Grand Class Ships

Stage Technologies has supplied equipment for many cruise ships built by Fincantieri in Italy and received the first order for complete stage rigging systems for a ‘Grand Class’ cruise ship in 2006. This ship was being built for Princess Cruises, one of the Carnival Corporation brands. Since then additional orders for sister ships have been received, including Emerald Princess, Ruby Princess, P&O Ventura and P&O Azura (delivery 2010).

The projects involved automated overstage and understage equipment for two or three venues on each ship. There were minor differences between each ship but generally the specification followed a similar blueprint.

The Princess Theatre on each ship was equipped as follows:

• Acrobat automation control desk
• Solo handheld controller
• Maxis theatre automation control system
• 22 flybars, 4 lines, 900mm/sec, SWL 400kg, fully guided
• 1 Austrian winch, 12 lines, 900mm/sec, SWL 400kg
• 1 or 2 stage elevators, SWL 4,300kg  300mm/sec
• 1 or 2 covers to fill in opening left by elevators
• 9 Serapid horizontal track drives, 450kg, 750mm/sec
• 8 assorted lighting trusses, with chainhoists
• Projector platform
• 5 motorised curtain tracks
• Stage floor structure and flooring
• Catwalks, perches and access systems

The Universe Lounge was equipped with a rotating thrust stage, lighting grid, motorised curtain tracks and projection screen.

The two P&O ship installations included several additional performer flying systems, including a unique 4-way bridle system in the atrium on board P&O Ventura.

More information: L&SI article

Ship winches in the Emerald Princess

Ship winches in the Ruby Princess