The intimate, elegant Regatta, the first of two Oceania Cruises 684-passenger vessels, has debuted to fanfare from around the globe.

Refitted and refurbished, the ship was once the R2, purchased from the defunct Renaissance Cruises line and relaunched in June, 2003 as Regatta.

Fans of Renaissance and those wanting a casually elegant small-ship experience have eagerly awaited her arrival. With itineraries including the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Caribbean, and with special inaugural season pricing, Regatta is positioning herself as an alternative to mass-market cruises for discerning travelers who want value, intimacy and luxury.

The photographs are presented in two sizes: Super large for those with high-speed connections such as cable, DSL or T1, and smaller (but still good-sized) for those on modem dial-up connections. Either way, they do give a good overview of what you can expect on this magnificent vessel.