Ocean Cruising

Dave says that he’s been enthusiastic about boats for years. “Everything's interesting about cruise ships and ships in general,” he tells me. “On a cruise ship, you can't get bored, there's always something to do.”

That’s why Dave and Sam made sure to build the whole of Azamara Journey, including all of the interior rooms for guests to enjoy. There are dining areas with colourful flowers on the tables; a lounge room for reading and relaxing, and a pool for those who want to swim but don’t fancy jumping off the side into the ocean. Suit yourself.

The friends worked on the ship for about three weeks, but when they started they didn’t have much of a plan, preferring to make it up as they went along. “I build most of my ships alone but Sam asked me if we could build one together,” Dave explains. “We started from the bow and finished with the aft.” (That’s nautical speak for building from the front to the back.)

“Once the exterior was done we started building the interior. Azamara Journey isn’t that different from other cruise ships I’ve built, though it’s smaller,” Dave tells me. “But the interior makes it much harder to build. The atrium and the theatre were the most difficult – we had to add a lot of details. But I really enjoyed creating them!”

The atrium is a nice space for guests to gather and maybe enjoy a coffee on one of the comfy-looking orange sofas. There’s also a balcony if you want to look down on the people below – and a glass barrier to stop you falling off! The theatre has lots of places to sit too, so that everyone can relax with a drink while they enjoy the show on the stage.

Even though the interior of the ship is so detailed, Dave prefers the exterior. “I’m pretty proud of it,” he tells me. And so he should be! He and Sam picked the Azamara Journey to recreate because they liked the look of its black hull, and it stands out in their version, contrasting with the sleek white decks and twinkling lights. They were also careful to include the neat rows of lifeboats in case of an emergency on the high seas – hopefully no one will need them, but safety first!