Azamara vs Oceania Cruises

Please Note: There may be additional inclusions and privileges for select stateroom and suite guests or select loyalty member tiers. Activities and entertainment vary by ship, itinerary and departure and are a guide only.

The Verdict

Azamara and Oceania both sit in the upper-premium range, however, neither is all inclusive. Both offer more inclusions than contemporary lines such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line but fewer than the luxury lines like Silversea and Regent Seven Seas.

Both fares similarly include gratuities and non-alcoholic beverages (including specialty coffee and tea) but exclude shore excursions. Azamara fares tend to include a couple more perks than Oceania’s, such as complimentary alcoholic beverages and an AzAmazing Evenings event shoreside on most voyages. These are included for all guests regardless of the promotion you book, and value-add packages are available for items beyond Azamara’s standard inclusions (such as Wi-Fi and specialty dining which is not included in the cruise price).

When cruising with Oceania, guests can dine complimentary at the specialty restaurants, but will have to pay for alcoholic beverages and all shoreside activities. However, guests can usually choose either of these (beverages, or shore excursions) for free with Oceania’s OLife Choice promotion, which also gives guests complimentary Wi-Fi as an added bonus. Look out for this (and other promotions) when weighing up which is the best value option for you, and take a closer look at each line’s beverage and dining inclusions below to determine what’s most important to you in your cruise fare.

Azamara Includes Alcoholic Beverages

Azamara includes complimentary standard spirits, beers and wines for all guests, but you’ll have to pay for premium alcoholic drinks. You can purchase a beverage package to upgrade your included selections.

Oceania does not include any alcoholic beverages in their standard cruise fare, however guests can choose a complimentary House Select Beverage Package as their OLife Choice bonus (wine and beer with lunch and dinner only). Purchasing alcohol can add a considerable cost on top of the cruise fare if guests opt for another OLife Choice bonus or want to upgrade their beverage package to include spirits.

Oceania Includes Specialty Dining

Oceania’s cruise price includes all dining options (even specialty restaurants) on R-Class ships, and all but two exclusive dining experiences on O-Class ships (you’ll have to pay for wine pairing dinners in La Reserve and private dining in Privee). Across the fleet you will find a main dining room, a couple of casual venues and tea/coffee lounges, and two to four other complimentary specialty options open for dinner only (depending on your ship).

Azamara has two specialty restaurants on each of their ships, but you will have to pay a US$30 surcharge to dine in them. Complimentary options include the main dining room and a couple of venues for casual dining and snacks. If you are planning on multiple visits, specialty dining packages are available for purchase.

Which ships will suit me best?

Azamara’s three ship fleet and Oceania’s four R-Class vessels were all formerly sister ships under Renaissance Cruises, so they are comparable in size and layout. They have been revamped in each cruise line’s individual style, however, with roughly 700 guests apiece and a generous passenger to space ratio, they have a very similar feel. Oceania also has two O-Class mid-sized ships with almost double the capacity and some added facilities like The Artist Loft, the Culinary Centre, and a few extra dining venues.

Across their fleet, both Azamara and Oceania offer guests low key elegance - Azamara encourages a relaxed feel with no formal nights and Oceania promotes an elegant-casual atmosphere with ‘no ties required’. Their guests tend to be primarily 50+ and each attracts culturally curious travellers who have a deep interest in the destination, rather than those who want the onboard thrills of a resort-at-sea. You can expect guest lectures and classes and you’ll enjoy some evening shows and entertainment (Azamara is known for their signature White Night Party and AzAmazing Evenings).

With smaller ships designed to travel into the heart of destinations, both Azamara and Oceania satisfy the inquisitive world traveller and you’ll find a similar demographic and atmosphere on both. If anything is to set them apart, it may be that Oceania’s culinary program perhaps angles a little more for the connoisseurs (although foodies won’t be disappointed with Azamara’s offering) and the few extra facilities on its two mid-sized ships may appeal to cruisers making the shift from larger contemporary lines to a smaller one.

Who has the right itinerary and shore program for me?

Both Azamara and Oceania offer excursions for purchase as well as longer stays and overnights in port (plus a complimentary shuttle in a lot of them). Along with excursions that visit the signature sights, both have curated options to delve deeper.

Azamara has a collection of ‘Local Immersions’ limited to just 26 travellers, that are designed to connect more with the local culture. Their pride and joy shoreside is their AzAmazing Evenings which offer guests a private show to highlight the destination - a perk on most voyages.

Oceania’s ‘Go Local Tours’ take you into people’s homes and businesses to get a real feel for the places you visit, and their Culinary Discovery Tours (exclusive to Marina and Riviera) are another foodie-focussed standout for the line. Oceania doesn’t include any onshore experiences in their cruise price, however, guests may choose a number of free excursions as part of their OLife Choice promotion. Oceania also offers excursion packages for purchase which can save you up to 25% or 40% on the excursion prices.

Given that the onshore and onboard experience with Azamara and Oceania is relatively similar, choosing between the two may come down to where you want to go and which line offers the itinerary that suits you best. With more ships, Oceania offers a greater choice of itineraries while Azamara promotes a selection of ‘country intensive’ voyages (along with their multi-destination options) if you’re looking to get to know one destination in more depth.