AIDA Cruises

AIDA Cruises (aida.de) is a German cruise line brand, British-American owned and based in Rostock, Germany. Originally founded as Deutsche Seereederei, the company entered the cruise industry in the 1960s.

Note: In January 2022, AIDAmira was sold to Ambassador Cruise Line. In June 2022, AIDAvita was sold. In January 2023, AIDAaura was sold and left the fleet in October 2023.

On April 6th, 2025, Josh Weinstein (Carnival Corporation's CEO) confirmed the first (of two) cruise ship order for AIDA Cruises, placed with the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. The two new AIDA ships (total cost EUR 2+ billion) are mid-sized, with volumes positioned between the HELIOS Class (183,900 GT-tons/2732 cabins) and HYPERION Class (125,572 GT-tons/1643 cabins), with each vessel offering ~2100 staterooms. Deliveries are slated for 2030-Q1 (AIDAtbn1) and 2031-Q4 (AIDAtbn2). With the newbuilds, AIDA’s fleet will expand to 13 ships.

Company History and Changes

In 2000, AIDA Kreuzfahrten was acquired by "P&O Princess Cruises". Following the 2003 merger of Carnival Corporation and P&O Princess (forming Carnival Corporation), AIDA's executive management was transferred to Costa Group, which oversees Carnival's European brands. On June 7, 2015 (AIDAcara's birthday), AIDA celebrated its 20th anniversary. AIDA was the first cruise company to offer year-round cruises departing from Germany.

The current President of AIDA Cruises is Felix Eichhorn.

Until 2023, Costa Group and Carnival Asia were led by CEO Michael Thamm. Since then, AIDA’s and Costa’s presidents report directly to Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation.

AIDA maintains a long-standing partnership with Meyer Werft (based in Papenburg, Germany) and ordered two large vessels—AIDAnova (2019) and AIDAcosma (2021)—each featuring 2,500 staterooms and a maximum passenger capacity of 5,200.

AIDA has led environmental initiatives in the cruise industry, launching the "Green Cruising" concept. The company became the first to operate LNG-powered cruise ships using 100% liquefied natural gas, eliminating sulfur oxide and soot particle emissions.

AIDA ships are tailored to German-speaking passengers and are known for their casual service and youthful ambiance. German is the primary language onboard, as the majority of guests are from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. The fleet attracts younger, active travelers with its "club resort" style amenities.

All AIDA ships feature open-seating dining in two or three complimentary self-service restaurants. There are no traditional main dining rooms; instead, buffets serve as the main dining venues. For a change, passengers can enjoy gourmet cuisine and a refined atmosphere at à-la-carte restaurants for an additional fee.

On June 24, 2023, AIDA introduced Soulkitchen on three ships—Nova, Perla, and Prima. This à-la-carte restaurant offers a 3-course vegan menu with plant-based meat and seafood alternatives, organic beverages, and non-alcoholic wines and spirits.

AIDA promotes a relaxed cruise atmosphere with a focus on fitness and wellness through its AIDA Fit & Fun and Spa areas, as well as expansive sun decks. Evening entertainment includes shows in the onboard theater and lively bars and lounges.

All AIDA ships feature a top-deck Freikörperkultur (FKK Bereich) or nudist area, located forward on the top deck. This spacious, private sunbathing zone includes 1–2 whirlpools/hot tubs. In ports, especially in regions where public nudity is culturally inappropriate (e.g., Muslim countries), access to the FKK deck requires swimwear.

HELIOS-Class ships (newest)

AIDA’s latest class, succeeding the Hyperion-class (AIDAprima and AIDAperla), is the "Helios-class."

These LNG-powered vessels are built by Meyer Turku and measure 183,900 GT with a capacity of 5,200 passengers (lower berths) or 6,600 maximum. AIDAnova was delivered in December 2018, and AIDAcosma in April 2022.

On February 27, 2018, Carnival Corporation ordered a third Helios-class ship for AIDA, originally scheduled for delivery in 2023. However, in June 2021, it was announced that the newbuild (Carnival Jubilee) would instead join the Carnival Cruise Line fleet.

