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Oceania Regatta

Dover-Barcelona Cruise

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ABOVE: The Regatta's library has the atmosphere of an English country house, with overstuffed chairs and sofas where guests can read books or magazines.

Other amenities

Continued from: Regatta entertainment

Oceania's cruises are geared toward sightseeing, which means the Regatta is more of a floating hotel than a floating resort. If you're looking for ice-skating rinks, climbing walls, basketball courts, or minigolf courses, find another ship.

Still, the Regatta is a cruise ship, and it does offer the usual passenger amenities such as:

Swimming Pool. The tile-framed outdoor pool is surrounded by two hot tubs and a large teak deck area with reclining chairs. A flight of steps leads to the Jogging Track, which attracted more exercise walkers than runners during my cruise.

Oceania Spa. Both sexes are welcome at the spa on Deck 10, which offers the usual array of beauty services, massages, and body wraps. (Men who feel self-conscious about a "Cellutox Cold Wrap" or an "Aroma Stone Therapy" treatment can opt for a "Deep-Tissue Sports Massage" while rattling off football trivia to the masseuse.) Use of the Thalossotherapy pool and private sun deck are free of charge with spa treatments, or you can buy a two-hour pass for US $10. Use of the fitness center is free, although charges apply to certain classes.

Oceania@Sea. The Regatta's computer center is a large room with several dozen Compaq laptop computers that you can use to check e-mail or browse the Internet for a steep 95 cents per minute (with a modest discount for volume purchases). On sea days, many passengers sign up for computer classes.

Library. This was my favorite hangout on the Regatta. The library on Deck 10 is one of the ship's most attractive rooms, with some 2,000 books in glass-fronted cabinets and plenty of comfortable seating. The illuminated dome ceiling is painted to resemble the view from an English greenhouse, and there's even a decorative fireplace. (The Library also has several Internet terminals that are handy for checking e-mail when Oceania@Sea is closed.)

Casino. You can't miss the Regatta's seagoing gambling den, which is located near Martinis Bar on Deck 5. If you break the bank playing the slot machines, blackjack, poker, or roulette, you can bet your winnings on Jackpot Bingo in the Regatta Lounge.

Boutiques. The Regatta has two shops: a general-purpose boutique with goods that range from cruisewear to candy bars, and a jewelry store. (Buy a white polo shirt with blue collar and cuffs if you want to be taken for a member of the entertainment staff.)

Other activities. The Sun Deck has a golf net and shuffleboard court, and there's a ping-pong table on the Pool Deck. Players of bridge and board games can get together in the card room. Art auctions, parlor team trivia, a daily quiz, and service-club meetings are also on the cruise schedule.

Next page: Regatta shore excursions


Oceania Regatta
Introduction Other amenities
Regatta Shore excursions
Staterooms Service
Dining Overall value
Entertainment Web links, cruise reviews

Dover-Barcelona cruise: ports and sights

Dover Cádiz
Guernsey (St. Peter Port) Málaga
Bordeaux Palma de Mallorca
Oporto (Leixoes) Barcelona
Lisbon