The "Celebrity Solstice" is not simply gigantic but superlative in every respect. That's certainly true of the sound system, where to ensure convenience, reliability, and ease-of-use for the crew and stem-to-stern high quality sound for the passengers, FUNA Nachrichtentechnik GmbH of Emden, Germany, installed four networked DYNACORD ProMatrix 4000 systems.

The ProMatrix 4000 system, which has proven its worth in countless high-profile applications all over the world, is the only one on the market to combine ELA (messaging/voice alarm/evacuation) with pro sound (recorded music).

To give an idea of the size of the installation, the four DYNACORD ProMatrix 4000 systems boast a combined amplification power of over 53,000 Watts. Over 350 loudspeaker lines to over 8,000 loudspeakers -- including 350 Electro-Voice 309-8A (coaxial systems), 520 Electro-Voice EVID C4.2 (coaxial ceiling systems), 30 Electro-Voice EVID C8.2 (coaxial ceiling systems), and 70 Electro-Voice Sx80PIX -- run the length and breadth of the ship, which also boasts 16 DYNACORD ProMatrix DPC keypanels, not to mention numerous other Electro-Voice loudspeaker systems (function rooms/entertainment areas).

The "Celebrity Solstice" is the first of five cruise liners ordered by the American cruise line Celebrity Cruises from Germany's Meyer-Werft shipyards.

With a registered tonnage of 122,000 RT, the "Celebrity Solstice" has some 1,425 cabins (90 percent with balconies), a "Lawn Club" (with real grass), a glass museum, and a multitude of exclusive restaurants. "We are extremely proud of this innovative new liner," commented Bernhard Meyer of Meyer-Werft, "which is of a class notable for its extreme energy efficiency and the numerous environmentally friendly solutions on board."

Such solutions for Meyer-Werft tend to include sound systems from EVI Audio. Since 1985, over 25 cruise liners built by the venerable North German company have boasted sound reinforcement systems from Electro-Voice and DYNACORD, often in combination with mixers from MIDAS, sound processors from Klark Teknik, and intercom systems from TELEX/RTS, all of which are companies found within the Bosch umbrella.