Oceania vs Viking vs Azamara: Which Premium Ocean Cruise Line Fits You?
Oceania vs Viking vs Azamara for a Mediterranean cruise: compare food, included tours and drinks, ship size, port time and dated 2027 fares.
If you are comparing Oceania vs Viking for a Mediterranean cruise, put Azamara on the list too. I would choose Oceania when food is the reason you are going. I would choose Viking for a calm, adults-only destination cruise with a tour in every port already in the fare, and Azamara for a smaller, older ship than Viking’s that stays late in port and overnights.
Oceania fits you if you plan your evenings around restaurants and are happy to choose and pay for your own tours and wine. Viking fits a first ocean cruise, or a couple who wants each day organized and wine with lunch and dinner included. Azamara fits you if you want cocktails and gratuities covered and would rather spend your evenings ashore. All three are premium, not ultra-luxury. Compare Oceania and Viking when premium comfort matters more than ultra-luxury service, and add Azamara when ship size, overnights or port timing matter. Viking here means Viking Ocean, not the river fleet; if you are still choosing between those, start with river cruise vs ocean cruise.
Quick Fit Check
As of 2026-10-21:
| Oceania | Viking Ocean | Azamara | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ships, size and age | Insignia, Sirena and Nautica: 670 guests. Marina and Riviera: 1,250. Vista (built 2023) and Allura (built 2025): about 1,200. Oceania Sonata debuts in August 2027. | 17 sister ships of 930 to 998 guests, from Viking Star (built 2015) to Viking Vesta (built 2025). Every stateroom has a veranda. | Four R-class ships of up to 702 guests; Azamara Onward is the newest. Azamara Quest is in dry dock October 31 to November 26, 2026. |
| Shore excursions | Extra | One included in every port | Extra; one AzAmazing Evenings event included |
| Drinks | Soft drinks, specialty coffees, teas and water; wine, beer and cocktails need a package | Beer, wine and soft drinks with onboard lunch and dinner; specialty coffees, teas and bottled water anytime | Beer, wine and spirits from a standard bar list, soft drinks, water, specialty coffees and teas |
| Wi-Fi | Unlimited Starlink included | Included | Paid package |
| Gratuities | Included | Confirm on your quote | Included |
| Specialty dining | Every specialty restaurant included | Alternative restaurants included | Prime C and Aqualina, $49.95 per person |
| Age policy | 18 and older on new reservations from January 7, 2026 | 18 and older | Under-18s with a parent or guardian |
| Port time and overnights | Overnights on chosen voyages, such as Bordeaux on Atlantic Wine Trails (Insignia, April 24, 2027) | Overnights on named routes, such as Barcelona and Livorno on Iconic Western Mediterranean | Extended Destination Days of 10 or more hours in port, plus overnights |
| Dining style | Food-first: French, Italian, steakhouse and Asian-inspired specialty restaurants | All onboard meals, regional specialties and classics | Discoveries without reservations, Windows Café and two paid specialty restaurants |
| Europe itineraries | 9 to 13 days in 2027, such as Barcelona to Rome (10 days) and Rome to Istanbul (9 days); Allura’s first Mediterranean winter runs November 2027 to March 2028 | 8-day routes: Barcelona to Rome, Rome to Venice, Rome to Athens, Venice to Athens, Istanbul to Athens | 7 to 21 nights, such as Italy & Spain (10 nights, March 2027) and Greece Intensive (11 nights, June 2027) |
| Best fit | Excellent for food lovers | Excellent for organized touring | Excellent for time ashore |
Choose Oceania If Food Is the Reason You Are Going
Oceania is my first choice when dining quality is your top priority; see my best cruise line for foodies guide. As of 2026-10-21, every specialty restaurant, unlimited Starlink Wi-Fi, soft drinks, specialty coffees and shipboard gratuities are in the fare, so the bill you add onboard is wine and tours.
The trade-off: the beverage package and shore excursion credit Oceania once bundled are no longer automatic. Oceania is premium, not luxury. If you book it expecting Regent’s inclusions, you will feel nickel-and-dimed.