Each ship has 21 cabin categories (including Penthouse Suites, Family, and Single-occupancy rooms), 17 restaurants (including five specialty venues), a sports deck with a water park, mini-golf, and a ropes course, a pool deck with a retractable glass roof and beach club, and a two-level Promenade Deck connected by staircases.

In July 2015, Carnival Corporation signed an agreement with Meyer Werft for four new Helios-class ships—two for Costa Cruises and two for AIDA. These were part of a broader nine-ship order with Meyer Werft and Fincantieri for deliveries between 2019 and 2022. Costa's ships were built in Turku, Finland, and AIDA’s in Papenburg, Germany.

Managed by Costa Group, the combined Costa-AIDA fleet is Europe’s largest. In 2014, one in two European cruise passengers sailed on either Costa or AIDA. In 2015, Costa Group had 20 offices in 14 countries, employed 27,000 crew members, and had a combined passenger capacity of over 68,000 berths.

AIDA Evolution (fleet modernization program 2025-2026)

In February 2024, AIDA announced its largest fleet modernization project to date, named "AIDA Evolution."

The program includes drydock refurbishments of three SPHINX-class ships—AIDAdiva (Q2 2025), AIDAbella (Q3 2025), and AIDAluna (Q2 2026)—each lasting approximately six weeks.

Upgrades include new technologies, systems, and complete interior renovations. All cabins will be refurbished, new suites added, and public spaces enhanced with updated décor. New restaurants and bars will be introduced, along with themed activity zones for families and exclusive areas for suite guests. The Theatrium will receive new seating and a refreshed color scheme.

AIDA cruise ship robots

AIDA and Costa Cruises implemented humanoid robots named Pepper to enhance the guest experience. These robots greet guests at embarkation and provide information about onboard dining, entertainment, events, and shore excursions.

Pepper robots communicate in English, German, and Italian. They move fluidly and interpret human emotions by analyzing voice tones and facial expressions.

The technology was first tested on AIDAstella and rolled out on Costa Diadema and AIDAprima in April 2016. By late summer 2016, Pepper robots were deployed fleetwide on both AIDA and Costa ships.

Unlike many cruise lines, AIDA allows off-duty crew members to mingle with passengers.

AIDA's LNG-powered liners

AIDAprima successfully tested LNG fuel supply in Hamburg, Germany, on May 7, 2016. While berthed, she was supplied with LNG at all ports of call including Hamburg, Rotterdam, Le Havre, Southampton, and Zeebrugge.

AIDA vessels spend approximately 40% of their time in port. Compared to marine diesel (0.1% sulfur), LNG eliminates sulfur oxides and soot, reduces nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 80%, and cuts CO2 emissions by 20%.

All AIDA ships built by Meyer Papenburg are 100% LNG-powered. AIDA has invested in LNG technology since 2015.

In 2013, AIDA partnered with Becker Marine Systems to develop LNG hybrid barges used in Hamburg. Since May 30, 2015, AIDA ships (starting with AIDAsol) have regularly received LNG in Hamburg’s Hafencity Terminal.

On average, AIDA ships consume just 3 liters (0.8 US gallons) of fuel per passenger for every 100 km (62 miles) traveled, as confirmed by an independent 2012 study. By 2016, energy use per passenger was reduced by 9%, water consumption by 7.2%, and CO2 emissions by 7.7% compared to 2012 levels.

In August 2019, AIDA contracted Canadian company Corvus Energy to install the world’s largest marine battery system fleetwide. The Orca ESS has a capacity of 6,100 kWh—twice the size of current battery-powered ferries. The system integrates with the ship’s propulsion and power systems. Other project partners include ABB Marine & Ports (Azipods) and Siemens AG.

