1 4 0 cruising first evolved as a holiday concept, the ports and destinations were the raison d’etre and the onboard experience was limited to playing quoits, reading in deck chairs, watching amateur crew shows and dining on bouillon. Cruising was a product that appealed to affluent and older travellers who had time and money. In the 1970s, Ted Arison developed Carnival with the idea of making cruising a year-round popular holiday option for everyone. I was able to foresee what major changes I should make to T.S.S. Festivale to bring Ted’s concept to life and elevate it to a new level. She was the first modern cruise ship and her delivery prompted the start of Carnival’s ongoing meteoric growth, as well as a sea change in the entire cruise industry. Favourite design I honestly can’t pick a favourite space because every room plays an important role in the overall design of a ship – it would be like choosing between your children! Having said that, the theatre onboard Costa Cruises’ Costa Deliziosa is high on my list, hence why it’s featured on the cover of my new book, Design on the High Seas. Although the theatre looks wonderful on the cover, like all of my designs, the only way to truly appreciate the beauty, lighting and ambience of the space is to stand it in for yourself. Memorable moments My first meeting at [Italian shipbuilder] Fincantieri’s office was both amusing and intimidating. My wife and I were shown into a conference room with a very long table and we watched as Fincantieri team members armed with notepads slowly filled two rows of chairs and all the edges of the room until it was completely full. We’d never experienced such a mismatch in numbers at a meeting and we were worried that if everyone from Fincantieri spoke, we’d be there for hours. Thankfully, only one person spoke and the meeting finished quickly. After our initial shock wore off, we laughed about it and I never had a meeting like that again during the rest of my career – I guess people just wanted to get a look at the new designers who were potentially going to cause them headaches! Proudest achievement The most fulfilling moment of my career was when my wife Jeanne christened Carnival Fascination in 1994. Her speech prior to releasing the champagne bottle was poignant and could have only been spoken by a person whose life was inextricably tied to the ship’s design and construction. The words resonated deeply with the ship’s captain and crew, the teams at the shipyard and Carnival, and of course, with me. CFI DES IGN LEGEND Farcus uses lighting, colour and different surfaces to bring venues to life onboard ships like Costa Cruises’ Costa Favolosa Photo: Costa Crociere
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