On Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) vessels, fun starts at the top. Literally. An NCL ship’s top deck often boasts the vessel’s most exhilarating thrills. From high-speed race cars on Norwegian Prima’s Speedway race track to splashing adventures on Norwegian Escape’s Aqua Racer water slide. When Norwegian Cruise Line unveiled design details behind its upcoming vessel, Norwegian Aqua, the cruise line also announced the ship’s crowning glory, a brand new venue called the Glow Court.
The Glow Court, a digital sports complex with an interactive LED floor, will offer a variety of interactive guest activities by day before transforming into a nightclub in the evening. The multipurpose functions of the space don’t stop here; the Glow Court also offers a variety of sports for guests to play on its LED screens. Games range from football to basketball, or even the newly popular pickleball.
Behind the design
This transformative, fun-packed space was designed by CONDUCTR, who are revolutionising the cruise industry with unique, boundary-pushing experiences that merge the art of immersive, story-led design. In a recent interview, CONDUCTR unveiled more details about this project with the Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Europe (CSIE) team.
CSIE: Can you give our readers any insight into any of the projects that you’re working on with the cruise lines?
CONDUCTR: We’ve recently completed something really exciting on board Norwegian Cruise Line’s new ship, the Aqua. We’ve developed a modern take on the sports court that goes across the top of the ship. Our take is the Glow Court: the floor is LED, the wall is LED, and we’re tracking the whole thing. It’s going to be a mix of sports games. We can easily change the court into a football court, a basketball court, a pickleball court and many more options. For example, guests can play basketball drills such as HORSE. The system will track whether they are standing in the right place and whether they’ve taken the shot, and it will autoscore them. We’ve taken the principles of social competitiveness and have brought them into sport. Glow Court also features games such as ‘react’ and ‘stomp’, and ‘the floor is lava’. Guests can opt for tournament mode or individual play. This has never been done on a ship before.
What were the challenges of setting up Glow Court, considering it has never been done before?
The big thing is putting LED outdoors and adding a level of tracking. Plus, the LED is a floor and a wall. People are running and jumping on it, slamming basketballs on it, kicking balls at it. We’ve gone through a process of engineering our own specific tile. We’ve taken it through intense testing: salt water testing, heat testing (plus minus), slip rate testing, and the list goes on. We’ve engineered and re-engineered. In fact, a huge amount of engineering has gone into this to make it work. A huge amount of work has gone into calculating how we believe guests will experience the product. It’s different from on-land premises. You have a captive audience on a cruise ship but you also have other considerations. For example, we are creating the Glow Court to bring people to the very top of the ship, as it is an underutilised space.
Stepping up to the challenge
Competitive socialising is growing in popularity as guests increasingly seek memorable and meaningful experiences. Mintel reported that 71% of surveyed adults participated in competitive socialising activities in 2023, a staggering 13% increase since 2019. This is especially true for younger generations, who seek out novel experiences that competitive socialising offers. With the rise of multigenerational cruising, onboard attractions and entertainment have been undergoing a vast transformation, revolutionising cruising as we know it. With many ages and demographics on board, providing activities that can engage the whole family is vital.
The Glow Court on Norwegian Aqua welcomes guests of all ages. Challengers can let out their competitive side on the Glow Court’s high-tech LED sports floor and screens while spectators watch from the sidelines. Once the winner has been crowned, guests can kick back and celebrate in the venue’s stylish lounge.
More than your traditional space
Multipurpose spaces are on the rise in cruise interior design. From Celebrity Edge’s deck-to-deck mobile marvel Magic Carpet to Queen Anne’s multipurpose transformative wellness space the Pavilion, onboard spaces are no longer confined to one purpose.
These cleverly designed venues are an inventive way of maximising a ship’s space. Why have a nightclub that sits empty all day when you could have one multifunctional venue that serves numerous purposes and guests across a 24-hour period? With their ability to easily transform the function of a space through lighting, furniture and sound technology, these venues are an inventive way of maximising a ship’s space. This is only becoming more crucial as cruise ships get bigger and serve a wider range of passengers.
The Glow Court is a high energy digital sports venue by day, hosting friendly rivalry between guests engaging in basketball games, football drills or pickleball matches. At night, the party begins as the venue transforms into an illuminating nightclub.
Want more of this?
For more technology insights and the latest in the evolution of guest experience, visit Cruise Xperience Innovation Summit (CXI) Americas. CXI Americas is the event for cruise lines, shipyards and suppliers to showcase, demonstrate and unveil cutting-edge & innovations, exchange insights, and establish fresh connections with thought leaders driving the industry forward by revolutionising guest experience.