Overview
Oceania Cruises' Regatta, the Miami-based cruise line's first vessel, offers a destination-oriented mid-sized-ship cruise experience. The 30,300-ton, 660-passenger Regatta is aimed at well-heeled semi-cruisaholics who love getting a good bang for a buck without skimping on the little luxuries they've come to expect and don't mind the if-it's-Tuesday-it-must-be-Belgium pace. So far the cruise line mostly appeals to American passengers, though the line anticipates folks in other English-speaking countries, from the United Kingdom to New Zealand, will be fellow cruisers.
If you've sailed with the now-defunct Renaissance Cruises, which was founded in the late 1990s/early 2000, and which designed and built eight identical mid-sized ships aimed at creating a floating-hotel experience that emphasized ports of call -- as opposed to mega-ship bonanzas where the ship is the destination, Regatta might seem familiar.

Regatta, which debuted in 1998 as Renaissance's R2, is now chartered by Oceania, which gave it a $10 million refit. Notwithstanding the usual upgrades on all machinery and navigation equipment, stateroom facelifts included swank bed linens and custom mattress sets. All four restaurants got smart new flatware, glassware, china and table linens, and on Deck 9 -- a new teak deck and snappy French blue and white-clad chaises surrounding the pool replaced R2's foot-melting rubberized surface and flimsy loungers. The pool got new stonework and pretty blue tiles, too.

Regatta's ports of call are also a cut above, calling on smaller (and more small-ship friendly) places like Bordeaux, Guernsey, Palma de Majorca, Malaga and Oporto, which were just some of the ports of call on my voyage.

Overall, there's a great sense of hominess on the ship -- and it is easy to accept the notion that the entire crew is earnest in wanting their guests to feel welcome. Unquestionably a five-star touch!
Service is enthusiastic and warm-courtesy of a well-trained and young European staff-all with seemingly one riposte to any request: " No problem."

Public Rooms
The ship's decor pays obvious homage to Ritz-Carlton's "traditional luxe" interiors. Here it's handily used to create a floating country-club tranquility far removed from the itinerary's urban ports of call. The ship's reception has the requisite polished dark mahoganies and muted fabrics -- and, yes ma'am, the signature-sweeping staircase.

Deck 5 is home to the Grand Dining Room, two so-so duty-free shops (one newly added). One is filled with the usual cruise line logo apparel and a desultory selection of handbags, scarves, bathing suits and "dressy" apparel for women and men. The other shop stocks the usual selection of duty-free perfumes and jewelry. Notably missing is a decent selection of sundries that one may have forgotten to pack. I had to wait until we reached our next port to buy the deodorant I left behind.
Martinis, a bar just outside the casino, has a great selection of classic and special martinis along with anything else one finds at a full-service bar. The Casino is small, therefore no craps.

The sole Laundromat is on Deck 7. Note: Expect long lines in the Laundromat in spite of the excessive $3 per load. Use the laundry/dry cleaning service instead. It's reasonably priced. Other public rooms include, on deck 9, Oceania@Sea, the onboard Internet area. On Deck 10 is the Polo Grill, Toscana, and the very lovely and fairly well stocked Library.

Regatta has eight lounges and bars: Horizons, Waves, Martinis, Polo Bar, Regatta Lounge (the ship's showroom), the Grand Bar, Tapas Bar and Toscana Bar. Horizons is popular for several reasons: the magnificent sweeping views (it was R1's Observation Lounge), afternoon tea, and, interestingly, one of two "legal" spots to smoke on this otherwise non-smoking ship (the other is a tiny group of tables tucked away forward starboard corner of the pool deck on Deck 9).

Internet access is a pricey $.95 per minute (packages make it as low as $.60), but printing is free as are memory card readers for downloading digital images. 18 computer stations are available on Deck 9, but ongoing, fully attended computer classes have priority over those with email needs. There are two computers in the Library available 24/7, but there's usually a line. Unfortunately, in spite of signage encouraging users to "play fair" when others are waiting, there are the usual repeat abusers throughout the voyage.
Oceania plans to add three more PCs in the Library soon to alleviate the problem. The ongoing computer class vs. "experienced" space challenge is annoying. No one questions Regatta's generosity in offering the complimentary classes, but there needs to be a more democratic resolution.

Entertainment
Regatta is more about destinations than cruising, evidenced by the lack of glitzy productions. There is an excellent orchestra and string quartet, some cool jazz sessions and song and dance in Horizons nightly.
There's at least one worthwhile enrichment lecture daily (on my voyage, the very enchanting and really funny Arel Wente of California's Wente Vineyards was onboard) along with the usual art auctions, bingo games and such.

Since days-in-port are emphasized more strongly than nights-at-sea, Destination Services plays an important role on Regatta. The folks at Destination Services are friendly, but if you're planning to go it alone rather then sign up for a ship-sponsored excursion, make sure you don't leave the ship without knowing the ship's exact location and the local port agent's telephone number. Only after an incident that involved a renegade Portuguese taxi and a police escort back to the ship (police had no idea where the ship was docked, had to call the ship's agent printed on our Debarkation Card, port location wasn't on city maps distributed onboard) did Regatta make an stronger effort to provide information.

