Our Marketing Manager, Blake, recently cruised through Canada and Alaska onboard the premium Oceania Cruises ship, the Riviera. Sailing from Vancouver, Canada, up the Inside Passage to Anchorage, Alaska, this 9-day itinerary explored charming towns, dramatic landscapes, and wildlife-rich coastal scenery.
Peak Alaskan season is between May and August, allowing travellers to maximise the (slightly) warmer weather for scenic views and spotting wildlife. Alaska can be a notoriously difficult destination to plan a trip to because many of the destinations can only be accessed by boat or plane. So, taking an Alaskan cruise offers an ideal way to experience the best of Alaska with all of the ‘hotel comforts’ at your fingertips.
Oceania Cruises offers a premium small-ship experience, with elegant interiors, attentive service, and a focus on fine dining. Be sure to explore this Oceania Cruises Canada Alaska itinerary or get in touch with a Tour + Cruise Specialist to start planning your own Canada and Alaska journey.
Keep reading for Blake’s full review of the Oceania Riviera and what stood out on this unforgettable cruise.
Oceania Cruises Boarding and First Impressions
Booking & Documentation Process
Prior to the cruise, the process was seamless. Oceania Cruises were in contact with me almost daily in the weeks leading up to departure, sending helpful emails about preparing for the trip, completing online check-in, visa reminders, and encouraging early booking for shore excursions. Their online portal was simple to use, and I could view my booking, stateroom number, and tick off pre-departure tasks.
Embarkation Experience
Embarkation took place at the Vancouver Cruise Terminal. Both Oceania Cruises Riviera and a Princess ship were departing that day and using the same terminal. Princess had plenty of signage and staff directing their passengers, while Oceania had no shore-side staff visible, which caused some confusion. I initially assumed Oceania Cruises had a separate entrance and walked around aimlessly until a Princess staff member informed me that both ships boarded through the same area.
This lack of ground support wasn’t just a one-off at embarkation – it was consistent at most ports. Larger cruise lines tend to have more shore-side branding/representatives helping you find shuttle buses or guiding disembarkation. Oceania, being a smaller ship with fewer staff, meant that the support typically ended once you stepped off the ship.
That said, the overall embarkation process flowed fairly well. It took about an hour to get on board, which is to be expected with two large ships using the same customs and security area.
First Impressions
First impressions of the ship were excellent. The decor is elegant and refined, classy without being over the top. As I boarded, a crew member greeted me in the lobby, checked my card, and directed me to my muster station.
Oceania’s safety drill process was refreshingly simple. Instead of the usual drill with life jackets, we had already watched the safety video pre-boarding, so all we needed to do was check in at our muster station. Later, the captain gave a brief safety message over the PA. After a long travel day, I really appreciated not having to do a full life jacket drill.
We couldn’t access our rooms until around 3pm, so it was a great opportunity to explore the ship, grab lunch, and start soaking in the luxury experience.
Oceania Cruises Cabin Comfort Onboard
Veranda Stateroom
I stayed in a Veranda Stateroom, which is considered a standard/mid-tier cabin. From the moment I walked in, I was impressed. The decor was stunning. Modern and glamorous, yet warm and inviting, with lamps, wall panelling, marble tabletops, and elegant finishes throughout.
The king-sized bed was incredibly comfortable, truly that ‘hotel bed’ feeling. Storage was ample, including space under the bed for suitcases. The room also had a velvet two-seater couch, a coffee table, and a desk/vanity area with a beautiful oval mirror and marble surface.
The balcony was a great size, with two deck chairs and a table – perfect for relaxing with a view.
Bathroom & Amenities
The bathroom was a standout in my Oceania Cruises suite. It was much larger than you’d typically find in a standard cruise cabin. It was fully tiled in marble, plus a large rain shower and an additional handheld shower head. There was plenty of storage and bench space, and Bvlgari toiletries were provided.
Other room amenities included:
- Complimentary soft drinks refilled daily in the minibar
- Vero water bottles replenished each day plus ‘take home’ thermal water bottles
- Bathrobes, slippers, and a large umbrella
- Multiple power points (US and EU) and USB ports
- Daily printed “Daily Currents” guides and even Australian newspaper highlights
- A TV with movies, TV shows and a daily cruise director show
Housekeeping Service
Housekeeping was impeccable. My room was cleaned every morning while I was at breakfast or ashore, with everything tidied and restocked, including the minibar and towels.