AIDA fleet's Captains

As of 2020, these were AIDA’s ship Masters:

• AIDAaura – Thomas Mey
• AIDAbella – Erik Kirchner
• AIDAblu – Tönnies Kohrs
• AIDAcara – Sven Gartner
• AIDAdiva – Panagiotis Mantzavinos
• AIDAluna – Sven Laudan
• AIDAmar – Martin Rittig
• AIDAnova – Marc-Dominique Tidow
• AIDAmira – Nikola Dolfi
• AIDAperla – Tommy Moller
• AIDAprima – Przemyslaw Kurc
• AIDAsol – Jörg Miklitza
• AIDAstella – Nikos Nitschai
• AIDAvita – Carsten Watge

(Coronavirus crisis) Passenger Shipping Pause 2020-2021

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, AIDA suspended all passenger shipping operations across its entire fleet, canceling all voyages scheduled between March 14, 2020, and late April 2021. Operations temporarily resumed on October 17 with AIDAblu (7-day Mediterranean cruises from Civitavecchia-Rome through November 28) and fleetwide on November 1. However, on October 29, due to Germany’s newly imposed public life and travel restrictions, AIDA canceled all voyages through November 30. AIDAperla and AIDAmar were scheduled for 7-day roundtrips from Gran Canaria (in the Canaries) starting December 5, but the program was canceled. AIDAprima’s winter 2021 Dubai program was also canceled.

Initially, exceptions were announced for AIDAperla (August 12 from Hamburg), AIDAdiva (August 15 from Warnemunde-Rostock), and AIDAprima (August 15 from Kiel). However, these departures were later canceled as the flag state (Italy) delayed its approval for the restart. Eventually, AIDA extended its passenger shipping pause fleetwide through August 2021.

Listed below are all AIDA ships and their first departure dates/regions – AIDAperla (March 20, 2021/Canaries), AIDAnova (August 7, 2021/Baltic from Kiel), AIDAsol (May 22, 2021/cruises to nowhere from Kiel), AIDAmar (July 31, 2021/Baltic from Hamburg), AIDAblu (May 30, 2021/Greece from Corfu), AIDAluna (September 4, 2021/Iceland-Norway from Kiel), AIDAstella (July 29, 2021/Mediterranean from Palma de Mallorca), AIDAprima (July 31, 2021/Baltic from Kiel), AIDAbella (September 5, 2021/Baltic from Kiel), AIDAdiva (October 16, 2021/Baltic from Warnemunde), AIDAaura (May 7, 2022/UK from Hamburg), AIDAvita (March 31, 2022/Norway from Hamburg), AIDAmira (April 15, 2022/Eastern Mediterranean from Heraklion, Crete/canceled), AIDAcosma (February 26, 2022/Maiden Voyage from Hamburg).

• On July 9, 2020, AIDA announced it would restart operations with three ships offering cruises to nowhere (portless itineraries with roundtrips from Germany). The "nowhere ships" were AIDAperla (August 12 / 3-night from Hamburg), AIDAmar (August 12 from Warnemunde), and AIDAblu (August 16 / 4-night from Kiel). Bookings opened on July 9.
• In June 2021, AIDAcosma's 2021 program (Arabian season from Dubai and Abu Dhabi), including the Canary Islands deployment (7-day roundtrips from Tenerife and Gran Canaria), was canceled.
• In July 2021, the winter 2021-2022 programs of AIDAaura (South Africa from Cape Town), AIDAvita (including two 43-day roundtrips from Hamburg to the Caribbean and Bermuda), and AIDAmira (Aegean Islands from Heraklion, Crete) were canceled.
• IMPORTANT: On June 23, 2021, Carnival Corporation (shipowner) announced that AIDAcara had been sold to a Russian buyer. The 1996-built vessel (originally named Clubschiff) left the fleet after 25 years of service. AIDAcara was AIDA’s first-ever cruise ship.
• IMPORTANT: On June 14, 2022, it was announced that the 20-year-old AIDAvita (built in 2002) would not resume operations. She was sold (to an undisclosed buyer) and left the fleet.

All affected bookings received full refunds, including any prepurchased AIDA packages and services. During the suspension period, employees had the option to remain onboard or return home without terminating their employment contracts with AIDA Kreuzfahrten. All affected bookings were refunded at 110% in the form of FCC (Future Cruise Credit). The FCC could be used for rebooking any cruise ship/itinerary (fleetwide) with departures through December 31, 2021. It could also be redeemed on MyAIDA for pre-purchased shore excursions, onboard specialty dining, and wellness services, or transferred as OBC (Onboard Credit).

Following the deliveries of the "Japanese" ships AIDAprima (2016) and AIDAperla (2017), for the first time in its history, the company served over 2 million German passengers.

