When construction began on Marina in 2008, Oceania Cruises founders Frank Del Rio and Bob Binder had a vision of creating an art collection that would provoke conversations and inspire emotion in guests. With diligent, hands-on involvement, they succeeded in creating a world-class museum of eclectic artworks that guests can experience without ever leaving the ship – a traveling art collection, if you will.

Oceania Cruises Art Collection Acquisition

Del Rio and Binder directly participated in every step of the building of the line’s two ships, Marina and Riviera, from design to furnishings, but they personally selected the entire art collection for both ships. Traveling the world to visit galleries, art shows and auctions to find high caliber works and negotiating their acquisitions took three full years.

“For several years I traveled with two suitcases,” Del Rio remembers, “one with my clothes and one with all the blueprints and architectural drawings and fabric samples for the ship, so that when we came across a piece of art that we liked, we could try to determine not only whether it would physically fit in the space but also whether it would bring something to the environment. Of course, we had to make some adjustments when installing the art, but we were amazed at how well the collection came together on Marina.”

The Scope of Oceania Cruises Art Collection

The works include paintings, sculpture and blown glass. They span both eras and genres, representing an international array of artistic talent from 19th century nautical art to modern pop art. Eric Christopher Cohler of American Art Collector magazine described the collection as “stupendous.” In addition, each ship showcases a magnificent Lalique Grand Staircase. According to Del Rio, the staircase on Riviera involved 37 French artisans working 1,600 hours to handcraft 4,600 pounds of pure Lalique crystal.

The artwork feels integrated into the design of the ships, and indeed they do have a symbiotic relationship. For example, Binder was inspired by the vibrant, contemporary character of the Red Ginger restaurant to commission original modern art to enhance the ambiance. On the other hand, the design and décor of the Grand Dining Room was influenced by the works of a particular artist they found in a New York gallery.

Oceania Cruises created a beautiful, 210-page book which depicts many of the works and stories of the artists featured in the collection. The book is sold on board, but you can see a digital preview of Marina Riviera Art Book right here. Art aficionados and casual observers alike agree that the art collections aboard Marina and Riviera are some of the most renowned, provocative and diverse artworks ever displayed at sea and create an utterly unique cruise experience.

Source: Oceania Cruises. Please note: No part of the Oceania Cruises Art Collection book or images may be reproduced without explicit permission from Oceania Cruises.