Cruise & Ferry Interiors 2020

7 6 INTERIOR V IEW What’s onboard? Dance bar and pub: this will be a space for guests to relax and have a drink, listen to local troubadours, dance and enjoy a full entertainment programme. À la carte restaurant: the dining venue will offer menus that change each season, allowing passengers and their loved ones to enjoy delicious meals made with mainly local produce. Buffet restaurant: we want everyone from families with small children to business guests to feel welcome in this space – there will be good local food, a selection of quality wines and a relaxed atmosphere. Guests will be able to choose the delicacies they want to eat from the buffet and there will always be a story linked to the local products used in the dishes. Cafe: as shown in the picture above, we will draw inspiration from the colours of Finland’s open Ostrobothnia fields with their greenhouse farms to offer simple dishes, hamburgers or just a cup of coffee. Business lounge: this will be a space for people who want to work productively – or relax between emails – in a quiet environment with a picturesque view. The fast internet service will facilitate virtual meetings and media streaming services. Conference room: the modular configuration of the conference room will enable us to arrange high-quality meetings for between two and 150 people. Children’s playroom: our architect, Kudos Dsign, has developed a new concept to ensure our youngest passengers enjoy the voyage. Sun deck: many people want to be outdoors, especially during the summer, so our sun deck will be the perfect place for them to relax with a good drink and enjoy the beautiful archipelago. Pet’s lounge: we always take great care of dogs, cats and other pets, so they will have their own lounge on the ship. Passengers will be able to leave them in a cage or stay with them throughout the voyage. Peter Ståhlberg gives an insight into the interior spaces that will delight guests of all ages on Aurora Botnia Aurora Botnia is set to become the world’s most environmentally friendly ferry when she begins service January 2021 should be honest and simple, just like the Bothnia region in which she will be sailing,” he explains. Indeed, the plentiful creative stimuli in the Bothnian Gulf have provided rich pickings for the interior design team. “The designers were inspired by the windswept islands of the Bothnian archipelago, the wide-open fields, the majestic landscape of Västerbotten, the traditional craftmanship skills and modern greenhouse farming,” says Ståhlberg. “The design is modern, fresh and makes use of natural colours – it’s very down to earth.” Aurora Botnia will have a generous passenger space ratio and offer an attractive mix of facilities to suit a broad demographic. “We want to provide cruise experiences that are bigger than the size of our company,” explains Ståhlberg. “This means that we will provide different kinds of onboard places that our passengers can enjoy, from conference rooms and various restaurants, to a dance bar and a playroom for children.” Wasa Express, the ship currently servicing the Vasa-Umeå route, is very popular with passengers and Ståhlberg hopes these onboard offerings will make Aurora Botnia similarly blessed. “We want passengers to feel welcome and close to our new vessel,” he explains. “We want to be the most sympathetic shipping company and, of course, we also want to be the pride of the Gulf of Bothnia.” Ståhlberg is conscious that such pride must be earned over time, but he believes the vessel’s sustainability stories will give her a winning head start and take her straight into the hearts of the communities she will serve. “The ferry is incredibly environmentally friendly and there are plenty of stories for us to share about her interiors,” he remarks. “She was planned with an environmental conscience, using recycled or otherwise very eco-friendly materials. For example, the carpets in the cabins are made from old fishing nets and there are tables made from recycled materials.” With so many engaging stories behind so many of the onboard spaces, Ståhlberg finds it hard to discern which will be his personal favourite. “I think all of her interior spaces will become much-loved places,” he says. “However, the business lounge with big panoramic windows will take me close to nature. The great views and the opportunity to work in comfort will surely make it my favourite office.” CFI