By
Alice Chambers |
Princess Cruises has appointed Tillberg Design of Sweden as the coordinating architects for its new generation of Sphere-class ships.
The design firm has worked closely with the operator to develop the design identity. “The architecture of the ship is light and transparent, with authentic and natural finishes and textures, and with a fresh touch of a relaxing coastal lifestyle,” said Fredrik Johansson, partner and executive director at Tillberg Design of Sweden. “The smooth, clean lines and design aesthetics have also been inspired by the Seawitch icon as popularized in the original ‘Love Boat’ TV series.” Robert Tillberg designed the original Love Boat (or Pacific Princess) which, among many other groundbreaking features, included the world’s first atrium on a ship.
Two new Sphere-class ships will be the first in the Princess Cruises fleet to be dual-fuel powered primarily by LNG, and will accommodate 4,300 guests each.
“We’ve had an extremely creative and innovative collaboration period, working closely together with Princess Cruises and the HAL Group to define what the Princess brand stands for today - and how it will develop over a 15-20 year period,” said Johansson. “It’s a wider scope than designing the ship’s interiors, which is great in itself. It’s about helping to develop a very well-established and strong brand into something that stays prosperous and relevant far into the future. It’s incredibly inspiring, and a fantastic vote of confidence from one of the biggest players in our industry.”
A steel-cutting ceremony took place recently at shipyard Centro Servizi Navali in San Giorgio di Nogaro, Italy, for the first of the two ships, which will be called Sun Princess and delivered in Monfalcone, Italy, in early 2024. The second will follow in Spring 2025.