Cruise & Ferry Interiors 2020

1 1 4 Alan McVitty designed a number of spaces onboard Cunard’s luxury cruise ship Queen Victoria INTERV IEW Designing for luxury Alan McVitty of M Studio London explains to Alex Smith what defines a luxury cruise ship interior W hat makes a luxury cruise ship luxurious? According to Alan McVitty, founder of M Studio London, it is important to understand what guests expect from their experience. “The criteria for the interior design scheme will depend on the type of clientele an operator wishes to attract,” he says. “A family ship, for example, would have a fun and whimsical design, but a luxury cruise ship will have an elegant and sophisticated interior.” There are also different expectations about which materials should be used in a luxury ship, with the emphasis being placed on authenticity and refinement. “The interior finishes on a luxury vessel are often of a higher quality than those on other ships,” says McVitty. “Using rare or unusual marbles and stones adds to the sophistication of the scheme. I would also say that the use of authentic, natural materials such as wood, stone, crystal and leather are more prevalent within a luxury ship.” McVitty also explains that a colour scheme that makes greater use of neutrals is more likely to be favoured by luxury cruise ship passengers. “The colour palette within the ship will vary depending on the venue,” he says. “However, I would say that a more neutral scheme is regarded as more classic. While designing the suites for Cunard Queen Victoria, we used a lighter, neutral colour palette with accent jewel-like colours within the scheme.” CFI “The interior finishes on a luxury vessel are often of a high quality”