Cruise & Ferry Interiors 2020

9 6 INTERV IEW The post-pandemic cruise experience We ask Studio DADO’s founding partners about new design considerations for a worry-free cruise T here is no doubt that cruising after a pandemic will be a much different experience than the one we were used to,” predicts Greg Walton, one of four founding partners of Studio DADO, a Miami-based cruise interior design firm. “As we embark on a new horizon, we’re all faced with the need to reinvent the entire cruise journey and re-establish the trust that has been lost in light of Covid-19.” Studio DADO plans to be at the forefront of this reinvention. “We’ve partnered with Bourne Group and MRD Lighting to lay out an approach that identifies solutions for the cruise experience of the future,” says Javier Calle, founding partner of Studio DADO. “We’ve already started to implement these solutions across almost every passenger and crew touchpoint encountered throughout a cruise.” According to Calle, these solutions extend far beyond the design of a particular space, or a ship’s overall aesthetic. Instead, they are centered on providing an enhanced guest experience through strategic floor layouts, optimised traffic flows and advanced sanitation technologies and practices. Together, the solutions will allow cruise operators to meet and surpass the immediate needs for Covid-19 by enabling them to incorporate practices and protocols designed to address possible future pandemics or pandemic-like threats. Some of these new measures will include cruise operators collecting accurate, up-to-date medical histories from guests to flag up any concerns based on predetermined markers. Non- intrusive health screenings will also become the norm, perhaps with smart wristbands that function primarily as a touchless room key but also as a body temperature thermometer. “It goes without saying that travellers can expect to undergo additional health screenings and follow new health measures – both before and during their cruise,” says Jorge Mesa, another founding partner of Studio DADO. Until a targeted treatment or a vaccine becomes available, ships will likely resume sailing at a reduced capacity to ensure they can adhere to strict social distancing measures. Consequently, “ From left: Studio DADO founders Greg Walton, Yohandel Ruiz, Javier Calle and Jorge Mesa are working with partners to devise solutions to help cruise operators increase health and safety onboard their ships