| Oceania MCA dinner

OCEANIA Cruises activated its partnership with Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) on Wed, with the cruise line’s CEO Howard Sherman and his team hosting an exclusive in-gallery dinner for a small group of privileged guests.

The gathering saw attendees welcomed by MCA Director Suzanne Cotter, pictured with Sherman and Oceania Managing Director APAC Steve Odell.

Cotter hailed the contribution of Oceania, with the partnership seeing the cruise line sponsor the MCA’s upcoming major summer exhibition by South Korean artist Do Ho Suh, as part of the 2022-23 Sydney International Art Series.

Odell said the partnership between Oceania and the MCA “highlights the genuine synergy between the two brands and our audience’s appreciation for art and culture”.

The extensive, curated onboard art collection across Oceania’s fleet is a key element of the brand, with the ships showcasing masterpieces worth millions of dollars – making the agreement with the MCA “on brand” for patrons.

The gathering wrapped up Sherman’s first Australian visit this week, and he reflected on how impressed he was at Sydney as a bucket-list destination for many North American Oceania clients.

He also highlighted the ongoing strength of the Australian market for Oceania, which is now the brand’s second largest source of clients both in terms of cruise bookings and yield per passenger.

“Australians book longer cruises, spend more and also make reservations much further out than other markets,” he said, signalling the likelihood of a larger local deployment for Oceania in 2025.

Sherman also confirmed talks were under way for the construction by Fincantieri of two more slightly larger ships which could enter service with Oceania in 2027 and 2029.