In 1998, Royal Caribbean International (RCI) turned to theatre planning and design consultants to help design two types of onboard theatres for its new Voyager Class ships. FDA’s design partners – architects Wilson Butler Lodge, architectural lighting designers Fisher Marantz Stone, video designers Boyce Nemec, and acousticians Jaffe Holden were selected by RCI in a design competition among leading architectural and theatre design firms.

Explorer of the Seas is the second of five ships in this Class. Some of the extraordinary features are: full-height flytower, Broadway-quality rigging, highly versatile stage and orchestra lifts, and sophisticated sound, lighting, and video systems. The theatre spaces provide a full complement of technical equipment for Broadway-style productions.

The full-height flytower allows the 25 foot-high scenery to magically disappear on cue, while keeping the stage wings clear for motorized scenic wagons that track on and off stage. A fast-moving turntable and multiple stage and orchestra lifts accommodate both performers and scenic elements, while surround-sound speakers and hundreds of conventional and moving theatrical lights transform the theatre into a showcase for Royal Caribbean’s entertainment programs.