This Popular Cruise Line Just Added More Alaska Trips—Here's What to Expect on the Latest Luxury Ship to Sail the State

Travel + Leisure

2 days ago

With 629 staterooms, Riviera is an ideal size—large enough to have lots of amenities but small enough to never feel too crowded.
is an ideal size—large enough to have lots of amenities but small enough to never feel too crowded. Excellent restaurants, including a steakhouse and venues doing French, Italian, and Asian cuisines, all at no extra cost.
Staterooms are plush and spacious, with touches that make them feel like luxury hotel rooms.
Onboard cooking lessons in a purpose-designed culinary classroom illuminate regional specialties and offer a connection to shoreside cultures.
From the front row of the whale-watching boat, I could already see the fluke of a gray whale's tail in the distance. I'm from Alaska originally, and I've certainly seen whales before, but every time I see one of these incredible animals, I can't help but smile.
I was just two days into an eight-night trip aboard Riviera , an Oceania Cruises ship that was going from Whittier, Alaska, to Vancouver. The adrenaline rush was full on. Many others on my excursion boat from Icy Strait Point were also in high spirits: there were outright squeals of excitement and at least one person was clutching the person next to them as if to say, Can you believe it?
'I guess we won't have to refund anybody today,' joked Tyler Hickman, who was riding along with us. He's the vice president of operations at Icy Strait Point, which offers a money-back guarantee on whale-watching tours. Since Icy Strait opened in 2004, as the first Native-owned, purpose-built cruise port in Alaska, they've never once had to make good on those refunds. Whale watching in Sitka, Alaska.
As Hickman was explaining all this, were interrupted by the call of 'Bears!' from the wheelhouse. We weren't that close to shore, but, through my camera's telephoto lens, I could see that a mother brown bear with two cubs had come out of the spruce forest to forage on the rocky beach of Chichagof Island. The resulting exclamations from the boat must have startled them, for they looked up in our direction before scurrying back into the safety of the trees.
When we weren't marveling at whales or bears, our group also spotted bald eagles, seabirds, and harbor porpoises. Then there were the sea lions, who seemed to delight in jostling for position atop a red channel maker, barking strong opinions at each other as they attempted to jump out of the water and knock each other off the bobbing buoy.
The rest of the day was spent feasting on Dungeness crab, taking a scenic ride up a mountain in a cable car for a hike to a hidden lake, and—for many passengers—screaming back down the mountain on a zipline. (I skipped that in favor of a slower, calmer ride back down in the cable car, although it was fun to watch my new friends take the plunge.) The Grand Staircase on Riviera.
Justin Kriel/Oceania Cruises
And that was all just one day. Getting to Icy Strait involved a beautiful day of cruising from Whittier, past the Hubbard Glacier. Then, leaving Icy Strait, we took in views of the Tongass National Forest, the world's largest temperate rainforest, while we enjoyed afternoon tea complete with smoked salmon sandwiches and a selection of pastries. Our trip would continue on to other compelling ports, including Skagway, Sitka, and Ketchikan, as well as Prince Rupert, BC.
While Oceania has long operated cruises in Alaskan waters, this journey was also one of the first for Riviera, which is a bit larger than the ships that the line has historically operated in the state.
Here's my review of Riviera, the ship's many amenities, its cabins, and its dining and entertainment options—as well as my thoughts on travel in the 49th state.
Staterooms on Riviera have high-end finishes, such as crown moldings, marble countertops, and stylish sconces, plus relatively large bathrooms and superb bedding. It all adds up to something more akin to a luxury hotel than a typical cruise-ship cabin. Standard amenities also include a minibar stocked with soft drinks, complimentary still and sparkling water, Bulgari bath amenities, and 24-hour room service.
Concierge Level Veranda staterooms come with extras, including free laundry service, a welcome bottle of prosecco, and anytime access to a secluded spa terrace at the front of the ship. This category also grants access to the Concierge Lounge, with its free snacks and drinks.
Suites are even more plush, with butlers to pack and unpack bags, a full bar setup, and the option to have room service delivered, course by course, from the ship's specialty restaurants. Jacques, the French restaurant on Riviera.
Justin Kriel/Oceania Cruises
Oceania has long touted its culinary prowess, and Riviera has so many restaurants on board that you could dine for a week without repeating. The Grand Dining Room is probably the most traditional spot, crowned by an impressive Lalique crystal chandelier.
