Oceania Sirena

The 1999-built (as “R-Four”) Oceania Sirena cruise ship is an R-class vessel with sisterships Regatta, Insignia, and Nautica. Until 2016, the ship was part of the Princess Cruises fleet, operating under the name “Ocean Princess.” Oceania Cruises’ Sirena was drydock-refurbished in May 2019 as part of the OceaniaNEXT fleet renovation program (2019–2020).

The vessel (IMO number 9187899) is currently Marshall Islands-flagged (MMSI 538006842) and registered in Majuro.

History - construction and ownership

Oceania Cruises is a USA-based passenger shipping company and luxury travel brand owned by NCLH-Norwegian (shipowner). Between April 2007 and September 2014, the company (as part of “Prestige Cruise Holdings”) was owned by Apollo Management LP, one of the world’s largest private equity investment funds.

Since September 2014, Oceania and its sister company RSSC-Regent have been owned by NCLH, acquired at a total cost of approximately USD 3 billion.

Since January 2026, Oceania has operated as an adults-only cruise line and sea travel brand.

Oceania ships offer luxury cruises with relatively shorter itineraries, as well as Around The World voyages lasting up to 180 days.

The 700-passenger ship Sirena was scheduled for a 35-day refurbishment in Marseille, France, in March 2016, at a cost of approximately USD 40 million. The ship was transformed in line with her R-class sisters to feature renowned specialty restaurants and the line’s latest “luxury cruising” concepts, including the Baristas coffee service and the Terrace Cafe with a cook-to-order grill.

Decks and Cabins

Oceania Sirena staterooms (349 total, in 16 categories) include 62 Suites, 170 Balcony cabins, 89 Oceanview cabins (including 14 single-occupancy), and 28 Inside cabins. Most staterooms (66%) feature balconies and are sized at approximately 175 ft2 (16 m2). Most cabin balconies are relatively compact, averaging 45 ft2 (4 m2).

The largest accommodations are the Owner’s Suites, measuring approximately 620 ft2 (58 m2), plus a 345 ft2 (32 m2) private terrace.

The ship has 11 decks, of which 9 are passenger-accessible and 5 contain staterooms.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Sirena guests enjoy the flexibility of four open-seating dining venues. The Grand Dining Room serves Continental cuisine and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Alternative reservation-required venues include Toscana, offering gourmet Italian cuisine, and the steakhouse Polo Grill. The buffet-style Terraces restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and transforms into “Tapas on the Terrace” in the evenings for a relaxed dining atmosphere. All dining venues feature bars, and there is no cover charge. In addition, a poolside grill offers hamburgers, sandwiches, and salads at lunchtime, while a pizzeria operates within the buffet area. The observation lounge Horizons serves afternoon tea, and 24-hour room service is available.

The ship also introduced a bistro-style dining concept. At lunch, the Grand Dining Room transforms into “Jacques Bistro,” serving an exclusive menu featuring signature dishes by Oceania’s Executive Culinary Director, Jacques Pepin.

Below is the complete list of Sirena’s restaurants and food venues.

• Grand Dining Room (complimentary 340-seat restaurant with open seating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; offers French-inspired cuisine with daily changing menus)
• Toscana (96-seat Italian fine dining restaurant; dinner-only, reservations required, complimentary; serving traditional Italian cuisine)
• Red Ginger (Pan-Asian fusion specialty restaurant)
• Polo Grill (96-seat steakhouse restaurant; complimentary, reservations required)
• In October 2015, Oceania announced plans to combine the Toscana and Polo Grill specialty restaurants into a new venue named “Tuscan Steak,” featuring rich wood paneling accented with platinum and silver. The gourmet dinner menu includes items such as “Bistecca alla Fiorentina,” “Maine Lobster & Shrimp Fra Diavolo,” “Tuscan Porterhouse Steak,” and Oceania Cruises’ signature “Iberico de Bellota” pork chops. A wine cellar showcasing a selection of fine wines is located at the entrance.

Red Ginger is a Pan-Asian specialty restaurant offering fusion cuisine and a five-course tasting menu (à la carte pricing). The menu includes sharable selections for 2–4 guests (skewers, sushi, and tempura), soups (Tom Kha Gai, Chili Miso), salads (Spicy Duck and Watermelon Salad, Thai Beef Salad, Avocado Lobster Salad, BBQ Baby Back Rib Salad, Sesame Wakame Salad, Asian Greens), appetizers (Seared Salmon with Scallop Ceviche, Vietnamese Banh Trang Summer Rolls, Imperial Crispy Potato Roll, Vegetable Tempura, Caramelized Tiger Prawns, Crispy Ginger Calamari, Tuna Tataki, Chicken Satay, Sushi Chef’s Selection), and main courses across seafood, vegetarian, and meat categories, plus a variety of sides. Fleetwide since 2026, Red Ginger’s menu also includes 12 Nikkei dishes (Japanese-Peruvian fusion cuisine developed by master chef Gustavo Sugay), prepared using traditional Peruvian ingredients and Japanese culinary techniques.

