By
Alex Smith |
Oceania Cruises has marked a construction milestone for its next-generation vessel, Oceania Sonata, with a keel laying ceremony at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera, Italy.
The ceremony, a maritime tradition signifying the formal start of hull assembly, was attended by senior executives from Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Oceania Cruises and Fincantieri. Among those present were Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings; Jason Montague, chief luxury officer of Oceania Cruises; Patrik Dahlgren, executive vice president and chief vessel operations and newbuild officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings; Franco Semeraro, chief experience officer of Oceania Cruises; Luigi Matarazzo, general manager of Fincantieri’s merchant ships division; and Marco Lunardi, senior vice president of the Marghera shipyard.
“The keel laying for Oceania Sonata marks an important milestone not only for Oceania Cruises and Fincantieri, but for the entire luxury cruise industry,” said Matarazzo. “This ship embodies the innovation and craftsmanship that define our longstanding partnership with Oceania Cruises. Leveraging our expertise, and the technical excellence refined through the successful construction of the Allura Class vessels, we are proud to bring Oceania Cruises’ vision to life once again with this remarkable new ship.”
The keel laying ceremony saw the first section of Oceania Sonata’s keel placed in the dry dock (Photo: Oceania Cruises)
Oceania Sonata is scheduled to enter service in August 2027 and will become the ninth ship in the Oceania Cruises fleet. It will inaugurate the new Sonata class and will be followed by sister ship Oceania Arietta in 2029, with two additional, as yet unnamed, vessels planned for delivery in 2032 and 2035.
“Oceania Sonata embodies the next chapter in our legacy of redefining luxury travel, and we are proud to mark this occasion as we cement our position in the industry,” said Jason Montague. “This milestone is the result of the extraordinary dedication and expertise of the Fincantieri team – shipbuilders, engineers, designers and countless others whose skill and passion transform our vision into reality.”
At 86,000 gross tons and designed to accommodate 1,390 guests, the ship will continue the line’s focus on small-ship capacity within the upper-premium and luxury segment. Approximately one third of all accommodation will be suites, including four new two-bedroom Owner’s Suites, alongside two new categories: Horizon Suites and Penthouse Deluxe Suites.
Four new two-bedroom Owner’s Suites will be featured onboard Oceania Sonata (Photo: Oceania Cruises)
Oceania Sonata follows the introduction of the line’s Allura-class vessels, Oceania Vista in 2023 and Oceania Allura in 2025.
Two new dining concepts are also set to debut on board. La Table par Maîtres Cuisiniers de France will be positioned as an exclusive fine-dining venue, while Nikkei Kitchen will feature a fusion of Peruvian flavours and Japanese culinary techniques.