Feature 4 | ACCOMMODATION AND INTERIORS Built for the British
Due to be launched in April 2008, P&O Cruises’ latest luxury cruiseship, Ventura, has been designed with British passengers in mind.
T
he 115,000dwt cruiseship Ventura, due delivery by Fincantieri next month, will be distinguished by her
very ‘British’ feel. Ventura, which is due to be named in
Southampton on 16 April by Dame Helen Mirren, will be based in Southampton from April to October, offering holidays of between two and 16 nights in duration in the Mediterranean, Baltic, and Atlantic Isles. From October 2008 to March 2009 she will offer 14 night Caribbean fly-cruise holidays from Barbados. Ventura’s interiors have been designed
to match the tastes of a British family audience, according to P&O Cruises. ‘Every space has the comfort and tastes of British passengers at heart,’ the owner said. This commitment extends from the
exterior of the ship through to the interior design, with British designer Nick Munro brought onboard as a design consultant. Mr Munro has been involved in the design ofVentura from the very beginning, taking an interest in the commissioning of the furnishings, glassware, and tableware. Renowned for his furniture, ceramic, and homeware designs, P&O Cruises said that Mr Munro ‘has created bespoke items designed specifically for contemporary British tastes from a broad selection of materials including crystal, silver, slate, and china’. Ventura is also a floating showcase
for British contemporary art with 7000 different pieces from 40 artists decorating the ship. Over £1 million has been spent commissioning modern art by leading British artists. The featured artists reflect the best
contemporary art in the UK today. The collection, taking in artists from Kent to Tyne and Wear, Cornwall to North Yorkshire, will showcase work from all disciplines including sculpture, photography, digital print, mural, painting, glasswork, lenticular, and mosaic. Of the other pieces being designed for Ventura, the collection includes a multi-
The Naval Architect April 2008
Ventura’s Atrium by night.
The Metropolis, designed with British tastes firmly in mind.
items, in preparation for the ship’s maiden voyage to Southampton, in readiness for her first season cruising ex-UK. Although better known for refurbishing
coloured glass ceiling for the atrium, designed by Cornwall artist Jo Downs, and a collection of Cuba images for salsa bar Havana, created by Birmingham photographer Paul Ward. Fitting out the vessel has also brought
marine outfitters Trimline its largest ever soſt furnishing manufacturing contract, in a project that has seen the Southampton- based company supplying more than 18,000 items. Trimline has supplied the soſt furnishings for more than 1500 passenger cabins and over 600 crew cabins. Among the items supplied by Trimline
were window curtains, bed valances, bed throws, and scatter cushions. In addition, a Trimline team of around 10 specialists visited the ship to fit curtain tracks in all the passenger cabins. In February, Trimline crew put the finishing touches by installing the various
and refitting passenger and other vessels, Trimline has been building on a reputation for supplying high quality soſt furnishings with previous projects including Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 where more than 12,000 items were made for passenger cabins. Trimline sales and marketing director
Mike Oliver said: ‘With ex-UK cruising booming, the fleet of new ships is continually increasing and we have established ourselves as a supplier of bulk soſt furnishing orders. QM2 was a major exercise but Ventura will even surpass that.’ Trimline was also involved in customising
Cunard’s 90,000tonne Queen Victoria for the UK market. Nearly 20 Trimline personnel accompanied the ship when she set sail from Venice to the UK in December 2007, carrying out tasks including fitting over 500 television brackets in crew cabins and converting bunk beds to doubles, plus other
work.NA
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