Cruise Ship Interiors Expo and Conference, taking place June 18-20, 2019, at the Miami Beach Convention Center, will welcome world-renowned interior designers to share insights across a variety of conference sessions and display their services on the show floor. Ahead of the event, we explored the stories behind four designers who will be in attendance at the show. So, without further ado, we present to you four industry design names you need to know.
The Innovator
Petu Kummala is a multi-disciplinary interior designer, whose career began in 1993, although his love for design stemmed much earlier than that. Since he was just a child with a love for designing and customizing objects – whether that be artwork, his bike helmet, a cell phone cover, or something else entirely – Petu has maintained a strong passion for the act of creating and has worked with some of the industry’s most esteemed names, including Joseph Farcus.
Petu’s keen eye for innovation has helped forge and maintain Carnival’s reputation as one of the most popular cruise lines to date. Speaking to American Builders Quarterly back in 2018, Petu commented on the challenges of designing for the marine market “Since space is limited, you have to be clever, resourceful, and efficient by delivering ideas that are practical but that still maintain the desired atmosphere and flow. There’s no point in designing something awesome that’s so complicated or expensive that it doesn’t get built.”
The Visionary
Based in Seattle, My Nguyen is an industry-acclaimed interior designer, whose projects in the marine and high-end residential markets have been award-winning and nationally recognized. Having completed degrees in both Fine Art and Interior Design, Nguyen is an expert in her field. In 2013, Nguyen joined Holland America Group in a newly created leadership role to form an in-house design team. In her current role, Nguyen oversees the interior refurbishments and maintenance of both Holland America Line and Seabourn’s fleet. Nguyen’s role has been fundamental in ensuring ships in both line’s fleets stay up-to-date and ahead of the latest industry trends.
The Globe-Trotter
Having worked on projects across the globe, Petra Ryberg has vast expertise in the world of marine interiors. After completing a degree in interior design in Sweden, Petra gained experience through a series of internships at major design firms. Since then, Ryberg has founded her own business, Petra Viktoria Design, a design studio specializing in hospitality interior design. As of 2016, Ryberg has also held the position of head of design at P&O Australia, where she ensures quality across the board for the P&O fleet in Australia.
The Veteran
Director of interior design and operations at Holland America Group, serving Princess Cruises, George Scammell is a veteran in the world of cruise ship interiors. Leading the way in hospitality design, Scammell has extensive experience in the hospitality, cruise, and leisure entertainment industry. Since 2016, Scammell has been responsible for leading the interior design and operations team at Princess Cruises and managing all interior design initiatives for the line’s fleet of 17 international ships.