Curated Onboard Art Collections That Inspire Cultural Voyages

In their own right, the Vertical Galleries are striking: three 14-story atriums showcasing 41 works by 32 recent graduates from New York’s Parsons School of Design and London’s Royal College of Art and Central Saint Martins. What makes them even more remarkable is that these galleries occupy a trio of stairwells aboard Cunard’s Queen Anne, transforming ordinary passageways into immersive art spaces.

Cruise ships have long displayed artwork, but contemporary collections are doing more than decorating walls. Today’s onboard art programs are designed to provoke curiosity, spark conversation and invite guests to explore. Rather than serving as incidental background, the pieces become part of the travel experience, encouraging passengers to slow down and discover.

The Queen Anne, which entered service in May 2024, carries one of the largest curated art collections at sea: roughly 4,300 original works spanning nearly every medium. Cunard engaged Double Decker, a hospitality art consultancy, to assemble a collection that would reference the line’s storied past while feeling relevant to today’s travelers. “Creating a collection for a cruise ship is very different than the type of collection you would create for a hotel,” explained Wilhelm Finger, who founded the firm with Melita Skamnaki in 2009. “Hotel guests are in and out, while cruise passengers are living on the ship. Since they have so much more time with the artwork, we knew we needed to include layered pieces that, as guests studied them, would continue to reveal surprises.”

One standout, A Cunard Journey, is a 26-foot etched brass sculpture that traces a voyage from departure to arrival. Sculptor Ian Kirkpatrick created a contemporary work rooted in the mural tradition that has long decorated Cunard ships. Finger noted that artists were given access to Cunard’s archives at the University of Liverpool, allowing them to create pieces that connect to the line’s history.

Sam Shendi’s Genesis spells out “Cunard” in a vividly colored jumble of letters, each letter fashioned from the ship’s first-cut steel. The result feels playful and purposeful, a nod to both craft and identity.

The Vertical Galleries lure guests to linger—sometimes long enough to make them late for dinner, a spa appointment or an excursion. The diversity of approaches keeps viewers engaged: Gabriel Carucci’s mixed-media canvases, Carteggio d’Oltremare, incorporate fabric accents that introduce texture into layered compositions. James Hsieh “paints” with thread and yarn in Mosaic of Memories, depicting a ship’s arrival into New York City through vibrant textile tapestry. Vivien Reinert researched machine rooms, plans and structural drawings in the Liverpool archives and translated those discoveries into the playful, bold work Machine Room Magic.

“Working with these young, emerging artists on the Vertical Galleries has been incredibly rewarding,” said Melita Skamnaki. “For many, this was their first step into the outside world.” The program underscores how a well-curated collection can boost artists’ profiles while enriching the onboard environment.

Other cruise lines have similarly ambitious collections. Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ newest ship, Seven Seas Grandeur, displays three Picasso lithographs in its Prime 7 steakhouse, celebrating the artist’s abstract take on bullfighting. The ship’s 1,600-piece collection also includes works by Robert Rauschenberg, Roberto Matta, Sophie-Elizabeth Thompson and Eduardo Arranz-Bravo. A standout object is Journey in Jewels, a Fabergé-style decorative egg whose enameled, gem-set shells open to reveal a second miniature egg—an opulent centerpiece that exemplifies the line’s blend of art and luxury.

“Seven Seas Grandeur is inspired by the past, reimagined for the future, and we’ve endeavored to mirror this with a fascinating onboard art collection,” said Sarah Hall Smith, art director for Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Guests can engage with the collection via the line’s app, which offers background on artists’ processes and inspirations, deepening the viewing experience.

Viking began its art-focused strategy in 2015, when CEO Torstein Hagen filled the oceangoing Viking Star with Norwegian art and cultural artifacts to introduce passengers to Norway’s heritage. Over a decade later, Viking’s ocean fleet and expedition ships hold the largest private collection of Edvard Munch works outside Oslo, alongside an extensive portfolio of Norwegian art. The line’s collaboration with Oslo’s Munch Museum gives guests access to select originals onboard and to digital catalogues, and Viking’s “Munch Moments” program highlights themed works each afternoon on the ship’s atrium screen.

On Viking’s expedition vessels, such as Polaris and Octantis, the collection emphasizes exploration. Art and artifacts selected to reflect the spirit of adventure include works tied to the ships’ godmothers, Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft, who were the first women to ski across Antarctica. Displays also feature historic photographs from the Carnarvon family documenting Howard Carter’s discovery and excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb for guests sailing Nile itineraries.

Seabourn Cruise Line approached its art program with a commitment to bespoke, expedition-focused curation. For the expedition ship Pursuit, launched in 2023, Seabourn worked with Tihany Design and Double Decker to install a permanent collection of more than 700 works reflecting natural touchstones from across the globe. Pieces such as Cory Barr’s Magical Sky—a sculpture combining black marble, aluminum, glass and mirrors—evoke atmospheric color and form. The photographic 0° SERIES, which captures tropical flowers frozen in ice, creates a poetic dialogue between contrasting climates.

Seabourn’s former president Natalya Leahy described the collection’s intent: to offer guests layers of discovery—hidden messages, subtle symbols and details that inspire personal exploration. In this way, the art aboard modern cruise ships becomes a companion to the voyage itself, inviting travelers to engage more deeply with the environments they visit and the stories those environments hold.