51 A highlight of Century Star is the tea lounge located at the rear of the ship, which offers special events and a panoramic view inspired by Moldovian vineyards Western cultures. “Century Cruises has a clear design concept – it wants to entwine the Yangtze with the Danube,” says Marloes Boele, founder of Mdesigns. “We needed to incorporate the histories and cultures of the 10 countries the ship will visit on the Danube into a single design concept. And we had to find some overlap with Chinese heritage, rivers or customs.” Every space onboard the vessel has been designed to represent a specific country but also celebrate Chinese heritage. “The Vienna Café, for example, is an Austrian coffeehouse, but it has white and blue China porcelain and traditional Chinese patterns,” says Boele. “There are more countries than rooms, however, so we also have three corridors representing a country each. We have really homed in on the details to celebrate the countries and find a connection with China, so each room tells a story that reflects the overall concept of how the Yangtze and Danube are entwined.” Mdesigns has also used artifical intelligence to create unique artwork for Century Star. “Again, we mixed Chinese and European cultures,” says Boele. “In one restaurant, we will have artwork featuring deer, snakes and birds, which are found in the forests of both Germany and China. We were able to generate the effect of Chinese embroidery, and we’ve used gold, yellow and red colours to enhance the story.” Century Cruises will also craft onboard experiences, shore excursions and itineraries that showcase the links between China and the countries along the Danube. The brand will likely offer five- and seven-night trips, although the itineraries are still in the early stages of specific itineraries. “There are long-term and tight connections between China and Europe, with a lot of historical stories and cultural traditions tying the two together and we will have lectures, activities, performances and excursions to cover all that,” says Xie. “For example, Chinese-speaking lecturers will come aboard to talk about events like the Mongol invasion in Europe, the Anglo-Saxons, Spanish explorers – all the events, eras and people that shaped the whole world. “There are a lot of castles and ruins along Europe’s waterways that are particularly attractive to Chinese tourists, so we’ll give them the opportunity to see history in real life. Places like Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria, and the Royal Palace of Gödöllő in Budapest, Hungary, are especially popular with Chinese people as they are Photo: Mdesigns
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