Nautica - Berlitz Cruising & Cruise Ships 2017 (Berlitz Cruise Guide) (2016)

Berlitz Cruising & Cruise Ships 2017 (Berlitz Cruise Guide) (2016)

Nautica

★★★★

Berlitz’s Ratings

Ship: 402 out of 500

Accommodation: 153 out of 200

Food: 308 out of 400

Service: 295 out of 400

Entertainment: 74 out of 100

Cruise: 308 out of 400

Overall Score: 1540 out of 2000

Nautica Statistics

Size: Small Ship

Tonnage: 30,277

Lifestyle: Premium

Cruise Line: Oceania Cruises

Former Names: R Five

IMO Number: 9200938

Builder: Chantiers de l’Atlantique

Original Cost: £150 million

Entered Service: Dec 1998/Nov 2005

Registry: Marshall Islands

Length (ft/m): 593.7/181.0

Beam (ft/m): 83.5/25.5

Draft (ft/m): 19.5/6.0

Propulsion/Propellers: diesel (18,600kW)/2

Passenger Decks: 9

Total Crew: 386

Passengers (lower beds): 684

Passenger Space Ratio (lower beds): 44.2

Passenger/Crew Ratio (lower beds): 1.7

Cabins (total): 342

Size Range (sq ft/m): 145.3-968.7/13.5-90.0

Cabins (for one person): 0

Cabins (with private balcony): 232

Cabins (wheelchair accessible): 3

Wheelchair accessibility: Good

Cabin Current: 110 and 220 volts

Elevators: 4

Casino (gaming tables): Yes

Slot Machines: Yes

Swimming Pools: 1

Hot Tubs (on deck): 2

Self-Service Launderette: Yes

Dedicated Cinema/Seats: No

Library: Yes

Onboard currency: US$

Nautica_BerlitzCruiseGuide_EC

This premium ship has traditional decor, for mature-age cruisers

Overview. Nautica is best suited to couples who like good food and style, but want informality and interesting itineraries, all at a very reasonable price.

The Ship. Nautica, almost identical to Insignia and Regatta, is an all-white ship with a large, square white funnel, and a very pleasant Lido and Pool Deck outdoors, with teak overlaid decking and high quality lounge chairs.

In 2014, the ship underwent a refurbishment program that included the addition of Barista’s coffee bar (for illy coffees), installed new bathrooms for the Owner’s Suites and Vista Suites, and updated the decor in all other cabins. Also added were a miniature golf course, shuffleboard courts, and other deck games.

The interior decor is a delightful throwback to the ocean liners of the 1920s and ’30s, with dark woods and warm colors, all carried out in fine taste, although a bit faux in places. This includes detailed ceiling cornices, both real and faux, wrought-iron staircase railings, leather-paneled walls, trompe l’oeil ceilings, rich carpeting in hallways with an Oriental rug-look center section, and many other interesting and expensive-looking decorative touches. It feels like a comfortable traditional country club.

The public rooms are spread over three decks. The lobby has a staircase with intricate wrought-iron railings. A large observation lounge, the Horizon Bar, is high atop ship.

There are plenty of bars - including one in each of the restaurant entrances. Perhaps the nicest is the casino bar/lounge, a beautiful room reminiscent of London’s grand hotels and includes a Martini bar. It has an inviting marble fireplace, comfortable sofas, and individual chairs.

The Library is a grand Regency-style room, with a fireplace, a high, indented, trompe l’oeil ceiling, and an excellent selection of books, plus very comfortable wingback chairs.

Gratuities are automatically added to your onboard account. Accommodations designated as suites pay more, for the butler. An 18 percent gratuity is added to bar and spa accounts.

Accommodation. There are six cabin categories, and several price grades: three suite price grades, five outside-view cabin grades, and two interior cabin grades. All of the standard interior and outside-view cabins - the lowest four grades - are very compact units, and tight for two persons. They have twin beds or queen-size bed, with good under-bed storage areas, personal safe, vanity desk with large mirror, good closet and drawer space in rich, dark woods, cotton bathrobe and towels, slippers, clothes brush, and shoehorn. TV sets carry a major news channel, where obtainable, plus a sports channel and round-the-clock movie channels.

About 100 cabins qualify as ‘Concierge Level’ accommodation, and occupants get extra goodies such as enhanced bathroom amenities, complimentary shoeshine, tote bag, cashmere throw blanket, bottle of Champagne on arrival, hairdryer, priority restaurant reservations, priority embarkation, and dedicated check-in desk.

