Oceania Cruises’ new 1,250-guest Riviera will be christened in Monte Carlo on April 19, 2012. The lavish, invitation-only gala ceremony will take place pier-side at Monaco’s Port Hercules overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

Design plans call for trellises of fresh local flowers, plants and columns to transform the pier into a garden taking its inspiration from the famous Princess Grace Rose Garden. Following the ceremony, guests will enjoy a gala reception and dinner onboard Riviera.

“It is truly an honor and very fitting that we christen Riviera – the newest jewel in the Oceania Cruises’ fleet – in Monte Carlo, certainly the crowning jewel of the Riviera,” said Kunal S. Kamlani, the line’s president. “The success of Marina, launched earlier in 2011, has heightened the anticipation for Riviera in the marketplace and we look forward to officially welcoming her next spring.”

and then cross the Atlantic to the Caribbean where she will operate a series of winter cruises.

Oceania Cruises’ new Riviera will feature 625 elegantly appointed and custom-crafted accommodations that are among the largest at sea, ranging from 174 to 2,000+ square feet. Her top suites will exude residential elegance and feature furnishings from Ralph Lauren Home and designs by Dakota Jackson of New York and S.B. Long Interiors of Greenwich, CT. The ship will also feature a Lalique-designed grand lobby, 10 dining venues and numerous bars and lounges. Facilities will include a full-service Canyon Ranch SpaClub, innovative Bon Appetit Culinary Center, swimming pool and hot tubs.

Have you been on an Oceania Cruise? Maybe you’re looking forward to a voyage aboard Riviera? Please share…