Port Tampa Bay bags Oceania Cruises for an early 2026 series

The 670-passenger Insignia will add an upper premium offering to Tampa's cruise lineup.

Seven- to 20-night sailings

The ship will offer seven- to 20-night itineraries to destinations including St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Tortola, Cozumel, Costa Maya and Belize City plus a daylight Panama Canal transit and overnight stay in Panama City.

These voyages can be accessed via 41 nonstop flights to Tampa International Airport.

Natural expansion

'This is a natural expansion for our brand, as Tampa echoes the cosmopolitan essence of our beloved hometown of Miami with its diverse mix of international influences and cultures,' said Frank A. Del Rio, president of Oceania Cruises.

Port Tampa Bay President/CEO Paul Anderson said the deployment marks a 'significant milestone, enhancing Tampa's status as a premier cruise destination.'

Barbados to Tampa

The cruises begin with a nine-day repositioning from Barbados embarking Feb. 22, 2026 with calls at Aruba, Montego Bay, Costa Maya and Cozumel en route to Tampa.

A 15-day Tampa roundtrip to the Leeward Islands sails March 3, Destinations are San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Antigua, Dominica, St. Kitts, St. Croix and Tortola. This cruise features insider tips from Condé Nast Traveler editors sharing insider knowledge on destinations such as where to buy a custom-made Panama hat in Old San Juan, and the dining scene including chef Martin Louzao's latest venture, Café Caleta.

A weeklong Tampa roundtrip to the western Caribbean embarks March 18 and visits Cozumel, Belize City, Roatán and Costa Maya.

Panama

On March 25, Insignia embarks on a 10-day cruise to Panama City with calls at Costa Maya, Belize City, Roatán, Puerto Limón (Costa Rica), Colón (Panama) and a Canal transit to Panama City for an overnight stay there.

The cruise can be extended into a 20-day trip from Tampa to Miami by continuing from Panama City back through the Canal and calling at Cartagena, Curaçao, Aruba, Montego Bay and Grand Cayman before arriving at Miami on April 14.