Boarding Oceania Riviera in Alaska: Our Honest First Impressions
- Jun 30
- 4 min read
By Judy & Marc · Twin Palms TV
We'd been thinking about this one for awhile— and it finally arrived. We just boarded Oceania Riviera for a 9-night Alaska cruise sailing from Whittier all the way to Vancouver, and it was our first time ever sailing Oceania.
If you've followed along, you know the big question we came in with. We've experienced luxury cruising before, so we wanted to know — does Oceania truly deliver that elevated, luxurious feel? As a travel agent, I wanted to experience this line firsthand so she can honestly guide clients. And Marc came at it as the first-timer, walking on with fresh eyes.
So here's our honest first look — and a little spoiler: yes, it felt luxurious, and remarkably, it just kept getting better the longer we sailed.
Getting to the Ship: Anchorage to Whittier
Our Alaska adventure started with a scenic bus ride from Anchorage to the port in Whittier — a little over an hour through some gorgeous country. We'll be honest: it was absolutely pouring by the time we rolled into Whittier. (Welcome to Alaska, right?) But a rainy arrival didn't dampen the day one bit, because what came next was so smooth.
Embarkation Day: Smooth and Easy
Boarding day sets the tone for an entire cruise, and Oceania nailed it. Despite the rain, the embarkation process was genuinely easy — organized, welcoming, and quick. There's something reassuring about a check-in that just works, and it gave us a great first signal about the kind of experience we were stepping into.
Stepping Aboard for the First Time
Walking onto a ship you've never sailed is always a little thrill, and the big question was running through our heads: would Oceania Riviera feel as luxurious as we hoped?
Our first impressions were strong — but we want to be real with you about something, because it's the most honest thing we can share: it takes us a few days to settle into any new cruise ship, and even more so on a brand-new cruise line.Every ship has its own rhythm — where things are, how the days flow, the little routines. So our first day or two was about finding our feet.
And then something lovely happened. Oceania grew on us. Day by day, we settled in, discovered our favorite spots, and fell more and more in love with the experience. By the end of the cruise, we were completely won over — 100%.
Our Stateroom: Better Than We Expected
Let's talk about where we stayed, because this was a highlight. Our stateroom was beautiful — and honestly more luxurious-feeling than we expected. It was light, bright, and genuinely comfortable, the kind of space you actually look forward to coming back to at the end of a long day in port.
The standout? The bed was excellent. After a full day of glaciers and excursions, sinking into that bed was pure bliss. We truly loved our time in that room — it felt like a calm, elegant retreat, and it played a big part in our first impressions.
A Little Favorite: Afternoon Tea
One early delight worth mentioning: afternoon tea. We took full advantage of it and absolutely loved it — it became one of those little rituals that made the cruise feel special. It's exactly the kind of elevated touch that makes Oceania, well, Oceania. (And the food in general grew on us too — especially the specialty dining — but more on that in a video coming later in the series.)
Introducing the Twin Palms Score
Here's where it gets fun. On every cruise line we review, we use our own honest rating system — the Twin Palms Score, or SCALE:
S — Ship & Stateroom
C — Cuisine
A — Activities & Entertainment
L — Location & Ports
E — Experience & Value
Each category is worth 10 points, for a total of 50. Across this Alaska series, we score Oceania Riviera one category at a time — and by the finale, you'll see exactly where it lands against every other line we've ranked.
First up, based on boarding day, the ship, and our stateroom: the Ship & Stateroom score.
Ship & Stateroom: 8 / 10
We gave it a solid 8 out of 10 — and we're really happy with that. The stateroom exceeded our expectations, the ship felt elegant and well-appointed, and embarkation was a breeze. The couple of points held back simply reflect those first-day jitters of getting to know a brand-new ship — but as you'll see throughout this series, Oceania more than earned our affection as the cruise went on.
Would We Sail Oceania Again?
Without hesitation — yes. We genuinely liked the ship, loved several of the amenities (that afternoon tea!), and the whole experience grew on us in the best way. For a first-time sailing on a new-to-us line, that's about as good a sign as you can get.
🎥 Watch the full first episode here: If you haven't seen our boarding day video, check it out now! 👇
What's Next in the Series
This is just the beginning. Coming up, we head off the ship to explore the Alaska ports most cruises skip, then the glaciers (this sailing had a rare two glacier days!), and eventually we put Oceania's famous food to the test. And in the finale, we reveal our full score and our honest final verdict.
Make sure you're subscribed and following along so you don't miss where Oceania Riviera lands.
Planning Your Own Alaska Cruise?
Watching this and dreaming of your own Alaska adventure? That's exactly what we do. As travel agents, we'll help you find the right ship, the right itinerary, and book the whole thing — at no extra cost to you.
📧 Reach out anytime: judy@twinpalmsworldtravel.com
Twin Palms TV — your honest guide to luxury cruise travel. 🌴
Comments