UK firm refitted staterooms and transformed public spaces before ship joined Thomson Cruises
By
Rebecca Gibson |
UK-based mariner interior refit firm Trimline completed a six-week refurbishment to transform Royal Caribbean International’s Splendour of the Seas into Thomson Cruises’ recently christened TUI Discovery.
A team of 180 people refitted the 886ft cruise vessel in Cadiz, Spain.
“When we began discussions with Thomson about TUI Discovery, it was clear Trimline were well-equipped to embark on this major refurbishment for this world-renowned customer,” said Andrew Richards, Trimline’s CEO. “Our rich heritage has earned us the unique adeptness at finding innovative solutions to any refurbishment challenge, which has proven invaluable in this project.”
Trimline, which has 51 years of experience completing large-scale ship refurbishments, worked on various areas of the ship, including fitting custom bulkheads, fitting a DJ booth in Bar Eleven, installed an outside stage on Deck 9 and recarpeted corridors throughout the ship. The team refitted all 915 cabins, reupholstering the furniture, installing new carpets, replacing bathroom mirrors, shower curtains and almost 4,000m of wood trim.
In addition, Trimline converted Venue into an entertainment and seating area with a new DJ booth, poseur tables, drinks ledges, new bulkheads and freshly upholstered furniture. Similarly, the company transformed the Live Room on Deck 4 from a two-part venue into an open space, adding new bulkheads, deck heads, a raised deck and stage areas, and a custom built bar. Bespoke solutions included an acoustic ‘floating’ deck, sound dampening to reduce noise levels to cabins situated directly below, and a programmable system for dimming and changing LED light colours.
Trimline also removed the Asian decor and a 6m high pagoda from two-tier restaurant 47˚ and Gallery 47˚, fitting floor-to-ceiling windows on either side, new lights, carpets, wall coverings and table tops and reupholstered dining chairs. The team also installed glass screens and a polished
stainless steel surround for the waiter stations.
“TUI Discovery marks a step change for Thomson Cruises, building a product that offers our customers more dining, entertainment and cabin choice,” said Adrian Hibbert, Thomson Cruises’ director of operations. “To deliver our vision we embarked on a major refurbishment project and had confidence Trimline could deliver on time and budget and, most importantly, exceeded the expectations of our customers.”