Oceania Sonata Debuts New Sonata Class

Published on Nov 17, 2025, 5:08 pm CST

6 min read

Key points

Oceania Cruises has unveiled Oceania Sonata as the first Sonata Class ship
The 86,000 gross ton vessel will carry 1,390 guests with 855 officers and crew
Thirty percent of accommodations will be suites including two new categories and updated Owners Suites
Oceania Sonata will debut in August 2027 with an emphasis on expanded culinary experiences
Fincantieri is building four Sonata Class ships with deliveries planned through 2035

Impact

Booking Strategy: Travelers interested in Oceania Sonata should work with a travel advisor early once inaugural itineraries open, since suite inventory will be limited and highly sought after.
Cabin Selection: With more suites and new categories, travelers who value space and amenities will have greater choice but should compare layouts and inclusions carefully before committing.
Culinary Expectations: Past Oceania guests can expect familiar specialty venues such as Jacques, Red Ginger, Polo Grill, and Toscana, plus expanded food and beverage offerings that build on the Allura Class.
Fleet Planning: Travelers loyal to Oceania should view Sonata as the start of a multi ship refresh, since three additional Sonata Class vessels are scheduled to join the fleet between 2029 and 2035.
Itinerary Planning: Because Sonata is larger yet still small ship by industry standards, expect destination rich itineraries that can still access many midsize ports rather than only megaship harbors.

Oceania Cruises has revealed Oceania Sonata, the first vessel in its new four ship Sonata Class and the ninth ship in the line's fleet. The 86,000 gross ton ship will carry about 1,390 guests and 855 officers and crew, with a maiden season scheduled for August 2027. Sonata is being built by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and is designed to deliver more space per guest than any previous Oceania ship, with an expanded mix of suites and signature culinary venues.

Inside Oceania Sonata And The New Sonata Class

Oceania Sonata will be the most spacious and amenity rich ship in the Oceania Cruises fleet, while still staying well below the size of today's megaships. At roughly 86,000 gross tons and 1,390 guests, the ship will be significantly larger than the 67,817 gross ton, 1,200 guest Allura Class, yet with more public space and a higher ratio of space per traveler, according to early briefings.

Suites will account for about 30 percent of all accommodations on Oceania Sonata, a notable increase in premium inventory for a line that already leans into higher end cabin categories. Oceania has confirmed two brand new suite types, along with reimagined Owner's Suites that are positioned as the top tier of the onboard lodging experience. Exact layouts and square footage have not yet been released, however initial previews suggest more separation between sleeping and living areas, larger terraces on select suites, and refreshed interior design that continues the Vista and Allura aesthetic.

On the restaurant side, Oceania is keeping its core specialty venues that are familiar to past guests. Jacques, the French restaurant created in partnership with Jacques Pépin, will return, along with pan Asian Red Ginger, Polo Grill steakhouse, and Toscana for Italian cuisine. The line has signaled additional enhancements to its food and beverage program on Sonata and her sister ships, although full details will follow closer to launch.

Behind the scenes, construction is underway at Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard near Venice, Italy, the same builder responsible for Oceania Marina, Oceania Riviera, Oceania Vista, and the new Oceania Allura. Oceania Sonata is the first in the Sonata Class series, with sister ship Oceania Arietta already scheduled to join the fleet in 2029.

Latest Developments

Today's reveal of Oceania Sonata builds on a multi year expansion plan for Oceania Cruises. The company has four Sonata Class ships on order, with deliveries in 2027, 2029, 2032, and 2035, which will follow the two ship Allura Class that began with Vista in 2023 and continues with Allura in 2025.

Oceania leadership has emphasized that Sonata and her sisters will prioritize more generous public spaces, upgraded accommodations, and a further evolution of the line's long standing focus on cuisine and destination immersive itineraries. Jason Montague, Chief Luxury Officer of Oceania Cruises, has framed Sonata as the dawn of a new era for the brand, while Fincantieri has described the ships as an evolution of the Allura platform, refined for larger tonnage and greater comfort.

Although specific inaugural itineraries for Sonata have not been released, the ship is expected to enter service in the northern summer of 2027, with sales typically opening well in advance of debut for past patterns at the line.

Analysis

For travelers who already know Oceania, Sonata represents both continuity and a significant step up in hardware. The passenger count remains in the small to midsize category, which helps preserve the quieter onboard feel that many guests favor, but the additional tonnage gets spent on larger lounges, expanded spa and wellness areas, and more generous outdoor deck space. This matters on longer destination heavy itineraries, where sea days and evenings onboard are a bigger part of the value equation.

The heavier emphasis on suites will be especially relevant for guests who treat the cabin as a primary living space rather than just a place to sleep. More suite inventory should, in theory, make it slightly easier to secure higher category cabins on popular sailings, though demand at the top end of the market has remained strong. Advisors may want to counsel clients to join interest lists or pre registration programs once they appear, since the inaugural season is likely to sell at a premium.

From a broader fleet perspective, Sonata Class is also a signal about where Oceania is heading over the next decade. With four ships in the pipeline, the line will gain substantial capacity by the mid 2030s, which can support a larger global footprint and potentially more variety in homeports and itineraries. That could translate into additional choices in regions like Northern Europe, Asia, and South America, along with more shoulder season and grand voyage options.

Background

Oceania Cruises has historically positioned itself between the large mainstream brands and fully inclusive ultra luxury lines. Its Regatta Class ships, which date back to the late 1990s, established a template of mid sized vessels with an emphasis on food and longer port stays, then the Marina and Riviera builds with Fincantieri added more space and amenities without jumping into megaship territory. The Vista and Allura duo that followed further modernized the fleet. Sonata Class takes that same design language and scales it up carefully, rather than turning Oceania into a high density, resort park at sea product.

For travelers, this evolution means that future Oceania voyages are likely to feel familiar in service style and dining, while offering refreshed spaces, more modern technology, and a cabin mix that leans even further into premium and suite categories. Demand patterns over the last several years, particularly in the upper premium and luxury segments, suggest that this is where many new to cruise and repeat guests are willing to spend more, provided the experience feels clearly differentiated from mass market ships.

Final Thoughts

Oceania Sonata is the opening note in Oceania Cruises' next decade of fleet growth, and it sets a clear direction. A larger yet still intimate ship, more suites, and an even heavier focus on culinary and destination depth all reinforce the brand's niche in the premium luxury space. Travelers who value quieter ships, strong food, and port intensive itineraries should watch closely as Oceania releases Sonata's inaugural schedule and suite details, since early bookers will have the widest set of choices. Expect the phrase "Oceania Sonata cruise ship" to become a regular part of luxury cruise conversations well before the ship actually sails in 2027.