Family
Regatta makes no apologies for their lack of a kids' program, which means your kids are limited to endless hours of Ping-Pong, shuffleboard small-pool swimming or, God forbid, TV in the cabin -- all designed to neither discourage nor encourage.

Fellow Passengers
Nearly 95 percent American, passengers so far on Regatta's first season consist mostly of couples. There are a few groups of single older woman, less than a handful of families and few to no singles traveling alone.

Gratuity
$10.50 per person is debited each day for staff service (count on an additional $3 per person each day in suites and penthouses because of the 24/7 butler service).

Fitness and Recreation
The outdoor pool is more for dunking than swimming but the overall atmosphere, with the new teak decking, is lovely.

The spa is operated by London-based Harding Bros. Ltd. and offers an excellent menu of treatments like lavender deep-cleansing facials (only $59), holistic citrus facials ($99), foot and ankle massages (a bargain at $39) and aroma stone therapy massages ($159, though most massages start at $99). Fitness classes, including Pilates, are complimentary -- but if you like yours one-on-one, it's $75 for an hour. Yoga is available, but on a one-to-one basis only at $25 for 45 minutes.

Hair salon services for the most part were comparable to what I've experienced back home. Refreshingly, there was no hard sell of beauty products. Hard sell, schmard sell -- I bought four products (my favorite is L'anza's Strait-Line heat-activating balm for shiny stick straight hair). It actually works!.

Dining
They say they've got 'the best dining at sea' - and it's fair to say they're getting close, offering four dining experiences -- three of them specialty venues sans the extra charge. Teaming up with world-renowned Master chef Jacques Pepin as Executive Culinary Director was clearly a stroke of genius. One the world's most celebrated chefs, he was personal chef to three French heads of state, including de Gaulle. He will periodically sail with the line to oversee operations (and a handful of times will host cooking demonstrations).

The no-reservations-required Grand Dining Room is by far the most beautiful and largest venue, and yet (surprisingly) offers an intimate ambiance. Good food with good service came out course after course the evenings I dined there (the pan-seared scallops over Parmesan risotto was yummy). They also provide a full breakfast menu with the usual and not-so-usual (i.e., broiled kippers with sauteed onions, grilled lamb chops) made-to-order favorites. Same for lunch (broiled wahoo with a confit of apple and onion in a white cider sauce, London broil, a fabulous salad of shrimp, tofu, potatoes and mixed vegetables with peanut sauce called gado-gado and my favorite, creme brulee). Interestingly, Oceania, responding to customer comments, recently added 26 tables for two.

On my voyage, the sunny Terrace Cafe was favored for breakfast -- most everyone was taking advantage of the good weather. It's also popular, perhaps for the variety and ease of the buffet or maybe because it's adjacent to the pool deck. Buffets at best are usually a bit perilous, but the Cafe earns extra points for making it work nearly all the time, accomplishing what's commonly unattainable at a buffet. Serving platters seem as if they've just come from the kitchen, never looking picked over. Wait staff frequently join guests at the end of the line to escort them-and plate-to a table and there's a constant parade of friendly servers eager to fetch whatever you need. More coffee? A second helping of dessert? They'll get it and get it quickly. Whether it was instinct, good training, or both, there was always someone nearby to refill my cup or pour a fresh one.

Though definitely present, bar servers never hovered annoyingly. For coffee gourmands, here's a tip: I figured out that the best (and more robust) coffee comes from the very cool grind & brew one-cup-at-a-time machines atop beverage stations. Waiters are happy to oblige rather than pour a weaker brew from carafes filled back in the kitchen -- you just have to ask for it.

At breakfast, the Cafe has one omelet station (which never seemed overcrowded) and endless platters of fresh fruit, smoked fish, and baked goodies (only early birds snag the amazing sticky buns) amid the requisite breakfast fare. The biggest surprise was homemade grits (apparently I was one of a handful who cared). The Terrace Cafe lunch is likewise pretty good with lots of choices such as crispy spring rolls, perfectly grilled fish, sushi and yes, the obligatory pizza station.

The three dinner-only specialty restaurants are top-drawer, require reservations, and have no surcharge. The clubby-classic-in-the-making Polo Grill is the most intimate of the three-offering melt-in-your-mouth dry-aged steaks, lamb and veal along with a good selection of fresh seafood.

The tony Toscana comes wrapped in stunning ocean views, serving close-to but not quite five-star Italian cuisine. My favorite starter was baked veal-stuffed eggplants and, for dessert, two words: chocolate lasagna.

