The cruise liner Insignia was built as a Renaissance Cruises ship in 1998, and she joined Oceania Cruises in April 2004 as its second ship. She is running mate with Nautica and Regatta. The 30,200-ton, 684-passenger midsize vessel sails with a mostly European crew of 400, ensuring highly personalized service.
Renaissance Cruises built eight almost identical ships in short order. Following 9/11, the company went bankrupt. Most of the fleet was laid up at Gibraltar, but soon they were snapped up by new owners and operators. Oceania Cruises now owns and operates three and would have liked to have acquired more. In 2007, Oceania Cruises and Apollo Management, a private equity firm, established a partnership that injected enough capital to purchase the heretofore chartered ships and to order a pair of new, larger 65,000-ton ships to be delivered in 2010 and 2011. Oceania Cruises will remain an independent brand.
Most passengers are North American and retired or nearly so, as most cruises aboard the Insignia are longer than the usual 7 days. The midsize capacity of this ship puts her in a unique position, as she is smaller than Holland America and Celebrity ships, the closest rivals. Tipping is billed at $11 a day, and those having access to a butler are charged $3 extra.
The 10- to 16-day cruises are port-intensive in the Mediterranean in the spring, summer and fall with embarkation at Barcelona, Civitavecchia (Rome), Venice, Piraeus (Athens) and Istanbul. Then the Insignia makes the long haul, with lots of sea days, to the east coast of South America for cruises along the Brazilian coast and ports in Argentina and Uruguay and south via Buenos Aires, Cape Horn and the Chilean fjords around to Valparaiso. In April 2010, she returns to the Mediterranean then June to August moves to northern Europe before returning to the Mediterranean until December. The ship is equally well-suited to spending time aboard between ports. An enrichment program prepares passengers for trips ashore, the latter on the expensive side. You may want to do some homework and plan your own where possible. In Europe, independent touring is much easier than in South America.
Increasingly, the ship's original Renaissance-era soft furnishings have been replaced, improving upon the country-hotel ambience and comforts. Still, this ship operates very much as it did under Renaissance: informally and with food and service above what one might expect with the moderate fares. Passengers board into an ornate neoclassical reception and concierge on Deck 4. There are three lounges, one serving variations on martinis to live piano accompaniment, and another offering dancing and nightly entertainment. Drinks are not included in the packages. The casino keeps things lively on Deck 5 with slot machines, blackjack and roulette. An English-styled library with a domed trompe l'oeil ceiling offers about 1,000 volumes, and a game room sets out cards and board games in clubby environs. The pool, flanked by whirlpools and surrounded by lounge chairs, is small. Active guests work out at the fitness center on state-of-the-art equipment and in a large aerobics area, and Deck 10 sports a fitness track. Teak-type planking has been laid on most open decks. Later, guests can unwind in the spa with one of its pampering treatments or at the hands of a masseuse; a seawater whirlpool and beauty salon are here, too. Work-minded travelers get 24-hour Internet access at the Oceania@Sea business center, which also conducts classes in software.
Fine dining is in the Grand Dining Room, with sweeping ocean views aft, brocade-upholstered seating, and a dome ceiling with frescoes. Chef Jacques Pepin designed the menu here and in the ship's other four dining venues. Toscana specializes in creative Italian fare; Tapas on the Terrace cooks up Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, including paellas; Polo Grill serves steaks and chops; and Waves offers casual poolside dining with an open galley for grilled dishes, seafood, salads and sandwiches. The restaurants operate on an open-seating basis, and room service never stops. Passengers consider the food quality to be very good to excellent.
The 342 cabins range in size from 150 (compact) to 216 sq ft and feature queen or twin beds, seating areas, vanities and small tables. Only 25 are interior, and 232 have private teak balconies. The penthouse suites measure 322 sq ft and provide butler service. The 786- to 1,000-sq-ft vista suites have bedrooms and living and dining rooms, and they boast whirlpools. All of the suites and 60% of the staterooms feature private teak verandas and Oceania's branded Tranquility Beds. All accommodations have 24-hour room service, flat-screen TVs with DVD players, movie selections, satellite phones, an Internet-access portal, safe, cotton robes, hair dryer and 110/120 volt outlets.
For the price, this ship offers a very good level of service and dining. It attracts many former Renaissance passengers who appreciate upscale cruising on a scaled-down, informal cruise ship. Competition in the premium market is Holland America and Celebrity.