AIDA operates in the German vacation cruising market with a modern fleet and offers 140+ itineraries visiting over 250 ports worldwide.

Signature destinations include Bermuda, the Caribbean and Bahamas, Eastern and Western Mediterranean (including Greece, Turkey, Egypt), North Africa and Spain's Canary Islands, Northern Europe (UK, Iceland, Baltic Sea, Norwegian Fjords), North America (USA and Canada), Transatlantic crossings (RepositionCruises.com), the Red Sea, and Southeast Asia.

Mediterranean voyages usually depart from Palma de Mallorca (as fly-cruise packages). Most Northern European itineraries depart from Germany (Hamburg and Kiel).

As of 2023, AIDA offers 5,750 shore excursions globally, around 780 of which focus on sustainable tourism.

Note: In January 2022, AIDAmira was sold to Ambassador Cruise Line. In June 2022, AIDAvita was sold. In January 2023, AIDAaura was sold and left the fleet in October 2023.

Winter 2024-2025-2026 Fleet Deployment

AIDA's winter 2024-2025 schedule includes 380 departure dates and features popular destinations such as the Caribbean, the Canary Islands, Far East Asia, and Europe’s most visited regions—the Mediterranean and the Baltic.

AIDA has three ships deployed in the Caribbean. AIDAbella and AIDAluna are homeported in La Romana, Dominican Republic, Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Fort-de-France, Martinique, sailing on various routes to ports in the Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico.

AIDAluna calls at Santa Marta, Colombia (a new port for AIDA) on every second Central American voyage.

AIDAperla visits the Dutch Antilles (ABC Islands) on itineraries departing from La Romana or Bridgetown, Barbados.

AIDAmar's “Great Winter Break Caribbean” (a Transatlantic crossing from Germany) departs from Hamburg and ends in Willemstad, Curacao.

In Asia, AIDAstella offers four different itineraries visiting Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

AIDAprima's Red Sea program includes two different roundtrip routes from the UAE (Dubai or Abu Dhabi), with calls at Muscat, Oman, Doha, Qatar, Salman, Bahrain, and Sir Bani Yas, UAE. These 7-day ex-UAE roundtrips can be combined into 14-day B2Bs.

In winter 2024-2025 (November–April), AIDAcosma operates 7-day Canary Islands and Madeira cruises departing from Gran Canaria or Tenerife. Also deployed in Spain’s Canaries, AIDAblu offers 7-day roundtrips from Gran Canaria, with optional visits to La Gomera or Funchal, Madeira. Longer itineraries (9, 12, or 14 days) are also available.

In the Mediterranean, AIDAdiva offers 9- or 12-day roundtrips from Palma (to Spain and Portugal, and the Canaries) or 7-day roundtrips from Civitavecchia-Rome to Italy and Valletta, Malta.

AIDAstella's 14-day Eastern Mediterranean itinerary visits the Greek Islands, Cyprus, and Egypt.

From Antalya, Turkey, AIDAblu offers two 7-day roundtrips to Rhodes, Mykonos, Izmir, Istanbul, Port Said, Egypt, Cyprus, and Haifa, Israel.

AIDAprima offers Easter 2025 voyages from Palma or Barcelona to Malaga, Cadiz, and Cartagena, allowing guests to experience the famous Semana Santa.

AIDAnova's Baltic winter 2024-2025 program is based on homeporting in Hamburg, with calls in Norway and Denmark.

AIDAsol's World Cruise (starting in October 2024) visits 41 ports in 17 countries across 4 continents, including six ports in New Zealand. From February 2025, AIDAsol operates three "Winter in the Far North" voyages from Hamburg to the Norwegian Fjords.

From Alesund (Norway) to Zakynthos (Greece), approximately 450 cruises are part of the AIDA Summer Program 2026.

A rare natural spectacle, a total solar eclipse, will occur on August 12, 2026, darkening the skies over Greenland, Iceland, and Spain for around two minutes. Guests aboard five AIDA ships will have the opportunity to witness this event. Starting August 7, 2026, AIDAsol departs from Hamburg (Germany), sailing through the English Channel and Bay of Biscay toward the eclipse path. In the western Mediterranean, AIDAcosma and AIDAstella depart from Mallorca (Spain) on August 7, 8, and 9. AIDAbella and AIDAluna also offer eclipse-themed cruises, bookable starting July 31, 2024.