Waves Grill is a casual fast-food venue serving the Pool Deck with made-to-order daily specialties and gourmet gelato or freshly made ice cream. The menu features more than 20 items, including burgers with fresh-made salads, coleslaw, hand-cut fries, Surf & Turf Wagyu Burger, Philly cheesesteak sandwiches,e, and cold sandwiches. In the evenings, Waves Grill transforms into an alfresco pizzeria offering freshly baked pizzas, grilled Italian specialties, salads, rosemary focaccia with burrata, and desserts such as Nutella pizza.

Terrace Cafe & Bar is a complimentary casual buffet restaurant open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with both indoor and outdoor seating and daily changing menus. The Terrace Bar also functions as a small pizzeria. In the evenings, Terrace Cafe transforms into “Tapas on the Terrace,” serving traditional Mediterranean cuisine. Once per cruise, an Indian Corner opens during dinner service, offering a themed station with 15 authentic Indian dishes.

The Lido Buffet’s Sushi Station offers approximately 45 recipes, including sashimi, uramaki, nigiri, and a daily vegetarian sushi selection.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

MS Sirena welcomed her first passengers under the Oceania brand in the summer of 2016, offering the full range of amenities expected aboard the line’s mid-sized ships. She features open-seating restaurants, multiple lounges and bars, a casino, and a world-class wellness center.

Below is the complete list of Sirena’s lounges, clubs, and entertainment venues.

• Sirena Lounge (main showroom and theatre for live evening entertainment and themed dance parties; also hosts daily trivia, lectures, and presentations)
• The Casino (operating with USD bets and served by the Casino Bar)
• Martinis (piano bar serving a wide variety of martinis)
• Two Boutiques (duty-free perfumes, jewelry, Oceania-branded merchandise, clothing, gifts, and convenience items)
• Upper Hall lounge area (with grand piano for live performances, served by the Martinis Bar)
• Grand Bar (wine bar hosting wine tastings, served by Baristas offering complimentary illy coffee beverages)
• Baristas Grand (coffee bar)
• Sirena Wellness Center (Spa Terrace, Spa Whirlpool, steam rooms, treatment rooms, styling salon, Canyon Ranch Spa Club, fitness center/gym, and a boardroom for card and board games)
• Oceania@Sea (24-hour Internet center with computers; private lessons and group classes available)
• Pool area (one swimming pool, two whirlpools, sunbathing area, and bandstand, served by the Waves Bar)
• The Patio (outdoor shaded lounge with chairs, daybeds, and sofas)
• Horizons (lounge and bar with floor-to-ceiling windows, live entertainment, full bar, and afternoon tea service; transforms into a nightclub at night)
• Fitness Track (power walking and jogging track)
• The Library (over 1,000 books, including numerous destination guides)
• Sun Deck (served by the Polo Bar; features sun loungers, showers, and deck games such as shuffleboard, golf driving net, and a nine-hole mini-golf putting green)

Itineraries

MS Sirena’s itinerary program is centered on European voyages (Mediterranean and Baltic/UK), Transatlantic repositioning crossings between Europe and the USA (New York and Miami, Florida), Panama Canal transits, and Caribbean itineraries (roundtrips from Bridgetown, Barbados and Aruba).

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, Oceania Sirena was paused for approximately two years (March 2020 through 2022), resuming operations on March 29 with a 14-day Transatlantic crossing from Bridgetown to Barcelona.

Oceania Cruises’ ship Sirena (operated as “Ocean Princess” until March 2016) was built under the name R Four as one of the R-class vessels originally operated by the now-defunct Renaissance Cruises. In April 2016, the ship joined her R-class sisters and current fleetmates Insignia, Nautica, and Regatta. Other ships of the same “Renaissance-class” design include the Azamara fleet’s Journey, Pursuit, Quest, and Onward.

The vessel (built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique, hull number O31) is powered by four WARTSILA marine diesel engines (model 12V32) with a combined output of 13.5 MW. The registered shipowner is NCL BAHAMAS LTD, while the current ship manager is SIRENA ACQUISITION LLC.

The ship was initially owned by a group of French investors and operated by Renaissance Cruises. After Renaissance went bankrupt in 2001, Princess Cruises purchased two of its vessels, Ocean and Pacific. The former “R Four” was first renamed “Tahitian Princess” and later “Ocean Princess.”

Chantiers de l’Atlantique delivered R Four to Renaissance Cruises on October 22, 1999. During her service with Renaissance Cruises (1999–2001), R Four operated cruises in Tahiti and French Polynesia, sailing roundtrip from Papeete. As Tahitian Princess, the ship later operated in the South Pacific (including Australia) and on seasonal cruises to Hawaii and Alaska. In 2009, she was renamed Ocean Princess, and in 2014 she was sold to NCLH-Norwegian.

