The world's newest cruise ship – with bold culinary ambitions and a ‘retro edge'
'For us, bread is a religion,' he asserted during a galley tour, and I concur – said bread is a true delight, especially when generously smeared with salted Normandy butter. Parfait.
However when I signed up to be one of the first guests to sail on the 1,200 passenger Allura, I didn't anticipate that emergency dentistry would also be on the schedule. Yet, only a few days into the cruise, I was checking into a dentist in Split, Croatia, to have a loose veneer refitted. Iconic they may be, but those baguettes have a lot to answer for.
The line's latest vessel – a sister to Oceania Vista which launched in 2023 – the Italian-built Allura is a beauty. She's luxurious from top to bottom, contemporary but also warm and inviting, with a statement staircase featuring a dazzling split level crystal chandelier, and original artworks adorning the walls.
Standard staterooms are 10 per cent larger than competitors and are all outside facing: my light and airy penthouse suite had a five-star feel and came replete with a walk-in wardrobe and roomy bathroom with double vanity sinks.
The fact that Allura is mid-size means she's small enough to navigate, but large enough to have lots going on – from destination-inspired talks to sunrise yoga sessions, and original production shows in the theatre.
Of course what Oceania Cruises is best known for is its culinary output. And on Allura, there's one chef for every eight guests and 12 diverse dining options, the majority of which are included in your fare – hence the line's claim to have 'The finest cuisine at sea.'
But don't just take their word for it. A fellow passenger Alison, from London, told me she was so impressed by the food on Allura that she was already contemplating booking another cruise.'The service is exceptional and every plate is like a work of art – the presentation, the flavours, the service, everything is flawlessly executed,' she enthused.
Taste-bud tantalising it may be, but there was a distinct retro edge to my meal in the Grand Dining Room which features more than 270 new recipes: the 'soufflé of the day' had a scent reminiscent of the popcorn served at the fairgrounds I frequented as a child – fluffy in texture, fragranced with vanilla and laced with caramel and pecan nuts, it made me giddy with nostalgia.
And who remembers Gino Ginelli ice cream? Similar throwback desserts are available on Allura in the Grand Dining Room including Plombières ice cream – a tutti frutti concoction laced with maraschino liqueur – and Humphry Slocombe's 'After school special,' featuring chocolate potato chips and caramel.
Elsewhere the new crêperie serves up sweet treats including crêpes suzette, Belgium waffles and Italian gelato, and was inspired by Alexis' childhood memories of eating crêpes with his grandmother.
Grandma's chocolate mousse has also made its debut in the Grand Dining Room, and it's pretty much identical to the dessert Alexis used to dip his finger into back in the day.
He told Telegraph Travel: 'We used to make chocolate mousse together when I was four years old. I've handed about 99 per cent of the recipe over to the ship but I held a little back as it's a family secret – only my son and my wife know it.'
From casual grazing to a six-course menu paired with Dom Pérignon vintages, there's lots of culinary newness – including 12 Japanese-Peruvian Nikkei dishes at the pan-Asian Red Ginger – on Allura, though Alexis was at pains to point out that guest favourites have been retained too.
'Miso sea bass, lobster pad Thai, duck salad – all the classics will stay here forever. Even when I die they will still be on the menu,' said Alexis.
I told Alexis I was sure he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, and rejoiced that the delicious lobster pad survived together with the line's legendary brunch which features 400 oysters, two kilos of caviar and bottomless mimosas.
There's also the opportunity to sharpen your kitchen skills at the Culinary Center. The first ever hands-on cookery school at sea when it launched in 2011, the venue is now found on four of Oceania's ships including Allura – where it has 24 cooking stations and offers more than 60 different classes.
'Whisk it like you mean it!' instructed executive chef Kathryn Kelly as I beat a bowl of batter into submission in an attempt to make a restaurant-worthy crêpe suzette. 'Crêpe batter needs to be pretty thin, between a heavy and a light cream in viscosity – let it rest for a while,' she advised the class.
If all this sounds too indulgent for your tastes, healthier alternatives are available at Aquamar Kitchen – a popular hangout serving wellness-inspired energy bowls, avocado toast, omelettes, cold-pressed juices, and for those on the matcha hype, matcha lattes. Overall, it's a brilliant concept, but I was disappointed to discover that the spicy Indian chai tea was made with a tea bag.
