In their own, the Vertical Galleries are dazzling: three 14-story spaces showcasing 41 works from 32 recent graduates of New York’s Parsons School of Design as well as the Royal College of Art and Central Saint Martins, both in London. But given the galleries occupy a trio of staircases aboard Cunard’s Queen Anne, their existence proves even more impressive.

That’s because while cruise ships have always displayed plenty of art, today, instead of serving as mere decoration, these vast collections make powerful statements, sparking imagination and encouraging guests to embrace their curiosity and sense of adventure.

Queen Anne, which went into commission in May 2024, houses the largest curated collection of art currently at sea — a remarkable 4,300 original works that cover nearly every medium. Cunard was so keen to build an actual collection, it commissioned Double Decker, a hospitality art consulting firm, to acquire works to evoke both the line’s past and its connection to the present. “Creating a collection for a cruise ship is very different than the type of collection you would create for a hotel,” said Wilhelm Finger, who founded the studio in 2009 with Melita Skamnaki. “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.”

PHOTO: © CUNARD

One piece, A Cunard Journey, a 26-foot-tall etched brass sculpture, tells the story of a sailing journey from departure to destination. Created by sculptor Ian Kirkpatrick, the contemporary, sophisticated work is rooted in traditional murals that have decorated Cunard ships for decades. “Our artists were given access to Cunard’s archives at the University of Liverpool,” explained Finger. “That research time allowed them to create works that linked to the line’s long history.”

PHOTO: © CUNARD

Genesis, by British artist Sam Shendi, spells out the word “Cunard” in a brightly colored jumble of letters. Another notable sculpture aboard Queen Anne, each of its letters was crafted from the first steel cut for the ship.

Then there are the Vertical Galleries, which have probably caused a fair number of guests, who get caught up in the unspooling collection, to be late for dinner, spa appointments or excursions. One can easily see why. The fabric accents on Gabriel Carucci’s mixed media canvases, Carteggio d’Oltremare, add texture and interest to the colorful compositions. James Hsieh, who “paints” with yarn and thread to create vibrant tapestries, depicts an arrival by ship into New York City in his Mosaic of Memories. Artist Vivien Reinert found inspiration in the machine rooms, construction plans and structures of different cruise ships she discovered in the Liverpool archives; bright Machine Room Magic is the end product.

PHOTO: © CUNARD

“Working with these young, emerging artists on the Vertical Galleries has been incredibly rewarding,” said Skamnaki. “For many, this was their first step into the outside world.”

Not many galleries can boast owning even a single Picasso; Seven Seas Grandeur, aboard Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ newest ship, has a trio of lithographs on display by the iconic Spanish artist. Located in Prime 7 steakhouse, these works (in Picasso’s beautifully abstract way) celebrate the art of bullfighting. And that’s just the beginning. Amid Grandeur’s 1,600-piece collection are works by American painter Robert Rauschenberg; Chilean surrealist Roberto Matta; sculpture artist Sophie-Elizabeth Thompson; and Spanish artist Eduardo Arranz-Bravo, best-known for his abstract figurative paintings but who also worked in drawing, lithography and sculpture. The highlight of the collection is Journey in Jewels, a decorative egg created by Fabergé, the French jewelry design company that began creating the jeweled ovoids in the late 19th century for Russian czars. The egg’s ornate shell is composed of seven interlocking blades, each enameled in an ombre of ocean blues and decorated with diamond and pearl seafoam. There’s a surprise, too: With the twist of a pearl wave at the top, the blades open to reveal a second egg, this one radiant in the colors of the rising and setting sun and glittering with precious gems. The egg sits atop a jeweled plinth supported by a three- tiered stand decorated with pearls and diamonds.

PHOTO: © REGENT SEVEN SEAS

“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, Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Regent Seven Seas encourages guests to connect more deeply with each piece through the line’s app, which delves deeply into each artist’s process and inspiration.

Viking’s foray into the art world came in 2015, when company CEO Torstein Hagen decided to introduce passengers to the culture of Norway — Hagen’s home country — by filling its first oceangoing ship, Viking Star, with a plethora of works from mostly Norwegian artists as well as historic artifacts from the Scandinavian country. Ten years later, the company’s art collection, now spread over an eight-ship ocean fleet and two expedition ships, is not only the largest portfolio of diverse Norwegian art in the world but also the largest private collection of works by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch (best known for his seminal work, The Scream) outside of Oslo. Viking’s partnership with Oslo’s Munch Museum also allows guests exclusive onboard access to select original works by Munch as well as the opportunity to view the artist’s complete catalogue in digital format. To further celebrate the artist, the line instituted “Munch Moments,” daily interactive events showcasing thematically grouped pieces of art each afternoon on the Atrium screen in The Living Room.

On Viking’s expedition ships, Polaris and Octantis, each work within the collection was chosen for its ability to evoke the spirit of exploration illustrated by the ships’ godmothers, Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft, who, in 2001, were the first women to ski across Antarctica. Beyond hundreds of paintings, photographs, sculptures, cultural pieces and artfully realized maps, the ship displays artifacts from the pair’s adventures. Guests who sail with Viking along the Nile, though, also have the opportunity to view a series of historic photographs taken of Howard Carter and the 5th Earl of Carnarvon as they discovered and later excavated the tomb of King Tutankhamun. These photographs are part of the Carnarvons’ private collection.

As part of its commitment to ultra-luxurious expedition travel, Seabourn Cruise Line worked with Tihany Design and Double Decker to develop a sophisticated, thoughtful and bespoke art collection for its newest expedition ship, Pursuit, which launched in 2023. This extensive, permanent installation includes more than 700 artworks and takes guests on a curated journey across the seven seas using touchstones from the natural world.

PHOTO: © SEABOURN

Cory Barr’s sculpture Magical Sky, for instance, harnesses black marble, aluminum, glass and mirrors to illustrate the colors and shapes found within the sky; 0° SERIES is a photographic collection that uses photos of tropical flowers captured in ice to create unexpected, enchanting dialogue between Amazonian flora and polar ice.

“Our guests will experience an unexpected layer of imaginative discoveries and be inspired by the smallest details, symbols, hidden messages in every corner to provoke a deep sense of personal exploration and appreciation,” described Seabourn Cruise Line’s president at the time Natalya Leahy. “Pursuit’s art collection will elevate the onboard experience as guests embark on their own journey to interact with new environments that in some cases no humans have seen before.”