Ports of Call: Nautica sailed from Mumbai, India, to Dubai and Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates; Muscat and Salālah in Oman; Aqaba, Jordan; Luxor, Egypt; Haifa, Israel; Limassol, Cyprus; Rhodes and Santoríni in Greece; Ephesus, Turkey; Valletta, Malta; and Palermo, Sorrento and Civitavecchia in Italy.
Embarkation/Disembarkation: Our voyage departed Mumbai on April 29 and concluded in Civitavecchia on May 27. Oceania did not arrange our ground transportation to and from the ship, yet boarding and the welcome on board were effortless. Luggage was delivered directly to our suite, making the embarkation process smooth and stress-free.
One morning while docked, I observed the crew preparing buses for shore excursions. To my surprise, ten members of Oceania’s housekeeping team boarded the buses in full uniform carrying sprayer bottles, buckets and cleaning cloths. They thoroughly cleaned both the interior and exterior of the buses for Oceania guests. That level of attention to detail left a strong impression.
Stateroom: This 28-day itinerary was our seventh cruise with Oceania; we reserve early to secure a Penthouse for extended voyages. The ship accommodates about 600 guests and features a 240-square-foot Penthouse with both a bathtub and separate shower—genuinely comfortable and luxurious. Oceania provides 120v electricity, which is convenient for U.S. travelers. Additional touches included a small computer, lap robes and bathrobes, effective reading lights, high-quality linens and consistently immaculate housekeeping.
Services/Amenities: Oceania’s culinary reputation is well earned, and this cruise delivered consistently excellent dining. Chef Mario curated inventive menus across the main dining room, specialty restaurants and the Terrace Grill, an outdoor casual venue. Highlights included an inspired Asian-themed evening and freshly grilled yellowfin tuna. Chef Mario is visible and engaged, making sure his culinary standards are executed in every venue. Local menus showcased Mediterranean, Arabian and Indian ingredients, and the daytime grill served smoothies, ice cream, grilled Kobe beef burgers and ahi tuna.
The ship also offers a Canyon Ranch heart-healthy menu at every meal for guests who want lighter, calorie-conscious options. Canyon Ranch operates the ship’s spa and fitness facilities, which are well maintained and staffed.
The library is a quiet retreat with comfortable leather chairs and footstools and a useful selection of reading materials. The computer room is staffed for many hours daily. Recreational options include a putting area, table tennis, bingo, trivia and a casino—activities that keep days at sea engaging.
One of Oceania’s strengths is calling at less-visited ports. We chose this itinerary for the variety and the opportunity to transit the Suez Canal. Because Nautica is a smaller ship, it could access smaller ports with fewer crowds and less interference from larger vessels. Many ports provided complimentary buses for short transfers into town. Having previously visited Egypt, Jordan and Israel, I found Muscat’s old souk and gold market, Limassol and Palermo particularly intriguing—these felt more traditional and less developed than more touristy stops. Oceania offers a range of land tours at various price points, including small-group excursions limited to 12 participants. An Oceania staff member accompanies each tour bus to monitor quality and assess local operators.
With ten days at sea, I took advantage of bridge lessons. A delightful Australian couple taught duplicate bridge, entertained the class with stories and handed out small koala bear toys as prizes. I made new friends and picked up the basics of the game. I recommend joining group activities as an easy way to meet fellow travelers with shared interests.
Top Takeaways:
◆ The guests we met were interesting and adventurous, largely drawn by the exotic and varied itinerary. Even participating in daily trivia created opportunities to form new acquaintances.
◆ Shipboard systems and maintenance were consistently reliable. Crew members were proactive with preventive maintenance so passengers experienced few, if any, issues with electrical, plumbing or HVAC systems—important in the hotter ports.
◆ Note the adult-leaning passenger mix. Oceania does not exclude families, but the ship lacks dedicated facilities for young children beyond the pool, onboard entertainment and ice cream offerings.
◆ While we rarely used room service, the butler service proved invaluable for making specialty-restaurant reservations, coordinating group dinners and assisting with onboard entertaining.