I attempted to intersperse my excessive eating and drinking by exploring ashore but alas it wasn't to be as the itinerary for my chosen excursion – an electric tuk-tuk tour of Split – had to be modified due to a recent storm. Subsequently our four-person group ended up walking around the heaving old town – something I wouldn't have chosen to do in high season despite Split's good looks – before getting soaked in a sudden downpour en route back to the ship.
Here I cheered myself up by drinking one too many Luna cocktails in Founders Bar, before devouring possibly the best herb-roasted lamb rack of my life in signature French restaurant Jacques.
Needless to say that I rolled off Allura in Italy's under-the-radar gem, Trieste, at least a couple of kilos heavier. Ever heard the saying 'there is no love sincerer than the love of food'? From fine dining to casual fare, this indulgent sailing certainly delivered on classy cuisine.
You may have also heard that cruise calories don't count – don't bet on it.
Essentials
Rebecca Barnes was a guest of Oceania Cruises (0345 505 1920) which offers a seven-day 'Mediterranean Wayfarer' voyage departing June 6, 2026, from £4,249pp for a veranda stateroom. Includes gratuities, speciality dining, Wi-Fi and laundry services.
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The 21 best restaurants in San Sebastián
San Sebastián 's reputation as a culinary capital is built on contrast: high-end tasting menus on white linen and two-bite pintxos eaten elbow-to-elbow at the bar. With more Michelin stars per capita than almost anywhere else, the city is known for excellence but it's the sheer range of flavours, from charcoal-grilled turbot to slow-braised beef cheeks on toast, that makes this spot worthy of flying for. While the pintxo, San Sebastián's answer to the tapa, has evolved into a miniature art form, its spirit remains delightfully informal: one drink, one bite, and on to the next. At the same time, locals pack into sit-down restaurants for hearty Basque classics made with pristine market ingredients. The proper way to eat here is all of the above: a bar crawl, a steakhouse and a tasting menu if you can. Few places reward the hungry like this coastal city. All our recommendations below have been hand-selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best restaurants in San Sebastián. Find out more below, or for more San Sebastián inspiration, see our guides to the city's best hotels, bars and things to do. Find a restaurant by type: Best all-rounders Best for families Best for cheap eats Best for fine dining Best for walk-ins Best for pintxos Best all-rounders Casa Urola Many an unwitting diner has popped a pintxo or two downstairs at Casa Urola and moved on, not realising that upstairs sits one of the best restaurants in San Sebastián. Pablo Loureiro is a chef's chef, sticking to his guns when it comes to extreme seasonality and carefully sourced product. It's impossible to go wrong with the menu of vegetables, grilled meats and fish, and Basque specialties like cod kokotxas and line-caught squid. Share plates to try the most of what is, quite literally, the best produce you will find in town. Area: Old Town Website: Prices: ££ Reservations: Essential Best table: Technically, the restaurant is upstairs; however, there is a table for friends and insiders at the back of the pintxo bar, hidden behind a screen. Astelena 1997 Astelena 1997 is a local's favourite for a special meal out, mostly thanks to chef Ander Gonzalez's solid market-based cooking in which the only surprise factor is how consistently good it all tastes. It doesn't hurt that he is also at the helm of one of the top cooking television shows in Spain, for which he has traversed the Basque Country's winding roads to interview its most authentic farmers and artisans. It makes sense, then, that the sourcing is impeccable throughout the menu, from the squid rice to the tripe to the char-grilled steak. Don't miss the famous hake pate. Narru Chef Iñigo Peña has been perfecting the use of local produce at Narru for a decade – first in Gros, then on the shores of La Concha, and now under the shadow of the Buen Pastor cathedral. At Narru, you'll find some of the city's best kokotxas – the fleshy, gelatinous cheeks or throat of cod – and that's saying something in the cod-revering Basque Country. You'll also find all of San Sebastián's highish society – Narru is wildly popular. Be sure to order from the off-menu specials, as that's where you'll find the hyper seasonal produce and seafood. Area: Centro Website: Prices: ££ Reservations: Essential Best table: For a less formal atmosphere, reserve a table on the terrace, under the historic palisade arches. Maun Grill Bar What started as an informal pop-up in the San Martín market has evolved into one of San Sebastián's best stops for produce purists. Chef Mateus Mendes and Unai Paulis get the best from the greengrocers, butchers and fishmongers in the market, and their winning formula consists of cooking it perfectly with not much more than a kiss of smoke from the grill. The menu is short, so go in a group and order one of everything. Don't miss the rice dish – this is perhaps the