A number of specialty restaurants are well worth trying; most guests get one complimentary visit per voyage, with additional visits available for an extra charge. Polo Grill is the steakhouse on board, while pan-Asian Red Ginger was a favorite of mine thanks to the lobster avocado salad with fried lotus root. Toscana, with its cart of gourmet olive oils, is the place for Mediterranean dishes. Jacques, which is named for Oceania's onetime executive culinary director Jacques Pepin, is classic French, with celebratory dishes such as lobster Thermidor.
Less formal dining options include the Terrace Café, which on Alaska sailings hosts the occasional, lavish feast featuring fresh salmon, shrimp, scallops, and locally procured game meats including reindeer sausage. Waves Grill, by the pool, turns out nice pizzas in the evenings.
There are several bars including the popular Martinis and a tiny casino bar with some risqué decor.
Riviera is new to Alaskan waters for the 2025 season, offering a mix of sailings ranging from 9 to 12 days, out of Seattle, Vancouver, or Whittier. Later in 2025, the ship will move across the Pacific Ocean, with longer itineraries starting at 12 days in Asia, Australia, and places such as Tahiti. Riviera will return to Alaska for the summer of 2026.
In both 2025 and 2026, select voyages will call at Alaska's newest cruise port: Klawock, where visitors can whale watch, chat with a Tlingit totem pole carver, visit a village craft fair, and sample seafood in a part of Alaska that's relatively untouched by tourism.
Oceania offers plenty of shore excursions in each port, ranging from sightseeing tours to fishing expeditions, all at extra cost. Lucky for me, at least three of those excursions included unlimited, butter-drenched crab legs with views of the ocean. Oceania's descriptions of the tours and their restrictions were exhaustive—in a good way. Among others, I went out on an excellent fishing excursion in Ketchikan and a helicopter ride to the Denver Glacier for a dogsledding demonstration.
During the latter, I learned how Alaskan sled dogs have been selectively bred for millennia for their distinctive characteristics, and competitive dogsledding—including the famous Iditarod—is a way to maintain that breed. I was disappointed, however, when the narrator didn't mention how many women had won the Iditarod until I asked about that at the end. (Two women have won a combined five times.) Still, the trip was well worth it, particularly the chance to cuddle tiny, weeks-old puppies.
One of my favorite amenities was the culinary center, a purpose-designed classroom with a demonstration kitchen and individual stations where we could practice knife and sauté skills. Alongside several other guests, I learned how to perfectly sear a scallop (the secret is to bring them to room temperature and pat them dry), whip up a smoked salmon spread, and assemble a deep dish berry cobbler.
The ship has one pool, although cold weather and rain on our trip kept all but the hardiest passengers out of it. The large indoor fitness center was bustling most days.
There's also Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center, which offers spa treatments, fitness classes, and salon services. I found it to feel a bit too transactional: there was a product seminar going on in the relaxation lounge where I was waiting for a massage, and that treatment ended with my therapist saying, 'I'll get you a glass of water and prepare your receipt.'
A more serene atmosphere prevailed during afternoon tea, when a roving quartet provided background melodies. Stage production shows tended to follow the jukebox format, blending the music of Broadway, Hollywood, and midcentury standards.
There's no ambiguity about this: Oceania's ships are designed for adults. Though children aren't expressly prohibited on Riviera , there are no dedicated facilities for kids or teens. There's no childcare offered, entertainment is decidedly adult-oriented, and restaurants don't have kids menus. (That said, I did spot a few families with kids during my trip.) By contrast, there are numerous cruise lines operating in Alaska that make a point of offering amenities and programming for children.
Riviera has six accessible staterooms—spread across Inside, Outside, and Veranda categories—designed for passengers using wheelchairs. These staterooms, unlike the others onboard, do not have a step up into the bathroom, and do have wider doors, turning spaces, and grab bars. Suites, which are larger overall, also do not have a step up into the bathrooms—but are not specifically designed for passengers using wheelchairs.
How well users of mobility devices can be accommodated often varies by port. That said, the American and Canadian ports on Riviera's Alaska itineraries are subject to those countries' broad accessibility regulations; they are typically well-designed to accommodate most mobility needs.
Oceania recommends passengers with particular needs inform the line at the time of booking, so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Shore excursion descriptions also describe whether tours are suitable for passengers with reduced mobility.
Riviera's restaurants and bars can accommodate a wide variety of dietary restrictions and preferences—though advance notice is often appreciated.