AIDAperla

The 2017-built AIDAperla cruise ship is the second of two Hyperion-Class vessels operated by AIDA Cruises, along with her sister ship, AIDAprima (2016). AIDAperla is the fleet’s 12th vessel and the second of two AIDA ships built in Japan. The Hyperion-Class was succeeded by the Helios-Class, which includes AIDAnova and AIDAcosma.

The vessel (IMO number 9636967) is currently flagged in Italy (MMSI 247385300) and registered in Genova.

History - Construction and Ownership

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

The 3,400-passenger AIDAperla is among the most technologically advanced cruise ships in the world. Her hull is designed to reduce friction and minimize fuel consumption. Emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulfur oxide, and soot particles are reduced by an impressive 90–99%.

In addition to the ship's staff and crew, AIDA passengers are assisted by Pepper robots, a fleetwide technology implemented in 2016. These humanoid robots greet and guide guests during embarkation and throughout the cruise, offering information and tips on dining, entertainment, enrichment programs (workshops and scheduled events), casino and shopping promotions, as well as shore excursions. Pepper robots are mobile, speak English, German, and Italian, and interpret human emotions through voice tone and facial expression analysis.

Decks and Cabins

AIDAperla staterooms (1,643 total in 21 categories) include 32 Suites (in 6 categories), 1,101 Balcony cabins (69% of all accommodations, in 10 categories), 198 Oceanviews (in 4 categories), and 312 Interior cabins (in 3 categories). The largest are the Forward-Facing Premium Suites (1,345 ft² / 125 m²), featuring private sundeck terraces (885 ft² / 82 m²).

The ship has 18 decks, with 15 accessible to passengers and 9 featuring staterooms.

All cabins offer standard complimentary amenities including an electronic safe and lifejackets (in the closet), spacious wardrobe (some with walk-in closets), low table with lounge chairs, double beds (most convertible to twins), Pullman beds (in most quads), bedside tables, wall-mounted reading lamps, direct-dial phone (with baby monitoring), smart HDTV (infotainment system with satellite reception, Internet, on-demand movies, ship information, and live camera views), LED lighting, mirrored dressing table with chair, and en-suite bathroom (toilet, shower cabin, single-sink vanity, hairdryer), and individually controlled air conditioning.

Shipboard Dining Options - Food and Drinks

AIDAperla offers a wide range of dining venues, including the classic Bella Donna and Markt Restaurant, and the Fuego family buffet. Service restaurants such as Casa Nova and French Kiss offer Mediterranean and French cuisines. Guests can also participate in interactive cooking classes at the AIDA Cooking School. The exclusive Spray Bar spans two decks and is operated in partnership with Moët & Chandon. The Lanai Bar is located on Deck 8 at the stern, while the Patio Bar on Deck 16 provides the same view as the captain. Other venues include the Nightfly nightclub, M Bar, Tapas & Bar, and Club D6.

Below is the complete list of AIDAperla restaurants and food bars:

• Scharfe Ecke (Sharp Corner – complimentary fast food venue)
• Rossini (specialty, dinner-only, à la carte, with 6-course menu; surcharge and reservations required)
• Markt Restaurant (main dining, complimentary buffet with terrace seating)
• Bella Donna (Italian cuisine, complimentary, buffet-style, open 24 hours)
• Ristorante Casa Nova (Mediterranean cuisine; surcharge applies)
• Brasserie French Kiss (French cuisine; reservations and surcharge required)
• Weite Welt Restaurant (Wide World – complimentary buffet)
• Buffalo Steakhouse (American à la carte; surcharge and reservations required)
• Sushi Bar (Japanese cuisine; surcharge and reservations required)
• Fuego Restaurant (family-friendly, complimentary, includes kids buffet)
• East Restaurant (Asian buffet, complimentary)

On June 24, 2023, the new specialty restaurant Soulkitchen was introduced on AIDAperla, AIDAprima, and AIDAnova. This à la carte venue features a 3-course menu of plant-based vegan dishes, meat and seafood alternatives, and organic beverages including coffee, tea, fresh juices, non-alcoholic wines, and spirits.

Shipboard Entertainment Options - Fun and Sport

Guests can relax at the Beach Club, which transforms into a lively party venue at night. The Beach Club is enclosed beneath a retractable membrane roof and includes the “Four Elements” activity area themed around water, air, fire, and earth. Highlights include two water slides, a rock climbing wall, and a large LED wall for outdoor movies and entertainment. The ship also offers Kids, Teens, and—for the first time—a Mini Club for infants from 6 months of age.

