AIDAluna accidents and incidents

03 June 2025Boat Rescue

On the night of June 3, 2025, AIDAluna participated in a coordinated rescue operation in the Norwegian Sea (Arctic Ocean) following the discovery of individuals adrift in a liferaft near Spitsbergen Island, in Norway's Svalbard Archipelago.

The incident took place ~11 PM local time (~9 PM UTC) under severe climatic conditions, with air temperatures barely above freezing and sea temperatures just above 3 C/37 F.

Upon identifying the liferaft, AIDAluna’s Navigation Bridge team ceased navigation and assumed an emergency holding position, while coordination began with the Norwegian authorities. A rescue helicopter was deployed to the scene to assess the situation and execute the extraction.

Onboard preparations included alerting passengers and placing the medical staff on standby, with contingency plans involving the use of tender boats if direct rescue from the cruise ship became necessary. However, the operation was successfully carried out by air, and the shipwrecked individuals were airlifted to medical facilities in Longyearbyen (on Spitsbergen) for evaluation and care.

As a result, AIDAluna's itinerary was slightly delayed, as the ship had to wait for clearance from maritime authorities to resume the scheduled course.

The incident occurred during the 19-day "Highlights Am Polarkreis Cruise" (itinerary May 25-June 13, roundtrip from Hamburg, Germany) visiting ports in Norway (Bergen, Leknes-Gravdal, Harstad, Hammerfest, Honningsvag, Longyearbyen/Jun 2nd), Iceland (Akureyri, Isafjordur, Reykjavik) and Scotland UK (Lerwick).

January 2022Other Incidents

On January 21, 2022, AIDA canceled the ship's remaining Caribbean season citing "changing conditions" (COVID-related complications) in the region.

The cancelations affected a total of 8 voyages, including:

• (Jan 23) 14-day from La Romana to Santo Domingo
• (Feb 6) 14-day from Santo Domingo to La Romana
• (Jan 29, Feb 12, Feb 26) 14-day roundtrip from La Romana (Karibik Kleine Antillen 1)
• (Feb 20) 14-day roundtrip from La Romana (Karibik Kleine Antillen 2) 
• (Mar 6) 24-day Transatlantic repositioning (from La Romana to Hamburg)
• (Mar 12) 18-day Transatlantic (La Romana-Hamburg)

All affected bookings were given the option for either rebooking on AIDA's two other Caribbean-deployed ships (AIDAdiva and AIDAperla) or receiving an FCC (future cruise credit) for another AIDAluna voyage.

Luna's restart of operations was scheduled for March 30 (4-day "Kurzreise Nach Grosbritannien" roundtrip from Hamburg to Dover and IJmuiden).

06 December 2021Ship Collision / Allision

On December 6, 2021, at ~5:30 pm (~1:30 pm UTC), the docked cruise ship was hit by a passenger ferryboat in Antigua's St Johns Harbour.

Reportedly, the accident was caused by a failure in the ferry's control system, which resulted in temporary drifting and collision with the berthed cruise liner. The incident occurred while the boat was heading to St John's Harbour's Heritage Quay for docking.

No injuries were reported. The ferry (Island Escape, max capacity 150 passengers) sustained minor hull damages, with estimated to cost ~USD 15,000. The boat was operating on the route Antiqua-Montserrat Island (UK).

The AIDA ship Luna was operating a 14-day "Karibik Kleine Antillen 1" itinerary (roundtrip from La Romana, Dominicana/Dec 4-18) with call ports St Johns Antigua (Dec 6/port stay 8 am - 6 pm), Basseterre St Kitts (Dec 7), Philipsburg Saint Maarten (Dec 8), Road Town Tortola (Dec 9), Samana Dominicana (Dec 11), La Romana Dominicana (Dec 12), Willemstad Curacao (Dec 14), Oranjestad Aruba (Dec 15) and Kralendijk Bonaire (Dec 16).

29 October 2019Coast Guard Medevacs

On October 29, 2019, at ~9:40 pm, a 61-year-old female passenger was medevaced by a Maryland police helicopter (AgustaWestland AW139) from the cruise ship navigating in Chesapeake Bay (close to Kent Island) and en-route from Baltimore to Norfolk VA.

The aircraft was dispatched from Easton MD. Assisted by a police paramedic, the woman was airlifted (hoisted) and flown to the University of Maryland Medical Center (Baltimore MD).

The incident occurred at the beginning of 22-day New York to Caribbean cruise (itinerary October 26 - November 17) from NYC New York to Montego Bay (Jamaica) with call ports Baltimore MD, Norfolk VA, Charleston SC, Port Canaveral FL, Miami FL, Nassau Bahamas, Grand Turk Island, Amber Cove (Dominican Republic), La Romana (Dominican Republic), Fort-de-France (Martinique), St Johns (Antigua), Philipsburg (St Maarten), Road Town (Tortola BVI) and Samana (Dominican Republic).

October 2019Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

In October 2019, CDC reported a Norovirus outbreak (GI illness) infecting a total of 72 passengers (out of 2166, or 3,3%) and 8 crew (out of 612, or 1,3%). All sick suffered from Norovirus symptoms (predominantly vomiting and diarrhea) and were quarantined to their cabins for 48 hours. The US CDC inspectors boarded the cruise liner in NYC during the overnight in-port stay (Oct 12-14).

The ship was on 14-day Caribbean cruise (itinerary Sept 28 - Oct 12) roundtrip from homeport NYC New York and visiting Bermuda (Hamilton), Bahamas (Nassau), Florida (Miami, Port Canaveral), Virginia (Norfolk) and Maryland (Baltimore).

09 September 2018Crew / Passenger Deaths

(overboard) On September 9, 2018, a 33-year-old male passenger was reported missing and presumed overboard while the liner was navigating off Newfoundland Canada's coast, en-route to St John's. The man (Daniel Kueblboeck, German singer) was a contestant in 2003 on the talent show "Germany Seeks the Superstar".

Canadian Coast Guard started a search and rescue operation after the ship called for assistance at ~6 a.m. (Sept 9). The Holland America cruise ship Zuiderdam (en-route from Greenland towards St Johns) was diverted to assist AIDAluna's search. The body was not found.

The incident occurred during the 16-day Transatlantic repositioning cruise (itinerary August 29 - Sept 14) from Hamburg to NYC (USA) visiting Bergen (Norway), Kirkwall (Scotland), Reykjavik (Iceland), Qaqortoq (Greenland), St Johns (NF Canada), Halifax (NS Canada) and Portland (ME USA).

07 February 2014Crew / Passenger Deaths

On February 7, 2014, a 76-year-old male passenger was murdered ashore (on Margarita Island, Venezuela), while the ship was docked in call port El Guamache.

The elderly man (Goldhahm Hors Kurt, of German origin) was shot dead by a gunman during an armed robbery in a shopping mall when two armed men on a motorcycle tried to rob the cruise ship tourists.