Owner’s Suites. The six Owner’s Suites, measuring 962 sq ft/89.3 sq m, are the most spacious accommodation. They are fine, large living spaces located aft overlooking the stern on Decks 6, 7, and 8 - they are, however, subject to movement and vibration. They have teak-floor private balconies that really are private and can’t be overlooked. Each has an entrance foyer, living room, separate bedroom (the bed faces the sea, which can be seen through the floor-to-ceiling windows), fully tiled bathroom with tub, and a small guest bathroom.

Vista Suites. There are four, each around 786 sq ft/73 sq m, and located forward on Decks 5 and 6. They have teak-floor private balconies that can’t be overlooked. Each has an entrance foyer, living room, separate bedroom with similar layout to that in the Owner’s Suites, CD player plus audio discs, and a fully tiled bathroom with Jacuzzi tub.

Penthouse Suites. There are 52 of these - though they are not suites at all but large cabins because the bedrooms aren’t separate from the living areas. They measure around 323 sq ft (30 sq m) and have a good-size teak-floor balcony with sliding glass door (but with partial, and not full, balcony partitions) and teak deck furniture. The lounge area has a proper dining table and there is ample clothes storage space. The bathroom has a tub, shower enclosure, washbasin, and toilet.

Cabins with balcony. Cabins with private balconies (around 216 sq ft/20 sq m) comprise about two-thirds of all cabins. They have partial, not full, balcony partitions and sliding glass doors, and 14 cabins on Deck 6 have lifeboat-obstructed views and no balcony. The living area has a refrigerated minibar, lounge area with breakfast table, and a balcony with teak floor, two teak chairs, and a drinks table. The bathrooms, with tiled floors and plain walls, are compact, standard units, and include a shower stall with a strong, removable hand-held shower unit, hairdryer, toiletries storage shelves, and retractable clothesline.

Outside-view and interior cabins. These measure around 160-165 sq ft (14.8-15.3 sq m) and have twin beds that convert to a queen-size bed, vanity desk, small sofa and coffee table, and bathroom with a shower enclosure with a strong, removable hand-held shower unit, hairdryer, toiletries storage shelves, retractable clothesline, washbasin, and toilet. Although they are not large, they are quite comfortable, with decent storage space.

Some suites/cabins located at the stern may suffer from vibration and noise, particularly when the ship is proceeding at or close to full speed, or maneuvering in port.

Dining. Flexibility and choice are what the dining facilities aboard the Oceania ships are all about. There are four different restaurants:

The Grand Dining Room has around 340 seats and a raised central section, but the problem is the noise level: it’s atrocious when the dining room is full - the effect of the low ceiling height. Being located at the stern, there are large ocean-view windows on three sides - prime tables overlook the stern. The chairs are comfortable and have armrests. The menus change daily for lunch and dinner.

Other dining options. The Toscana Italian Restaurant has 96 seats, windows along two sides, and a set menu plus daily chef’s specials.

The cozy Polo Grill has 98 seats, windows along two sides and a set menu including prime steaks and seafood.

The Terrace Café has both indoor and outdoor seating. It is open for breakfast, lunch, and casual dinners, with tapas (Tapas on the Terrace) and other Mediterranean food. As the ship’s self-serve buffet restaurant, it incorporates a small pizzeria and grill. There are basic salads, a meat carving station, and a reasonable selection of cheeses.

All restaurants have open-seating dining, so you can dine when you want, with whom you wish. Reservations are needed in Toscana Restaurant and Polo Grill (but there’s no extra charge), where there are mostly tables for four or six; there are few tables for two. There is a Poolside Grill Bar. All cappuccino and espresso coffees cost extra.

The food and service staff is provided by a respected maritime catering company with an interest in Oceania Cruises. This certainly is a foodie’s ship, with really high-quality ingredients, and a wide selection of dining venues. Particularly notable are the delicious breads, rolls, croissants, and brioches - all made on board from French flour and d’Isigny butter.

On sea days, an elegant teatime is presented in the Horizon Lounge, with formally dressed staff, cake display trolleys, and an excellent array of cake and scones. Sadly, teabags - not loose tea - prevail.

Entertainment. The Nautica Lounge has entertainment, lectures, and some social events. There is little entertainment because of the intensive nature of the itineraries. However, there is live music in several bars and lounges.

Spa/Fitness. The Lido Deck has a swimming pool, and good sunbathing space, plus a thalassotherapy tub. A jogging track circles the swimming pool deck, but one deck above. The uppermost outdoors deck includes a golf driving net and shuffleboard court. The Canyon Ranch SpaClub consists of a beauty salon, three treatment rooms, men’s and women’s changing rooms, and steam room (but no sauna). An 18 percent gratuity applies to massages and treatments.