Other highlights include panoramic glass elevators connecting outdoor areas and a 45-meter-high glass skywalk. The Body & Soul Organic Spa offers organic treatments. AIDA Plaza features a range of bars and shops and serves as both a social hub and a performance stage for street entertainment. The enhanced Theatrium, with its round stage, is the center of onboard entertainment and a signature element of AIDA ships.

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

• Pier 3 Bar (coffee bar)
• Spray Bar (adults-only 2-level luxury lounge & Champagne bar via a partnership with French winery "Moet & Chandon")
• Diskothek (Disco D6, with a DJ program, light shows, and themed dance parties)
• Nachtclub Nightfly (adult-only nightclub lounge with grand piano, live band music, and its own bar)
• Tapas & Bar
• AIDA Plaza (2-deck high, open-floor Atrium lounge with bars and live entertainment; luxury boutique shopping arcade)
• Jewelry Shop; Travel Shop; PhotoShop; Sports Shop; Parfumerie; Kids Shop; Treasure Chest Shop
• Kids Club (AIDA Cruises kids program is complimentary, with supervised, age-appropriate activities: the 3 age groups include Seahorses for 3-6 yo, Dolphins for 7-9 yo and Sharks 10-11 yo; the Kids Club has an outdoor area with a paddling pool)
• AIDA Bar (cocktail bar with live music)
• Art Gallery (Kunstgalerie; sells original artworks of renowned art schools and German artists; hosts art auctions)
• AIDA Lounge (with 270-degree panoramic views and comfortable seating)
• The Library (Bibliotek; offers card and board games)
• Casino (served by Casino Bar)
• Theatrium (3-deck high, big-capacity show lounge with large stage with a dynamic platform; this is a combined Atrium-Theater-Lounge for daily entertainment, large-scale productions, cabaret, and magician shows; served by Theatrium Bar)
• Eiscafe (ice cream parlor Ice cafe Erste Sahne)
• Cafe Mare (patisserie & specialty coffee bar)
• Vinotek (fine wines shop; offers sommelier service and wine tasting events)
• Brauhaus (beerhouse; onboard brewery, purified seawater is used for brewing beer; the Beer House sells its own draft beers)
• Destille (Distillery; fruit spirits bar)
• AIDA Bar (big-capacity lounge with panoramic windows)
• Photo Gallery & Shop (professional photo & video services, duty-free accessories and equipment; new feature are the photo kiosks with touch-screens /face-recognition system)
• AIDA Shop (duty-free merchandise at discount prices; the shopping arcade has a general store selling liquor and tobaccos, as well as small boutiques for jewelry, luxury watches, perfumes, brand fashion clothing, AIDA logo goods)
• Beauty Salon (Friseur; provides hairdresser, barber services, professional manicure/pedicure Nail Spa)
• Body & Soul Sports Fitness Centre (with a modern Gym and separate area for classes)
• Zen Lounge (relaxation room; hosts indoor classes)
• Blutenmeer (Blooming Sea flower shop)
• Kochstudio (Cooking Studio for culinary classes, workshops, master chefs presentations; reservations are required)
• Lanai Bar (with outdoor seating area)
• Sundeck area (with 4 infinity pools)
• Wave Club (water playground and teens club with supervised activities in two age groups - Orcas for 12 -13 yo and Teens 14 -17 yo; complimentary)
• Body & Soul Organic SPA complex (3100 m2, with indoor/outdoor pools, big whirlpools and retractable glass roof; offers Japanese Tea Ceremony, body scrubs, and wraps; facilities include 5 saunas, treatment rooms, Rasul bath, relaxation room, shower room, conservatory, luxury Spa Suites, SPA Bar)
• AIDA Lounge (with 270-degree panorama views, comfortable couches, and tables); Sunset Bar
• Mini Club (childcare/babysitting services for toddlers and little kids 6 months to 3yo)
• Four Elements (Water Park with rock climbing walls, pools and whirlpools, splash pool and fountains for children, a stage for live shows, huge LED screen and 2 water slides; the activity deck is covered with a sliding glass roof)
• Bar 5 Elements (serving the Aqua Park complex)
• AIDA Beach Club (2-deck high relaxation oasis, covered with a glass dome for tropical beach-like experience with live plants and palm trees; in the evenings, the club is transformed into a party zone)
• Sundeck / sunbathing area (Freibereich, located above the swimming pool; with loungers, served by the Pool Bar); the ship's Top Deck is dedicated to Freikorperkultur / FKK Bereich nudist area with sun loungers)
• Sun Deck games area (Sonnendeck - Freibereich, with shuffleboard, giant chess, Boccia, backgammon, darts, table tennis)
• Patio deck (exclusive, covered deck area for Panorama cabin guests only, adult-only)
• Sports Deck area (Sportaussendeck with a combined sports court volleyball/basketball, Golf Cage, putting green area, golf simulator)
• Rock Climbing Walls; High Ropes Course; Power Walking/Jogging Track.

