USA/Italy - Princess Cruises has chosen Robe Lighting for Sun Princess, the latest addition to the Princess fleet.
With a capacity of 5,900, the Sun Princess boasts various entertainment venues and concepts. The ship has been equipped with a comprehensive Robe Lighting package, including four Forte FSs, four RoboSpot systems, 27 Esprites, 76 Paintes, 22 Spiider LED wash beams, 24 LEDBeam 350s, 43 LEDBeam 150s, 57 Spikie+ and 14 T11 Profiles with gobo modules, plus 21 ParFect 150s, 42 Tetra1s, 30 iPaintes, 13 iSpiiders, 17 iBeam 350s, 5 iTetra2s and 19 iBar 15s.
The Princess Arena, the most technologically advanced Princess Theatre design, offers three configurations to maximise sightlines and deliver a truly captivating experience. The Dome, featuring a pool by sunlight and a stage for shows by starlight, is a glass-enclosed space inspired by the hills of Santorini. It showcases acrobatic performances created in partnership with Cirque Éloize.
Princess Live!, an intimate lounge, offers non-stop entertainment throughout the day and night with trivia, game shows, the daily Wake Show, live concerts, and late-night comedy.
The Piazza, the ship’s hub, spans three decks and features outward-facing suspended spheres that transport guests to new dimensions with expansive ocean views, complemented by world-class entertainment supported by moving stages, performer flying, and a three-story LED wall.
Additionally, O’Mally’s Irish Pub offers food, good drinks, and lively music from a resident Irish folk band. Robe Lighting plays a vital role in bringing these spaces to life and more.
Built at Fincantieri in Monfalcone, Italy, the Sun Princess is the largest cruise ship ever constructed in Italy, weighing in at 178,000 gross tons and featuring a total guest and crew capacity of 5,900. As part of Carnival Corporation’s green cruising initiative, the Sun Princess is one of 11 new ships in the corporate fleet powered by LNG (liquefied natural gas) fuel technology, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The ship also features ingenious energy recovery systems for eco-conscious cruising.
The lighting design for the Sun Princess was selected and coordinated by Princess Cruises’ fleet supervisor for lighting/video & SFX, Matt DeJong.
In coordinating the lighting systems, including lighting positions and fixture selection, Matt DeJong noted that multiple rounds of reviews were necessary to finalise the system design for the venues. On a cruise ship, overhead availability is always a concern, and since trim heights are often lower than in traditional venues, selecting fixtures with the right size, zoom range, and features was key.
Robe’s TE (Transferable Engine) family of fixtures emerged as the solution for the Sun Princess. Additionally, the ship is entirely LED, with both entertainment and public area lighting. This decision aligns with Princess’s commitment to eco-friendly cruising. Robe’s TE series provided various light engine options, allowing for a balanced lighting rig that still delivers powerful performance.
“We could select the most recent fixtures, and ones that best served the needs of our productions and designers. Not being locked into the shipyard supply, which is often defined years and years in advance, allowed us to stay relevant and up to date with the latest and greatest lighting technologies that matched exactly what we needed,” said DeJong when explaining the process and benefits of the option to “owner-supply” the main moving light package for this new build project.
The lighting rigs on a new ship are expected to last about eight to 10 years from delivery. The onboard production staff manage the day-to-day maintenance and operation of the lighting systems.
The TE family includes a range of fixtures with varying sizes, light engines, and feature sets, enabling DeJong to select fixtures with reliable feature sets based on the available overhead space and venue requirements. The Dome also required IP-rated fixtures as it serves both indoor and outdoor functions, since humidity plays a factor with the venue containing a pool and open-air opening.
Having the option to use the same type of fixtures, such as the Painte, Spiider, and LEDBeam 350 in both IP20 and IP65 with iSeries fixtures was a significant advantage for streamlining onboard storage of spare parts and maintenance items.
Nathaniel Cromwell and Michael Gionfriddo, working with EMF Lighting, were responsible for the design and programming of all shows and events in the Piazza, the ship's heart. This venue, which runs all day and features anything from daytime washes to game shows and full production shows, needed dynamic and reliable fixtures. Gionfriddo remarked: “I think that the selection of fixtures from Robe in the Sun Princess Atrium was a perfect fit for the space. The Painte as a hard edge with an LED engine provides great colour clarity and low maintenance considering the location of the fixtures. The Spiiders and Tetra1s live up to their reputation, providing vibrant looks and endless FX possibilities.”
The Piazza also serves as one of the two nightlife spaces, featuring late-night discos in the centre of the ship. Cromwell added: “Robe lights consistently proved themselves to be the right job for the role. The Piazza is an important centrepiece to the Sun Princess. Having fixtures that are vibrant, quiet, and reliable is essential to the space, and Robe excelled in all categories.”
In the Arena Theatre, four full production shows are installed. Each show will run twice each night during a voyage, featuring fully produced performances with the production cast, scenery, media, and lighting.
The Robe moving light rig is complemented by other conventional units, and additional moving lights were provided by Videlio HMS for select venues.
