AIDAsol

The 2011-built AIDAsol cruise ship is the 5th Sphinx-class AIDA liner, with 3 sisterships - AIDAblu, AIDAstella, AIDAmar.

History - construction and ownership

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

The 2200-passenger ship AIDAsol - like all other AIDA-operated boats - has the big red lips and blue eyes on the hull's bow. Bettina Zwickler was chosen from 1600 other applicants to be the boat's Godmother during a reality-like show.

Besides the ship's staff and crew, AIDA cruise passengers are also served by Peper robots - the latest cyborg technology implemented fleetwide in 2016. These humanoid robots greet and guide passengers upon embarkation. They also assist them throughout the cruise by providing information and tips on onboard dining, entertainment, enrichment program (workshops, pre-scheduled events), casino and shopping promotions, shore excursions and tours. Pepper robots are mobile and communicate in 3 languages (English, German, Italian). They can also interpret human emotions by analyzing voice tones and facial expressions.

Decks and Cabins

AIDAsol staterooms (1097 total, in 24 grades) include 15 Suites, 505 Balconies, 391 Oceanview, 374 Inside cabins. Balcony cabins are sized 17-23 m2 (185-250 ft2) with 3-6 m2 (30-65 ft2) step-out balconies. The Oceanviews are sized 14-17 m2 (150-185 ft2), the Interior cabins are 14 m2 (150 ft2). Wheelchair-accessible cabins are 11. The largest accommodations are the Sundeck Deluxe Suites (56-87 m2 / 605-935 ft2) with private sundeck (12-50 m2 / 130-540 ft2).

The boat has 14 decks, of which 12 are passenger-accessible and 7 with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

AIDAsol cruise ship provides delicious food and seven restaurants’ choice. If you are hungry, there are many options offered. Dine at Bella Donna or Markt Restaurant, try the Sol Bar or the Sushi Bar. Don’t forget the Zen Lounge, Time Out, and Pier 3 Bars.

Follows the complete list of AIDAsol restaurants and food bars.

• Rossini (a specialty, dinner-only restaurant at surcharge, reservations required; offers waiter service and 6-course a-la-carte menu)
• Markt Restaurant (complimentary main dining room; self-service buffet restaurant with a variety of food stations and a small terrace)
• Bella Donna (Italian cuisine restaurant, complimentary, buffet-style dining, open 24 hours)
• Buffalo Steakhouse (American fare restaurant with a la carte menu; reservations required; at a surcharge)
• Sushi Bar (Japanese restaurant at surcharge, reservations are required)
• California Grill (complimentary, American cuisine restaurant)
• East Restaurant (Asian cuisine, buffet-style complimentary restaurant).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

There is no indoor pool on AIDAsol, but passengers can find a large fitness, an aroma sauna, and a steam bath. If you want to calm down, visit the AIDAsol SPA & fitness and recharge the batteries. On the sun deck, there is a big LED screen, and the cinema is a 4D. Beer-lovers can head to deck 10 and taste fresh beer brewed onboard the cruise ship.

Follows the complete list of AIDAsol lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Pier 3 Bar (coffee bar)
• 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)
• Internet stations with printers (located in the Reception/Lobby area; Wi-Fi coverage is available shipwide, including in all guests rooms)
• Studio AIDA (TV studio, producing films related to ship's itinerary and activities, plus a radio program)
• AIDA Sol Bar (cocktail bar with live music)
• Theatrium (948-seat, 3-deck high; a combination of an Atrium and a theater, with glass walls, a stage with dynamic platforms, and glass dome; hosts large-scale productions)
• 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)
• AIDAsol casino
• 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)
• Body & Soul Sports Fitness Centre (with a modern Gym and separate area for classes)
• Zen Lounge (relaxation room; hosts indoor classes)
• 4D Kino Cinemare (4D Cinema room)
• Time Out Bar (sports bar); Ocean Bar (outdoor cocktail bar)
• Blutenmeer (Blooming Sea flower shop)
• Sundeck area (served by the Beach Bar)
• Anytime Bar (Diskothek; ship’s disco & nightclub with DJ program and themed dance parties; during the day hosts organized dance classes)
• HYPE (teens club with supervised activities in two age groups – Orcas for 12 -13 yo and Teens 14 -17 yo; complimentary)
• Body & Soul SPA complex (2300 m2, Africa-themed) consists of Beauty Salon, Spa Reception, massages/treatments rooms, Wellness Suite, Wellness Oase, Aroma Sauna, Finish Sauna, Steam Room, relaxation room.
• Wellness Oase (Oasis, with a large whirlpool, hammocks, relaxation beds, decorated with palm trees and live plants)
• Wellness Suite (max 4 guests, rented for 4 hours; with its own veranda, Sauna, Whirlpool, luxury bath amenities)
• SPA Bar (complimentary fresh fruits, tea, wellness drinks)
• 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)
• Videowand (outdoor theater, with a big-size LED screen)
• Sports Deck area (Sportaussendeck with a combined sports court volleyball/basketball, Golf Cage, putting green area, golf simulator)
• Power Walking/Jogging Track.

