The words cruise and luxury have been inextricably linked since the days when the mighty liners were the preferred mode of transport for traversing the globe.
Regent Seven Seas have taken those levels of luxury to new higher standards with their recently launched ship Explorer. Christened by Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco in 2016, the ship brings elegance and glamour to the world’s greatest destinations allowing guests to travel whilst viewing Picassos and Segals hanging within the spacious interiors.
International lighting specialists Chelsom worked closely with the three design practices involved in the luxurious interiors- RTKL of Miami, Tillberg of Sweden and ICrave of New York- to create the stunning decor schemes which claim to ‘exceed the loftiest expectations for luxury’.
The main lighting focal point is the spectacular chandelier which hangs in the atrium between sweeping art deco staircases, intricate columns and sculptured architectural features. With a diameter of 3metres and a drop of over 4metres, the chandelier features over 6,000 individual high quality crystal octagon drops, each one attached to a chrome wire frame to prevent movement and vibration when the ship is under way. The drops are suspended from a finely engineered custom brass frame.
Further high quality glass, but in a more contemporary style, is used in the Meridian Lounge where a 5.5metre diameter horseshoe chandelier illuminates the dancefloor and surrounding tables. Three tiers of individually mouth blown teardrop glasses are illuminated from above with LED light sources.
By contrast, in the Canyon Ranch Spa Club, Chelsom created a spectacular modern lighting feature using polished stainless steel and hand sculpted glass cylinder shades. At 2.5metres diameter, the fitting draws the eye as soon as you enter the spa reception and further chandeliers were created throughout the rest of the spa.
Entertaining guests is a high priority on board and the luxurious Constellation Theatre provides the ideal setting for evening performances, many in the true Hollywood style. Chelsom created a striking chandelier to hang in the decadent stairwell which featured hand cut triedri clear glass drops hanging from a polished brass frame. Illuminated from within by a myriad of clear lamps, the chandelier adds just the right kind of sparkle to this theatrical setting.
Having a good time extends beyond the confines of the ship and shore excursions to the various destinations is a big part of the cruising programme. The Destination Centre therefore is a popular area which guests can visit and relax in whilst arranging exciting times ashore. Centred above the opulent sofas hangs a custom made Chelsom chandelier dressed with 350 individual rods each containing 5 or 6 mouth blown glass spheres in a mixture of mirrored and clear crystal glass with the light reflected off the highly polished metal frame.
Were those passengers from the great early twentieth century liners able to come back today and cruise on the Explorer, they would no doubt feel completely at home in the opulent luxury of her magnificent interiors.
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