A cruise ship is a floating town. Providing all the guests with meals takes prudent planning, organisational talent, and above all, the right equipment. At the MARINE INTERIORS Cruise & Ferry Global Expo, powered by SMM, top-ranking exhibitors will present solutions for hospitality on board cruise vessels. All in all, about 100 suppliers from nearly 20 countries will participate in the trade fair debut which takes place in parallel with the Seatrade Europe Cruise and River Cruise Convention at the Hamburg Messe fair complex from 11 to 13 September 2019.

Logistical Challenges

The cruise experience and delicious food – the two belong together like summer heat and ice cream. Large cruise ships can feature up to 17 restaurants. From Italian pizza to elaborate sushi through to hearty German cheese spaetzle, the kitchen professionals spoil the passengers almost around the clock with any kind of dish one can imagine.

For the chefs, waiters and coordinators, however, this is a logistical challenge of gigantic dimensions. On a ship the size of AIDAperla, for example, up to 4400 passengers and 980 crew members must be fed day after day. During a two-week trip, this amounts to serving 12 tonnes of meat, six tonnes of fish, 900 kilograms of butter, and 2000 litres of ice cream. Processing such gigantic quantities requires diligent preparation, highly qualified staff and well-designed, reliable kitchen equipment. On board TUI Cruises' Mein Schiff 2, for instance, 10 combination ovens as well as 215 pieces of cooking, frying, deep-frying and pressure-cooking equipment are available for use.

Experienced kitchen experts

Among the companies specialising in equipment for such large-scale kitchens is MARINE INTERIORS exhibitor Almaco. The full-service supplier builds and modernises entire bars, buffet counters and pantries for its customers. Based in Finland, the company has more than 25 years of experience developing, delivering and commissioning top-quality galleys which meet the strict US hygiene requirements and feature all kinds of technical highlights. For example, Almaco just installed its “Galley Energy Management System GEM 2.0” on board Viking Lines’ Viking Glory, which is still under construction. The system will enable the shipowner to save up to 20per cent of galley energy consumption.

Middleby is another exhibitor committed to resource-saving applications. The international supplier sells innovative cooking, warming, refrigerating, freezing and beverage-related technology developed by its partner manufacturers, such as energy-efficient induction cookers by CookTek or low-oil deep-frying solutions by Pitco.

Top culinary art

Today's food preparation technology on board cruise ships not only has to handle large amounts but ensure the highest food quality, as well. Sophisticated culinary art is a key differentiator in the market, which is why more and more cruise operators rely on the culinary expertise of star-studded chefs.

For example, TUI Cruises has repeatedly hired celebrity chef Tim Raue who has been put in charge of four equally-named restaurants (“Hanami – By Tim Raue”) on board the vessel series Mein Schiff 3 to Mein Schiff 6. The Berlin native comes on board each one of these ships four to six times per year for quality inspections. "We implemented a concept that merges Japanese and Chinese cuisine and takes a casual approach," explains Raue. To be able to present the neatly-arranged sushi creations in an attractive style while keeping them cool, ships need high-end display refrigerators such as those offered by Hagola. Based in Lower Saxony, Germany, the company custom-builds these units specifically for its maritime customers.

A feast for the eyes

Unique designs and made-for-purpose furnishings make the difference when outfitting restaurants on board. From splendid to purist, through to nature-loving, designers develop concepts to match the ambience to a specific cuisine. Knowing the right approach is key, as the interior design experts from KAEFER will be able to tell you at MARINE INTERIORS. The German company has designed numerous seating and bar areas for cruise ships and ferries to suit the finest tastes.

While in these projects the focus is on aesthetics, what matters most behind the scenes in the galleys is a well-planned arrangement of equipment and workstations. Hobs, ovens, dishwashers and the like must be placed ergonomically so the chefs and their teams can work efficiently in the hectic day-to-day kitchen operations on board. Another major aspect to consider is safety. Everything must interact perfectly and seamlessly, visitors will hear from Antonio Di Nenno, Lead Architect at the New Building Department of MSC Cruises. He will be one of the speakers at the MARINE INTERIORS panel discussion titled “How to design to comply”, which is part of the Seatrade Europe conference programme. For further information on the conference programme go here.

About the MARINE INTERIORS Cruise & Ferry Global Expo, powered by SMM

The MARINE INTERIORS Cruise & Ferry Global Expo, powered by SMM takes place every odd year. At the inaugural event from 11-13 September 2019, exhibitors from all areas of ship interior design will be present to meet up with top-level visitors, including decision-makers from shipowning companies, shipyards and design firms. The new trade fair will be held in parallel with the Seatrade Europe – Cruise and River Cruise Convention. Visitors have free access to both events.