AIDAmar

The 2012-built AIDAmar cruise ship is the sixth Sphinx-class AIDA liner, with sister ships AIDAblu, AIDAstella, and AIDAsol.

The vessel (IMO number 9490052) is currently Italy-flagged (MMSI 247312900) and registered in Genova.

History - construction and ownership

AIDA Cruises is a Rostock-headquartered subsidiary of Carnival Corporation. AIDA is the largest German cruise line in Europe (followed by TUI), targeting younger, more active travelers. Founded in 1960 as "Deutsche Seereederei," AIDA was acquired by P&O Princess Cruises in 2000, which later merged with Carnival Corporation in 2003. AIDA's first World Cruise (with AIDAcara) took place from October 2017 to February 2018, featuring a 116-day roundtrip itinerary from Hamburg, Germany.

The 2,200-passenger AIDAmar was constructed over a period of five years. Among her standout features are a spacious, luxurious spa facility and an onboard brewery. She debuted with one of the most spectacular christening ceremonies, held on May 12, 2012, in Hamburg, where AIDAmar was joined by her sister ships Blu, Sol, and Luna.

In addition to the ship’s staff and crew, AIDA passengers are served by Pepper robots—the latest cyborg technology implemented fleetwide in 2016. These humanoid robots greet and guide guests during embarkation and assist throughout the voyage by providing information on dining, entertainment, enrichment programs, casino and shopping promotions, and shore excursions. Pepper robots are mobile and communicate in English, German, and Italian. They can also interpret human emotions by analyzing voice tone and facial expressions.

Decks and Cabins

Most AIDAmar staterooms (1,096 total, in 24 categories) include 15 Suites, 505 Balcony, 391 Oceanview, and 374 Inside cabins. Balcony cabins measure 17–23 m² (185–250 ft²) and have step-out balconies ranging from 3–6 m² (30–65 ft²). Oceanview cabins are 14–17 m² (150–185 ft²), while Interior cabins are 14 m² (150 ft²). There are 11 wheelchair-accessible cabins. The largest accommodations are the Sundeck Deluxe Suites, ranging from 56–87 m² (605–935 ft²), each with a private sundeck measuring 12–50 m² (130–540 ft²).

The ship has 14 decks, of which 12 are accessible to passengers and 7 contain cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

There are seven restaurants and eleven bars onboard, serving fresh salads, grilled steaks, and burgers. Buffalo Steak House, Rossini, and the Sushi Bar are highly recommended. Don't miss the California Grill and the wide variety of available drinks.

Here is the complete list of AIDAmar's restaurants and food bars:

• Rossini (specialty, dinner-only restaurant with à la carte 6-course menu; surcharge applies; reservations required)
• Markt Restaurant (main dining room; complimentary buffet with various food stations and a small terrace)
• Bella Donna (Italian buffet-style restaurant; complimentary and open 24 hours)
• Buffalo Steakhouse (American à la carte dining; surcharge applies; reservations required)
• Sushi Bar (Japanese cuisine; surcharge applies; reservations required)
• California Grill (complimentary American-style restaurant)
• East Restaurant (Asian buffet-style restaurant; complimentary)

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Passengers can enjoy a modern 4D cinema, onboard shops, internet access, and a kids club. Relax in the AIDA Lounge or try your luck at the Casino. Other amenities include two swimming pools, a sauna, Wellness Suite, and the Body & Soul Sport & Spa area.

Below is the full list of AIDAmar's lounges, clubs, and entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults:

• Pier 3 Bar (coffee bar)
• Kids Club (age-specific supervised activities: Seahorses 3–6, Dolphins 7–9, Sharks 10–11; includes outdoor area with paddling pool)
• Internet stations with printers (located in Reception/Lobby; shipwide Wi-Fi, including all staterooms)
• Studio AIDA (TV studio producing cruise-related content and radio broadcasts)
• AIDA Mar Bar (cocktail bar with live music)
• Theatrium (948-seat, 3-deck-high venue with glass dome; combines an atrium and theatre for large-scale shows)
• Art Gallery (Kunstgalerie; offers original art and auctions)
• AIDA Lounge (panoramic views with comfortable seating)
• The Library (Bibliotek; offers card and board games)
• AIDAmar Casino
• Cafe Mare (patisserie and specialty coffee bar)
• Vinotek (fine wines shop with sommelier service and tastings)
• Brauhaus (onboard brewery using purified seawater; serves its own draft beer)
• Destille (fruit spirits bar)
• AIDA Bar (large-capacity lounge with panoramic windows)
• Photo Gallery & Shop (photo/video services, duty-free accessories, touchscreen kiosks with facial recognition)
• AIDA Shop (duty-free goods, including liquor, tobacco, jewelry, watches, fashion, perfumes, and branded merchandise)
• Beauty Salon (Friseur; hairdresser, barber, manicure/pedicure services)
• Body & Soul Sports Fitness Centre (modern gym and group class area)
• Zen Lounge (relaxation and indoor classes)
• 4D Kino Cinemare (4D cinema)
• Time Out Bar (sports bar); Ocean Bar (outdoor cocktail bar)
• Blutenmeer (Blooming Sea flower shop)
• Sundeck (served by the Beach Bar)
• Anytime Bar (disco and nightclub with DJ and themed dance nights; also hosts daytime dance classes)
• HYPE (teens club with supervised activities for Orcas 12–13 and Teens 14–17; complimentary)
• Body & Soul Spa (Africa-themed complex with Beauty Salon, Spa Reception, treatment rooms, Wellness Suite, Wellness Oase, Aroma Sauna, Finnish Sauna, Steam Room, and relaxation area)
• Wellness Oase (includes a large whirlpool, hammocks, loungers, palm trees, and live plants)
• Wellness Suite (for up to 4 guests; private veranda, sauna, whirlpool, luxury bath amenities; 4-hour rental)
• SPA Bar (serves complimentary fruits, tea, wellness drinks)
• Sundeck / sunbathing area (Freibereich above the pool; loungers and Pool Bar service); Top Deck has FKK Bereich (nudist area with loungers)
• Sun Deck Games Area (Sonnendeck – includes shuffleboard, giant chess, boccia, backgammon, darts, table tennis)
• Videowand (outdoor theater with large LED screen)
• Sports Deck (Sportaussendeck with volleyball/basketball court, golf cage, putting green, and simulator)
• Power Walking/Jogging Track

