CSIE After Hours
CSIE may have closed its doors on the first day of the show but the fun didn’t stop there. The CSIE After Hours party, sponsored by Tillberg Design of Sweden kept the party going and the conversation flowing. Located at the Novotel, the event was bursting at the seams with the major cruise lines and the suppliers, outfitters and design studios who wished to network with them. With only two instances in the year – CSI and CSIE – where the entire cruise interiors industry is gathered in one place, there is much to catch up on.
A tangtastic start to the day
CSIE started its second day with another vibrant round of Speed Networking. Over forty suppliers and buyers interested in and representing the outfitting sector met for whirlwind rounds of speed networking. If that didn’t blow out the cobwebs, Senior Exhibition Manager Will Duffell and the Sales team brought relief to exhibitors and visitors who had networked too long into the night. They escorted ginger and turmeric hangover cures on an innovative, electric self-driven trolley supplied by Sorol Hospitality (stand 920). Used by many cruise lines including Virgin Voyages and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, these self-driven trollies are ideal for cruise. The refreshments were very well received by those who needed a little extra pep in their step for visiting the exhibitors!
For those who wanted something a little more invigorating, the day started with another round of Speed Networking. This edition was themed to the marine interiors sector of outfitting.
Sense and Sustainability
The first workshop of the day, Creative Takeback Schemes: From Old Products to New Carpets, took place on the Marahrens stand, Stand 506. Focused on practical solutions, the cruise ship interiors workshop provided plenty of interactive moments to assist the gathered crowd. My Nguyen, Director of Interior Design, Holland America Group, shared the actionable insights she learned from her collaboration with Dansk Wilton.
My noted that there was always work to be done, and that working together was the best way to progress. She stated:
‘In partnerships, it’s more inspiring to figure out the solutions together and collaborate. There are more problems to solve than wins, so that’s the most important part of collaboration: to overcome obstacles together.’
At the end of the workshop, attendees were invited to bring away free recycled notebooks created using recycled carpets. Throughout the workshop, Dansk Wilton & Holland America Line handed out samples of products they had made with recycled materials, including coat hangers.
The keynote conference for the second day of the cruise ship interiors conference was The Modern Shipyard. The session was moderated by Vesa Uuttu, Head of Architectural Design & Outfitting Turku site, Newbuild and Innovation, Royal Caribbean Group. The speakers were Bas Loohuis, Commercial Director Maintenance & Upgrade Services Cruise, Damen Shipyard and Petteri Heimo, Head of Hotel Outfitting, Meyer Turku. Green shipbuilding was put under the microscope among other topics, including the shipyard’s role in adding value to newbuild and refurbishment projects.
Petteri Heimo highlighted that they weren’t simply looking to reduce emissions in the shipyard but innovate and find ways to actively improve environmental conditions:
‘We need to think outside of the box to find solutions. For example we have been looking into whether the cruise ship could actually clean the sea, removing microplastics from seawater as it sails… For these solutions we need strong collaboration across the whole supply chain.’
A feast for the senses
If you didn’t attend this year’s CSIE you’ll have missed out on catching up with the latest products launched in the European cruise ship interiors industry, all presented on stunning stands. In longstanding European fashion, the stands ranged from traditional craftsmanship stemming from a long history to cutting edge modern innovation.
Visitors were attracted to ADCO Glass International’s interactive glass floor, putting their technology and impressive digital displays to the test. Devlin in Design debuted its two new products never seen before in cruise. These are handcrafted, bespoke antique mirror glass from Ireland. Decorating their stand, these glass designs have been applied to a variety of interiors, including restaurants, bars, hotels, and now cruise!
SMC Design created their popular stand using only recycled materials, fitting the Cruise Conversations Live theming of sustainability. Sanguillini displayed outstanding chandeliers, demonstrating the impact their work has. Meanwhile, some exhibitors demonstrated that flare didn’t have to be limited to their stand; outdoor furniture specialists Akula Living matched their vibrant stand with equally vivid turquoise suits!
Celebrating leadership, innovation and community
At the end of the day the lights went up in the Conference Theatre for the third annual Cruise Ship Interiors Awards. The Awards opened with the Trimline Drinks. As everyone across the cruise ship interiors supply chain gathered to celebrate the outstanding work of the industry, two special announcements were made. The first was the announcement of the award for best stand. It was tough competition this year, as suppliers went all out in displaying the lengths to which their ingenuity, eye for design and marine know-how could fit within the exhibition space. The award went to turnkey interiors solutions provider Regenasa. Meanwhile SMC Design nabbed the sustainable stand award as their stand was created using 100% recycled materials. One lucky visitor was also randomly selected to win the chance for an exclusive holiday for two with Virgin Voyages: Daniel Mocreia, Senior Architect, MSC Cruises.
Cruise Ship Interiors Awards and Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Europe CEO Toby Walters launched the awards by recognising the CSI Influencers of 2022. He noted that the Influencers were nominated by their peers and selected by us in recognition of the amazing work they do in the cruise industry. Since their selection they have continued to shine. Their passions include ADA, guest experience and strong leadership values and they have shared those with the industry.
This year, 12 awards were up for grabs at the Cruise Ship Interiors Awards. The awards themselves were created Spared by Volume Creative. The material of the awards is created using waste, truly transforming unwanted items into a unique and beautiful material. Fredrik Johansson won the prestigious Leadership Award, sponsored by AROS Marine, in recognition of all he has done in support of supporting his fellow designers and shaping many of them into fellow leaders and creative visionaries of the industry. Cruise Line of the Year went to MSC Cruises, who not only led all other cruise lines in number of newbuilds, but welcomed truly innovative ships to their fleet including MSC World Europa.
Want more of this?
Check out the Cruise Ship Interiors (CSI) Design Expo Europe blog for more design insights and the latest industry updates. CSI Design Expo Europe is a specialised conference and exhibition catered exclusively to the European cruise interior design industry, with a unique focus on Europe’s luxury ocean, river, and expedition cruising. The next event will be taking place on 4 – 5 December 2024 alongside the Sustainable Design Summit at Excel London.