Barco and German design, engineering, integration and consulting company FUNA International have partnered to develop projection, LED, lighting and controller solutions for several entertainment venues on the newly launched Allure of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, built by Royal Caribbean International.
The cornerstone of the deployment is a 3D digital cinema theatre – the first installation on a new cruise ship – leveraging Royal Caribbean’s alliance with DreamWorks Animation to showcase first-run movies produced by the company. Barco’s DP2K 20-C digital cinema projector will present 2D and 3D movies in the ship’s 1,400-seat main theatre.
“By partnering with the best manufacturers and service providers, we’ve been able to offer our guests the ultimate entertainment cruise experience. Barco’s help during the design phase was invaluable, combining with FUNA’s planning and installation expertise to produce a first-class product in every respect,” commented Christopher Vlassopulos, Entertainment Technology & Technical Direction for Royal Caribbean International & Celebrity Cruises. “We’re looking forward to expanding our winning partnership with Barco and FUNA as we deploy 3D digital cinema in 2011 on three additional ships: Oasis, Freedom and Liberty of the Seas.”
Working closely with FUNA International, Barco provided products for several entertainment venues throughout the ship. The Amber Theatre (which doubles as the 3D Cinema) presents Broadway-style shows such as “Chicago: The Musical” and “Blue Planet” using a Barco package comprised of eight DL.3F digital lighting fixtures, two Axon Media Servers and a Road Hog Full Boar controller. Studio B, the ship’s ice skating venue, utilizes four DL.3Fs and four Axon Media Servers to produce a multimedia-enhanced “How to Train Your Dragon” ice show, featuring video projections on the scenery and ice skating floor. The DL.3F features a three-chip light engine and onboard media server. This intelligent moving luminaire creates seamless vertical, horizontal, or central panoramic media projections controlled from a lighting console.
In the centre of the ship, the Royal Promenade hosts parades and other live entertainment using Barco’s Road Hog Full Boar console. The AquaTheater, an outdoor pool and stage featuring aerial acrobatics, and springboard diving, features “Let You Entertain Me,” a Madagascar-inspired show and “OceanAria,” which employs two OLite 612 LED walls (1,944 pixelsl/12 mm pixel pitch) driven by Axon Media Servers.
“We’re honoured to be chosen once again by FUNA and Royal Caribbean to assist in the delivery of innovative cruise line entertainment,” said Bill Morris, VP, video & lighting solutions Barco North America. “We continue to expand our offering of products purpose-built for harsh environments. Our solutions harness a number of breakthrough technologies that keep Barco on the cutting-edge of unique demand applications, and we’re proud to continue fulfilling those needs with our partners at FUNA and Royal Caribbean.”
