By
Alex Smith |
Themed and immersive entertainment venues are becoming more popular on cruises, and The Deluxe Group’s unique skillset is increasingly finding its way into ship interior refit projects.
Due to the nature of these projects, there are a lot of elements that need to be considered to ensure that passengers experience the ‘wow’ factor when they walk into the newly refurbished venues.
For example, as interior spaces become more immersive, more technology needs to be seamlessly incorporated into venues to enhance the guest experience. This could be a sound system hidden behind decorative shrouds or an interactive gaming venue. This means that careful planning is needed, including considerations for how the crew operate in the space, future maintenance requirements and the durability of materials.
To tackle this, our team meticulously choreographs each project so everyone can spring into action during dry docks, ensuring no time is wasted. We’re just like an F1 team executing a perfectly synchronised pit stop, only we change bulkheads instead of tyres!
We have honed our approach to maximise the use of digital technology during the design process. Gone are the days of tape measures and notebooks, now you will see our survey team using 3D scanners and a range of software to model and visualise interior spaces. We can capture accurate information quickly by 3D scanning interiors, allowing us to create a digital model where we can reimagine the venue with the flexibility to virtually try out new layouts and concepts in real time.
Not only does this help us visualise how the space will look before production commences, but the accurate dimensions captured by the scanners can also be used for prefabrication, creating greater project efficiencies. This was the case during the refurbishment of The Glass House onboard the Marella Cruises ship Marella Discovery, where the entire space was scanned to facilitate a swift and efficient production process.
With new spaces becoming more sophisticated, dry dock time frames getting shorter and passengers becoming more discerning, we are excited to bring an innovative approach to the industry and create interior spaces that are truly unique and memorable for guests.
Karen Argue is business development manager at The Deluxe Group
This article was first published in the 2024 issue of Cruise & Ferry Interiors. 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.