Itineraries

AIDAperla’s itinerary program consists of 7-day Western Mediterranean roundtrip cruises, calling at ports such as Corsica, Civitavecchia-Rome, Livorno (Pisa-Florence), and Barcelona. Departures are from the homeport of Palma de Mallorca every Saturday.

The vessel (MHI Nagasaki yard/hull number 135476) has a volume of 125,572 GT, a deadweight tonnage (DWT) of 9,200 tons, and a maximum draught of 8.3 m. Her powerplant consists of MAK Caterpillar marine diesel engines (dual-fuel model 12MV46DF) with a combined output of 28.4 MW (total output 48 MW). Propulsion is provided by ABB Azipod thrusters. The registered shipowner is COSTA CROCIERE S.p.A., the registered Manager is AIDA CRUISES, and the ISM Manager is CARNIVAL MARITIME GMBH.

AIDAperla is the 12th AIDA liner and the company’s second Japan-built ship, following AIDAprima (launched in April 2016). In August 2011, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) was awarded the contract to build two next-generation AIDA ships – Prima and Perla. Construction of AIDAprima began in June 2013. She was floated out on May 4, 2015, and delivered on March 14, 2016. AIDAperla was delivered on April 27 and christened in Palma de Mallorca on June 30 during her 7-day Inaugural Cruise (June 24 – July 1) from Barcelona.

On April 27, 2017, the vessel was officially delivered to AIDA Cruises. The traditional Japanese handover ceremony was attended by Michael Thamm (CEO of Costa Group), Felix Eichhorn (President of AIDA), Shunichi Miyanaga (President and CEO of MHI), and Kazuaki Kimura (President and CEO of MHI’s Industry and Infrastructure division).

The ship’s godmother is Lena Gercke, a German model and TV presenter who won the first season of "Germany's Next Topmodel" in 2006. From 2009 to 2012, she hosted the first four seasons of "Austria's Next Topmodel."

During the 7-day Inaugural Cruise (June 24 – July 1), the christening ceremony took place on June 30 in Palma de Mallorca. The special event featured a spectacular music and light show and was broadcast live online and across social media platforms.

AIDAperla is the world’s second cruise ship (after AIDAprima) fitted with dual-fuel engines that produce energy from LNG (liquefied natural gas) while docked in port. LNG is delivered by truck, with Royal Dutch Shell as AIDA’s exclusive supplier. While in port, the diesel engines are shut down, reducing NOx emissions by approximately 80% and CO2 emissions by about 20%.

AIDAperla Refurbishments Review

The ship underwent her first drydock refurbishment in April–May 2022 at the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany. The project included technical upgrades and routine maintenance, such as hull cleaning and repainting.

Enhancements included a new Hypoxi Studio added to the Body & Soul Organic Spa for figure-shaping sessions and cyberobics workout programs in the Gym, led by professional trainers.

Additional updates included a new ice cream bar offering a wide variety of cakes and the addition of a Fashion Accessories boutique featuring sunglasses, leather goods, and handbags.

Ship Technology

AIDAperla is one of the most technologically advanced cruise ships in the world. She uses MALS (Mitsubishi Air Lubrication System) technology, which creates a cushion of air beneath the hull, reducing friction and fuel consumption by allowing the ship to glide over a layer of air bubbles.

Zeppelin Power Systems was contracted to provide engine maintenance and support services, including the "Cat Asset Intelligence" system that offers real-time engine data monitoring and reporting.

