
With over 25 years of experience in the creation of computer-generated imagery, Andy Bull has worked alongside almost all of the major cruise and ferry brands, enabling designers, architects, owners and cruise lovers to experience the beauty, charm, and elegance of the newest ships afloat. Here the Bull Agency have provided us with a case study of their work for the upcoming Global Dream. Read on to discover how The Bull Agency creates works with their clients and creates their amazing 3D renderings…
See how the Bull Agency uses the art of 3D technology to create refined aesthetics of both interiors and exteriors for high-end cruise brand, Dream Cruises.
Building upon the successful debuts of Explorer Dream, World Dream, and Genting Dream, the Global Dream is scheduled to enter service in early 2021. Its mission is to invite even more Asian guests to sail globally on inspiring cruises onboard the largest cruise liner to homeport in Asia Pacific.
The ship will have the industry’s first theme park at sea, largest cinema at sea, world’s longest roller coaster at sea, self-guided robotic assistants, industry’s largest standard-category staterooms (sized 20 m2), panoramic Atrium elevators (glass-walled and bottomed lifts), and 2-lane escalators.
The Ship’s Roller Coaster, ‘The Space Cruiser’ is the main attraction of the “Dream Park at the Pier” – which also includes bouncing activity area, separate trampoline park and various aqua park facilities (including surfing simulator and racing waterslides).
With such revolutionary elements on board, there was a great responsibility to make sure that they were represented as accurately as possible through the CG renderings and animations.
This has given us and Dream Cruises, the opportunity to experiment with new technologies.
New technologies bring new opportunities.

For the first time, conventional animations have been supplemented by using 360VR walkthroughs. Using this technology, The Bull Agency are able to give the prospective passenger a completely immersive sensual experience where you find yourself transported to the ship and experiencing the facilities as if you are actually there. Now you can experience first hand the exhilarating ride upon The Space Cruiser from the best seat in the house. These are viewed either on a desktop or mobile device or for a more immersive experience, a VR headset can be used.
Also, for the upcoming launch video, The Bull Agency has utilised motion capture technology to allow a 3D generated couple to take their own virtual tour of the ship. From experiencing the cabins and staterooms, they ride the roller coaster, take lunch in the Palace Pool Restaurant, and experience the nightlife and entertainment on board.
Working on the CGI elements for Dream Cruises’ Global Dream is one of the Bull Agency’s most successful and extensive projects to date. They have been commissioned to create many of the public spaces of the ship so that the passengers can know exactly what to expect when they step aboard.
These interior renders have been accompanied by a host of exterior stills and animations of equal quality. The exterior renders show the ship afloat, highlighting the highly creative art that adorns the ship’s hull.
The Bull Agency’s Approach
Thanks to more than 20 years of experience in the cruise industry, The Bull Agency has developed a unique understanding of the design process and how these majestic ships come to life.
When it comes to creating 3D visualisations of The Global Dream’s prestigious interiors, it’s important to underline that the Bull Agency’s team of artists pride themselves on their eye for detail which, combined with great technical craftsmanship, result in stunningly realistic renders.
The ultimate goal here is to engage the potential future passengers, and ignite a positive emotion within them, that enables them to want to see themselves within these environments.
The key is about setting a scene and building a visual story and to do this the artists have many skills in their armoury to enable this to happen.
- The angle of the viewpoint, perspective, space depth, and furniture layouts
- An intelligent lighting strategy, manipulating the light temperature and the atmospheric quality that it brings to the space
- Injecting a specific mood by harmonising all the visual elements within the space
- Paying attention to the small, yet defining details that add personality to the space and influences the way the interior feels to the viewer (materials and textures, ornaments and objects that make the room feel more realistic)
- Translating the designers’ vision in a way that accurately conveys their intention and enables the visual story to be told
When we develop the renders of the ship exteriors then we have some extra elements that need to be considered. The challenge here to have the ship sit within a natural environment in a way that looks realistic and not toy-like. Here, the team tackle the challenges of:
- Water reflections and movement
- Natural lighting and shadows (the position of the sun)
- The level of the camera view and the mood of the surroundings (providing context to the image and making it feel more realistic)
- Materials, textures and the general complexity of the ship model. The more detail that be added to the model the more realistic it will look.
The continual challenge for The Bull Agency is always ensuring that the render captivates the viewer in a way that a well composed photograph can. The company is proud of successfully blurring that border between a generated image and a real-life one, and thus telling powerful visual stories at the same time achieving the highest level of realism.
As the cruise industry continues to flourish and the order books remain full we will continue helping brands to take a glimpse into the future bringing their newbuild to life.
By utilising new technologies and concentrating on first-class customer service, The Bull Agency looks forward to sharing this exciting journey with its clients and partners. The future looks bright!
Register for free today and visit The Bull Agency on Stand 319 at Fira Barcelona, 4-5 December.
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