Cruise ships are made up of many things.  Carpet, stairs, beds, dining venues, top deck features, engines and more begin the list, which normally ends with the installation of signature artwork.  Paintings are often the final application a wall will receive before the first passengers arrive.  Installation of other works of art too is held until the end of the building process to protect what can be a collection priced in the $millions.  Still under construction in Germany, Royal Caribbean International‘s Quantum of the Seas has a lot of work left to be done before her debut in less than 100 days.  Along the way, the cruise line will be highlighting different elements of the ship with daily posts, one of the first introduces us to a 30-foot giant bear.

When Royal Caribbean International’s newest ship, Quantum of the Seas, exits the Meyer Werft Shipyard in Papenburg, onboard will be a 30-foot-tall magenta polar bear situated prominently on the exterior deck of the ship. The bear, a sculpture created by Denver-based artist Lawrence Argent, is the first glimpse of the 2,980 piece, multi-million art collection themed “What Makes Life Worth Living” that has been curated for Quantum of the Seas.  In addition to Argent, an impressive portfolio of artists, including:

• Paul Villinski, who created a monumental installation called “Crossing” which encompasses a wall of 210 butterflies representing 30 species, each made of aluminum, stainless steel, acrylic and enamel;
• Sculptor Soo Sunny Park, whose sprawling, undulating structure titled “Waves of Light,” explores the light’s potential as a structural element.

Pieces by these artists and others span size, art forms and mediums, and can be enjoyed both inside and outside the ship. To Royal Caribbean, it’s just part of a process that takes between two and three years to complete.

“Royal Caribbean has a long history of showcasing original art at sea; in fact, we boast one of the world’s largest private art collections across our fleet, ” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, Executive Vice President, Operations, Royal Caribbean International.

“The pieces we have commissioned for Quantum of the Seas are stunning, engaging and in some cases completely unexpected”- Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, Executive Vice President, Operations, Royal Caribbean International

The giant bear titled “From Afar” is comprised of 1,340 stainless steel triangles, weighs approximately eight-tons and is intended to incite wonder among guests, encouraging them to admire the bear from afar, as well as interact with it on a more intimate, yet whimsical level.

Making Quantum of the Seas Unique
Like Oasis-class ships, Quantum-class vessels will be quite similar, but not exactly the same. Promising to showcase intangible qualities of what makes life worth living, such as peace, love, joy, gratitude and passion, From Afar is typical of what Quantum’s art pieces are meant to evoke. Nearly-twin  sister ship, Anthem of the Seas, scheduled to debut April 2015, will uncover tangible aspects of the theme such as adventure, entertainment and nature.

About Quantum Class
The groundbreaking Quantum-class ships, Quantum of the Seas and sister-ship Anthem of the Seas will introduce a new set of first-at-sea onboard experiences, such as Ripcord by iFLY, a heart-pounding skydiving experience; North Star, a thrilling adventure that transports guests more than 300 feet in the air on a breathtaking journey; cutting-edge transformative venues including SeaPlex, the largest indoor sports and entertainment complex at sea with bumper cars, roller skating and more; and the cruise line’s largest and most advanced staterooms ever.