The ship’s powerplant includes three diesel engines (Caterpillar MaK 12V M43C, total output 28.35 MW) and one dual-fuel engine (LNG/oil, MaK M46DF, output 8.6 MW). These dual-fuel engines use heavy fuel oil and LNG to reduce overall fuel consumption. The vessel is equipped with an advanced filtration system that significantly lowers stack emissions. Propulsion is provided by two stabilizers, two ABB Azipod XO-Pod thrusters (3 MW each), and three Brunvoll FU-115-3000 thrusters. Total power output is 48 MW.

The following YouTube video shows a time-lapse of sister ship AIDAprima’s construction at the Nagasaki, Japan shipyard.

AIDAperla is also one of the world’s first LNG-powered cruise ships, using LNG fuel while berthed in port. She is the second German-market ship, after AIDAprima, to feature an onboard ice rink. The ice rink is operational during the winter season until mid-March and is part of AIDA Cruises’ partnership with “Holiday on Ice.”

Signature features on board include the Beach Club (a dome-covered adults-only relaxation area), climbing garden, Four Elements water park with two slides, Mini Club (nursery and babysitting services), patio deck (for panorama cabins), promenade deck (Lanai with infinity pools), an expansive spa complex (3,100 m² / 33,400 ft²), glass-walled elevators, and a glass-bottom skywalk.

On September 5, 2019, AIDA signed a contract with Norwegian battery manufacturer Corvus Energy to install lithium-ion marine battery systems on AIDAperla. The battery systems are produced at Corvus Energy’s new manufacturing facility in Bergen, Norway. AIDAperla’s battery pack was scheduled for installation in 2020. With a total output of 10 MWh, it represents the largest battery storage system ever installed on a passenger cruise ship.

Inaugural Itineraries 2017–2018

According to an official announcement by AIDA on March 9, 2016, AIDAperla’s initial deployment consisted of 7-day Western Mediterranean roundtrip cruises calling at Corsica (France), Civitavecchia-Rome (Italy), Livorno (Pisa-Florence, Italy), and Barcelona (Spain). Departures were offered from two homeports: Palma de Mallorca (Saturdays) and Barcelona (Fridays), with optional overnights in Marseille.

Before her official christening cruise on June 24, 2017, several preview voyages were offered. The 5-day “Welcome Cruise” (June 1–6, 2017) sailed from Palma de Mallorca to Marseille, Barcelona, and Valencia. Prices started at EUR 550 per person (inside cabin, AIDA PREMIUM rate, including an Early Saver discount of EUR 50).

The ship’s inaugural cruise from Japan and her full 2017–2018 deployment schedule were announced in late December 2016.

• AIDAperla became the 12th ship in the AIDA fleet.
• The inaugural cruise was initially planned for July 1, 2017, but the ship launched two months ahead of schedule. Passengers booked on AIDAbella for sailings between June 30 – August 26, 2017, were given the option to rebook on AIDAperla.
• In mid-February 2017, the inaugural cruise was rescheduled for June 24 (7-day itinerary to July 1) departing Palma de Mallorca and visiting Civitavecchia-Rome, Livorno-Florence, and Barcelona.
• Starting September 1, 2017, the ship operated four different Western Mediterranean itineraries, branded as “Pearls of the Mediterranean” (routes 1–4).
• In March 2018, AIDAperla visited Germany for the first time, with Hamburg as her new homeport for 7-day roundtrips to Western European ports (including Southampton, Le Havre-Paris, Zeebrugge, and Rotterdam).
• “Pearls of the Mediterranean” cruises between July and October 2017 were priced from EUR 930 per person (inside cabin, double occupancy).

The following tables show the ship's inaugural cruise itineraries with port sequences and scheduled times. Prices are per person based on double occupancy in an inside cabin.

(2017) 7 nights / 8 days repositioning from Barcelona to Palma de Mallorca

(2017) 6 nights / 7 days Inaugural Mediterranean cruise roundtrip from Palma (theme "Taufreise")

(2017) 7 nights / 8 days Inaugural Mediterranean cruise roundtrip from Barcelona (theme "Perlen Am Mittelmeer 2")

(2018) 15 nights / 16 days repositioning cruise from Barcelona to Hamburg

(2018) 7 nights / 8 days Inaugural Baltic Sea cruise roundtrip from Rotterdam (prices from USD 830 pp)

(2018) 7 nights / 8 days Inaugural cruise roundtrip from homeport Hamburg (prices from USD 880 pp)

Godspeed!