Airtours steams on with cruise project

Holiday group Airtours is spending 26m on a new cruise ship, the MS Song of Norway. It has no designers on board as yet, but will start the selection process at the end of this month.

“We’ll need designers to work on public rooms, cabins, restaurants and connecting areas,” says John Drysdale, director of Sun Cruises, Airtours’ cruising arm.

Graphic designers will also be needed to design signage, according to Drysdale, who says: “We’ll go to several people and hold a pitch.” He has no details on the type of pitch at this stage.

Airtours may approach companies which have worked on ships before, such as US ship interiors specialist Patricia Hayes and Associates, says Drysdale.

The MS Song of Norway is being purchased from Royal Caribbean Cruises.

Foley Cooke is designing the interiors of the technical building for Sally Ferries at Ramsgate, to be completed at the end of September.

The group was responsible for the company’s new identity, which started rolling out earlier this year.