Charting a new course

The creation of our new World Cruise map brought artists from both sides of the Atlantic together to tell a story of the world's oceans. We spoke to them to find out how you make art out of navigation.

Guests who traveled on board Crystal Serenity for some or all of our World Cruise 2026, Tale of the Whale, will have noticed a new addition to the Crystal Plaza for the duration of the voyage: an illustrated, custom-made map, standing proud on a hand-carved wooden easel resembling the bow of a small speedboat. Far from being merely a static screen showing the ship’s position and route, this new map was the product of several months’ work by artists on both sides of the Atlantic to create something that authentically represents both Crystal’s commitment to excellence and the prestige of a World Cruise.

Growing up as the daughter of a verger in Somerset, UK, Eleanor Rose loved drawing the beautiful 14th-century buildings she was surrounded by while living in what remains the oldest complete medieval street in the world, Vicars’ Close in Wells. But it was when visiting an art exhibition that she realized what direction she wanted to take her art. “We went to the Bristol Museum and there was a Japanese block-printing exhibition on. And I was just blown away by it,” she recalls. “It was so beautiful, I had never seen anything like it. And then we went back to college and we did a lino-printing workshop. I thought, ‘oh, this is what I want to do’. I just got an instant connection.”

But as career choices go, it is painstaking work. After drawing the illustration, Eleanor then carves it into lino – in reverse. “It's like you're carving a stamp. The design needs to be back to front so that when you print it onto paper, it's the right way around,” she explains. “When you're carving, there's no undo button. You have to adapt as you go. And then the printing part I love as well, getting inky and messy. When you print, it never quite looks how you think it's going to look, so that's always exciting. And I just really enjoy that there are no screens involved. I feel like I'm back in the Middle Ages.”

This handcrafted element was essential to the whole project. “Historically, our World Cruise routes were displayed on printed foam-board maps, which often felt temporary and didn't reflect the level of craftsmanship or permanence we associate with the Crystal brand,” explains Joey Stevenson, Director of Global Events for AKTG, who commissioned the project. “We wanted to create something more elevated: an object guests would genuinely want to spend time with and return to throughout the voyage.

“We selected Eleanor because she is a linocut printmaker, and I loved the idea that such a handcrafted discipline would shape the visual language of the piece. The technique brought a sense of movement and texture that felt perfectly suited to a map of the world's oceans.”

Up close, the detail is extraordinary: sea creatures, landmarks, and stylized wave motifs that reflect how different parts of the world relate to the oceans, from Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints to the Māori koru of New Zealand, a spiral form inspired by the unfurling silver fern and often associated with movement, growth, and life.

Once the lino print was complete, the project crossed the Atlantic into the hands of Erica Gressman, a fabricator based in Chicago who previously created the wood-cut bar for the Crystal Cup. “It felt like passing the baton,” Eleanor says. Erica agrees. “I wanted to make sure Eleanor's work was featured perfectly, and that it registers as an artisanal product, not something created by AI,” she says. Erica’s previous work includes creating stage environments for artist and choreographer Brendan Fernandes, whose performances have appeared at institutions including the Guggenheim, making her the perfect person to take the concept to its final form.

Her first task was to transfer the map onto steel, so that it would be durable, lightweight and – crucially – be able to withstand the unique conditions of life at sea. “So many factors went into every step of this whole fabrication process,” Erica explains. “It was essential to try to find the right magnetic material that wasn't too heavy, and that won't rust. That was probably the biggest challenge.” In the end, the material she selected was the same used for American road signs.

Next came the frame and easel, which draw inspiration from the mahogany detailing and inlay work of classic 1950s Chris-Craft speedboats. “I made a few sketches of how I wanted it to distribute the weight and I experimented with a lot of outdoor-friendly woods, such as cedar,” she says. “It came down to how to engineer the wood so that it can withstand the movement of the ship with the entire framed artwork. And it had to be able to travel very well to different locations. Everything became foldable, so anyone can set this up easily anywhere.”

The final touch was the magnetic element. “The idea for a magnetic map came from observing guest behaviour on board,” Joey explains. “Many World Cruise guests use their magnetic suite doors as informal galleries, displaying magnets and souvenirs collected throughout their travels. That sparked the thought: what if the route map itself could become interactive? By using magnetic ship markers, destination names and route ribbons, the map can evolve year after year as Crystal charts different courses around the world, making it both reusable and adaptable.”

It also adds a playfulness to the map. “The little whale magnets are my favorite detail,” says Erica. “I can imagine people moving them around when they think no one's looking. It's an object for play and for learning and hopefully inspiring other people to see what Crystal is all about. A lot of love was poured into it and I hope people feel that as they get to interact with it. I hope it travels well and people adore it as much as I did.”

Joey agrees. “What I love most is that the map is designed to evolve. As future World Cruise routes are plotted, the magnets, ribbons and markers can be reconfigured to tell new stories and chart new adventures,” she says. “It is simultaneously a piece of functional wayfinding, a work of art and, I hope, a lasting symbol of Crystal's connection to the world's oceans.”