Cruise & Ferry Interiors 2020

9 8 INTERIOR COMMENTARY Signs of a new cruising era Companies like Bourne Group are developing new products to help cruise companies to protect the health and safety of their guests and crew when their ships return to sea By Patrick McNulty, Bourne Group C ovid-19 brought the worldwide travel and tourism industry to a standstill in early 2020. Critics have since warned that the cruise industry will never recover, but you only have to look at the sector’s past to understand that it is strong and resilient. Cruise has always been an industry of innovation and, if you have ever seen a vessel being built or refurbished, you will know that it is also an industry that continuously achieves the seemingly impossible. All those involved in the sector are well-versed in devising innovative solutions to overcome the challenges associated with designing, building and operating cruise ships, and delivering onboard and onshore experiences that delight guests. These skills and experiences are what make us so well-prepared for surmounting the new challenges posed by Covid-19 and successfully – and safely – restarting the industry. Although the cruise sector will not recover overnight, many companies have realised that now is the time to start playing offence as opposed to defence. In just the same way as the Titanic disaster in 1912 prompted countries to overhaul their approach to safety with the introduction of the international Safety of Life at Sea regulations, Covid-19 has forced our industry to rethink the way it keeps guests and crew healthy at sea. Bourne Group aims to support its cruise line clients to do this in any way we can. Historically, we have supplied signage and wall coverings to the cruise industry but at the onset of this pandemic we focused our efforts on producing personal protective equipment (PPE) for hospitals and our local community. Similarly, we’ve been supplying cruise clients with concept solutions to help them to easily adapt to post-Covid-19 requirements for safe cruising. For example, we have developed a PPE kit that can be stored alongside life jackets in passenger cabins and used in the event of an outbreak. Over the coming months, Bourne Group will continue to refine its product range and manufacturing facilities to ensure we can meet our clients’ current and future needs and help to kickstart the return of our industry. CFI Patrick McNulty is co-owner of Bourne Group “Bourne Group aims to support its cruise line clients in any way we can”