Every year guests, travel agencies, and industry awards groups are sent an ornate coffee table book featuring Uniworld’s luxury brand, program offerings, available itineraries, and fleet details. The colorful photography, whimsical content, and premium paper treatments transport readers to their very own luxury suite along the Danube before they’ve ever left their living room.

My manager/Creative Director quit during the research stage of this project which left me as the sole and lead Designer from start to finish. I began with the overall book framework that was signed off by a Creative Director from a different team. From there I created spread layouts and templates that were visually dynamic but also reusable. This enabled the Copywriter and myself to quickly collaborate to ensure each page felt unique to readers but was also accurate

With my former manager gone, I was also provided the opportunity to travel for a press check at the commercial printer we sourced...in the dead of winter…in Pennsylvania.

In the end, I designed all 196 pages + front/back covers. This was made possible by collaborating with the copy team, aligning with client and step-manager feedback, and overcoming barriers all along the way.

From the onset, roughly 50% of the book was blocked. The client was still finalizing day-to-day itineraries and cruise dates even after we went on press check. They were also building new ships to add to the fleet. For this reason, our creative team focused on completing the branded pages and cover variations, adding the cruise details and new ship photography as they were made available.

My skills and creative efficiency were challenged in ways I had never experienced before or since. I worked late nights and weekends with my Copywriter and two Proofreaders in order to deliver on-time.

I am extremely proud of what I was able to accomplish on this project from a creative standpoint as well as leadership and initiative. A through-line with much of my career is being thrust into situations where, at the onset, I do not actively possess the experience to complete the task I’m being asked to perform. However, my internal drive to develop my skills and my effective use of time usually results in something very special…like this coffee table book!

Tessa Dyer (Project Manager), Shirnett Fleet (Marketing Director), Carly Laucella (Copywriter), Nina Pettis (Proofreader), Nate Seaman (Art Director), Alex Trevisan (Creative Director)