only decent paella in the Basque Country, thin with edges crisped to perfection. Laia Laia is a theme park for meat lovers, where you can hop on the 140-day, dry-aged steak train or ride the roller coaster of a horizontal tasting of one-, two- and even five-month-aged beef. Chef Jon Ayala, winner of the National Spanish Grilling Contest, knows his way around a cut of beef, and at Laia, he showcases meat parts that rarely make menus, from heart to fat to bone marrow. Located on the gently sloping hills of the Txingudi bay, the asador also sees a rotation of spectacular local sea bream, squid, and other fresher-than-fresh seafood. Ganbara This family-run spot is still run daily by mother and son, Amaia and Amaiur, who deftly balance greeting longtime customers with placing orders and putting together their famous ham and cheese croissant. Don't be surprised if it's hard to spot them over the gigantic piles of seasonal produce. There are generally at least three types of exotic wild mushrooms on offer, which are seared and plated to order with a simple, silky egg yolk. Peppers, asparagus, artichokes – whatever the season has to offer occupies nearly half the bar, and this spot's pintxos are elegant classics designed to let the raw product shine. Back to index Best for families Zelai Txiki Zelai Txiki serves up traditional dishes with a modern touch, from a hill on the edge of San Sebastián. The ethos is self-sufficiency and control over every aspect of the food they cook and serve: vegetables come from their own garden, picked by the chefs, bread is made from a seven-year-old starter in a wood-fired oven, and even the txistorra sausage is made in house with a luscious mix of pancetta and presa, a meltingly tender cut of pork. The menu uses local produce in a playful way, topping traditional mains like squid with a tomato ice cream (it works) or using spherified citrus juices as a way to add a tart note to lobster. To try their famous wood-roasted suckling pig and lamb, reserve at least two days ahead. Zazpi STM Chef Paul Arrillaga and Maite Mujika built a following at their beloved pintxo bar, slinging flavourful oxtail ravioli and mini-dishes of rice with salsa verde for the masses. They uprooted their small operation to take up residence in the sprawling Museo San Telmo, San Sebastián's fine arts museum, and regulars have come to love the elevated versions of their cooking. Always surprising (try the squid rice with coconut and an ink 'snack') and deeply flavourful (confit suckling pig in its jus), Zazpi never disappoints. Patxikuenea This grill house sits in the hills outside of San Sebastián, and day after day, chef-owner Aitor Manterola does what he does best: stoke the flames and grill. His special passion for steak borders on obsession; from the selection and ageing of the meat to the application of salt and heat, Aitor has strong opinions on the best way to cook a txuleta. This makes Patxikuenea, which has been in the family for two generations, perhaps the best spot to try the thick-cut Basque steak. Eat as tradition mandates, crowned by roasted red Piquillo peppers, a sharp simple green salad, and fried potatoes. La Viña With its retro pintxos that still tout innovation awards from over two decades ago, La Viña would be easy to write off if it weren't for one thing: the cheesecake. Dozens are made and sold per day, and once they are gone for the day, they are gone. Order a slice of this ethereal tarta de queso, which has gone viral everywhere from Asia to the United States, and enjoy it with a dark glass of Pedro Ximenez sweet sherry for the perfect ending to a night of pintxos. Back to index Best for fine dining Arzak If you can only fit in one round of Michelin stars, book a table at Arzak. Juan Mari is one of the founders of the New Basque Cuisine, a movement dating back 50 years that combines Basque respect for ingredients with innovative techniques and molecular gastronomy. The restaurant is now driven by his daughter, Elena, and a research and development lab that churns out a selection of new dishes every year. Take the tasting menu, a comprehensive journey through both the seasons and some of the restaurant's greatest hits, like the capa de bogavante, a lobster salad wrapped in a thin carrot slice and garnished with wild flowers. Area: Intxaurrondo Website: Prices: £££ Reservations: Essential Best table: The chef's table in the kitchen is the most exclusive, but if you can't get in, ask for a table downstairs where natural light is abundant. Mugaritz This restaurant, opened in 1998 by a young, dream-filled Andoni Luis Aduriz, has come to dominate best restaurant lists (currently number 30 in the world) from its farmhouse out in the countryside. Synonymous with creativity and intellect, Mugaritz pushes the envelope more so than any other restaurant in San Sebastián. Diners should keep in mind that the tasting menu is as mentally challenging as physically satiating – some dishes, such as a pile of ice topped with scarlet prawn concentration, fare better when judged with the head than the palate. There are plenty of delicious dishes as well, and all of them surprising, thanks to a research and development