TV Series - Hulu
Production Design - James Philpott
The SS Varuna's many reviews use the words: "Impeccably reproduced luxury liner" 1, and "Meticulously restored" 2, but it was all filmed on a stage, except for a few scenes in the pilot.
In one interview the Creators: Heidi Cole McAdams and Marc Webb said, “Our incredibly talented production designer James Philpott recreated those details on stage. The scale of our sets — built to match the scale of those massive ships — was almost embarrassing. Our dining hall is two stories tall and could have hosted a high-end wedding if it wasn’t for all the camera equipment.” 3