When Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ (Regent) christened Seven Seas Grandeur (Grandeur) in Miami, Florida, in December 2023, the brand’s president called it a “breathtaking” and “magnificent” ship.
Despite the vessel’s grand name and reputation, it does not feature spaces that ‘shout’ luxury. Instead, when we took on the role as senior interior architect for the vessel, we opted to take a ‘quieter’ approach and design spaces that create a sense of connection with the guests. We wanted to give them moments of surprise and delight. And, perhaps most of all, help them create lifelong memories of their trip.
One of the factors that makes our work with Regent so successful is that the client has a solid sense of who its guests are and what its brand stands for. That makes a significant difference for our design team. It allows us to do more than just design another luxury space; we can instead use materials, colours, textures, atmosphere and art to help the guests make meaningful memories.
Regent’s guests are typically very well-travelled, so it can be challenging to design a space that stands out to them. With fewer than 800 guests onboard and longer itineraries, Grandeur’s voyages are more than vacations; they are journeys of transformation, and the guests expect to discover new things. We kept that in mind when creating every space onboard, from the guest suites to the retail shops, observation lounge, French restaurant Chartreuse, the Prime 7 steakhouse and the main dining room, Compass Rose. We took advantage of every ray of natural light and deployed meticulous space layout, textures, rich materiality and an expansive collection of art to give the entire ship an elevated residential feel. Our aim was to combine a sense of comfort and curiosity. We incorporated diverse views from different angles in each room and created the chance for every guest to enjoy unique experiences.
Studio DADO has used lighting, colours and textured structural elements to make guests feel as though they are dining in an enchanted forest in the Compass Rose restaurant
In addition, we tapped into all the senses in every space. The guest suites capture the sense of ease and comfort you might find in an upscale home. Meanwhile, the dining venues offer interiors designed to elevate the culture of fine dining. Regent leads the industry in understanding the importance of delivering incredible culinary experiences and gave us the latitude to build on and surpass what it has already achieved in these venues.
The Compass Rose, for example, is a signature space on all Regent ships, but we were given the opportunity to reimagine it for Grandeur. We designed a transformative space that feels like an enchanted forest and will instil a magical sense of wonder in guests.
For Chartreuse, we were deeply inspired by the fashion and history of fin de siècle Paris. At Prime 7, we drew on the journey of a distinguished gentleman in early 20th-century New York. At every turn, a new material, texture or view creates an element of surprise for guests and serves as the perfect backdrop for making lasting memories.
Coming up with the right colour scheme, lighting and furniture for a space is a core part of the process for any interior designer, but we go much deeper than that. We want our spaces to put people at ease and heighten the sense of comfort and relaxation during their cruise.
Consequently, our team designed all the guest accommodation on Grandeur to feel like a better version of home, from the 400-square-foot Veranda Suites all the way up to the singular 4,000-square-foot Regent Suite. The touch and feel of the materials are vital, as are the design gestures that do not waste a millimetre of space. The use of art and sculpture is a defining part of the residential atmosphere onboard the ship, which boasts a collection of 1,600 pieces.
We agonise over the small details and that’s why our work enriches the guest experience. Unlike a land-based vacation, the accommodations and dining venues are a physical part of the journey on a cruise ship. We use design to make sure that journey is full of connection, comfort and great memories.
Yohandel Ruiz is a founding partner of Studio DADO
This article was first published in the Spring/Summer 2024 issue of Cruise & Ferry Review. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed. Subscribe for FREE to get the next issue delivered directly to your inbox.