Kendal, Product and Marketing Executive at Panache Cruises, recently sailed onboard Oceania Vista with a few other members of the team and met the ship in Genoa, Italy. From there, they spent three days sailing to Monte Carlo and Livorno before finally docking in Rome.

Here’s what Kendal had to say about the experience…

I wasn’t 100% sure what to expect when we headed for the ship where she was docked in Genoa, so I was craning my neck ship spotting as the plane was coming in to land. I managed to catch a brief glimpse which made me really excited to get onboard!

The check-in and security process to board was really quick and efficient and in no time at all we were stepping into the main atrium of the ship. Walking into the atrium was a real ‘wow’ moment for me as you’re immediately welcomed by a luxurious atmosphere. The décor and attention to detail is beautiful; modern and sleek but still with a lovely, homely feel.

The first thing we had to do when we embarked was head to our muster stations, which was super fast and easy. All guests are also required to watch the safety video either in their stateroom or before boarding, and we had been able to watch it at home prior to embarkation.

Our home away from home

We soon headed to our stateroom and I was so excited to see where I would be staying on my first ever luxury ocean cruise! We stayed in a Concierge Level Veranda Stateroom on Deck 10 and it was very spacious with a lovely contemporary and light décor. There were lots of mirrors and mirrored surfaces and the lighting was perfect. In the bathroom, the waterfall shower was my favourite touch. The bed was also unbelievably comfy, which made it tough to get out of bed each morning!

Quite appropriate for celebrating the launch of the beautiful new ship, there was a bottle of Champagne on ice upon our arrival and a fully stocked mini fridge which was re-stocked every day. I really appreciated all of the other amenities and little touches in our stateroom as well. We were given robes and slippers in the wardrobe, Bvlgari amenities in the bathroom, loads of movies and series to stream on our TV, and complimentary WiFi which I was surprised to find worked really well while we were at sea.

My personal highlight

Our large veranda (complete with table and chairs) was a huge highlight for me, as it was lovely to take in the sea views and enjoy a glass of Champagne out there before we headed off to dinner each evening. Each morning I would sit out and catch the morning rays before heading down for breakfast. I also got up early on the last day as we were docking in Rome and watched the sunrise as we docked, it was breath-taking.

Throughout our time onboard Oceania Vista, the whole crew were outstanding. I loved that even with hundreds of people onboard, they all remembered what you were drinking from one day to the next. They would walk around the pool area and always made sure your drink wasn’t empty, which was such a nice, personal touch without being too over the top or fussy.