Name the ship before you compare fares. Insignia, Sirena and Nautica carry 670 guests; Vista and Allura carry about 1,200 and were built in 2023 and 2025. The first three give you the smaller ship, the last two the newer one.
Pick another line if you want a tour in every port already paid for (Viking) or cocktails covered without buying a package (Azamara).
Choose Viking If You Want Each Day Organized on an Adults-Only Ship
As of 2026-10-21, a Viking Ocean fare includes one shore excursion in every port, beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, Wi-Fi, the alternative restaurants, spa access, enrichment lectures and port taxes. The 17 ships carry fewer than 1,000 guests, all 18 or older, and every stateroom has a veranda. If pace and access matter, see my best cruises for seniors guide.
The trade-off: the included excursion is a port overview, and it can skip the sight you came for; that is what Viking’s optional and private tours are for. I would not choose Viking if you want the ship itself to feel deeply indulgent.
Pick another line if food is the point (Oceania) or you want drinks beyond mealtimes and long evenings ashore (Azamara).
Choose Azamara If You Want More Hours Ashore
Azamara sails four R-class ships of up to 702 guests, and its Extended Destination Days keep you in port for 10 hours or more, with overnights. My best Greece cruise guide lists it among the small-ship lines better suited to port-intensive itineraries and longer stays on single islands. As of 2026-10-19, the fare covers beer, wine and spirits from a standard bar list, onboard gratuities, an AzAmazing Evenings event and unlimited self-service laundry. Azamara takes under-18s traveling with a parent or guardian.
The trade-off: Wi-Fi, shore excursions and the two specialty restaurants cost extra. The ships are smaller and older than Viking’s.
Pick another line if you want a tour in every port in the fare (Viking) or specialty dining included (Oceania).
Oceania vs Viking
Verdict: Oceania if dinner is the highlight of your day and you would rather pick your own tours; Viking if you want touring and wine with meals already paid for.
- What the fare covers: Viking pays for a tour in every port (five on the 8-day Iconic Western Mediterranean) and wine at lunch and dinner. Oceania pays for specialty dining and gratuities. On Oceania, price the beverage package and your tours; on Viking, price drinks outside meals and any optional tours.
- Age policy: both are adults-only. Viking takes guests 18 and older, and Oceania has made new reservations 18 and older since January 7, 2026. If anyone traveling with you is under 18, Azamara is the one of the three that takes them.
- How much the ship matters: Viking’s ships are sisters of 930 to 998 guests, so choose by route. Oceania’s run from 670 to 1,250 guests, so choose the ship first.
Azamara vs Viking
Verdict: Azamara for long port days, evenings ashore and drinks beyond mealtimes; Viking for organized daytime touring on newer ships.
- Port time: Azamara builds its schedule around 10-hour-plus port days and overnights. Viking places overnights on named routes, such as Barcelona and Livorno on Iconic Western Mediterranean, so compare departure times port by port.
- The inclusions flip: Viking includes tours and Wi-Fi. Azamara includes spirits as well as beer and wine, plus gratuities, and charges for tours and Wi-Fi.
- Who can come: Viking is 18 and older, as is Oceania for new reservations from January 7, 2026. Azamara is the only one of the three that takes under-18s traveling with a parent or guardian.
Azamara vs Oceania
Verdict: Oceania when dinner matters more than where you are at 10 p.m.; Azamara when it is the other way round.
- Specialty dining: in the fare on Oceania; $49.95 per person at Prime C or Aqualina on Azamara.
- Drinks and Wi-Fi swap places: Azamara includes a standard bar and sells Wi-Fi. Oceania includes Wi-Fi and sells wine and cocktails as a package.
- Ship size only separates them on Oceania’s bigger ships: Insignia, Sirena and Nautica carry 670 guests against Azamara’s 702. If a small ship is your reason for Azamara, compare those three Oceania ships before you rule Oceania out.
