By
Rebecca Gibson |
Cunard has appointed renowned hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany as creative director for its new cruise ship, which will debut in 2022.
Tihany will oversee the entire interior design process and is currently working on plans for the newbuild’s dining areas on the new vessel, which will be constructed at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.
“The name Cunard is obviously magical and I’m very excited to be involved in this project,” said Tihany. “If you look at the history of Cunard, it has always been a forward-looking brand. It has a classic image but actually each ship has been innovative for its period. We want to continue this tradition and move the brand forward with the creation of an exciting and spectacularly beautiful new cruise liner.”
Although the newbuild will reflect Cunard’s British heritage and offer many of its signature design elements, she will also have a more modern aesthetic than her sisters Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth.
“Guests can expect a much lighter, contemporary feel, but crucially it will still feel like a Cunard ship and Cunard’s loyal guests will feel very at home,” said Tihany. “The new ship will celebrate Cunard’s British heritage, but with a whisper, not a shout. Everything a guest expects to see on a Cunard ship will be there, but in a different way to the other three.”
The yet-to-be-named vessel will be Cunard’s first newbuild for 12 years and will bring the fleet to four ships for the first time since 2000.
“Cunard offers unrivalled luxury ocean experiences and to have such a renowned designer as the creative director for the new ship shows our commitment to providing our guests with a whole new experience,” said Simon Palethorpe, senior vice president of Cunard. “Adam is working with a great team and there are some stunning ideas and concepts in the making, but still with the unique Cunard luxury and distinctiveness that our guests know and love. We look forward to sharing more of our designs next year as they come to life.”
Cunard’s newbuild is the latest in a growing line of ships from Carnival Corporation brands that feature areas designed by Tihany. Since he branched into the cruise industry by creating several dining venues on Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Solstice in 2008, Tihany has worked with YSA Design’s Bjørn Storbraaten to design Holland America Line's Pinnacle-class ships, Koningsdam (2016 launch) and Nieuw Statendam (to debut in December). In addition, he led the design process when Seabourn introduced its new class of ships, which started with Seabourn Encore in late 2016 and Seabourn Ovation in 2018. Costa Cruises also appointed Tihany as creative director for the LNG-powered newbuild Costa Smeralda and her yet-to-be-named sister, which will take to the seas in 2019 and 2021 respectively.