Itineraries

AIDAsol itinerary program is based on Canary Islands round-trip cruises from Gran Canaria and Norwegian Fjords itineraries from Hamburg Germany.

Following the Coronavirus crisis, in 2021 AIDAsol became AIDA's first boat to restart passenger shipping operations - on May 22. The mini-season (May 22 thru June 9) included 3-night and 4-night cruises to nowhere leaving roundtrip from Kiel and without call ports along the itinerary. The liner's regular schedule started on June 17, with 10-night roundtrips from Hamburg to Norway.

The ship's first World Cruise was a Hamburg roundtrip (October 26, 2022, through February 20, 2023). The 117-day "Weltreise 2022" itinerary included 43 ports in 20 countries (on 4 continents).

AIDAsol is the 5th liner in the Sphinx-class/series of AIDA Kreutzfahrten and fleet's 8th vesel. It was christened on April 09, 2011, in Kiel Germany. The Papenburg Shipyard used laser-hybrid advanced technology in assembling 54 steel blocks to form the vessel's body. Fun fact is that 200 t of paint was the total weight applied and 1,700 km of cables laid. The ship features a brewery, an additional deck, a vast (25,000 ft2) wellness complex. Its 7 restaurants occupy a total area of over 46000 ft2, while the Sun Deck is sized 71000 ft2.

AIDA's Sol ship is an energy-efficient vessel, with modern propulsion and engines significantly reducing CO2 emissions. Just the lighting system saves 3,000 t greenhouse gases per year. Just like the sisterships, Sol was built around AIDA's "club resort" concept. These vessels were designed with young and active passengers in mind. The language spoken on board is German, as the majority of AIDA cruise ship passengers are Germans and German-speaking Europeans (from Austria and Switzerland).

On May 30, 2015, AIDAsol became the world's first-ever cruise ship that received power supply by an LNG hybrid barge. The Hummel barge (by Becker Marine Systems) provided 7,5 MW of power to the vessel docked in Hamburg. The LNG barge (length 76,7 m, width 11,4 m) was constructed by Becker Marine to serve as a floating power plant generating electrical power via a 15-ton LNG (liquefied natural gas) container. In its processing plant, the cryogenic liquid is heated and passed on to 5 Caterpillar motors producing electricity - without any sulfur emissions. The levels of NOx and COx emissions are significantly reduced. The technology is deemed the cleanest for shore-to-ship electrical power supply.

On March 04, 2018, AIDA Cruises announced Sol ship's new Captain - Mrs Nicole Langosch (of German origin) - the fleet's first-ever female Captain.

World Cruise 2022-2023

On June 17, 2021, AIDA opened for booking AIDAsol's first World Voyage scheduled for winter 2022-2023.

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

The ship has scheduled visits to 43 ports (in 20 countries, on 4 continents), cross the Equator twice. The route starts with Canary Islands and Cape Verde Islands, follows Transatlantic crossing to South America (Ushuaia, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Chile), Transpacific crossing to the South Pacific islands (Bora Bora, Tonga, Tahiti, Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Australia), Indian Ocean (Mauritius, La Reunion), Africa (Namibia, South Africa) and back to Europe (Madeira, Tenerife, Lisbon, Cherbourg France, and ends in Hamburg.

AIDA's World Voyage 2022-2023 can be booked in smaller segments (with durations between 30-48 days), including 36-day Hamburg to San Antonio Chile, 48-day San Antonio to Port Louis Mauritius, 33-day Mauritius to Hamburg.

Next table shows the originally scheduled for AIDAsol "Weltreise 2021" (117-day World Cruise 2021-2022 / October through February) that was canceled.

Cruises to Nowhere from Kiel 2021

Following the Coronavirus crisis, in 2021 AIDAsol became AIDA's first boat to restart passenger shipping operations - on May 22. The mini-season (May 22 thru June 9) included 3-night and 4-night cruises to nowhere leaving roundtrip from Kiel and without call ports along the itinerary.

• Bookings opened on May 12, 2021.
• AIDAsol left Warnemunde on May 12 (at 6 PM) and docked in Kiel on May 13 (at 3 PM). AIDAsol also became the first ship that utilized Port Kiel's new shore powerplant.
• The 3-day "Ahoy Tour" included sailing towards Skagerrak Strait (between Denmark's Jutland Peninsula, southeastern Norway and western Sweden), scenic cruising along the Danish and Swedish coasts, passing the Oresund Bridge (linking mainland Sweden with Peberholm Island) and Copenhagen. In Sweden are also within reach Helsingor (Elsinore) and Helsingborg.
• The 4-day "Ahoy Tour" featured scenic cruising along Rugen Island's coast (including Cape Arkona).
• The 3- and 4-day "nowhere cruises" were alternating and combinable into 7-day B2Bs.
• Balcony cabin prices (for the 3-day voyage) started from EUR 550 (USD 670) per person with double occupancy, inclusive of AIDA's Premium Package (unlimited beverages plus WiFi Internet).

The ship's regular schedule started on June 17, with 10-night roundtrips from Hamburg to Norway.