department that devotes a third of every year to 'creativity'. Rekondo On the outskirts of San Sebastián, Rekondo has an exterior like that of any other Basque farmhouse. Inside these walls, however, lies one of the world's best wine cellars, captured and transcribed on a wine menu over 250 pages long. Owner Txomin opened the restaurant in 1964 to show off his personal wine collection, which features priceless bottles of everything from Rioja to Mouton Rothschild. Food refuses to fade into the background – Rekondo's menu is marked by refined Basque favourites. Order the two specialities: rice with clams and squid in its ink. Area: Antiguo Website: Prices: ££ Reservations: Essential Best table: In the summertime, ask for a table on the shaded, romantic terrace. Elkano Smack in the centre of the tiny fishing village of Getaria, about 25 minutes from San Sebastián, sits Elkano and its humble-looking outdoor grill. Worth what is a slight pilgrimage, this family-run restaurant focuses not on making lists and gaining stars but on maintaining a tightly-knit, decades-old relationship with local fishermen. Aitor Arregi is the second generation, and he continues that jovial relationship to bring in the freshest catch from the port, where they get their turn on the huge grill. The speciality is the wild turbot, which Aitor often serves himself, taking care to point out the cuts rarely given a second look, from the tiny cheeks to the gelatine gathering around the fin. Back to index Best for cheap eats Arenales The diminutive chalkboard menu at Arenales is like a greatest hits album –nothing but the best. At this tiny spot, run by Cynthia Pereira behind the bar and Santiago Torres Carrossia in the kitchen, every dish sings. From roasted carrots with mint and labneh to cured beef served with torn mozzarella, endive and almonds, the offerings have a delicate sensibility that veers slightly left of the city's standards. The wine menu is the most extensive natural wine offering in the city, with excellent bottles from the likes of Partida Creus and Matassa, which draws quite an eclectic, interesting crowd. Area: Centro Contact: 00 34 943 43 59 53 Prices: £ Reservations: Advisable, especially on weekends and in summer Best table: The restaurant is small and narrow; get the table in the front window for people watching and more space. Bodega Donostiarra Despite its ever-growing popularity, locals still line up for Bodega Donostiarra's individual Spanish omelettes, tomato-stewed meat, and cider-braised chorizo. The bustling bar has a gorgeous, pintxo-crowded marble bar top, where its famous banderillas glisten on their toothpicks. The Indurain is the one to try – a big chunk of conserved tuna, delicate pickled guindilla chilis, olives and the salt-cured anchovies the region is known for. Vie for a seat on the terrace and watch the world go by over a glass of fizzy txakoli wine. Eguzki Berri Awards scatter the wall of this hip pintxo bar in the corner of Gros. The space is small and the bar is packed with pintxos plated quite cheekily, in coffee cups or half-opened tins. A selection of nearly 20 vermouths (served up with a drop of bitters, gin, and dehydrated citrus fruits) pairs perfectly with the fried calamari with ink aioli, making this an ideal spot for a weekend pintxo hop. Back to index Best for walk-ins Bells Bar It's not every day that a new pintxo bar opens up in San Sebastián's old town, crowded as it is with family-run institutions. Bells Bar is a welcome addition, with a Spanish omelette so gooey and savoury it immediately became a neighbourhood legend. Chef Lancelot has worked across many of the best pintxo bars in the old town, and he fuses this experience with his English upbringing and his partner Sarah's Colombian culture to craft a menu of pintxos and small plates unlike anything else in the pintxo radius. Don't miss the croquetas de sancocho, fried balls redolent of the delicious Latin stew, or the crumpet topped with spider crab a la donostiarra. La Espiga If you only have time for one pintxo in San Sebastián, make it the delicia. This simple bite, from one of the city's oldest pintxo bars, defies the general rule that bar-top pintxos aren't worth the stomach space. A thin slice of bread with two thin slices of hard-boiled egg, salt-cured anchovy, and a finely chopped mixture of onion and garlic on top, finished with a dash of Worcestershire sauce – this pintxo also defies the laws of matter, packing more flavour than seems humanly possible into two small bites. Back to index Best for pintxos Txepetxa Txepetxa is an old-school spot, with walls covered in photos of famous guests and ceramic replicas of its famous anchovy toasts on the bar. The foundation of the menu is a daily selection of the freshest anchovies in the market, marinated according to a secret family recipe by second-generation chef and owner Manu. Try the silvery filets atop freshly toasted bread, garnished with signature mixtures from spider crab cream to the vinegary onion and pepper jardinera. Antonio Bar The nondescript frontage and minute size of Antonio Bar belies one of the best pintxo bars in the city. Gregarious owners, Humberto and Ramón, personally greet