ONBOARD INSIGNIA — Gaining and maintaining the loyalty of clients accustomed to luxurious lifestyles requires intuitive understanding of their habits. This especially rings true when recommending a cruise. Whatever the itinerary, the ship is the clients’ destination at sea.

Oceania Cruises’ Insignia

Oceania Cruises’ Insignia provides a luxe niche in the cruising industry for discriminating clients as it fringes the five-star luxury definition while giving an economical edge over the all-inclusive ultra-luxury and luxury class ships and yachts that typically include all alcoholic beverages, perks like caviar at whim and often exclusive excursions.

Officially rated as upper premium, the 684-passenger Insignia provides a deluxe, exceedingly comfortable level of style, consistently excellent cuisine, custom services and optional, creatively-curated excursions – including exclusive experiences – that cruise agents can count on to please elite clients.

Active agents whose clients typically book one ultra-luxury cruise once a year – including on Seabourn, Silversea, Regent and the luxury class Marina and Riviera, both with Oceania – are increasingly seeing their clients slip in one or two extra cruises a year on Insignia or sister ships Regatta, Nautica and Sirena, lured by easy costs.

Mayan history and heritage is showcased on tours to Mexico¹s ancient Kohunlich and Dzibanche ruins

Mingling with passengers on my recent ‘Mayan Mosaic’ itinerary looping from Miami, I was struck by Insignia’s appeal to a wide demographic of active types, from professionals in their 30’s – including two honeymoon couples who had shied away from big ships for the intimacy of a small ship – to mature people in their 70s and older.

The Bistro Lunch menu in the ship’s Grand Dining Room includes a piquant salad with seared sashimi-quality tuna

In conversation, they commented how they “loved” the Insignia’s relaxed ambience, the “delicious food” in every dining venue, and it’s “stunning interior décor” which was completely re-inspired earlier this year in Oceania’s US$100 million refurbishment of the Regatta-class ships.

A conversation with Donna Elkind, luxury travel advisor for Travel Edge in Toronto, confirmed these views. Elkind said, “My clients, who are great connoisseurs of authentic luxury experiences and very versed in the Oceania luxury experience recently returned from the Insignia raving about the interior refurbishments and the wonderful Insignia customization in the Penthouse category with their own butler, Churchill, who looked after every luxurious detail.”

Elkind added: “My clients were overjoyed by Insignia’s elevated experience and the care provided to them on their 10-day voyage. Their reviews of the food have me excited to book future clients on the ship.”

My own experience, ensconced in the Concierge level, felt sumptuous, particularly as it included unlimited access to the serene spa deck.

Having experienced most of the cruise industry’s ultra-luxury ships, I sense the Insignia’s engaging appeal to discriminating clients is due to its decidedly luxe elements, service and food.

Insignia is well-suited for catering to clients on Oceania’s six-month-long world cruise. Like Insignia, Sirena and Regatta, the Nautica will be refurbished by June 2020. All four ships will be outfitted with new spas as Oceania completes rolling out its OceaniaNext vision program.

Check out my rankings of Insignia’s details and services here.