It's official: tacky is out; tasteful is in. Costa Cruises has announced the team of designers that will adorn the interiors of its upcoming new ships, and nowhere on the list is Joe Farcus. Instead, Adam D. Tihany will act as creative director, overseeing Jeffrey Beers International, DordoniArchitetti, Partner Ship Design and Rockwell Group.
In the past, Joe Farcus has almost exclusively left his kitschy stamp on many Costa Cruises ships and most of the Carnival Cruise Line fleet. The result is a maze of neon and endless repetition of gaudy fixtures paired with equally unpleasant surfaces and colors on far too many vessels. Thankfully, Carnival has begun to distance itself from the dated Las Vegas styling of Farcus, favoring a modern beach resort aesthetic on its Carnival Breeze and beyond.
Costa Cruises is following a similar path, in fact, taking cues from corporate cousins, Holland America Line and Seabourn, where Tihany's sleek designs have most recently been applied, as well as comments and suggestions from Costa's loyalists regarding the layout and overall experience.
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"We are fortunate to bring together such distinguished professionals for our next-generation ship," said Neil Palomba, president of Costa Cruises. "The 'Italy's Finest' concept represents the roots and the identity of Costa Cruises. It deals with the best things that our country has to offer: passion, quality, hospitality and, of course, style. We have created an unparalleled mix of different experiences mostly coming from an unconventional approach for the ship design. I am confident that our designers will be able to create a unique style for our new ships that will help us to offer our guests unforgettable and pleasant holiday experiences."
The result is likely to differentiate Costa Cruises from Carnival Cruise Line, which until now have been almost indistinguishable. Not only have Farcus interiors made them homogenous, so too have their exteriors. Time will tell if the 180,000-ton, LNG-powered ships, to be built at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, will exhibit a unique exterior identity as well. Partner Ship Design sister company AWK will be the coordinating architect.
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In the meantime, regarding the interiors, Tihany said, "The theme 'Italy's Finest' is an authentic celebration of Italian design, culture and spirit. The team of outstanding architects and designers we invited to be a part of this project bring a level of innovation and passion that will no doubt capture the essence of the new Costa brand."
Partner Ship Design is set to work on two restaurants, several bars, sun decks and pool areas; Jeffrey Beers on the casino and other restaurants and bars; DordoniArchitetti on staterooms, corridors and staircases, as well as the gym and Japanese restaurant; and Rockwell Group on the triple-decker atrium, more restaurants and bars, a theater, nightclub, beach club, pool, shore excursion office, gallery and teens and kids facilities.
A new design era has come for Costa Cruises and with it a unique identity.
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