Regatta Calls on Vancouver for First Time

By the Avid Cruiser

Docked at Canada Place for the first time was Oceania Cruises’ glistening Regatta, which tied up at the picturesque West berth. Not only was this the first call in Vancouver for Regatta, it also marked the first time Oceania itself has sent a ship to Canada’s West Coast.

Her first Alaska season encompasses a variety of itineraries and sailings. You won’t find the standard weeklong roundtrip glacier voyages here; instead, Oceania has devised a series of 10,12 and 14-day cruises operating from San Francisco, Vancouver and Anchorage, Alaska.

Originally built for Renaissance Cruises as R Two in 1998, Regatta is one of the few original R-Class ships to have remained more or less with the company since it’s launch. Oceania was founded by ex-Renaissance Vice President Frank Del Rio and Joe Watters , formerly of Crystal Cruises. Laid up in fall 2001 after the bankruptcy of Renaissance Cruises, R Two was purchased by Oceania, renamed Insignia and chartered out to a French company. In 2003, the ship rejoined the Oceania Cruises fleet, but underwent a name change to Regatta, as the line had purchased one of her former sister-ships in the meantime and had named her Insignia.

She leaves bound for her very first cruise to Alaska, marking another major milestone in the upscale line’s history of careful expansion.

Content provided by the Avid Cruiser