Oceania Cruises and Azamara are both under-the-radar cruise lines with passionate followings but not a ton of mass-market awareness. Both are upscale lines with small ships and cater to the older traveler who's more interested in destination immersion on a comfortable, uncrowded ship than nonstop activity and varied evening entertainment. Not only do the two lines have a similar take on cruising but they actually use sister ships, which are former Renaissance Cruises vessels (known to fans as "R-class ships").
How exactly does an interested cruiser go about choosing between the two cruise lines? Let us pit Azamara vs. Oceania to demonstrate the differences between the lines.
Fleet
Oceania cruises has a fleet of six: four 684-passenger, R-class ships (Insignia, Nautica, Regatta and Sirena), which are all former Renaissance Cruises vessels, and two 1,250-passenger, O-class ships (Marina and Riviera), which were custom-built for the line in 2011 and 2012, respectively.The Azamara fleet comprises four ships. It consists of the 690-passenger Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, and 702-passenger Azamara Pursuit, which joined the fleet in 2018. The line also is adding the former Pacific Princess to its fleet. All four ships are also former Renaissance Cruises vessels, and they are nearly identical to Oceania's R-class ships in terms of layout. Both lines have, of course, refurbished and redesigned the ships to their own style. Azamara Journey and Quest underwent dramatic makeovers in 2016, and Pursuit was extensively updated when it joined the fleet in 2018. The yet-unnamed new ship, likewise, will see changes before it's introduced. Oceania's Riviera was refurbished in 2015, and Marina was done in 2016. In 2018, Oceania embarked on its OceaniaNEXT initiative, which is pumped $100 million into the refurbishment of its R-class ships: Insignia, Sirena and Regatta have all been refurbished, and Nautica is set to undergo significant changes as well. The updates include redesigned staterooms and suites, updated restaurant decor, and refreshed bars and lounges.Price
Both lines fall squarely in the upper-premium/luxury-light category of cruises. That means ships are not suite-only (offering both inside and ocean-view accommodations, as well as balconies and suites), and are on the larger end of the ship size spectrum for upscale vessels. Fares are more inclusive than the mainstream lines, but not nearly as inclusive as lines like Regent Seven Seas or Seabourn.Choose Azamara if you want more inclusive fares.

Itineraries
Both cruise lines focus on destination and explorations ashore, with plenty of overnights in port and a minimum of days at sea. They cruise the world, with options to book back-to-back cruises without repeating many or any ports of call.Choose Azamara if you want to cruise to just one country at a time.

Shore Excursions
Both cruise lines offer a full range of for-fee shore excursions. You'll find half- and full-day options, including gentle walking tours, exploration via motor coach, bike trips, market visits, catamaran cruises and more.Choose Azamara if you want one free shore excursion.

Cabins
Oceania and Azamara are egalitarian lines, with cabins ranging from squishy inside staterooms to over-the-top spacious suites. On the two lines' former Renaissance vessels, standard cabins do run small for upscale lines and standard bathrooms are particularly tight.Choose Oceania if you want more spacious standard cabins.

Dining
Azamara and Oceania ships feature a main restaurant serving global cuisine, a buffet venue with indoor and outdoor seating, and several specialty restaurants (including a steakhouse and Italian venue for both lines).Choose Oceania if you want more specialty restaurants with no extra charge.

Entertainment
Choose Azamara if you don't spend much time onboard when the ship is in port.

Family
Neither Oceania nor Azamara is a good choice for families traveling with children. Neither have kids clubs onboard and, for the most part, they don't offer any child-specific programming.Choose Oceania if you're traveling to Alaska and want to bring kids.

Bottom Line
Choose Oceania if you want a variety of fee-included, specialty dining; want to experience a slightly larger ship with more modern amenities and onboard activities; and want the choice that comes with a larger fleet with different classes of ships, able to cover more of the world each year.Choose Azamara if you want more inclusive fares without having to look for special promotions; an emphasis on destination experiences by day and night with a local flavor (including one free shoreside event); and a fleet that makes choosing cabins and itineraries easy because its three intimate ships are nearly identical. Plus, Azamara ships have exceptionally capable and friendly crews that go out of their way to make passengers feel at home from the moment they step onboard.Updated January 27, 2021
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