In the evenings, my stateroom was turned down for the night. The bed was prepared, lights dimmed, the next day’s information left neatly, and a chocolate placed on the bed. There were no gimmicky towel animals, which I actually preferred. The service felt elegant and premium.
Dining Experience
The Grand Dining Room
The main dining room was elegant and sophisticated. Unlike some cruises, there’s no fixed dining time – you’re encouraged to dine when and where you like. The Grand Dining Room is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, offering a formal atmosphere with ever-changing menus and a great variety of cuisine.
Specialty Restaurants
Oceania really wants you to experience all their dining options. Before departure, you can pre-book dinner times at the four specialty restaurants onboard, each included in the fare:
- Polo Grill (steakhouse): I had the Porterhouse steak, perfectly cooked medium rare.
- Toscana (Italian): The breaded lamb chops were a highlight.
- Jacques (French): I tried the roasted pork with red apples—delicious.
- Red Ginger (Asian fusion): I ordered the Lobster Pad Thai, which was flavourful and fresh.
Every meal at these specialty restaurants was exceptional. These venues are more formal and refined, with excellent service. Sommeliers offered wine pairings and staff were incredibly attentive. The food alone is a reason to cruise with Oceania.
La Reserve
La Reserve is Oceania’s private dining venue. It does incur a fee and is ideal for special occasions or groups. I didn’t dine here myself, but based on the quality of the other specialty restaurants, I imagine it would be equally outstanding.
Buffet – Terrace Café
The buffet was more casual, offering a wide range of options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. While the quality wasn’t quite as elevated as the specialty restaurants (understandably), it was still quite good. The buffet always had new foods and focused on local produce from the destination that you are cruising. Some regulars included:
- A salad and cold meats section
- Main dishes with proteins and pastas
- A grill for made-to-order items (lobster tails to hamburgers)
- A dessert station with ice cream, pastries, and cakes
You can walk in at any time during opening hours – no booking was needed.
Bars & Lounges
There are three main bars onboard:
- Martini Bar (Deck 6): My favourite. A menu dedicated to martinis, live piano music in the evenings, and a happy hour from 5–6pm with two-for-one cocktails. A great pre-dinner stop.
Oceania Cruises Martini Bar - Horizons (Deck 14): This panoramic lounge is a social hub, especially during the 10:15–11:15pm happy hour. Live bands and dancing kept it lively at night, while daytime high tea service made it a peaceful spot to take in the Alaskan scenery.
Oceania Cruises Horizons Bar - Casino Bar: As the name suggests, this one’s located inside the casino. I didn’t spend time here, but it’s another option when you want a change of scene.
Oceania Cruises Casino Bar
Room Service
Available 24/7, room service was great for quiet nights or early mornings. The menu had classics like burgers, soups, club sandwiches, and pizza. Breakfast in bed was a highlight – I loved enjoying my coffee and food in my robe and slippers while watching the Alaskan coastline glide by.
Oceania Cruises Onboard Facilities
Pools & Sun Decks
The pool deck was beautiful, with a central pool and two hot tubs. On our chilly Alaskan itinerary, the pool saw little use, but I did enjoy a soak in the hot tubs. For a ship with 1,200 guests, I imagine this area could feel crowded on warmer cruises.
There was ample deck space and plenty of loungers on Decks 12 and 13. Guests in Concierge or Penthouse suites have access to a private sun deck with a larger hot tub and loungers. I wasn’t allowed in this area, but I’d imagine it would be a lovely, quiet retreat for those guests.
Spa & Wellness
The Aquamar Spa is a lovely, relaxing space located on Deck 12 forward. There’s a full menu of treatments available, including massages, facials, nails, hair treatments and more. That said, expect to pay cruise-level prices. My 75-minute deep tissue massage came to around AUD $350 with service fees. That said, it was a nice massage and made even more special by the snowy mountain views outside the treatment room window.
