Oceania’s New Cruise Ship Vista Has the Most Luxurious Brunch at Sea

Pounds of caviar, lobster and shrimp for days, plus an expanded cooking school and three new restaurants deliver the best cruise for food lovers.

As I sat shivering in the light rain at the table of a no-frills sports bar overlooking Rabat’s beautifully weathered Basilica of St. Paul on the island of Malta, I didn’t care too much about the fact that I’d grossly underestimated how cold it might be in the Mediterranean in early May. I cared only for the prized golden parcel sitting in front of me: a still-warm pastizz — Malta’s national snack — the flaky, layered pastry of which shattered perfectly to reveal fluffy ricotta inside. Along with a can of Kinnie, a locally beloved bittersweet orange soda, it was delicious proof that the simplest moments and ingredients can bring the most joy.

Two days earlier, it was a different experience entirely that had brought me the very same kind of giddy joy: an extravagant brunch buffet, its tables groaning under multiple 2.4-pound tins of caviar, an almost comically large shrimp tower made from stacked Champagne buckets, lobster and oysters for days, an enormous mosaic of precisely formed slabs of foie gras pâté en croûte, and a station where you could have Jacques Pépin’s crêpes suzette flambéed to order.

Both experiences were delivered by Oceania Cruises’ new ship, Vista, the former via a Taste of Malta shore excursion and the latter via a special celebration in its opulent Grand Dining Room. (The brunch is offered on at-sea days on longer itineraries.) I was one of the first passengers on board the ship on its weeklong christening voyage, a round trip from Rome via Malta and Corsica — enough time to eat often and well and to seek out Oceania’s newest culinary offerings.

Related: 10 Best Cruises for Onboard Culinary Experiences

Thankfully, Malta’s pastizzi aren’t the only way to get a seriously good pastry while cruising with Vista; the cruise line added a bakery to the coffee bar Baristas on deck 14 overlooking the pool. The bakery’s glassed-in production kitchen means temptation can stare you right in the eye, daring you not to leave without a chocolate-almond croissant — a dare I accepted most mornings, along with a shot of espresso pulled by a couple of Italian baristas. (Pro tip: If you go in the afternoon, ask them to pour you an aged Negroni from the barrel on the bar and take it with you to an armchair in the library right next door, the chicest and quietest spot on the ship.)

It’s easy to counter such indulgences with a visit to the new Aquamar Kitchen, a couple of decks down, for breakfast or lunch. The space’s elegant brightness is philosophically reflected in the menu’s vibrant energy bowls and salads that highlight fresh veggies, grains, and greens, as well as in the wine list’s focus on low-alcohol and nonalcoholic wines. The restaurant leans into a distinct California vibe, a result of a research trip taken by Oceania Cruises’ senior leadership and culinary team through Napa and San Francisco in the planning stages. “[Former CEO] Bob Binder made us eat at 20 restaurants a day for three days,” jokes Bernhard Klotz, Oceania’s vice president of food and beverage.

Ember, the last of the new dining concepts, hews closer to New York than California, with a menu of crab cakes, bone-in rib eyes, and cheeseburgers served against a backdrop of exposed brick, tan leather booths, and linen-free wooden tables. The restaurant is also the setting for a new five-course wine-themed lunch called The Cellar Master’s Classic Wine Pairing Lunch, which includes generous pours, commentary, and an opportunity to interact with the sommelier.

Related: On This Mediterranean Cruise There's No Need to Leave the Ship for an Unforgettable Culinary Experience

After one such lunch, I sat down with Klotz, an affable Austrian wearing a crisp chef’s coat and a wry smile, to chat about all the ways Oceania Cruises’ newest ship is taking the cruise line’s culinary commitment to the next level. Whether through its sourcing (“We worked hard to find an excellent supplier of French butter and flour for the pastry program”), quality (“Oceania is the first line to really prioritize scratch baking”), or hospitality (“We have one chef for every 10 guests on board”), it’s clear the line is laser-focused on its culinary cred.

Oceania Cruises’ dedication to wonderful food experiences also extends to guests who want to learn to cook: There are 16 new cooking classes passengers can book, and Vista unveiled an expanded Culinary Arts Center with 24 shiny kitchen bays and an adjoining chef studio and cookbook library, both with floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase the big blue ocean at its best. The day I stopped by, I learned to make limoncello with nothing more than lemons, vodka, sugar, and water — yet more proof that the simplest ingredients can make the most delicious things. Now, I just need to hunt down another pastizz to go with my next limoncello spritz.

2024 at a glance

Oceania’s Vista

• 64 itineraries, from 7 to 36 days

• 12 restaurants

• 3 bars

• 1,200 passengers

Our picks

• 7-day Athens to Istanbul, from $3,399

• 10-day Rome to Lisbon, from $4,299

• 21-day Istanbul to Jerusalem, from $8,299

Book these shore excursions

• Taormina & Villagrande with Etna DOC Wines (Catania, Sicily)

• Fish & Spice Markets and Turkish Lunch at Grand Bazaar (Istanbul, Turkey)

• Chef-Led Local Market, Olive Farm & Scenic Lunch Tour (Palma de Mallorca, Spain)

Take these cooking classes on board

• Mastering Heat: Unleashing Intense Flavor

• Taste and Technique: A Chef’s Tool Kit

• Passport to the Cradle of Civilization
  

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