Oceania Cruises is back in Florida with its newest ship, once again leaning heavily into a gastronomic pedigree.
The Oceania Allura arrived at its winter home of PortMiami this week for a christening event featuring a unique approach for what would normally be a godmother.
Instead of a specific celebrity chef, the line has instead partnered up with Food & Wine magazine, giving its Best New Chefs franchise the ceremonial role.
It’s appropriate for the premium line under Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, with the 1,200-guest Allura touting the “finest cuisine at sea” across 12 culinary venues.
For the christening, the honor still needed warm bodies, and to represent the franchise, the line and magazine called on alumni recipients of the award. They included Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Katie Button, Calvin Eng, Aisha Ibrahim, George Mendes and Lawrence “LT” Smith.
“Paying homage to the Food & Wine Best New Chefs program and having its alumni represent as her godparents reflects our belief that food lies at the heart of global exploration,” said Jason Montague, the line’s chief luxury officer. “These visionary chefs embody the spirit of culinary excellence, and we are honored to have them join the Oceania Cruises family.”
The selection is just a small portion of the program, which has since 1988 honored 400 rising chefs.
“For nearly four decades, Food & Wine Best New Chefs have shaped dining in America and inspired the way we experience food,” said the magazine’s publisher, Tom Bair. “We’re thrilled to celebrate this legacy with Oceania Cruises, a partner that shares our passion for extraordinary cuisine and discovery, and to make this milestone christening with journeys where food is every bit as memorable as the destinations.”
So does the ship have the chops for such culinary prowess?
It touts one chef for every eight guests, meaning half of the ship’s crew is related to food and beverage operations.
Four of the specialty restaurants on board are complimentary on top of the Grand Dining Room. They include pan-Asian venue Red Ginger, Italian cuisine at Toscana, the upscale steakhouse Polo Grill and signature French restaurant, Jacques, from its namesake Jacques Pépin, who the line credits as the founding father of its culinary philosophy.
Chef Jacques Pépin was on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the latest version of his signature restaurant, Jacques, on board Oceania Allura when it was in Boston in October 2025. (Courtesy Oceania Cruises)
“Jacques is our culinary patriarch, having been a member of the culinary team since day one,” said former line President Frank A. Del Rio earlier this year. “His creativity and expertise form the very heart of our philosophy.”
The venue was also being added to Allura’s sister ship Oceania Vista this year, and had already been added to two of the other line’s vessels.
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Pépin said Allura’s version, though, will have some unique touches, including tableside service to add to an authentic Parisian bistro experience.
“This is the perfect opportunity to experiment with some delicious new dishes and to explore unique ways to serve some of the classics that our guests have come to know and love,” he said. “We have lots of exciting plans for this latest iteration of Jacques. I cannot wait to share them.”
The French options don’t end there. New to Allura is the Crêperie, which will offer up sweet and savory versions of the delicacy along with Belgian and bubble waffles as well as Italian ice cream sundaes.
Just like on Vista, Allura will also have Aquamar Kitchen, a healthy concept that combines a family-style table setting that spills over into al fresco outdoor seating. The ship also has international dishes at Terrace Café, poolside options at Waves Grill and the popular Baristas coffee bar. And don’t forget Afternoon Tea, an event that could change venues by sailing day, but does feature four-tiered pastry carts with a string quartet.
For those seeking an education, there are mixology experiences and wine pairing events.
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But for the most immersive, the line features the popular Culinary Center, with 24 individual cooking stations, matching sister ship Vista for the largest in the fleet. For an extra cost, those on board can partake in dozens of cooking class options designed by the line’s culinary enrichment director and executive chef, Kathryn Kelly.
Kelly introduced the kitchen on Oceania’s Marina, and it has since been on board Riviera and the new ships of sister cruise line Regent Seven Seas, on top of Vista and Allura.
“It’s been an absolute joy ride to develop a program that guests come in — some of them are very talented home chefs, others have never picked up a knife — and have them tell our chefs that it was the experience of a lifetime,” she said.