Oceania Cruises Reveals Sonata Class as New-Build’s First Steel Is Cut
A celebratory steel-cutting ceremony on June 4, 2025 marked the start of construction of Oceania Sonata, Oceania Cruises’ ninth ship and the first in a new class of vessel for the upmarket line.
The event, at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera, Italy, coincided with other big reveals by the cruise line — the names of its new ship class, Sonata, and the names of the two ships in that class, Oceania Sonata and Oceania Arietta.
The planned addition of the two new-builds was announced in early 2024, but neither the class name nor the ship names were released.
The 86,000-gross ton ships will be the largest in the Oceania Cruises’ fleet, with a capacity for 1,450 guests. The line’s largest existing ships accommodate 1,200.
Oceania Sonata is scheduled to enter service in 2027, followed by Oceania Arietta in 2029.
“Oceania Sonata heralds the dawn of a new era in luxury cruising,” said Jason Montague, chief luxury officer of Oceania Cruises.
“We are proud to continue our legacy of innovation alongside Fincantieri, our shipbuilding partner for close to 20 years. Together, we have crafted ships that stand as some of the most acclaimed examples of luxury, elegance, comfort, and Italian craftsmanship at sea,” Montague added.
No details about the ship’s design or onboard features were offered by Oceania Cruises, besides a promise from the line that the Sonata-class ships would be the most spacious in the fleet and feature the most guest amenities.
Fincantieri has long been the line’s construction partner. Three existing Oceania Cruises’ ships were built by the Italian yard — Oceania Marina, Oceania Riviera, and Oceania Vista, and a fourth, Oceania Allura, is in the final stages of construction and due to enter service in July 2025.
Read Also: Top 12 Best Cruise Lines for Adults
The newest ship sailing today, Oceania Vista, which debuted in 2023, and Oceania Allura comprise the two ships in the line’s Allura class. Oceania Allura’s inaugural 6-night sailing is set for July 18, 2025 from Trieste, Italy, to Athens.
The two ships slated to herald the line’s new Sonata class were announced by Oceania Cruises’ parent company, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH), in April 2024.
Other ships in the fleet include four vessels in the Regatta class: Oceania Regatta, Oceania Nautica, Oceania Insignia, and Oceania Sirena.
Sonata Class Vessels Were Part of a Massive Ship Order
The order for the two Oceania vessels was part of a much broader agreement with Fincantieri that will ultimately bring eight new ships to the NCLH brands, which, in addition to Oceania, include Norwegian Cruise Line and ultra-luxe line Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
The massive ship order included four mega-ships for Norwegian Cruise Line, each roughly 200,000-gross tons and with a capacity for 5,000 guests. The ships are slated to debut in 2030, 2032, 2034, and 2036. No names have been divulged yet.
Two ships for the all-inclusive Regent Seven Seas Cruises were included in the order and will represent the new Prestige class. The first to debut, in 2026, will be Seven Seas Prestige. The second is due to launch in 2029 but its name has not yet been revealed.
The luxury ships are slated to weigh in at 77,000-gross tons and accommodate 850 guests.
NCLH’s announcement of its multiple ship orders included plans to renovate and upgrade its private island destination, Great Stirrup Cay.
Oceania Cruises Reveals Sonata Class as New-Build’s First Steel Is Cut