First Look: Oceania's Allura Review

We were looking forward to experiencing Oceania's culinary offerings, especially with their "Finest Cuisine at Sea" trademark, yet we couldn't get around to trying everything because there was that much choice! Allura's Signature Dining venues are Aquamar Kitchen with healthy meals such as poke bowls and smoothies; a Crêperie offering French crêpes, Belgian and bubble waffles, and ice creams sundaes; the pan‑Asian speciality restaurant Red Ginger (our favourite) which includes 12 Nikkei fusion dishes; Jacques, featuring reimagined French classics served with theatrical flair; American restaurant Polo Grill with its surf and turf style menu; the ever-loved Italian, Toscana; Terrace Café with its al fresco buffet dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner across the stern; the shaded poolside dining spot of Waves Grill for made-to-order all-American favourites; and The Grand Dining Room which showcased a variety of seafood, meat and pastry dishes in a special brunch for the occasion was a spectacle for the senses! (NB brunch is only offered on maiden voyages, world cruises or significant holiday seasons).

Allura's Culinary Centre and Chef's Studio offer hands-on cooking classes, cocktail making sessions and wine pairing classes from $95 per person, as well as curated Culinary Discovery Tours ashore for further indulgence during your voyage - a must for all foodies! Any dietary requirements and/or food allergies when cruising aboard Allura are met with the menus for each restaurant being delivered to your suite for you to customise your dining experience each evening.

To burn off any of those easily piled-on calories you can join complimentary yoga, Pilates and metabolism classes, work out on state-of-the-art gym equipment in the Fitness Centre, enjoy a pampering and relax in serenity at the Aquamar Spa - complete with salon and barber shop - or make use of the impressive outdoor activities on Decks 15 and 16 such as shuffleboard, croquet, bocce, jogging track, and a 18-hole putting green, or as my friend and I have just taken up padel tennis, we worked up a sweat in 28 degrees on the court, where you can also play pickle ball. Of course, relaxing around the elegantly designed pool edged with jacuzzis and stylish cabanas was a wonderful time to while away a few hours too.

Allura's elegant public spaces include the Grand Lounge, a Library decorated in Ralph Lauren, the Horizons Lounge on Deck 14 with panoramic views over the bow - always popular for the DJ's set after dinner - and bars such as Martinis and Founders, which are buzzing lounges for pre-dinner drinks offering creative and smoke-filled cocktail lists. Then there's the Casino, a Connoisseurs Lounge for cigar and pipe smoking, and the Allura Lounge to enjoy Oceania's house band, singers and dancers performing musical inspired shows and hit music tributes across the decades - Deck 5 is also where you'll find the reception, excursions and Concierge desks, as well as a range of luxury boutiques.

Oceania's focus on enrichment has certainly been met with the introduction of the LYNC Digital Center offering complimentary creative tech classes (from 'how to use your iPad' and iPhone photography to security and privacy learning). Then, the collaboration with the Culinary Centre will enable guests to 'snap, sip and snack' during their voyage or further educate themselves with art classes, tutorials and demonstrations in the new Art Studio - all of which are on Deck 14.

Named to reflect the excitement of "an immersive new journey", for seasoned cruisers and culinary connoisseurs, Allura offers curated itineraries with complimentary gourmet experiences across multiple venues in reimagined and elevated onboard spaces. There's a sense of relaxed luxury with soft furnishings, numerous activities and an emphasis on learning on board, and with four ships expected every other year from 2027, you'll come away from an Oceania voyage feeling full, energised, and inspired.