Galaxy und Mercury - funnel and whirlpool tower
The shipyard building the sister ships Galaxy and Mercury belonging to Celebrity Cruises expressed the wish to achieve a substantial reduction in weight high above the ship's centre of gravity and also to improve the look of the surface finish to the funnel cladding elements. Both objectives were achieved through the use of composite sandwich elements.
Compared to a funnel cladding completely in aluminium, a reduction in weight of some 47% was the result, even though an aluminium spoiler was retained for the composite sandwich version. If we consider just the alternative cladding panels and the "X" logos, then the reduction in weight rises to about 60%.
The whirlpool tower with tiled shower bay was also fabricated using sandwich methods and can therefore carry a higher load without strengthening ribs. Owing to the stiffness of the material, the deflection of the tiled surfaces is so low that there is no risk of cracking in the joints.
| Client | Meyer-Werft |
|---|---|
| Reederei | Celebrity Cruises |
| Shipyard | Jos. L. Meyer GmbH |
| Year | 1996 and 1997 |
| Superstructure | Funnel, whirlpool tower (Mercury) |