Oceania Cruises officially welcomed its newest ship, Oceania Allura, during a christening event at the Port of Miami. The ceremony marked a historic moment for the cruise line with a first-of-its-kind godparent collaboration that placed acclaimed chefs at center stage.
In a unique tribute to the Food & Wine Best New Chefs franchise, celebrated culinary talents Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Katie Button, Calvin Eng, Aisha Ibrahim, George Mendes, and Lawrence “LT” Smith jointly served as the ship’s godparents. The chefs performed the traditional Champagne bottle break across the bow, symbolically blessing Oceania Allura and all who will sail on her.
The celebration began with a ship-wide cocktail reception and gourmet dinner, showcasing Oceania’s trademark focus on gastronomy. Guests then moved shoreside for the formal christening, where Oceania executives—including Chief Luxury Officer Jason Montague and Chief Commercial Officer Nathan Hickman—joined Food & Wine publisher Tom Bair in offering heartfelt remarks. Following the ceremony, attendees embarked on a special three-day round-trip celebratory sailing from Miami.
The event drew a number of distinguished attendees, including past Oceania godmothers: celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis (Oceania Vista), Iron Chef Cat Cora (Oceania Riviera), and Claudine Pépin (Oceania Sirena), daughter of legendary chef Jacques Pépin, the cruise line’s first Executive Culinary Director.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to officially welcome Oceania Allura to our fleet,” said Chief Luxury Officer Jason Montague. “Christening her here in Miami—our hometown—feels perfectly fitting. This city represents the same vibrancy and sophistication that defines our brand, and we are honored to celebrate alongside such distinguished godparents.”
Set to begin her inaugural season soon, Oceania Allura will sail to more than 92 destinations on voyages ranging from 7 to 34 days. She is the sister ship to the acclaimed Oceania Vista and becomes the eighth vessel in the fleet. Designed with spacious luxury in mind, Allura features the most generous standard staterooms at sea—over 290 square feet—along with a guest capacity of 1,200 and an impressive service ratio of two crew members for every three guests, nearly half of whom work in culinary roles.
