A Mediterranean Speed Date on Oceania Marina
As I packed my suitcase for our Mediterranean cruise on Oceania Marina, the thought of hitting 11 cities in 12 days felt mildly reminiscent of the folly of my youth.
My first trip to Europe was a one-week escorted tour of London, Paris, and Rome. Yet, there’s a reason why that tri-city speed date still remains popular so many years later; travelers love to dip their toes in the water before they dive in.
My husband and I soon realized that cruising on a luxurious five-star floatel makes it not only possible but pleasurable to savor the taste of a dozen or so cities along the Mediterranean in one grand gulp.
Having the same haven to return to each night, without packing and unpacking, eliminates the hassle of transfers between trains, planes, and hotels.
This left us with long days, either to take advantage of a variety of interesting tours offered by the cruise line or to create self-directed excursions on our own.
Our Days On and Off The Ship
Our Mediterranean itinerary extended from Barcelona to Rome (Civitavecchia)–with stops in-between at Valencia (Spain), Palma de Majorca (Spain), Marseille (France), Saint-Tropez (France), Monaco, Portofino (Italy), Livorno (Italy), Amalfi (Italy), and Sorrento (Italy).
The lively pace of active days with relaxed evenings on Marina was sublime.
Days on the ship assumed a comfortable rhythm. We would thrill to spectacular sunrises on our balcony, eat a light breakfast in our cabin, and spend the days exploring on shore.
With a healthy sense of exhaustion, both from so much walking and the exhilaration of seeing so many new things, we generally arrived back at the boat by 4 PM for tea in the Horizon Lounge (served with a choice of pastries or finger sandwiches) or by 5 PM for cocktails at the bar while listening to a string quartet.
We relived the day by flipping through photos we had taken earlier. Because there were so many public spaces, they never felt crowded.
Every port was a different adventure. At some, we opted to travel on bumpy open-air, on-off, double-decker buses or to use public transportation. At others, we indulged in the not-inexpensive shore excursions with excellent guides on luxury coach buses that allowed us to visit places beyond the port city.
We got a taste of more than we could have ever imagined on one trip. It included:
- A cooking lesson in Sorrento;
- Walking through the James Bond casino in Monte Carlo;
- A wine-tasting at a small village in Tuscany;
- A relaxed stroll through the sculpture park at the Museum of Art and Science in Valencia, Spain;
- Visiting Cours Saleya, the magnificent outdoor market in Nice;
- Visitng cathedrals and castles in Marseilles,
- Seeing the sights in Palma de Majorca, a Spanish island in the western Mediterranean;
- Meandering through the stone alleys of the medieval village of Eze;
- Shopping within the well-preserved walls of Lucca,
- Meeting up with old friends from Italy at a bar in Livorno, and more.
Spending a week in Barcelona before our departure was like eating dessert first. We fell in love with the city’s Catalan cuisine and culture, its unique neighborhoods, and modernist architecture.
The Intimacy of a Smaller Ship with Right-Sized Cabins
Marina has no climbing walls, Vegas-style productions, or bling (except for a Lalique crystal staircase) but offers all the upscale amenities as well as the spacious feel of a luxury hotel, one with enough cabin space to walk around three sides of a bed made with 1000-thread count linens.
Our penthouse suite (Cabin 10009 on the tenth deck) had a desk and separate dressing table, a table for in-suite room-service breakfasts (which also lengthened our days), and a sitting area with a comfortable loveseat placed across from a flat-screen TV.
In muted tans and seafoam greens, the colors and fabrics felt homey and there was even a cashmere throw in a closet cubby in case it got chilly.
The 420-square-foot stateroom also had surprisingly ample storage space, with a walk-in closet large enough for suitcases (without having to wedge them under the bed) and floor-to-ceiling racks to keep shoes out of the way.
The bathroom had a full-size bath, a separate stall shower (with a rainshower head), and his and her medicine cabinets stocked with Bulgari toiletries.
On most days, there was still enough time before dinner to squeeze in hands-on cooking lessons with a CIA-trained chef in the beautifully appointed Bon Appetit Culinary Center; to get a massage or sunbathe on the private deck outside the Aquamar Spa; to take one of several free digital photography courses; or to curl up in a cozy nook in the library or on a shaded deck lounge.
A Mecca for Food Lovers
Meals onboard were fit for serious foodies. We had made reservations, in advance, to dine at each of the four no-surcharge specialty restaurants on the ship: the Italian-themed Toscana, the Polo Grill steakhouse, Asian-fusion-themed Red Ginger, and the signature Jacques Pepin French bistro (Pepin was executive culinary director of Oceania at the time).
The menu was extensive; the food was excellently prepared and beautifully presented. Even though we were eating on the ship, the chef highlighted local ingredients and recipes from the various ports of call.
On other nights, we either ate in the Grand Dining Room, alone or with other guests, or retreated to our cabin for dinner, where we were served by a butler.
Soft drinks, bottled waters, and specialties coffees (like cappuccino and espresso served at Barista’s bar or from the room minibar) were complimentary, so we never felt nickel-and-dimed. In terms of cost, Oceania is considered on the upper end of premium (rather than luxury) cruise lines.
Whether on ship or shore, being able to travel so effortlessly and to savor so many new experiences made twelve days pass far too quickly and whetted our appetites to return to our favorite spots in the region.
Disclosure: We were guests of Oceania Cruises but any opinions expressed in this post are our own.
This article was recently updated.
returned to service on May 18, 2024.
Since our sailing, public space, upholstery, and carpets have been updated, penthouse suites have been redesigned, and the ship has three new dining venues: Aquamar Kitchen, a poolside ice cream parlor, and an al fresco trattoria.
-
Also on More Time To Travel: Read Cruising the Caribbean on Oceania Marina.
Save to Pinterest!!
Great itinerary, terrible company. When we traveled on a similar itinerary onboard the Marina, after being enticed by the “smaller ship” and “best food on the seas”, we learned this was not a company we’d purchase from again. Other companies offer far better service for half the cost. My wife and I consider ourselves well-educated on food. So when half the dishes they served us were ill-prepared, it made me want to get up and teach the chefs how to properly cook various dishes. Eggs benedict with orange Hollandaise sauce? Pad Thai from the Asian restaurant that didn’t resemble anything like Pad Thai? For our next Mediterranean adventure, we’ll be going with another company…
So sorry this happened to you. Must have been a terrible disappointment. It shouldn’t but the quality of food on a cruise line or ship can vary over time.