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Oceania Cruises’ newest ship is heading on a world tour.
The upscale cruise line’s 2026 Around the World voyage will take place on its Oceania Vista ship, which launched last year. The 180-day journey will take guests to 101 ports in 43 countries, and the ship will have all the trappings of a state-of-the-art vessel − a novel combination for the line.
“We always as operators considered the world cruise itinerary best used for older tonnage,” Frank A. Del Rio, the line’s president, told USA TODAY. “There was always this mindset that your newest and best ship had to go towards the … best-yielding itineraries, perhaps in the old days.”
World cruises often take place on older ships.
But in talking with guests, he heard previous Oceania world cruisers express excitement about Vista’s updated technology, open spaces and expanded onboard programming (particularly handy on the many sea days of a longer voyage).
What is a world cruise? It’s not a ‘shoot-from-the-hip decision’
When the cruise opened for bookings earlier this month, Del Rio said, the line saw record bookings. “We’ve never taken that many inquiries for a world cruise ever,” he said.
The response also speaks to “where our base guest is at in terms of further exploration.”
But it’s not too late to book. Here’s what travelers can expect from the cruise.
When is Oceania’s 2026 Around the World voyage?
The 1,200-passenger Vista will sail round trip from Miami on Jan. 6, 2026. The line also is offering a slightly longer 197-day version beginning Dec. 20, 2025, in Los Angeles or a shorter 120-day voyage starting in San Diego on March 7.
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Where will the cruise sail?
Guests will spend six weeks cruising around South America, followed by visits to Mexico and California. The sailing will continue with stops at South Pacific islands, including Moorea and Bora Bora, before heading to Australia.
There, guests will visit marquee ports such as Sydney and lesser-visited destinations like the Whitsunday Islands. Del Rio said that while Vista is bigger than Oceania’s typical world cruise vessel, “she’s still of a good size where we can still get into a lot of the smaller ports and definitely offer a better array of ports” than larger ships.
Southeast Asia, India, the Mediterranean, the British Isles and the Nordic region will follow before the trip winds down along the U.S. East Coast, with final visits in New York and Charleston, South Carolina.
The itinerary features 11 overnight stops, including in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Papeete on Tahiti and Phuket in Thailand, giving guests extra time to explore.
How much does the cruise cost?
Available staterooms start at $68,099, according to Oceania’s website. The fare includes meals on board, Wi-Fi, an $8,800 shore excursion credit per stateroom and more.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
Source link : https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2024/03/22/oceania-world-cruise-vista-2026/73057508007/
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Publish date : 2024-03-22 03:00:00
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