The spa also includes complimentary dry saunas, steam rooms, and hot beds, which are open until 10 pm and separated by gender. You’re given a locker and can change into a robe before heading into the facilities. The steam room can only accommodate four people comfortably, while the dry sauna seats around eight. There are also showers for cooling off and two quiet relaxation rooms with heated tiled beds. I used these a couple of times during the cruise—they were beautifully maintained and a great way to unwind.
Fitness Centre
The gym is a decent size – not the most modern I’ve seen, but it has a couple of pieces of each type of equipment. I always appreciate when cruise ship gyms have a view, and about half of this gym overlooked the ocean, which was great for treadmill runs. There were also daily fitness classes available free of charge, including yoga, Pilates, stretching, and HIIT. These did fill up, so guests were encouraged to sign up early.
Shops & Boutiques
The onboard shops, located near the main lobby on Deck 5, offered jewellery, clothing, perfumes, and gifts. A unique highlight was the pre-loved designer handbag boutique (which I hadn’t seen on a ship before). The shops opened on sea days and evenings, with occasional discounts worth browsing. It was always a nice little detour to stroll through them when sailing.
Wi-Fi & Connectivity
Included in my room package was what Oceania claims to be “high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi” for one device (per person). This wifi is very slow, but if you’re just checking social media or emails, it does the job. However, because I was doing some work onboard, I upgraded to the premium Wi-Fi package for US$9.99 per day. This gave me access on multiple devices and was advertised as a streaming-level service, but for an upgraded wifi service, I still found it incredibly slow. A speed test gave me 1.61 Mbps download and 2.44 Mbps upload—not exactly “premium.”
Entertainment & Activities
Evening Shows
As a former cruise ship performer, I had high expectations – and Oceania delivered. The main stage shows were polished and entertaining, with a solid mix of guest performers (a pianist, a comedian, and a vocalist) and a standout production cast. One highlight was a show themed around musical movies – packed with classics the audience clearly loved, and I did too as a musical theatre fan.
Live music could be found throughout the ship each evening. From pianists in the lounges to vocalists in bars, every performer brought a great energy and created a fun, relaxed atmosphere wherever they played.
Daytime Activities
There was always something to do, especially on sea days. Trivia, bingo, lectures from a naturalist, dance and art classes – all kept the ship buzzing.
A standout for me was the Culinary Centre. These small-group cooking classes (for an additional fee) were a real highlight. Ours focused on Italian dishes inspired by the Riviera’s heritage, along with an Alaskan-themed dessert. Wine pairings were included, and yes – we got to eat everything we cooked. It was fun, unique, hands-on, and most importantly, delicious.
Shore Excursions with Oceania Cruises
There were plenty of shore excursions on offer each port day, ranging from cultural and historic walking tours to full-throttle adventures like dog sledding, helicopter glacier landings, white-water rafting, and ziplining.
Prices varied, with most tours starting around USD $180 and going up to USD $600+ for the more premium experiences. I thought there was a good range to suit different interests and activity levels.
A highlight of my trip was a 3-hour private wildlife tour in Sitka. We explored the surrounding bays and islands on a small catamaran, and it was nothing short of magical. We spotted around 10–12 whales (both humpbacks and greys), along with sea otters, puffins, sea lions, and bald eagles. It was a breathtaking way to experience the Alaskan wilderness up close. If you’re cruising Alaska, I highly recommend doing at least one wildlife tour. Each destination offers different wildlife options, depending on what is more frequently sighted/populated in that area.
Alaskan weather can be unpredictable, and some excursions were cancelled due to poor weather conditions – but Oceania handled this well, with prompt communication and full refunds. Popular tours sell out fast, so I’d recommend booking early, well before your cruise.
Final Thoughts on Oceania Cruises
This cruise was the perfect balance of comfort, cuisine, and exploration. Oceania Cruises truly offers a premium experience – beautifully appointed staterooms, thoughtful service, and outstanding dining at every turn.
From the snow-capped peaks of the Inside Passage to the rich flavours of Jacques and Red Ginger restaurants, this journey far exceeded my expectations. I’d absolutely recommend it to anyone looking to explore Alaska in style.
Get in touch with one of our Tour + Cruise Specialists to organise your Oceania Cruises Canada Alaska journey, or for more inspiration, explore our full range of Arctic cruise itineraries on our website.
