Events

Dee Cooper (far left), My Nguyen (left), Sascha Lang (top) and Andy Yuill (above) are amongst the speakers at Cruise Conversations Live

Cruise Ship Interiors Expo America 7-8 June 2022

MIAMI

Cruise Ship Interiors Expo America will return to Miami Beach Convention Center in June, with the exhibition once again joined by Cruise Conversations Live, a two-day conference programme curated specially for the cruise ship interiors design community.

The sessions will give life to the topics prevalent across the industry, with refurbishment opportunities and challenges in the supply chain both under the spotlight. This year will also see the introduction of workshops taking place across the show floor, offering practical advice and exploring case studies for experienced and new-to-cruise suppliers.

Day one of the conference begins with a keynote featuring leaders from three major cruise lines, with George Scammell of Holland America Group, Sascha Lang of Royal Caribbean, and Thomas Westergaard of Hurtigruten Expeditions set to explore topics ranging from sustainability and small ships to innovative materials. An interactive workshop meanwhile will see Andy Yuill, Managing Director at SMC Design and Graeme Hyde, Business Development Manager at Lloyd’s Register, talk through the regulations required for IMO and SOLAS accreditation.

Day two of the event will take a sustainability focus, reflected in both Cruise Conversations and the workshops. A keynote session entitled Designing to Last will look beyond the current parameters of a vessel’s dry-dock programme and ask, what if cruise ship interiors were designed to last beyond a vessel’s next refurbishment window? Speakers include My Nguyen, Director of Interior Design at Holland America Group; Dee Cooper, Senior Vice President of Design & Customer Experience at Virgin Voyages; and Petra Ryberg, Principal Designer and Owner at Studio Berg+.

Cruise Ship Interiors Expo America will also feature the products and services from over 300 exhibitors, while social events across the two days provide ample opportunity for networking. To register for tickets visit: www.cruiseshipinteriors-expo.com

Why Sustainable? Why Now?

Following the launch of the Sustainable Design Summit, the event’s organisers explain the importance of knowledge sharing and collaboration.

The first step to being able to make a business case for sustainable design is to understand the drivers shaping the global shift towards a more environmentally-friendly future. In the past five years, the ongoing climate crisis has had significant impact on the travel and hospitality sector, leading owners, operators and designers to balance aesthetics and guest experience with net zero targets and ROI.

SAVVY CONSUMERS

Guests have traditionally evaluated hospitality design based on their experience, whether through the comfort of the bed or the quality of food served in the restaurant. Now, they are more curious about what goes on behind the scenes, and are increasingly likely to factor sustainability credentials into their decision-making. Due to global initiatives designed to educate consumers on materials, waste reduction and even supply chain, consumers are increasingly savvy about sustainability. Globally, it ranks as one of the most important factors when making a purchase for around 60% of people, a figure that rises to 75% when applied to millennials. And notably, around 50% of all travellers say they are willing to pay more for environmentally responsible products, which can be considered when factoring in the higher costs associated with being sustainable.

REGULATIONS

At COP26, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) laid out an ambitious roadmap for net zero, which included sustainable design practices for hotels, weight reduction through retrofitting for aircraft, and lighting upgrades for cruise ships. The pressure is on for all hospitality designers and developers to educate their teams, explore different approaches and put their learnings into practice, while still meeting the expectations of the client and guest.

The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals directly target the built environment through a number of parameters: decent work and economic growth; industry, innovation and infrastructure; sustainable cities and communities; responsible consumption and production. Paris Agreement signatory the European Union earmarked the circular economy as key to meeting goals in its updated 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan, promising to deliver reporting and certification systems, industry collaboration through training, and the promotion of digital and green technologies. With two of the world’s largest shipbuilding companies located in Europe, Chantiers de l’Atlantique in France and Damen in the Netherlands – both of whom have their own corporate sustainability mandate – cruise ship construction looks set to develop in line with the UN’s goals.

SUPPORTED BY SUPPLIERS

The WTTC has identified Scope 3 emissions – those generated through the supply chain and generally underreported – as a key area for the cruise industry to target reduction. In order to meet this objective, designers and outfitters will need to collaborate with the entire supply chain in order to identify those who are championing sustainable practices, learning from them to improve the overall efficiency of their own manufacturing processes.

Many hospitality suppliers have already taken steps to improve their credentials. Carpet manufacturer Dansk Wilton has introduced Cradle-to-Cradle Products Innovation Institute practices into its collection. Agua Fabrics has launched VerdEco, which is made from 100% recycled material and uses no water in production. And Makinen has appointed a sustainability steering group to guide it through marine interior projects.

KNOWLEDGE SHARING & COLLABORATION

There is much opportunity within the hotel, cruise ship and aircraft sectors for knowledge to be shared, which is why Elite Exhibitions – the organiser of Cruise Ship Interiors Expo – has launched the Sustainable Design Summit. Taking place in London on 29 November, the summit will offer attendees the opportunity to exchange ideas about making sustainable design choices in a collaborative environment, with talks and roundtable discussions that encourage crosssector insight and learning. The event will also feature a product showcase featuring innovative sustainable materials, essentially bringing the ideas discussed to life and providing a platform for sustainable design in the hotel, cruise and aircraft cabin sectors.

© Downtown Photo

F&B @ Sea 2-3 May 2023

MIAMI

With innovative food and beverage concepts a key element of any new cruise ship, there’s an increasing need for events that cater to the next generation of onboard dining and imbibing experiences. As such, Seatrade Cruise Global has announced the launch of F&B @ Sea, a two-day event dedicated to those creating the restaurants, bars and lounges of the future.

“Extensive research by the Seatrade Cruise team identified the desire and demand for culinary-focused programming within the cruise community,” says Mary Bond, Group Director at Seatrade Cruise. “F&B @ Sea aims to close the gap with vendor showcases, networking, content and immersive demonstrations while bringing together cruise line executives and suppliers to meet, learn and discuss challenges, opportunities and expand horizons.”

Supported by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), the curated event will focus on key trends including elevated eateries, sustainability, handcrafted cocktails, technology and supply chain. “Synergies between cruise lines and destination stakeholders to increase local sourcing present immense potential, and this will be an opportunity to share the latest infusions and innovations,” comments Michele Paige, President of FCCA. “We look forward to our partners in the Caribbean and Latin America having the chance to display their unique products, and we will export the lessons learned to all of our partners.”

Taking place from 2-3 May 2023 at a venue close to Miami Beach Convention Center – where Seatrade Cruise Global will run simultaneously – the event will feature branded activations, culinary influencers, featured tastings, chef cook-offs and mixologists. “We’re bringing a unique buying and selling experience to an intimate event space,” concludes Richard Regan, Director of Partner Relations at CLIA. “Offering an experience that is educational, inspirational and experiential, this event will really be a melting pot of opportunities for our community for years to come.”