Oceania Cruises is debuting their award-winning ship Riviera to cruise the waters of the Inside and Outside Passage of America’s Last Frontier this summer.
Oceania Cruises
On Dec. 11, 2024, the editors of Conde Nast Traveler magazine released their famed Gold List for 2025 naming the Oceania Riviera as one of the best cruise ships in the world.
That’s quite the honor for there are many fine cruise ships plying the rivers and oceans of the world. The Carson City Chamber is pleased to expand our travel offerings in 2025 to include this award-winning medium-size ship for a 10-day cruise along Alaska’s famed Inside and Outside Passage departing Seattle on July 29, 2025.
There are many ships of all sizes cruising the Pacific Coast of Alaska, and then there’s the Riviera, a class all its own. The editors of the acclaimed Conde Nast Traveler declared, “Riviera hits the sweet spot for food and wine devotees, delivering exceptional cuisine, wine pairing extravaganzas, and culinary and vintner-driven shore excursions. Among the well-maintained vessels, Riviera and twin Marina rank the largest, and arguably, the most stylish. The two were purpose-built for foodies, showcasing more dining choices and a Culinary Center offering hands-on cooking classes.”
The Riviera has been honored with 49 awards to date bestowed by top cruise critics. As written by Colleen McDaniel, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic, the online cruise review site, “It's impossible to talk about Riviera without mentioning food. That's because dining and cuisine are deeply entwined with the ship and its programming. Cuisine is an art form onboard, with attention given to even the smallest details, from idea to execution. Menus are vast and balanced; even people who don't think of themselves as foodies will be happy with the selection. Oceania smartly leverages partnerships and branding with the likes of Jacques Pepin and Wine Spectator to ensure tours and enrichment include cuisine as well.” Cruise Critic reviews 700 cruise ships from stem to stern and has given a 5.0 excellent rating to the Riviera.
Master chef Pepin serves as Riveria’s executive culinary director, and his touch is evident in all the eateries. Featured is the Grand Dining Room plus four specialty restaurants, each unique, and open to all passengers.
Whatever your food requirement, the chefs can accommodate you. Pepin’s namesake restaurant “Pepin” features his famous dishes in a typical French bistro setting. There’s the extensive buffet loved by so many along with an outdoor grill and who wouldn’t want to dine at the Polo Grill Steakhouse.
Those who love coffee and tea can enjoy two all-day coffee bars and afternoon white-gloved tea at 4 p.m. daily, which would make any Brit proud, at no extra charge. The only restaurant not included in the fare is the La Reserve known for wine-pairings.
All this and 24-hour room service will keep any hunger pangs at bay. Enjoy a specialty cocktail? Plenty of choices to sip and converse with friends in the lounges. The Riviera offers excellent service attended by a crew of 800 who have been trained to meet the needs of 1,250 passengers.
Fully refurbished in 2022, the 11 decks feature beautifully appointed public spaces and staterooms. The comfortable staterooms feature custom plush beds, BVLGARI toiletries and granite and marble bathrooms large enough to fit in a full-size bathtub. The higher categories offer amenities such as a private lounge, concierge service and more.
I’ve put so much emphasis on the dining and the ship, that I’ve ignored a very important part of this trip – the ports. The Riviera can dock in ports not accessible to larger ships thus providing for a “deeper dive” port experience with many optional excursions from which to choose.
You will spend approximately 12 hours in each of the ports to include Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Sitka, and Victoria BC (you’ll need a passport to tour Victoria). There are two days “at sea,” first cruising from Seattle along the Inside Passage to Ketchikan and a day cruising the scenic Outside Passage on your way to Victoria, BC. On day six, a true highlight will be cruising the six-mile-wide Hubbard Glacier, 200 miles NW of Juneau. If you book a veranda suite, you can enjoy the relaxing cruise days viewing incredible scenery in private.
Alaska is the ultimate cruise destination, and the Oceania Riviera is the ultimate ship to experience the sights, smells, foods, history and culture of American’s Last Frontier.
The well-traveled and discerning editors of Conde Nast enthusiastically write, “If you’re passionate about food and wine and exploring the world in style, you’ll love life onboard Riviera.”
Got a special occasion coming up or want to travel “just because?” We’ve partnered with GoNext to offer this magnificent cruise, sightseeing, and dining experience starting at $4,799 per person for an ocean view stateroom to include round-trip air from Reno, airport transfers, a $200 per cabin shipboard credit, free wi-fi, free champagne, wine and more. Don’t delay in booking. The sailing day is only seven months away. While we are in the middle of our summer heat wave, you will be enjoying cool breezes and being spoiled on the luxurious Riviera. Call the chamber at 775-882-1565.