On July 10, Fincantieri, one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups, announced on its official website that its Sestri Ponente shipyard in Genoa had delivered the cruise ship Oceania Allura to Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) for its Oceania Cruises subsidiary. At the delivery ceremony, Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed that it will build four larger luxury cruise ships for Oceania Cruises over the next 10 years.
Oceania Allura is the newest addition to the Oceania Cruises fleet, with sister ship Oceania Vista due to be delivered from the same shipyard in May 2023. The ship will depart from Piraeus, Greece on July 18 for its maiden voyage, and will sail in the Mediterranean during the summer before moving to Canada/New England and the Caribbean.
The two Oceania-class cruise ships are the first new ships built by Oceania Cruises in over a decade and are part of its expansion plan focused on culinary experiences and destinations. Currently, Oceania Cruises is advancing its fleet renewal plan, which includes leasing its oldest ship, the “Insignia” (3,077 gross tons, built in 1998), to Crescent Seas starting in 2027.
The Oceania Allura has a gross tonnage of 68,000, a length of 246 meters, can accommodate 1,200 passengers and is equipped with 600 cabins. It is slightly larger than the Marina and Riviera, both of which are 66,000 gross tonnage, built by Fincantieri for Oceania Cruises in 2011 and 2012.
With a gross tonnage of approximately 68,000 tons, a length of 246 meters, and a guest capacity of 1,200 passengers accommodated in 600 staterooms, Oceania Allura™ represents a further step in Oceania Cruises’ commitment to combining elegance, culinary excellence, and destination-focused experiences. The interiors have been designed with a blend of grand and welcoming spaces to deliver the company’s signature small cruise ship luxury experience, but with a fresh, new interpretation. The new vessel stands out for a high level of innovation devoted to the principles of sustainability.
In 2024, Oceania Cruises’ parent company NCLH signed a long-term construction plan worth $9 billion with Fincantieri. As part of the plan, NCLH signed a contract to build two Sonata-class cruise ships for Oceania Cruises. The total tonnage of this class of cruise ships is 86,000 and can accommodate about 1,450 passengers. The first cruise ship “Oceania Sonata” started construction on June 4, 2025, and the sister ship was named “Oceania Arietta”, which will be delivered in 2027 and 2029 respectively.
The shipbuilding plan signed last year also includes the construction of two cruise ships for NCLH’s Regent Seven Seas Cruises, which are expected to be delivered in 2026 and 2029, with a gross tonnage of 77,000 and a capacity of about 850 passengers; and the construction of four ships for Norwegian Cruise Line, which are expected to be delivered in 2030, 2032, 2034 and 2036, respectively. They are the largest cruise ships ever built by this cruise brand, with a gross tonnage of about 200,000 and each cruise ship can accommodate about 5,000 passengers. All of them are now in effect.