Sirena was delivered to Oceania Cruises in March 2016. She was purchased from her previous owner, Carnival Corporation, for USD 82 million and underwent a 35-day drydock refurbishment in France (Marseille) at a cost of approximately USD 50 million before entering Oceania’s fleet.

The name “Sirena” means “mermaid” in Spanish. The ship was transformed from “Princess” to “Oceania” style with a blend of new and traditional touches, including the addition of the Italian seafood and steakhouse restaurant Tuscan Steak (replacing Toscana and Polo Grill), the Asian restaurant Red Ginger, as well as Terrace Café and the popular Baristas coffee bar.

In December 2015, Claudine Pepin (TV host, cookbook author, and daughter of master chef Jacques Pepin) was announced as godmother of MS Sirena. Jacques Pepin also serves as Oceania Cruises’ Executive Culinary Director. The naming ceremony was held on April 27, 2016, in Barcelona. The traditional bottle-smashing ceremony failed on the first attempt (traditionally considered bad luck), but the Moët & Chandon Champagne bottle was successfully shattered against the ship’s hull on the second try. Following the christening, the godmother and her father sailed on the inaugural cruise, which featured themed onboard events, including cooking demonstrations and cookbook signings. All guests on the maiden voyage received a complimentary copy of Claudine Pepin’s book “Let’s Cook French.”

On September 2, 2014, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings purchased Prestige Cruise Holdings (owner of Oceania Cruises and RSSC-Regent Seven Seas) for USD 3.025 billion, becoming the parent company of both cruise brands and their fleets.

The Apollo Group provides all Oceania ships with complete onboard hotel products and services, including administration, food preparation and service staff, housekeeping, provisioning, and crewing. Other cruise lines served by Apollo include Thomson UK (Marella Cruises) and RSSC-Regent.

Inaugural itineraries 2016

MS Sirena’s itinerary program with Oceania Cruises began in April 2016 with an inaugural season in Europe (Mediterranean Sea). Below is a list of selected inaugural and repositioning cruise itineraries, including ports of call and indicative per-person prices:

• April 27 (Inaugural cruise / “Maiden Voyage” for Oceania) – 14-day Barcelona to Venice – from €4,000 – ports of call: Marseille, Monte Carlo, St. Tropez, Elba, Rome, Positano, Messina, Malta, Kotor, Split, Koper
• September 20 – 28-day Transatlantic crossing, Barcelona to New York – from €5,600
• October 4 – 14-day Transatlantic, Barcelona to New York – from €2,160
• October 4 – 24-day Transatlantic, Barcelona to New York – from €4,560 – Alicante, Almeria, Cadiz, Madeira, Bermuda (Hamilton)
• October 28 – 28-day New York to Miami – from €5,680 – Bermuda (Hamilton), St. Barthelemy, St. Lucia, Tobago, Amazon River cruise (Brazil: Santarém, Boca da Valeria, Manaus, Parintins), Cayenne/Devil’s Island, Barbados, Martinique, BVI (Virgin Gorda), Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic (La Romana)
• November 25 – 16-day Panama Canal transition, Miami to Los Angeles – from GBP 3,050 – Great Stirrup Cay, Cartagena, Golfito, Puntarenas, Corinto, Puerto Quetzal, Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas, San Diego

Cuba cruises from Miami 2018

For the 2018 Caribbean season (April–June and September–December), Oceania Cruises scheduled a total of 15 roundtrip Miami, Florida itineraries (7–10 days) aboard Sirena, visiting Cuban ports including Havana, Santiago de Cuba, and Cienfuegos. Longer itineraries also included ports in the Bahamas, such as Great Stirrup Cay.

Each Cuban voyage featured traditional Cuban cuisine, along with expert-led onboard lectures focusing on the country’s history, art, and music.

The table below shows a sample 7-day roundtrip itinerary themed “Timeless Cuba,” with prices starting from USD 3,400 per person (double occupancy, Inside cabin):

Oceania Sirena refurbishment 2019 review

Sirena’s OceaniaNEXT refurbishment in 2019 (May 5–18, at CNM–Chantier Naval de Marseille in Marseille, France) resulted in the following enhancements:

• New public spaces, including an open-floor-design Lobby with Reception Hall (lower level) and Upper Hall (second level), connected by a Grand Staircase with decorative railings and balustrades, highlighted by a large crystal chandelier with hand-painted glass elements.
• The Grand Dining Room (aft on Deck 5) received new premium dining furniture (leather chairs with metallic bronze threading) and a new crystal chandelier.
• Martinis (piano bar lounge on Deck 5) was redesigned with a silver-white marble bar top and added walnut paneling.
• All staterooms were fully redesigned and refurnished with custom-made furniture, polished wood and stone finishes, designer accessories, smart HDTVs (interactive infotainment system with movies-on-demand and Internet access), USB ports, and LED lighting.
• All cabin bathrooms were overhauled with new tiling, surfaces, fixtures, designer accessories, vanities, and glass shower enclosures.
• Penthouse, Vista, and Owner suite bathrooms were enlarged and upgraded with Carrara marble, onyx, and polished granite countertops.