What a Mediterranean Week Costs Once You Count Inclusions
As of 2026-10-19, per person, double occupancy, port taxes included:
| Line | Sailing | Starting fare | Per night | Already in the fare | Add before you compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viking | Iconic Western Mediterranean, 8 days (7 nights), Barcelona to Rome, 2027 | $2,599 veranda, lowest 2027 date | $371 | 5 guided tours, beer and wine with meals, Wi-Fi | Optional tours, drinks outside meals |
| Azamara | Italy & Spain: Florence, Marseille & Barcelona, Azamara Onward, March 3-13, 2027, 10 nights | $2,379 interior; $3,079 veranda | $238 interior; $308 veranda | Beer, wine and spirits, gratuities, AzAmazing Evenings event | Tours, Wi-Fi, specialty dinners |
| Oceania | Croissants & Cannoli, Oceania Nautica, September 16, 2027, 10 days (9 nights), Barcelona to Rome | Not shown yet | Not shown yet | Specialty dining, gratuities, Wi-Fi, soft drinks | Beverage package, tours |
Matched veranda to veranda, Azamara’s March sailing costs $63 a night less than Viking’s lowest 2027 fare. Add Azamara’s Essentials package at $59 per person per day, which brings Wi-Fi, a premium bar and a $25 daily shore excursion credit, and the gap closes to $4 a night: $367 against $371. Azamara’s March date and Viking’s lowest-priced date are not the same week, so compare the same month before you deposit.
The deciding cost is what you would buy anyway. If you would book a tour in every port, Viking’s five included tours cover more than Azamara’s $25 daily credit. If you want a cocktail before dinner and an evening ashore, Azamara’s included bar does more for you.
Oceania’s fare for the Croissants & Cannoli voyage isn’t shown yet, so get a quote for the stateroom you want, then add the beverage package and the tours you want. It is the closest Oceania match to Viking’s Barcelona to Rome route, on a 670-guest ship. Flights and transfers come on top for all three lines.
When None of the Three Fits
If you want a suite, butler-level service or a fare that covers nearly everything, move up to ultra-luxury. I recommend Regent if you want all-inclusive ease, Silversea for food and destination depth, and Seabourn for relaxed small-ship luxury. My luxury Mediterranean cruises guide compares them by itinerary, and Seabourn vs Viking shows what changes when you step up from Viking.
Related Guides
- Luxury Mediterranean Cruises for the full premium and ultra-luxury shortlist.
- Best Cruise Line for Foodies if dining decides the trip.
- Best Greece Cruise if the Greek islands are your main stop.
- Best Cruises for Seniors if pace, walking and access matter.
Compare Oceania, Viking and Azamara With Me
Request a Premium Mediterranean Cruise Comparison
Send me your travel month, the ports you care about, your cabin preference and whether food, touring or time ashore matters most. I will price matching Oceania, Viking and Azamara sailings with the drinks, tours, Wi-Fi and gratuities you would add, so you compare the real trip cost.
Start your cruise comparisonFrequently Asked Questions
Is Oceania or Viking better?
Choose Oceania if food is your priority: every specialty restaurant, gratuities and Wi-Fi are in the fare. Choose Viking if you want a tour in every port and beer and wine with lunch and dinner included.
Is Azamara better than Viking?
Choose Azamara if you want a ship of up to 702 guests, 10-hour-plus port days and spirits included. Choose Viking if you want an excursion in every port and Wi-Fi in the fare on ships built from 2015.
Is Azamara or Oceania better?
Choose Oceania if the restaurants matter most, because its specialty dining is included and Azamara charges $49.95 per person. Choose Azamara if port time and included drinks matter more, and budget for a specialty dinner or two.
Which line should I choose if someone in my group is under 18?
Choose Azamara: it is the only one of the three that takes under-18s traveling with a parent or guardian. Viking Ocean takes guests 18 and older, and Oceania has made new reservations adults-only (18 and older) since January 7, 2026.
Which is cheapest for a Mediterranean week?
Azamara is cheaper per night than Viking: as of 2026-10-19, its March 3-13, 2027 Italy & Spain voyage starts at $308 a night in a veranda, against $371 a night for Viking’s lowest 2027 Barcelona to Rome fare. Add Azamara’s $59-a-day Essentials package for Wi-Fi and a premium bar and the two are within $4 a night, so choose the line whose inclusions you would otherwise buy. Oceania’s matching Barcelona to Rome voyage isn’t priced here, so get a quote before you rank all three.