By
Alex Smith |
The 2026 issue of Cruise & Ferry Interiors is out now, offering exclusive insights from key stakeholders across the passenger ship interior design industry. Subscribe to view the digital edition or order a printed copy.
A well-designed ship interior is evident in the small details. A material that catches the light differently at noon and midnight. A lounge chair positioned to provide the perfect view of the horizon. None of these details happen by accident; they require the vision of talented designers, backed by the ambition of determined operators.
That attention to the particular – and to the emotional response a space can produce – defines where passenger ship interior design stands in 2026. The industry is moving decisively beyond standardised templates and neutral palettes, towards narrative-driven concepts that give ships a distinctive identity and guests a reason to return. Sustainability, originality and circularity are no longer abstract aspirations; they are shaping material choices, supplier relationships and the way operators plan their refurbishment programmes.
Progress is as visible on existing ships as it is on newbuilds. Holland America Line is embarking on the most ambitious guest experience update in its 153-year history, investing more than $500 million in a bow-to-stern revitalisation of six ships. “The guest experience will always come first,” says My Nguyen, the line’s senior director of design and innovation, in our keynote interview.
Nguyen also discusses how environmental thinking is being woven into every stage of the programme, from material selection and supplier partnerships to end-of-life planning – and why she hopes Holland America Line’s approach will inspire the wider industry to pursue sustainable marine interiors.
My Nguyen, senior director of design and innovation at Holland America Line and Seabourn, is overseeing the largest fleet enhancement project in the brand’s history (credit: Holland America Line)
Striving for originality across every space onboard is a defining ambition for many of the cruise lines, ferry operators, design studios, outfitters and suppliers showcased in this issue.
The cover of our new issue, for example, celebrates Studio DADO, the Miami-based boutique design studio that marks its 10th anniversary in 2026. In the cover story, we spoke with founders Javier Calle, Jorge Mesa and Yohandel Ruiz about the studio’s approach to creating emotionally resonant cruise ship interiors and how 10 years of collaboration with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Carnival Cruise Line, American Cruise Lines and others has shaped a philosophy of design that, as Ruiz puts it, aims to give “every space a story.”
Oceania Allura features designs by Studio DADO across staterooms, dining venues and public areas, creating a unified onboard experience (credit: Douglas Friedman)
The drive for more distinctive, brand-led interiors is explored in depth in ‘The power of originality’ feature. Executives from MSC Cruises, Windstar Cruises, Hurtigruten and American Cruise Lines join interior designers to discuss how operators are building cohesive design narratives and how suppliers, now brought into the process at concept stage rather than after specifications are finalised, are helping them achieve more ambitious results.
The question of what those materials should be – and what happens to them at the end of a vessel’s life – is the focus of our 2026 Sustainable Maritime Interiors (SMI) Report. The report features signatories of the SMI Declaration examining how a growing number of operators, designers, outfitters and suppliers are beginning to treat end-of-life materials as a resource rather than waste.
Achieving circularity in passenger ship interiors requires action from across the supply chain
Other notable highlights include the Interior Views section, where we profile upcoming vessels including Royal Caribbean International’s Legend of the Seas, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Luna and Orient Express Sailing Yachts’ Orient Express Corinthian. The Revitalisation section, meanwhile, takes a closer look at major refurbishments taking place onboard the Celebrity Solstice series, AIDA Cruises’ AIDAbella and Windstar Cruises’ Wind-class. In our Design Perspectives articles, Andrea Bartoli of Carnival Corporation, TUI Cruises’ Anna Wiebke, Franco Smeraro of Oceania Cruises and others share their approaches to creating interiors that balance brand identity, guest experience and performance.
We also hear from a range of cruise lines, outfitters and suppliers in the Interior Commentaries and Interviews section, while our Featured Partners section offers a guide to selected companies working in the interior sector. The issue closes with our Design Legends interview in which Kai Bunge and Siegfried Schindler, the founders of Partner Ship Design, reflect on decades-long careers spent shaping the look and feel of ships for some of the world’s leading cruise brands.
We hope you enjoy the read.
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