The Terrace Cafe morphs at night into Tapas on the Terrace (by way of a few brilliant decorative touches such as Mediterranean chair covers so chic I begged them to tell me where they were made, its own themed china, handsome glass and iron candleholders in the centers of each table) and is perfect for serious grazing. Buffet style, diners can choose from literally dozens of bold flavors and textures, all inspired by the Andalusian tradition where sherry-filled glasses came covered with plates to protect the contents from flies and dirt. My favorites were the potato and onion omelet, the plump fresh shrimp soaked in garlic and oil and a really excellent paella. Predictable desserts like flan and rice pudding are good (not great), but irresistibly crispy churros are awesome! FYI: Tapas has been so successful that plans have started to expand the concept by mid-October. Originally intended for the aft terrace only, word of mouth onboard was so positive that soon the indoor Cafe tables were filling up. Custom-made table linens will drape the inside dining tables and lovely candleholders will be added, as well.

Both restaurants serve breakfast from 7 - 10 a.m.; continental breakfast from room service (read nothing hot) from 6 -10 a.m.; with lunch from 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Waves is the place for a later lunch ('til 5 p.m.) offering hot dogs, burgers, sandwiches and even fried calamari plus a daily special and some rather ordinary and picked-over salads, all served with so-so fries and the most extraordinary cole slaw. Dining aboard is 7 - 9:30 p.m.

High tea is served daily at 4 p.m. in Horizons. The pastries and tea sandwiches are nice, but the so-called scones served with (oh dear) whipped cream "miss the boat." Given the expectation and their successful delivery of good food, Regatta should "upgrade" the whipped cream to clotted cream or, at the very least, Devonshire, for a more bona fide high tea.

Room service is 24/7, but don't expect food from the restaurants (except in the suites). At best, it's a menu of chicken breasts, steaks, too-salty soups and some fairly decent but plebian cold sandwiches. They do offer a terrific cheese platter, but someone needs to figure out how to prevent the crackers from getting soggy. But the cream brulee is worth ordering twice. Delivery was consistently prompt with hot food-hot, cold food-cold.

Caveat #1: It might be nice if breakfast was extended to 10:30 a.m., particularly on sea days when one feels the need to kick back a bit. Lunch should be extended to 2:30 p.m., particularly on port days since there's a palpable sense of rushing back from morning excursions by 2 p.m. among the passengers (I always missed it by minutes and dined on hot dogs every day).

Caveat #2 : The so-called "ice cream" dished out daily on Deck 9 is awful. Don't bother.

Cabins
Regatta has 330 guestrooms, suites and penthouses with more than 50% of the outside staterooms with verandas. One nice touch is the in-every-cabin "Tranquility Bed," dressed in 350-count Egyptian cotton linens, silk-cut duvets and goose-down pillows.

Veranda Staterooms are 216 square feet, including the teak balcony (surprisingly, furnished with two very cheesy white plastic chairs and a small table). Oceanview and inside cabins (at 165 and 158 square feet respectively) are rather, um, cozy. There's not quite enough storage and closet space (the casual dress code reduces space requirements somewhat, but still a bit gamey for two -- even for seven days). Kudos for the wooden hangers, though. There's a good-sized desk-cum-vanity table, love seat, small coffee table and desk chair.

Every cabin has a 21" color television with "On-Demand" films offering reasonably recent films (at least when I sailed) like "The Pianist" and "Bringing Down the House" for $9.95 - $11.95. Two night tables and a handy on/off switch for the main cabin lights frame the bed. Bathrooms are pint-sized, but amazingly utilitarian with strategically placed shelves inside and outside the vanity cabinet. Small showers (along with generous amounts of shampoo, conditioner, bath gel and body lotion) get the job done. I'm happy to report there's good lighting (I wasn't tweeze-challenged), piles of plush towels, a terry robe and a fixed hair dryer that's basically useless. If it's power you need, bring your own.

Other every-cabin amenities: nightly turn-down, satellite telephones (there's no voice mail, so it impossible to leave and get messages), safes, multiple mirrors, 110-volt AC outlets and Internet access ($25 hook-up charge plus Oceania@Sea's prevailing per minute rates) and coming soon, alarm clocks. Though prominently displayed in your cabin as if to say "complimentary," Evian is $3.50 if you open it.

Penthouse Suites are 322 square feet, Vista Suites are sized at 786 square feet and Owner's Suites are a whooping 962 square feet. All suites feature marbled bathrooms with bathtubs (Vista and penthouses have whirlpools), entertainment centers, fully-stocked minibars, nightly pre-dinner canapes and 24/7 butler service. Vista and Owner's Suites have lovely wraparound balconies, and canopied queen-sized beds.

Some observations: Beware that suites tend to sell out first, disappointing those passengers who prefer spacious accommodations. Can't book one? Then consider booking two veranda staterooms that connect and ask to replace one cabin with living room furniture. Presto --you've got a mini-suite with two verandas, two bathrooms and plenty of room for friends and cocktails.

Dress Code
No de rigueur cocktail parties or formal dinners. T-shirts, shorts and sandals by day, country club casual by night.