In his seminal essay “Shipping Out,” David Foster Wallace described cruising as, “not hard work, but hard play. The promise is not that you can experience great pleasure, but that you will. You will be able—finally, for once—to relax, the [cruise] ads promise, because you will have no choice.”

When it comes to cruising, Foster’s analysis is a common perception. If forced fun, never-ending buffets, and a strict itinerary dictated by someone in culottes doesn’t seem particularly modern, you’re not wrong. But the tide is changing. Cruise Lines International Association’s 2020 Global Market Report found that, while people over 60 are still the largest group of cruisers, young people and first-time passengers are more interested than ever before. The average guest age has lowered to 47, and, according to the report, millennials are the most enthusiastic customers, with 85% saying they would go on a cruise again.

Evirma, a Ritz Carlton cruise ship

Photo: Jack Hardy, courtesy of Ritz Carlton. 

To answer this demand, there’s been a recent rise in adult-focused boutique-sailing options, and this new breed of vessels is transforming what it means to spend a week or more in the middle of the ocean. Unsurprisingly, design is playing a large part in fostering this new era of cruising. There’s been a recent push from cruise lines to focus on ship size, high-end interiors, and more bespoke experiences. Rather than providing passengers generic, utilitarian cabins, these ships are becoming as elite as the most luxurious resorts, sparing no detail and making incredible use of limited room. It’s no longer unusual to expect marble bathrooms, soaking tubs, vintage furniture, and other artistic touches.

“For the ship interiors, we envisioned something that was not only beautiful, but that gave you a boutique-hotel vibe,” says Nirmal Saverimuttu, president and chief experience officer at Virgin Voyages. “When considering what we wanted the experience to be like, it was much more along the lines of Soho House or The Standard Hotels, and [we] took cues from high-end gyms and renowned restaurant groups. We opted for a mid-size ship with more intimate spaces.” Instead of tapping cruise designers, the Virgin Voyages team built a Creative Collective of interior designers, many of whom had no prior experience in cruising, including Tom Dixon, Concrete Amsterdam, Softroom, and Roman and Williams.