The 88,500-ton, 2,124-passenger Carnival Spirit is slated to debut in April and sail Alaskan waters during its inaugural season through the summer, followed by a winter program of eight-day Caribbean cruises from Miami. "Although the central idea for this ship could be called 'noteworthy décor styles,' it's really a very abstract unifying theme," said Joe Farcus, interior architect for the "Fun Ship" fleet. "There is a main decorative style used in each of the public rooms - Chinese in one, art deco in another, for example - however, the styles are not necessarily executed in a traditional manner, but rather are more interpretive," he added.
The Spirit Lobby and some public areas are decorated in the art deco style, which uses sleek, graceful lines and slender organic forms. The lobby houses two grand staircases, a bar with dance floor and the information and tour desks. Rich wood and antiqued copper are used extensively in the lobby, stairwells and elevator bays. Railings are a lacey cast copper, stained-glass domes in the ceiling provide diffused mood lighting, and the walls and elevators combine wood, handmade etched plates, marble inlaid frames and embossed copper trimmings.
The Spirit has several rooms not found on other Carnival ships, perhaps most noteworthy among them the alternative-dining venue, the Nouveau Supper Club. Located at the top of a soaring nine-deck-high atrium and housed under a red tinted glass dome that forms the front portion of the ship's funnel, this art nouveau-style restaurant hearkens back to the great supper clubs of the past. Art nouveau is characterized by dense, winding floral forms in a linear arrangement. It incorporates organic shapes - vines, leaves, flowers, branches - into abstracted architectural elements. In the supper club, pillars are shaped like flower buds in a Tiffany-like design using antiqued copper for the stems and leaves. The floral pattern is carried out throughout the room in hand-painted wall murals, the stained-glass balcony on the upper level and the bud-shaped bar stools. On one side of the room is a beverage bar, and on the other, a display cooking area with bar stools so guests can watch the cooks at work. The circular, two-level room has a stage for entertainers, as well as a dance floor.
Another first on a Carnival ship, The Chapel, is decorated in the linear, graceful and elegant Gothic style. Available for weddings or other ceremonies, The Chapel has a traditional house of worship atmosphere. A central aisle leads to the stage under stained-glass windows that portray Old Testament scenes. A bride's room with dressing area provides privacy. Located adjacent to The Chapel is the Chippendale Library. Named after Thomas Chippendale, the 18th-century English style of furniture is recognized by its graceful lines and rococo ornamentation. The room's main features are columns shaped like giant Chippendale table legs. The mural of an English garden overlooks a traditional secretary and bookcases mounted on desks which hold computer terminals offering Internet access for guests.
The three-level Pharaoh's Palace show lounge is decorated in Egyptian Revival style. Sarcophagi designed after that of the golden King Tutankhamen are situated between the windows and stone walls which are decorated with hieroglyphics. Twenty-foot-tall stone figures flank the stage. A circular staircase and elevator provide access to all three levels of the lounge, which has a retractable orchestra pit, turntable stage and loft for scenery, lights and stage props.
The ornate Versailles Lounge is located one deck below the Egyptian Lounge, and, as its name implies, is richly done in the elegant, highly decorative manner that emerged in 18th-century France. The sloping floor provides excellent sightlines to the stage, which extends into the seating area for greater interaction between the entertainers and the audience. Since the room is on a lower deck, there are no windows. However, faux windows have been created using ornate frames around French skyline scenes of chateaux with starry skies lit by fiber optics. With a large dance floor, the room has been designed as a cross between a lounge and an intimate theater.
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