The Dome on Sun Princess

Client
Princess Cruises

Location
Americas

Collaborators
TAIT Towers

Sector
Hospitality & Guest Experience
Location-Based Entertainment (LBE)
Theatre & Live Performance
Attractions & Theme Parks

Services Provided
Strategy
Experience Masterplanning & Placemaking

Story
Creative Concepting & Experience Mapping

Design
Interior Design
Lighting Design
Experience Design

Delivery
Vendor/Fabrication Procurement & Oversight
Installation, Integration & Commissioning

The Sun Princess represents the next generation of luxury cruise ships. On a vessel where every square foot matters, we were asked to take on one of the boldest challenges: creating a venue that would transform limited space into an entertainment experience unlike anything passengers had ever seen at sea.

Weighing 175,500 tons and capable of accommodating 4,300 guests, the Sun Princess is the largest vessel ever commissioned by Princess Cruises. Befitting its grandeur, Journey was asked by Princess Cruises to envision an experience that would immediately set the Sun Princess apart in the world’s cruising ports.

We answered with a world-first that captivates even loyal guests who’ve been sailing for decades: a boundlessly adaptable performance venue that is the first true glass-enclosed dome ever constructed on a cruise ship.

Multi-level and multimodal, the 9,494-sq-ft venue breaks new ground for design versatility. It begins with the geodesic, glass-paneled dome.

By day, guests find a pool lit by sunlight. At night, a stage is illuminated by starlight.

To fulfill its many roles, we created a truly adaptive space. A motorized hydraulic stage system, jointly designed with TAIT Towers, seamlessly transforms the pool into an entertainment venue, with lighting effects, immersive screens and sound installations that adjust to suit the performance. This innovation ensures functionality and aesthetic congruency between day and night use within the limited floor plan.

By considering how to repurpose the site’s features, we reduced the need for complex reconfigurations from day to night. Sunlounger seating converts into two standard seats for evening performances, doubling capacity. The tiers are designed to create circulation space around the stage and ensure every guest has the best view possible. And to ensure accessibility, we integrated ramps and staircases from each seating level to the stage, as well as a wheelchair lift.

Impact