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In 2007 Sinead Kennedy stepped aboard Oceania Nautica as a fitness instructor and spent a year living and working beneath the passenger decks. Nearly two decades later she returned — this time as a guest on Oceania Marina for a Culinary Luminaries press voyage from Belfast to Lisbon — and found both the ship and life below decks transformed.
Life under the steel door
Arriving in Singapore nearly 20 years ago, Kennedy was led away from the polished public spaces through a plain steel doorway and into the crew world. For a year, ship life meant long shifts, safety drills, shared cabins and a close-knit crew community formed in cramped corridors and the crew mess.
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The crew dining room then was a simple buffet: salads, cold cuts, cheeses and a rotating selection of hot mains and puddings. Accommodation was basic — Kennedy shared a small cabin with a spa colleague, complete with bunk beds, a compact ensuite and no portholes. Working in the gym, she says, was a small mercy because it offered daylight and fresh air.
Returning above deck
This time the gangway in Belfast led to a very different welcome: a glass of bubbles and a key card to a balcony stateroom. Marina, which had been only a plan when she first joined Oceania, was now a real ship offering five-star facilities and attentive service.
Her guest cabin included a comfortable double bed, built-in storage, a seating area, desk and a large ensuite. Kennedy found the change striking. Moving from crew routines to being looked after required no relearning — she slid back into the rhythm of pampered travel with ease.
Progress for crew behind the scenes
One of the most notable differences was how life below deck had evolved. Kennedy reconnected with Renald Macouin, a colleague from her Nautica days who rose through the ranks to become Oceania’s Culinary Director, working alongside Executive Culinary Director Alexis Quaretti and Eric Barale, Sr. Director of Operations – Culinary.
Macouin spoke about formal training programmes and clearer paths for promotion within the company. The crew mess itself has been upgraded: waiter service, à la carte choices, healthier menus and dishes that reflect the crew’s international makeup. For staff who spend months away from home, food and respectful conditions matter — they are part of the ship’s social fabric.
The scale and choreography of the Gala Brunch
As press, Kennedy was shown the Grand Dining Room before guests arrived for a Gala Brunch — an event that showcases the culinary team’s capabilities. The spread included lobster, Alaskan crab claws, caviar, large prawns, made-to-order pasta, an egg station, European cheeses, charcuterie and a vast array of pastries.
Presentation was theatrical: ice sculptures, elaborate tableaux and painstakingly finished desserts. Producing that level of variety at sea demands meticulous planning — everything must be loaded, stored and prepared onboard — and the culinary team’s pride was obvious as they surveyed their work.
Small touches also stood out. Kennedy, a non-drinker, was never made to feel awkward; a virgin Bloody Mary was arranged without fuss. Details like that contribute to a sense of being noticed and well served.
Two perspectives on the same life at sea
Working below deck, Kennedy treasured the freedom, adventure and strong friendships that came from shared duties and long passages. Returning as a guest, she enjoyed the chance to slow down and observe what happens beyond the crew entrance: the destinations, the food and the service all felt like a different kind of luxury.
Even simple comforts — fresh towels and chilled water by the pool — underlined the difference. Above deck, she could relax. Below deck, crew members continued to keep everything running.
Stepping aboard Marina felt like coming full circle. The woman who once joined Nautica eager for a new chapter now found herself writing a sequel — older, perhaps more refined, and appreciative of both sides of ship life.
Sínead Kennedy was invited to take part in a press trip on Oceania Cruises for the purpose of review.
