Cruise Ship Interiors (CSI), the world’s premier exhibition and conference fully dedicated to the cruise ship industry, hosted Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Europe (CSI Europe) 2025 at Hamburg Messe & Congress, Germany, from 3 to 4 December.
The event featured leading thinkers, visionary designers, and bold innovators who discussed the future of cruise interiors through panels, Q&As, and workshops.
With CSI Europe's first-ever Hamburg location, this year’s opening party celebrated the city's festive spirit. Held at the former Mains Customs Office, Christmas-market stalls lined the heated outdoor area, offering hot Glühwein, roasted nuts, pretzels, and sausages in buns.
Attendees, including exhibiting suppliers, visiting design studios, cruise lines, and shipyards, were invited to wear Christmas jumpers and festive attire. The opening party launched the show in style, offering plenty of networking opportunities for buyers and suppliers alike to forge new connections.
A comprehensive supply chain all under one roof
Over 300 suppliers, outfitters, and design studios joined the event as exhibitors, with 100 of them brand-new to CSI. Exhibitors included Zenko HF Interiors, Marine Interiors (Fincantieri), Crivellari Divani & Poltrone, Harmony Marine Solutions, Ekornes, Tuuci, Pooky, MEYER Re and more.
Acknowledging the unique chance to honour the talented marine artisan communities, Finnish Marine Industry brought together over 50 participants for a photoshoot celebrating a nation that serves as a cornerstone of the industry.
Both veteran and new exhibitors described the event as ‘meticulously curated’ and a ‘mature show, ' appreciating the diverse activities provided by CSI Europe.
The face-off Pitch and Pint returned, as new-to-the-show suppliers distilled their businesses into a powerful one-minute pitch to a panel of esteemed industry names. Winners Panomax Cruises & Yachts challenged strong competition by displaying a metre-long banner that stretched across the audience.
Sustainable material company Oceancircle hosted bracelet-making activities at its booth, using recovered ocean waste to craft fashionable, closed-loop accessories.
Outfitters SD Marine Interiors announced two winners in its repair competition, challenging visiting buyers to meet the industry’s high standards. Oceancircle also received the award for most sustainable stand, while HEWI was recognised as the most accessible stand, and Zenko earned the best stand design award.
Over a thousand meetings took place during various speed networking events, linking suppliers with buyers eager to find the next product that offers weight reduction, aligns with sustainability goals, prolongs the product lifecycle, and provides a competitive edge.
In the second year of peer-to-peer networking, attendees exchanged knowledge and inspiration on the show's second day.
“Representing Hurtigruten, I walked in hoping to find fresh inspiration and walked out with a notebook full of ideas, a stack of business cards, and the firm belief that the design world is in very good hands," says Tom Arild Trosterud, vice president of procurement at Hurtigruten Expeditions
Key insights
This year, the content schedule was incorporated into the stands of exhibiting suppliers. Host suppliers included Oceancircle, Herculan, CITA Design Studio, Harmony Marine Solutions, Robos Contract Furniture, and LIND DNA.
Knowledge-seekers from across the supply chain gathered to hear insights and expertise from brands such as Riverside Luxury Cruises, Swan Hellenic, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, MSC Cruises, Cruise Saudi, TUI Cruises, Hurtigruten, COLUMBIA, Allstars Design, and more.
The second day of the content schedule was almost entirely dedicated to shipbuilding, featuring CSI’s first-ever shipyard-focused panel discussion and two Meet the Brand Q&As. Experts from Lloyd Werft, Meyer Werft, and Meyer Turku participated to talk about the latest innovations and advances in cruise ship construction.
Sustainable Design Summit held its most interactive session to date. Over 130 people gathered to exchange industry experience in a session led by Mike Lambourn, design lead at PriestmanGoode, and Zoe Li, senior sustainability manager at Archer Hotel Capital B.V.
Together, the session leaders and participants examined the importance of ESG goals in their daily work, discussed strategies for overcoming obstacles in their sustainability efforts, and shared predictions for future advancements.
The Cruise Ship Interiors Awards 2025
Held at the end of the second day, these awards celebrate the outstanding products, spaces, and individuals in cruise design this year.
The winners are:
- Best Cabin, Premium-Suite, Partner Ship Design GmbH, AIDA Cruises AIDADiva
- Best Dining Space, Plaza de Coco, Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney Cruise Line
- Best Public Space, Haunted Mansion Parlor, Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney Cruise Line
- Best Crew Area, Crew Neighborhood, Royal Caribbean International, Royal Caribbean Star of the Seas
- Best Wellness Space, Grand Spa, SMC Design, NYK Cruises Asuka III
- Best Entertainment Space, Disney The Tale of Moana, Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney Cruise Line Disney Treasure
- Best Refurbished Space, French Kiss, East Fusion & Tokyo Bar, SMS Group, AIDA Cruises AIDAdiva
- Concept of the Year, REI, Viken Group
- Best Brand Original Project, Project: Transforming Carpet Waste, Holland America
- Interior Product of the Year, PermaFit Solutions, Bath Fitter Commercial
- Sustainable Product of the Year, Waste management, Oceancircle GmbH
- Galley Product of the Year, Waste Less, Generation Waste, Aroya
- Shipyard of the Year, Meyer Wismar
- Design Team of the Year, SMC Design
- Legend of Design, Kai Bunge & Siegfried Schindler, Partner Ship Design
CSI Europe will return to the Hamburg Messe + Congress on 2 - 3 December 2026.
