as much as one thing extra akin to a luxurious resort than a typical cruise-ship cabin. Normal facilities additionally embrace a minibar stocked with comfortable drinks, complimentary nonetheless and glowing water, Bulgari tub facilities, and 24-hour room service.

Concierge Stage Veranda staterooms include extras, together with free laundry service, a welcome bottle of prosecco, and anytime entry to a secluded spa terrace on the entrance of the ship. This class additionally grants entry to the Concierge Lounge, with its free snacks and drinks.

Suites are much more plush, with butlers to pack and unpack luggage, a full bar setup, and the choice to have room service delivered, course by course, from the ship’s specialty eating places.

Bars and Eating places

Oceania has lengthy touted its culinary prowess, and Riviera has so many eating places on board that you may dine for per week with out repeating. The Grand Eating Room might be essentially the most conventional spot, topped by a formidable Lalique crystal chandelier.

Quite a few specialty eating places are nicely value attempting; most visitors get one complimentary go to per voyage, with extra visits out there for an additional cost. Polo Grill is the steakhouse on board, whereas pan-Asian Purple Ginger was a favourite of mine due to the lobster avocado salad with fried lotus root. Toscana, with its cart of connoisseur olive oils, is the place for Mediterranean dishes. Jacques, which is called for Oceania’s onetime govt culinary director Jacques Pepin, is basic French, with celebratory dishes equivalent to lobster Thermidor.

Much less formal eating choices embrace the Terrace Café, which on Alaska sailings hosts the occasional, lavish feast that includes recent salmon, shrimp, scallops, and regionally procured recreation meats together with reindeer sausage. Waves Grill, by the pool, seems good pizzas within the evenings.

There are a number of bars together with the favored Martinis and a tiny on line casino bar with some risqué decor.

The place Riviera Sails

Riviera is new to Alaskan waters for the 2025 season, providing a mixture of sailings starting from 9 to 12 days, out of Seattle, Vancouver, or Whittier. Later in 2025, the ship will transfer throughout the Pacific Ocean, with longer itineraries beginning at 12 days in Asia, Australia, and locations equivalent to Tahiti. Riviera will return to Alaska for the summer season of 2026.

In each 2025 and 2026, choose voyages will name at Alaska’s latest cruise port: Klawock, the place guests can whale watch, chat with a Tlingit totem pole carver, go to a village craft honest, and pattern seafood in part of Alaska that’s comparatively untouched by tourism.

Shore Excursions

Oceania affords loads of shore excursions in every port, starting from sightseeing excursions to fishing expeditions, all at further value. Fortunate for me, not less than three of these excursions included limitless, butter-drenched crab legs with views of the ocean. Oceania’s descriptions of the excursions and their restrictions have been exhaustive—in a great way. Amongst others, I went out on a superb fishing tour in Ketchikan and a helicopter experience to the Denver Glacier for a dogsledding demonstration.

In the course of the latter, I discovered how Alaskan sled canine have been selectively bred for millennia for his or her distinctive traits, and aggressive dogsledding—together with the well-known Iditarod—is a solution to keep that breed. I used to be disenchanted, nonetheless, when the narrator didn’t point out what number of girls had gained the Iditarod till I requested about that on the finish. (Two girls have gained a mixed 5 instances.) Nonetheless, the journey was nicely value it, significantly the prospect to cuddle tiny, weeks-old puppies.

Facilities and Leisure

One in every of my favourite facilities was the culinary heart, a purpose-designed classroom with an illustration kitchen and particular person stations the place we may observe knife and sauté expertise. Alongside a number of different visitors, I discovered how you can completely sear a scallop (the key is to convey them to room temperature and pat them dry), whip up a smoked salmon unfold, and assemble a deep dish berry cobbler.

The ship has one pool, though chilly climate and rain on our journey saved all however the hardiest passengers out of it. The big indoor health heart was bustling most days.

There’s additionally Aquamar Spa + Vitality Heart, which affords spa therapies, health courses, and salon providers. I discovered it to really feel a bit too transactional: there was a product seminar occurring within the leisure lounge the place I used to be ready for a therapeutic massage, and that remedy ended with my therapist saying, “I’ll get you a glass of water and put together your receipt.”

A extra serene ambiance prevailed throughout afternoon tea, when a roving quartet supplied background melodies. Stage manufacturing reveals tended to observe the jukebox format, mixing the music of Broadway, Hollywood, and midcentury requirements.

Household-friendly Choices

There’s no ambiguity about this: Oceania’s ships are designed for adults. Although kids aren’t expressly prohibited on Riviera, there are not any devoted amenities for youths or teenagers. There’s no childcare supplied, leisure is decidedly adult-oriented, and eating places don’t have youngsters menus. (That mentioned, I did spot a number of households with youngsters throughout my journey.) Against this, there are quite a few cruise strains working in Alaska that make a degree of providing facilities and programming for kids.

Accessibility

Riviera has six accessible staterooms—unfold throughout Inside, Outdoors, and Veranda classes—designed for passengers utilizing wheelchairs. These staterooms, in contrast to the others onboard, would not have a step up into the toilet, and do have wider doorways, turning areas, and seize bars. Suites, that are bigger total, additionally would not have a step up into the bogs—however are usually not particularly designed for passengers utilizing wheelchairs.

How nicely customers of mobility units will be accommodated usually varies by port. That mentioned, the American and Canadian ports on Riviera’s Alaska itineraries are topic to these nations’ broad accessibility laws; they’re sometimes well-designed to accommodate most mobility wants.

Oceania recommends passengers with specific wants inform the road on the time of reserving, in order that applicable preparations will be made. Shore tour descriptions additionally describe whether or not excursions are appropriate for passengers with lowered mobility.

Riviera’s eating places and bars can accommodate all kinds of dietary restrictions and preferences—although advance discover is commonly appreciated.