Cruise & Ferry Interiors 2021

4 2 model during the pandemic has been challenging. But for Tomas Tillberg Design, it has been a natural and successful evolution. “When we first launched the company, we had a team of around 30-35 people working in our office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida,” says Tillberg. “However, our managing partner Carlos Reyes introduced a new way of working and we now have a core team managing everything and creating designs in Fort Lauderdale while all the production is done by our team of certified architects in Bogota, Columbia. “We’ve been operating like this for several years and our employees were already equipped with all the tools they need to communicate and collaborate effectively. Consequently, the pandemic didn’t impact our productivity on the Infinity-class ships at all. We’re very grateful and thankful to be working on these projects because they’ve sustained us throughout the pandemic, and we know that others in our business have not been so fortunate.” Louis-Jacques is confident that the Infinity-class ships will be well-received by guests as soon as they are in service. “We were lucky enough to be able to test out Greg Mortimer for ourselves during her inaugural cruise to Antarctica and we’re very proud of what we’ve created,” she says. “The interiors were warm and inviting, the panoramic views were amazing, and the X-Bow hull helped to keep the ship stable, even in the rough and stormy Drake Passage. We’re excited for guests to try out the rest of the ships too.” Tillberg believes that the rapid pace and success of the Infinity-class project indicates that China has a prosperous future as a cruise ship building nation. “The Infinity-class series of ships has shown the power of combining decades of European cruising expertise with China’s modern, fast and efficient production methods,” he explains. “China is very intent on becoming a leader in cruise ship building and it’s already building the necessary infrastructure to make this goal a long-term reality. In addition to the Infinity-class ships, we’re also working with Xiamen Shipyard on Viking Line’s new passenger ferry, which has enabled us to strengthen our relationships with suppliers and made us a valuable asset to any other operators wanting to build cruise ships or passenger ferries in China.” CFI Tomas Tillberg Design has created various luxurious interiors and pool decks for multiple cruise ships COVER STORY “ The pandemic didn’t impact our productivity on the Infinity-class ships at all” Tomas Tillberg