Oceania Cruises' New Marina to Feature First Suites at Sea Designed by Tocar Featuring Furnishings From Ralph Lauren Home

Glamorous Owner's Suites Offer 2,500+ Square Feet of Palatial Luxury

NEW YORK, Dec. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- When she debuts in winter 2011, Oceania Cruises' new Marina will be the first ship to offer luxury suites completely appointed from furniture and fabrics to lighting and bedding using the acclaimed Ralph Lauren Home collection.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091211/FL24364 )

To accomplish this industry first, the cruise line tapped New York-based Tocar Interior Design because of the award-winning partners' keen familiarity with the Polo Ralph Lauren esthetic. Susan Bednar Long, co-founder and president, previously oversaw the decoration of flagship retail stores for Polo across North America. Christina Sullivan, co-founder and vice president, began her career at Polo in the store design department, where she launched Double RL Collection Shops across the U.S.

"To appeal to discerning travelers we wanted the best suites on Marina to feel like a luxurious estate home. We thought out-of-the box, insisted on the finest craftsmanship and sought out the most talented residential designers," stated Bob Binder, Oceania Cruises' president. "Tocar has designed the first suites at sea exclusively using furnishings from Ralph Lauren Home."

A Grand Entrance

The three Owner's Suites on board Marina are unlike any luxury suites at sea. Upon entering the foyer guests will be struck with a sense of awe, as though they have entered an opulent estate home. Walls of inset Georgian wood paneling are finished in an ivory gloss. Art niches on either side are framed with polished stone and mirrored to reflect the statuary. An ivory marble entryway with a David Hicks inspired black and camel mosaic tile inset is surrounded by plush black carpeting trimmed with a polished nickel metal edge.

The foyer also contains a mahogany gloss bar with three ivory leather and chrome stools, stately burnished silver armchairs covered in faux crocodile and brown and white faux zebra skins and an oversized ivory brocade and black satin chaise in front of floor-to-ceiling windows offering sweeping ocean vistas. An ebony baby grand piano serves as the room's focal point while a brilliant alabaster and polished nickel chandelier hangs overhead.

Luxurious Living & Dining

Guests will spend most of their time in the spacious living and dining room, which exudes the rich, clubby and refined elegance of a world-class yacht. Macassar ebony-veneered chests with silver hardware topped by faux Zebra-framed mirrors flank the entrance. Walnut herringbone wood flooring rings a field of camel carpeting with an inset chocolate border. A full wall of windows affords uninterrupted aft views.

A camel-colored, suede L-shaped Modern penthouse sectional is prominently positioned in the corner. To its side is a mahogany Anglesey end table and oversized, Mayfair tufted armchair upholstered in coffee-brown velvet; the Planar brushed stainless steel and acrylic coffee table centers the seating area. A 42" flat-screen TV mounted atop a striking nickel and mahogany entertainment center is anchored by a black teak and nickel Aldgate etagere.

An elegant mahogany Mayfair dining table with smooth caramel leather Clivedon dining chairs affords seating for six topped with a classic candelabra chandelier finished in nickel complete the dramatic dining area.

Wraparound teak-covered verandas feature stylish pieces custom-crafted from Ralph Lauren in white marine lacquer suitable for outdoor living.

Sumptuous Sleeping Quarters

For restful nights at sea the Tocar designers used ivory wainscoting and plush silvery grey carpeting to set the stage for the high-style and luxurious bedrooms of the Owner's Suites. The walls above the wainscoting are covered in Austyn cashmere and all windows and balcony doors are dressed with ivory wool sheers and silver drapery panels in a shimmering, silk/cotton blend.

The bedroom's centerpiece is the distinctive, Bel Air bed in a deep, library mahogany - its headboard, footboard and side rails upholstered in steel-blue mohair with polished nickel nail-head accents. To its left and right are City Modern bedside chests with stainless trim and hardware, finished in rosewood mahogany. Night-stands are topped with Faceted Crystal Prism lamps with white silk shades. A custom ceiling fixture in polished nickel with teardrop glass balls provides overhead boudoir lighting.

A Mayfair mirror with a burnished silver-leaf frame and beveled glass adorns one wall, framed by polished nickel sconces with white-pleated silk shades. Across the room is the Ralph Lauren Highbridge desk featuring stainless steel sawhorse base with glass top and Noble Estate side chair upholstered in camel wool seat base with contrasting ivory ribbed seat back and polished nickel nail heads. A Noble Estate settee upholstered in taupe leather with polished nickel sabos and two Hasley slipper-chairs upholstered in a light gray cashmere wool blend provide additional seating.

Throw pillows upholstered in both silver textured fabric with contrasting ivory cord and ivory brocade pattern with contrasting blue double-fringe trim add to the elegance.

The finishing touch on this grand boudoir is a marble, six-fixture master bathroom with both a separate shower and large soaking tub. The whimsical mahogany double vanity is topped with double portholes and accented with nickel ceiling-mounted round pivoting mirrors and Ralph Lauren's classic small sconces with silk fabric shades.

Casual Elegance Meets High Style

Oceania Cruises' new Marina has been purposefully designed to carry 1,258 guests to the world's most alluring ports in elegance and style. Rich woods, marble and granite, fine wool carpets and lustrous leathers adorn public rooms. Facilities include 10 dining venues - six of which are open-seating gourmet restaurants, an array of bars and lounges, a full-service Canyon Ranch SpaClub and fitness center, swimming pool and hot tubs.

Information about Marina itineraries will be revealed in the coming weeks. Reservations can be made beginning in January 2010. For more information or to order a brochure, contact a travel agent, visit OceaniaCruises.com or call Oceania Cruises toll-free at 800-531-5658.

About Oceania Cruises

Oceania Cruises® is the world's only upper-premium cruise line and offers an unrivaled combination of the finest cuisine at sea, elegant accommodations, exceptional personalized service and extraordinary value. Award-winning itineraries visit more than 300 ports in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and the Americas aboard three luxurious, 684-guest ships: Regatta, Insignia and Nautica. The 1,258-guest Marina, the first ship designed specifically for the upper-premium market segment, joins the fleet in winter 2011.

About Prestige Cruise Holdings

Prestige Cruise Holdings (PCH) is the parent company of Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Formed in 2007 to manage select assets in Apollo Management's cruise investment portfolio, PCH is led by Chairman and CEO Frank Del Rio, the founder of Oceania Cruises. PCH is the market leader in the upper-premium and luxury segments of the cruise industry with nearly 4,000 berths between the Oceania and Regent brands, a number the company expects will grow to more than 6,500 berths by 2011.

About Tocar, Inc.

Tocar is Spanish for "to touch" or "to influence." Founded in 1998 by partners Susan Bednar Long and Christina Sullivan, their customized designs touch each client by creating high-end residential and commercial interiors that reflect a client's individual style. Named one of "America's Top Young Designers" by House Beautiful magazine, they are recognized for their fresh approach to understated elegance. Long and Sullivan listen carefully to the needs and desires of each client. This attitude and approach, combined with a high aesthetic, enables them to create functional and beautiful interiors worldwide.

SOURCE Oceania Cruises

Released December 11, 2009