Oceania Regatta: The Ship the Line Was Built On (2026)

The short version

One of the two ships Oceania began with, and the one that gives the class its name. She carries the flagship title within the R class and a repeat following that borders on devotion.

SailsPort-dense itineraries; Mediterranean and worldwide

Her claimThe class namesake, and one of the two ships that started the line in 2002

Best forRepeat Oceania guests and travelers who want the small-ship itineraries

The catchNo Culinary Center and no Red Ginger — only Sirena has the latter

Not her? Insignia · Nautica · Sirena · or the class guide.

Where the line began

She is the company’s starting point, not just a ship in it. Tap each one.

Oceania Regatta, specifically

Four ways she differs from the ships she otherwise resembles.

The context

Ordered by a company that failed

Built in 1998 at Chantiers de l’Atlantique as “R Two” for Renaissance Cruises, which collapsed in 2001 while building a series of six.

On this ship

The foundation of a new line

Oceania launched in 2002 using Regatta and Insignia — effectively a reincarnation of the failed Renaissance, built on its abandoned ships.

The read: without this hull there is no Oceania. That is not marketing; the company was assembled around these two ships.

Her four restaurants

A shorter list than the brand’s marketing implies, and worth knowing before you book.

Polo Grill and Toscana are aboard, with no cover charge, plus the Terrace Café with its cook-to-order grill and Baristas for coffee. Four open-seating restaurants in total.

What is not aboard: the Culinary Center, which no R-class ship has, and Red Ginger, which among the small ships only Sirena carries.

Her three sisters

Three sisters, and three genuinely different futures.

The Regatta Class · Oceania Cruises

Sister ship

Oceania Insignia

The oldest hull, the world-cruise ship, and the one that nearly left the fleet.

Sister ship

Oceania Nautica

Becoming Oceania Aurelia in late 2027 — 476 guests, all suites.

Sister ship

Oceania Sirena

Ex-Ocean Princess, and the only small ship with Red Ginger. Six restaurants.

The The Regatta Class guide compares the class in full, and the Oceania fleet guide covers all eight ships.

The honest read

What she genuinely gets right

One of the two ships Oceania was built on
The class namesake, with a devoted repeat following
Reaches harbors the larger hulls cannot
Fully rebuilt under the $100m OceaniaNEXT program
Under 700 guests — genuinely personal service

Where the fit breaks

No Culinary Center — and none is possible at this size
No Red Ginger; only Sirena has it in this class
A 1998 hull, whatever the refit did to the surfaces
Fewest venues in the fleet on long sea-day stretches
Sirena carries six restaurants to her four

The thing I’d want a client to hear

Regatta is booked by two very different people: those who want a specific itinerary she happens to be sailing, and those who want her. The second group is unusually loyal, and if you become one of them you will understand why quickly — a 670-guest ship with 400 crew is a different kind of holiday.

But the honest warning stands. If you chose Oceania because of the cooking school and the food writing, this ship has neither the Culinary Center nor Red Ginger. Her sister Sirena has six restaurants to Regatta’s four. That is a real gap and nobody volunteers it at the booking stage.

Ask Seabound about Oceania Regatta

The itinerary, or the ship?

Tell us where you want to go and whether the Culinary Center or Red Ginger matters to you — and we’ll tell you honestly whether Regatta is right or whether Sirena or a larger class fits better.

Why is Oceania Regatta special?Does Oceania Regatta have Red Ginger?How old is Oceania Regatta?Regatta or Sirena?How many guests on Oceania Regatta?Was Oceania Regatta refurbished?

Answers are always verified against current Oceania information before you book.

Quick answers

Why is Oceania Regatta significant?

She is one of the two ships Oceania launched with in 2002, alongside Insignia, and she gives the R class its name. The company was effectively assembled around these two hulls, which had been built for Renaissance Cruises before it collapsed in 2001. She also carries the flagship title within the class and an unusually devoted repeat following.

Does Oceania Regatta have Red Ginger?

No. Among the four R-class ships, only Sirena carries Red Ginger. Regatta, Insignia and Nautica do not. Regatta does have Polo Grill and Toscana, the two restaurants that built Oceania's reputation, and neither carries a cover charge.

How old is Oceania Regatta?

She was built in 1998 at Chantiers de l'Atlantique as R Two for Renaissance Cruises. She was drydocked in September 2019 as part of Oceania's $100 million OceaniaNEXT refurbishment program, which rebuilt all four R-class ships, so judge her on refit date rather than build year.

Regatta or Sirena?

Sirena is the better-provisioned ship. She carries six restaurants to Regatta's four, including Red Ginger, because she came to Oceania from Princess Cruises with a slightly different layout. If dining variety matters and you want a small ship, book Sirena. If a specific Regatta itinerary is what you want, the ships are otherwise near-identical.

How many guests does Oceania Regatta carry?

Around 670 at double occupancy, with roughly 400 crew, giving a guest-to-staff ratio of about 1.71 to 1. That makes her less than half the size of Marina and Riviera and a fraction of any mainstream ship.

Was Oceania Regatta refurbished?

Yes, in September 2019 as part of the OceaniaNEXT program, a roughly $100 million project covering all four R-class ships and supervised by the design firm Studio DADO. The work included new lobbies and grand staircases, and rebuilt cabins and bathrooms throughout.

Not sure which Oceania ship fits your trip?

Talk to a Seabound advisor