Crystal Cruises International continually strive and achieve the highest standards in all aspects of their luxury cruise ship operations, including the quality of their interior and exterior spaces for guests. dpa have worked extensively with Crystal for the past 10 years and in 2012 we were commissioned to undertake the lighting design for the Crystal Penthouse Suites, the largest suites aboard the Ship, and the new Lido Restaurant/casual dining – Tastes and Trident Grill. As well as working closely with Crystal’s Alexandra Don, we worked with Toronto-based Interior Design Studio IIBYIV on the Suites and London-based Adfecto on the new Restaurant areas.

With regard to the Crystal Penthouse Suites the lighting design was carefully coordinated and integrated as part of the interior fabric. There is a combination of decorative lights, recessed adjustable downlights to highlight artwork and other features, and concealed linear LED sources creating soft glows where appropriate. Lighting has been designed to create different atmospheres for guests to use as they feel appropriate day and night. The fresh and bright lighting scene enhances the various spaces within the Suite throughout the day, although each space can be controlled individually as well as with master controls at the entrance door and at the bedroom. The moodier scenes provide a variety of effects for relaxing, reading or just chatting and enjoying a meal or a drink.

Lido, Tastes and the Trident Grill was an ambitious, complex and substantial project on the Upper Deck of the Ship. The Lido Restaurant has been completely refurbished and transformed. The space enjoys excellent daylight when available to the dining tables but there is artificial lighting to enhance the table areas for dull days or early breakfasts before the sun rises. Patterned screens have been introduced with edge lit LED linear lighting which provide a strong visual feature as well as intimacy for adjacent tables. The food counters have a series of lighting components to enhance the food, the front of the counter and the rear wall of this space.

The semi-outdoor spaces Tastes and Trident, with its retractable roof, have had green walls and olive trees introduced, the columns clad with a fritted patterned sleeve, the whole area re-sculpted and new furniture. The lighting to all areas including the Lido Restaurant is highly energy efficient LED point and linear sources. Light has been carefully integrated to show off surfaces and create an enchanting casual dining experience. The backlit columns and perimeter screens provide decoration and break up the space in a very positive manner. The green walls have plant health lighting to ensure they thrive during the day and then more subtle uplighting at night. The olive trees have warm white festoon lights like an Italian Piazza and the tables include a battery powered soft warm light source for night time use.

All the lighting in Lido, Tastes and Trident is dimmed to provide the most appropriate lighting for the different times of day and to further save energy.

Client: Crystal Cruises
Interior Design: AD Associates