Oceania’s 2018–2022 refurbishment program (covering Insignia, Nautica, Regatta, and Sirena) cost the company approximately USD 100 million.

Oceania Sirena refurbishment 2016 review

MS Sirena’s 2016 drydock refurbishment (35-day refit, March–April, in Marseille) cost approximately USD 50 million.

The refitted ship had all outdoor deck spaces and cabin balconies covered with top-quality teak and featured custom-made tiles, luxury china (Villeroy & Boch), silver flatware (Christofle), and crystal glassware (Riedel), along with Oceania’s hallmark extensive onboard art collection.

• All Owner and Vista suites were updated with colorful artwork, plush carpeting, and dark walnut furniture finishes.
• Owner Suites received custom-made furnishings, Oceania’s signature luxury beds, renovated bathrooms, and teak balconies.
• Vista Suites were upgraded with marble-accented bathrooms and teak balconies.
• All cabins were renovated with new furnishings, luxury bedding, and artwork.
• Owner, Penthouse, and Vista suite categories were redesigned and upgraded with marble bathrooms and larger showers.

Following the 2016 refurbishment, MS Sirena also introduced two new specialty restaurants: Tuscan Steak (Italian seafood and steakhouse restaurant on Deck 10) and Jacques Bistro (a gourmet lunch venue on Deck 5 featuring signature dishes by chef Jacques Pepin).

Ocean Princess ship review

The table below provides key information about the vessel during her service as “MS Ocean Princess.”

• Last refurbished: 2012
• MMSI number: 310505000
• Callsign: ZCDS4
• Flag State: Bermuda
• Christened by three godparents (Ali McGraw, Ryan O’Neal, Tonita Flosse)
• Passenger decks: 9
• Number of cabin categories: 25
• Total cabins: 338 (including 62 Suites and 170 balcony cabins)
• Main dining room: Club Restaurant
• Restaurants and food venues: Sterling (steakhouse), Sabatini’s (Italian), Panorama (buffet), Pizzeria
• Lounges and bars: Cabaret (theatre), Tahitian (nightclub), Club Bar, poolside bars
• Amenities: Casino, Library, Art Gallery, Lotus Spa, two swimming pools (main pool and Thalasso pool), three Jacuzzis, golf cage, jogging track, shuffleboard, beauty salon, sauna

This Princess Cruises ship had more godparents than usual: Madame Tonita Flosse (First Lady of French Polynesia at the time), along with Ali McGraw and Ryan O’Neal, stars of the 1970 film “Love Story.”

A notable trivia point is that the P&O ship Oceana also operated under the name “Ocean Princess” between 2000 and 2002.

In 2014, the vessel was purchased by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings from Carnival Corporation for USD 82 million. Of this amount, USD 24 million was paid in cash in November 2014, while the remaining USD 66 million was financed through the so-called “Sirena loan,” provided by Carnival Corporation and running through November 2019 at an annual interest rate of 2.75%.

Princess Cruises’ Ocean Princess itinerary program featured a wide range of exotic cruises departing from the UK, the USA (Florida and California ports), South Africa (Cape Town), Asia (Singapore), and Australia (Sydney). The ship also operated World Cruise itineraries departing from the UK and Australia.

The final Ocean Princess itinerary was a 64-day cruise around South America (January 3–March 7). Ports of call included Miami (Jan 3), Philipsburg (Jan 6), Roseau (Jan 7), Bridgetown (Jan 8), Tobago (Jan 9), Îles du Salut (Jan 11), Natal (Jan 15), Rio de Janeiro (Jan 19–20), Ilhabela (Jan 21), Santos/São Paulo (Jan 22), Montevideo (Jan 25), Buenos Aires (Jan 26–27), Puerto Madryn (Jan 30), Port Stanley (Feb 1), Ushuaia (Feb 3), Cape Horn (Feb 4), Punta Arenas (Feb 6), Puerto Chacabuco (Feb 9), Puerto Montt (Feb 11), Valparaíso (Feb 13), Coquimbo (Feb 14), Arica (Feb 16), Pisco (Feb 18), Callao (Feb 19–20), Salaverry (Feb 21), Guayaquil (Feb 23), Puntarenas (Feb 26), Panama Canal transit (Feb 28), Santa Marta (Mar 1), Willemstad (Mar 3), and Miami (Mar 7).