Oceania Cruises recently revealed the initial details of its upcoming series of newbuilds, the Sonata class.
Now under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the first vessel in the class will be the Oceania Sonata.
According to a press release, the ship is set to kick off its maiden season in the summer of 2027, becoming the ninth vessel in Oceania’s fleet.
Ordered as part of Norwegian Cruise Line’s record-breaking deal with Fincantieri, the Sonata will be followed by a sister ship, the Oceania Arietta, in 2029.
The 86,000-ton vessels will have the capacity for approximately 1,450 guests each, becoming the largest in Oceania’s fleet.
According to the company, the Sonata and the Arietta will also be the “most spacious and amenity-rich in the fleet.”
The new ship class will “herald a new era in refined luxury cruising” and will feature a “ground-breaking design,” the company added.
Oceania also stated that the vessels will serve as the “pinnacle of culinary artistry, destination-driven experiences and refined luxury at sea.”
Of note, unlike previous newbuilds, the Sonata and the Arietta will have the Oceania prefix added to their names.
In addition to the two Sonata-class vessels, Oceania is also taking delivery of an additional Allura-class ship in the near future.
As a sister to the 2023-built Vista, the Allura is currently in the final stages of construction at the Fincantieri shipyard.
The new 1,200-guest ship is set to be delivered ahead of a maiden season in the Mediterranean starting in July 2025.
In a further fleet change, the upscale company is retiring one of its oldest ships, the Insignia, towards the end of 2027.
The 1999-built vessel is set to be transferred to luxury residential cruising startup Crescent Seas after completing a farewell tour in South America and Europe.