Itineraries

AIDAmar's itinerary program includes roundtrip Mediterranean cruises from Palma de Mallorca, Western Europe voyages from Hamburg and Amsterdam, Baltic cruises from Warnemünde, and Caribbean cruises departing from Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.

The vessel (Meyer Werft Papenburg yard/hull) has a volume of 71,304 GT, a deadweight tonnage (DWT) of 7,757 tons, and a maximum draft of 7.3 meters. The powerplant consists of MAK Caterpillar marine diesel engines (model 9M43C) with a combined output of 36 MW. The propulsion system uses VEM ELEKTROMOTORENWERK electric motors (model DTMSZ 3352-16YS) with a total output of 25 MW. The registered shipowner is COSTA CROCIERE SPA, the registered Manager is AIDA CRUISES, and the ISM Manager is CARNIVAL MARITIME GMBH.

AIDAmar is the sixth vessel in the Sphinx-class series operated by AIDA Kreuzfahrten and the ninth liner in the fleet. She was christened on May 12, 2012, at Port Hamburg, accompanied by her sister ships AIDAsol, AIDAluna, and AIDAblu.

AIDAmar features a real birch forest on board and even has its own brewery. The cinema is located on Deck 11 and shows the latest films in 4D. The Sun Deck area spans 6,620 m² and offers various activities, including dart boards, shuffleboard, and a giant chess set.

Like her sister ships, AIDAmar was built around the company’s "club resort" concept. These vessels are designed to attract young and active travelers from Germany. The primary language spoken onboard is German, as the majority of AIDA cruise ship passengers are Germans or German-speaking Europeans (including Austrians and Swiss).

AIDAmar refurbishments review

Drydock 2026

AIDAmar's extensive 2026 refurbishment is scheduled from November 1 to December 20th, at Chantiers Navals de Marseille (France). 

Before the major overhaul, AIDAmar was briefly drydocked at Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam's Botlek yard for a routine technical inspection from July 5 to July 6 (2026).

Curiously, the July drydocking was conducted during the ship's scheduled overnight call at Port Rotterdam, part of a 5-day cruise, with ~2,000 passengers remaining on board. On July 5th, AIDAmar entered Damen's Drydock No 6, which was later dewatered to allow inspection of the underwater hull in accordance with the vessel's scheduled survey requirements. The drydock was completed on July 6th, and the ship resumed the voyage as planned.

Drydock 2019

The ship's first drydocking was in 2019 (March 31 to May 4) at the Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz (Spain).

Besides the scheduled general maintenance works and technical overhauls, the ship underwent several renovations, including the redesign of the Kids Club, the addition of the Fun Park (Deck 14), and upgrades to the wellness complex - the installation of the Thermal Suites (in the Spa) and the complete redesign of the Hair and Nail Spa.

The project also included the replacement of 45,700+ m2 of carpeting and the installation of LED lighting throughout.

(Inaugural) AIDAmar World Cruise 2022-2023 Weltreise

On June 17, 2021, AIDA opened bookings for AIDAsol's first World Voyage, scheduled for winter 2022-2023. However, in October 2022, due to "minor technical issues" with AIDAsol, the voyage was reassigned to AIDAmar, while AIDAsol operated AIDAmar’s Canary Islands schedule for winter 2022-2023.

The 117-day itinerary (roundtrip from Hamburg, Germany, October 26, 2022 – February 20, 2023) featured signature destinations including Cape Horn (Chile/Antarctica), Cape of Good Hope (South Africa), Glacier Alley and Tierra del Fuego (Chilean Fjords), Mauritius, Cape Town, and Sydney, along with AIDA’s maiden calls at Suva (Fiji), Nukualofa (Tonga), Mystery Island (Vanuatu), Isle of Pines (New Caledonia), and Geraldton (Australia).

AIDAmar’s first world voyage visited 43 ports across 20 countries on 4 continents, crossing the Equator twice. The journey began in the Canary Islands and Cape Verde Islands, followed by a Transatlantic crossing to South America (Ushuaia, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro), a Transpacific crossing to South Pacific islands (Bora Bora, Tonga, Tahiti, Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Australia), the Indian Ocean (Mauritius, La Réunion), Africa (Namibia, South Africa), and back to Europe (Madeira, Tenerife, Lisbon, Cherbourg, ending in Hamburg).

AIDA's 2022–2023 World Voyage was also available in shorter segments (ranging from 30 to 48 days), including a 36-day cruise from Hamburg to San Antonio, Chile, a 48-day cruise from San Antonio to Port Louis, Mauritius, and a 33-day cruise from Mauritius to Hamburg.