OCEANIA Cruises has celebrated the keel-laying of its next ship, Oceania Sonata, at the Fincantieri shipyard.
The ceremony is an important maritime tradition that honours the rich heritage of shipbuilding, as the ship prepares to become the ninth vessel in Oceania’s fleet.
“Sonata embodies the next chapter in our legacy of redefining luxury travel, and we are proud to mark this occasion as we cement our position in the industry,” Oceania chief luxury officer Jason Montague said.
“This milestone is the result of the extraordinary dedication and expertise of the Fincantieri team — shipbuilders, engineers, designers and countless others whose skill and passion transform our vision into reality.”
Sonata is scheduled to embark on her maiden voyage in Aug 2027, and will be followed by three sister ships.
These will be Oceania Arietta, scheduled to join the fleet in 2029, and two as-yet-unnamed Sonata class vessels, arriving in 2032 and 2035.
She will also join two Allura class vessels – Oceania Vista and Oceania Allura – which launched in 2023 and 2025 respectively
“The keel laying for Oceania Sonata marks an important milestone not only for Oceania Cruises and Fincantieri, but for the entire luxury cruise industry,” Fincantieri GM merchant ships Luigi Matarazzo added. MS
Pictured are the shipyard’s senior vice president Marco Lunardi, Oceania chief experience officer Franco Semeraro, Matarazzo, Montague, NCLH president & chief executive officer Harry Sommer, and NCLH EVP chief vessel operations & new build officer Patrik Dahlgren.