Oceania Allura Christened at PortMiami With Six Food & Wine Chefs

Oceania Cruises christened its newest ship, Oceania Allura, during a pier-side ceremony at PortMiami, formally welcoming the vessel to its winter home port in South Florida.

Instead of naming a single godmother, the cruise line partnered with Food & Wine to appoint a group of “godparents” drawn from the publication’s Best New Chefs franchise, positioning the ship’s entry into service around Oceania’s cuisine-first branding.

Food & Wine chefs take on the ship’s “godparent” role

The christening centered on six chefs linked to Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs program, which the publication says has recognized more than 400 rising chefs since 1988. The godparents named for Oceania Allura were:

• Tavel Bristol-Joseph, selected as one of the Food & Wine Best New Chefs alumni serving as godparents.
• Katie Button, selected as one of the Food & Wine Best New Chefs alumni serving as godparents.
• Calvin Eng, selected as one of the Food & Wine Best New Chefs alumni serving as godparents.
• Aisha Ibrahim, selected as one of the Food & Wine Best New Chefs alumni serving as godparents.
• George Mendes, selected as one of the Food & Wine Best New Chefs alumni serving as godparents.
• Lawrence “LT” Smith, selected as one of the Food & Wine Best New Chefs alumni serving as godparents.

Jason Montague, Oceania Cruises’ Chief Luxury Officer, tied the format directly to the brand’s dining focus. “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,” he said.

Montague also linked the ceremony to the company’s South Florida footprint, saying, “We couldn’t be more thrilled to officially welcome the Oceania Allura to our fleet. It is only fitting that she be christened in our hometown of Miami.” In a separate statement, he added, “It is only fitting that she be christened in our hometown of Miami. We are deeply honored to celebrate this momentous occasion alongside her distinguished godparents.”

Food & Wine publisher Tom Bair described the christening as the start of a broader collaboration, saying, “We both share a simple but powerful belief: Excellence never goes out of style. This is the beginning of an inspiring partnership between Food & Wine and Oceania Cruises.”

How the Miami event unfolded

Oceania Cruises hosted onboard hospitality before moving guests pier-side for the formal ceremony. The schedule included a ship-wide cocktail reception and dinner, followed by remarks from senior leaders and partners, including Montague, Oceania Cruises Chief Commercial Officer Nathan Hickman, and Bair.

After the christening, guests returned to the ship for a three-day round-trip voyage from Miami planned as a celebratory sailing tied to Oceania Allura’s entry into service.

Onboard dining: 12 experiences, new menus, and new concepts

Oceania Allura debuts with 12 dining experiences, an onboard lineup the line has emphasized as part of its “cuisine-first” positioning. Among the venues highlighted by Oceania Cruises is the Grand Dining Room, which features 270 new recipes across breakfast, lunch, and dinner service.

The ship’s dining roster also includes specialty restaurants the cruise line describes as complimentary, including Red Ginger (pan-Asian), Toscana (Italian), Polo Grill (steakhouse), and Jacques (French), alongside other options across the ship.

Jacques returns with tableside service

Jacques, the French restaurant concept associated with chef Jacques Pépin, remains a signature part of Oceania Cruises’ culinary identity. Former Oceania Cruises President Frank A. Del Rio previously said, “Jacques is our culinary patriarch,” adding that Pépin’s “creativity and expertise form the very heart of our philosophy.”

Pépin participated in a ribbon-cutting for the newest version of Jacques onboard Oceania Allura when the ship was in Boston in October 2025. Discussing the Allura version, he pointed to tableside service as part of the intended bistro-style experience. “This is the perfect opportunity to experiment with some delicious new dishes,” he said, adding, “We have lots of exciting plans for this latest iteration of Jacques.”

A new Crêperie joins the lineup

Oceania Allura introduces a new concept called the Crêperie, adding another French-leaning venue beyond Jacques. The menu is set to include sweet and savory French crêpes, Belgian waffles, bubble waffles, and gelato sundaes.

Other food-and-beverage options mentioned by Oceania Cruises include Aquamar Kitchen, Terrace Café, Waves Grill, and the Baristas coffee bar. The ship also offers Afternoon Tea with pastry service and live music, and the venue can vary depending on the sailing day.

Culinary classes and enrichment programming

Oceania Cruises’ Culinary Center is part of the Oceania Allura onboard product and mirrors sister ship Oceania Vista with 24 individual cooking stations, a setup the company has described as the largest Culinary Center configuration in the fleet.

Cooking classes are offered for an additional fee, with sessions designed under the direction of Oceania’s culinary enrichment director and executive chef, Kathryn Kelly. “It’s been an absolute joy ride to develop a program” where guests with varied skill levels participate and later tell the chefs “it was the experience of a lifetime,” Kelly said.

Beyond cooking instruction, the company has also highlighted mixology experiences and wine pairing events as part of its onboard programming.

Ship size and service positioning

Oceania Allura is designed to accommodate 1,200 guests at double occupancy. The ship’s standard staterooms measure more than 290 square feet, and Oceania Cruises has emphasized staffing levels tied to service and culinary execution, including two crew members for every three guests and a workforce where the company says half of the crew is dedicated to culinary operations.

Inaugural season sailings from seven to 34 days

Oceania Cruises has scheduled Oceania Allura’s inaugural season across more than 92 destinations, with voyages planned to range from seven to 34 days. With the Miami christening complete and the ship now positioned at PortMiami for the winter, the line is using the Food & Wine partnership and the ship’s culinary program as the central message for its early sailings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who served as godparents for Oceania Allura?

Oceania Cruises named six Food & Wine Best New Chefs alumni as the ship’s godparents: Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Katie Button, Calvin Eng, Aisha Ibrahim, George Mendes, and Lawrence “LT” Smith.

What is the significance of Food & Wine’s involvement in the christening?

Food & Wine and Oceania Cruises framed the christening as the start of a partnership built around shared culinary positioning. Food & Wine publisher Tom Bair said, “We both share a simple but powerful belief: Excellence never goes out of style. This is the beginning of an inspiring partnership between Food & Wine and Oceania Cruises.”

How many passengers can Oceania Allura carry, and what service ratios has the company highlighted?

Oceania Allura is designed for 1,200 guests at double occupancy, with standard staterooms measuring more than 290 square feet. Oceania Cruises says the ship operates with two crew members for every three guests, that half of the crew is dedicated to culinary operations, and it promotes a ratio of one chef for every eight guests.

What is new about dining on Oceania Allura?

Oceania Cruises says the ship offers 12 dining experiences, adds a new Crêperie concept, and introduces 270 new recipes in the Grand Dining Room. The onboard lineup also includes venues such as Red Ginger, Toscana, Polo Grill, and Jacques, the French restaurant associated with chef Jacques Pépin.

What types of itineraries does Oceania Allura offer in its inaugural season?

Oceania Cruises says the inaugural season spans more than 92 destinations, with sailings ranging from seven to 34 days.