On board Oceania Cruises' Riviera cruise ship - review

Oceania Cruises’ stunning Riviera cruise ship sailed into port in Hong Kong this spring. Carolynne Dear was delighted to be invited on board for a tour

Oceania Cruises' Riviera was in town for a day - and a quick review

Riviera packed a punch when it docked in Hong Kong's Tsim Sha Tsui cruise terminal under cornflower blue skies earlier last month. The cruise ship was in town for just one day before departing for Taiwan.

Riviera began cruising in 2012 but has recently undergone a thorough refurbishment. The ship boasts 629 staterooms of various configurations, including the lavish Owner’s Suite with designer homewares, in-room bar and a dedicated butler service.

Oceania prides itself on its foodie-focused cruises and boasts multiple exceptional restaurants, including its lauded signature French restaurant, Jacques. As well as lavish dining across the ship, cruisers can join Riviera’s culinary workshop for hands-on cooking experiences.

Oceania Cruises has its sights firmly set on this part of the world and will be focusing on the Asian market moving forward. And later this summer, the cruiseline will be launching Allura, a sister ship to Riviera.

Dining

Dining is a focal point of a Riviera cruise. And the best bit about cruising is, of course, having the time to sample everything offered at your own pace. Perhaps you fancy dressing up for a seven-course extravaganza while the kids want to chill by the pool with a pizza - with multiple dining spots, Riviera has you covered. We viewed all the restaurants and private dining rooms, a tour which culminated with a lavish Dom Perignon pairing lunch at the ship’s stunning Jacques restaurant.

Great dining is at the heart of an Oceana cruise

Underpinning dining operations is the Grand Dining Room (pictured here), which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with daily changing menus. If you’re looking to dine casually, Waves Grill is situated on the pool deck with shaded tables overlooking both the pool and the ocean. We particularly liked Terrace Bar and Cafe with its pretty orange-hued parasols shading tables at the stern of the ship. The aesthetics were boosted by the blue sky day in Hong Kong and the city’s stunning skyline. While we were there, the restaurant was gearing up for a buffet lunch.

Tuscan Steak boasts its own wine cellar to complement its gourmet dinners, while La Reserve offers wine tastings and a seven-course dinner menu. If you want to dine privately, La Privee is an elegant alternative offering a chef’s table experience.

And sophisticated Red Ginger has an Asian-inspired menu with dishes from Japan, Thailand, Malaysia and China. 

Staterooms

The Penthouse Suites make for a spacious stay

There are multiple stateroom configurations, from a Deluxe Oceanview through to the seriously luxurious Owner’s Suite. Time was tight as Riviera was due to set sail for Taiwan later that afternoon, but we managed to squeeze in three staterooms, including a Penthouse Suite, the Vista Suite and the unforgettable Owner’s Suite. All rooms were spacious with floor-to-ceiling windows and a balcony area. And this spring Oceania is debuting the Aquamar Bath + Skincare Essential range of products in all bathrooms. 

The Owner’s Suite mined a whole other level of elegance, with a large dining room, a sitting room with in-room bar, an expansive double bedroom and a luxurious bathroom. All rooms, including the bathroom, had sliding doors leading to the wrap around balcony. Extras include priority luggage delivery, access to the private Executive Lounge, a 24-hour butler service, a pillow menu and a packing and unpacking service.

The (more approachable) Penthouse Suite included custom lighting, a dining table, a separate seating area and a marble bathroom with a generously sized shower. It was telling that these rooms were upgraded just a couple of years ago.

Activities

Activities on deck include a pool deck, a jogging track, shuffleboard, a golf driving net, a mini-golf course and a fitness centre. There’s also a spa with a hair salon. If you fancy some quiet time, there’s a large library inside the ship. In the evening, guests can enjoy live entertainment in the ship’s theatre. 

Take a dip on the pool deck

The ship lacks the bells and whistles of some of the larger cruise ships launching these days, but it does offer one of the best space-per-guest ratios on the market, making for a less crowded, more relaxing experience.

Oceania also offers a wide-ranging shore excursion programme with different tours depending on how you want to experience a destination. Beyond Blueprints provides a behind the scenes look while the culinary tours take in cooking demonstrations and farm tours as well an exclusive visit to the villa home of a master chef. There are also Go Green, Go Local and Wellness Discovery programmes, with varying levels of action and adventure.

The smaller ship size also means it can access smaller, ‘boutique’ ports, such as Ko Kood in Thailand or Haikou on China’s Hainan Island. 

Why book

Cruising offers a relaxed means of visiting multiple destinations without the hassle of booking accommodation, researching tours and timetabling transportaion between places. Plus there are no annoying housekeeping challenges like packing and repacking cases. While Oceania Cruises doesn’t offer specific child-friendly facilities, the excursion programme would make a fun option for older kids looking for activities and adventure rather than a traditional fly ‘n’ flop resort holiday. And for multi-generational families, cruising is a great way to accommodate the varying needs and wants of different age groups. Travel and adventure, after all, fills the soul.

Riviera sets sail from Hong Kong on a 12-day Paper Lantern Luminaries cruise to Bangkok on October 22, 2025, calling at Haikou, Hanoi, Sanya, Hue, Ho Chi Minh, Singapore, Koh Samui and Bangkok.

Riviera sets sail from Singapore on a 22-day Komodos and Kangaroos cruise to Sydney on November 18, 2025, calling at Surabaya, Bali, Lombok, Komodo, Waingapu Sumba, Perth, Busselton, Albany, Kangaroo Island, Adelaide, Tasmania and Sydney.