The Perseids meteor shower (visible between July 17 and August 24, 2024) can be observed from the Baltic Sea region, where AIDAdiva sails from Rostock/Warnemunde to coastal destinations. Hamina (Finland) is a new port, featuring a unique circular city layout centered around the town hall.

The Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) can be seen on the "Autumnal Northern Lights" 14-day voyages aboard AIDAsol, departing from Hamburg and visiting Leknes, Bodo, the Lofoten Islands, and Tromso.

For the 2026 World Cup finals on July 19, AIDAmar will be in Stockholm (Sweden) on the “Cities of the Baltic Sea from Warnemunde 1” cruise, while AIDAsol is expected to be in Portsmouth (England) on the “Great Britain & Ireland from Hamburg” voyage. AIDAstella will begin her 10-day “Spain, Portugal & Balearic Islands from Mallorca” cruise on the same day.

Midsummer’s Day, an important Nordic holiday, is celebrated on June 21 with traditional dances, floral decorations, and festive food. In summer 2026, eight AIDA ships depart from Hamburg, Kiel, and Warnemunde, sailing to the Baltic Sea, Norway’s fjords, Scotland, and Iceland. A highlight is AIDAprima's voyages through the Geirangerfjord and the Naeroyfjord, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

For Easter holidays, AIDAprima offers an “Easter Voyage through the Mediterranean.” For Pentecost, AIDAblu's Greece cruises include new ports of call in Zakynthos and Bodrum.

In summer 2026, AIDAcosma, AIDAstella, and AIDAblu sail the Mediterranean, featuring itineraries along the Adriatic coast, the Greek and Turkish islands, and the western Mediterranean.

Itineraries 2025-2026 Winter

AIDA's winter 2025-2026 season features voyages to the Caribbean, South Africa, Spain's Canary Islands, the Orient/Red Sea, Indian Ocean islands (Seychelles, Mauritius, La Reunion, Madagascar), and Northern Europe.

African voyages offer safari tours in Table Mountain (Cape Town), the Cape of Good Hope, deserts, and beaches. Cape Town tours include street food events, microbreweries, culinary excursions, and affordable Michelin-starred restaurants.

AIDA's winter 2025-2026 Caribbean program includes three ships: AIDAperla, AIDAblu, and AIDAsol.

In the Arabian Gulf/Red Sea, AIDAprima is deployed, homeported in Dubai. Destinations include the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman.

In the Canary Islands and Madeira, AIDAcosma and AIDAmar are deployed.

In Northern Europe/Baltic Sea, the AIDAnova sails from Hamburg to Norwegian and Western European metropolises (November 2025 through April 2026), including Arctic Norway for Northern Lights experiences.

(Animal Cruelty) The Faroe Islands Cruise Boycott

In mid-July 2016, AIDA became one of three cruise lines (along with Disney and Hapag-Lloyd) to ban the Faroe Islands (a Danish territory) from their North European itineraries.

The boycott is in response to the island nation's traditional mass slaughter of pilot whales. This practice, protected by Denmark, is known as “Grindadrap” or “Grind.” Locals use motorboats to herd pods of whales into harbors, where they are dragged into shallow water and killed with knives (6–8 inches long), often in front of cheering crowds. Calves are sometimes forcibly removed from their mothers.

The Faroe Islands, with a population of about 50,000, kill over 1,000 pilot whales annually. Visit the cruise ship schedule for Torshavn, the Faroes' most visited port. Cruise lines continuing to call there are accused of supporting these whaling practices. Whaling remains legal and practiced in Japan, Norway, and Iceland, with more than 2,000 whales killed annually for trade.

AIDA's decision followed the introduction of the "Faroese Pilot Whaling Act," which continues to allow pilot whale hunts and authorizes up to two years of imprisonment for those who interfere, despite widespread international condemnation.

Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace are among the most active organizations opposing the “Faroese Pilot Whaling Act.” Many of the harrowing images of whale slaughter circulating online were released by these groups.

AIDA was the first major cruise company to ban the Faroe Islands as a destination, a move that significantly impacted the local tourism industry.