customers both new and old from behind the bar, half of which is weighted down by a selection of house-cured anchovies, salmon, cured beef and sardines, in casserole dishes filled with olive oil. Placed upon freshly toasted bread and served with unique garnishes, they are Antonio's signature. Be sure to order whatever is displayed in the way of fresh produce, like the porcinis (served with an egg yolk and foie) or green guindilla peppers (served flash fried and sprinkled with salt). Borda Berri A sign over the bar at this packed pintxo spot on Fermín Calbetón, San Sebastián's rowdiest street, reads ' Aki se guisa ', or 'Here, we cook slow'. A closer look reveals a bar empty of pintxos, scattered instead with diners, glasses of wine, and hot pintxos of braised meats and sauces shiny with demi-glace and solid cooking know-how. This is the spot to try traditional fish and meat dishes, from beef cheeks to cod tongues, each coaxed to tender perfection by the deft hands of chef Marc Clua. How we choose Every restaurant in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who has visited to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets, from neighbourhood favourites to Michelin-starred restaurants – to best suit every type of traveller's taste – and consider the food, service, best tables, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up-to-date recommendations. Marti Buckley I have lived in the delicious city of San Sebastián since 2010, and still think it's absolutely perfect (minus the rain). I left my job as a cook in the States and moved here for the food. I've since gone on to publish two acclaimed cookbooks, Basque Country and The Book of Pintxos, and you can find me trying every new pintxo in the name of research on my blog.
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Traveler issues stark warning after two-hour tanning session leaves her with severe sun poisoning
A woman has issued a stark warning after she spent just two hours tanning and developed severe sun poisoning that left her bed bound for days. Shannon Armer, 25, from the UK, was on a five-day all-inclusive holiday in Portugal with her family. But what should have been a relaxing and fun trip soon became an agonizing experience after a short session laying in the sun left her in severe pain. On the first day, Shannon explained that she applied SPF 30 sunscreen and spent roughly two hours lounging by the pool. But the next morning she woke up in horrific pain and noticed her legs were extremely swollen and red. Thinking it was just a bad sunburn, she bought some cooling spray from a pharmacy and tried to go on with her day. However, the pain only worsened, eventually leaving her unable to walk and bed bound for the rest of the trip. 'It was so painful,' Shannon told Need to Know recently. 'I couldn't even walk. I didn't realize how bad it was until the next day. She was on a five-day all-inclusive holiday in Portugal with her family when she got a bad sunburn on her legs 'I'd only been laying in the sun for two hours and I was wearing SPF 30. The holiday was ruined because I was bed bound. 'I was just trying to get a tan but ended up burnt instead.' Upon returning home, Shannon's burns still hadn't healed so she decided to go to the hospital, where she learned she had sun poisoning. Doctors wrapped her burns in bandages and prescribed her antibiotics. 'Even the doctors were shocked,' she continued. 'They said they'd never seen a case like it.' Shannon had to wait until she got back to the UK to go to hospital because she didn't have travel insurance. And she issued a warning to others, saying, 'I didn't have insurance so I braved it until we got back to the UK. 'People should 100 percent get travel insurance as you never know what could go wrong on holiday. 'I didn't think anything like this would happen to me which is why I didn't get it.' According to WebMD, sun poisoning is 'a severe sunburn that seems similar to an allergic reaction.' 'It's a burn that doesn't just redden or darken your skin - it makes you feel sick and intensely uncomfortable,' it added. It can cause blistering or peeling skin, severe rash, severe pain, swelling, painful, gritty eyes, lip blisters, headache, fever and chills, nausea, and dizziness. In May, another woman went viral after she shared her horrific experience with sun poisoning. Ashlei Bianchi, 23, from New York, had spent the afternoon soaking up the sun with her family near a pool in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. But by the time she came inside, she realized that she had developed a slight redness on her face despite covering herself in sunscreen. By evening, her forehead and other parts of her face had begun to swell - which she later noted were the first signs of something sinister. However at the time, Ashlei believed that she was suffering from a mild sunburn and wiped her face with an aloe vera gel while continuing her trip. But things quickly went downhill when she woke up on the final morning of the holiday to find one of her eyes had swollen shut. Once she reached home, Ashlei began taking steroids and by the fourth day, her face to finally return to its normal shape.
