The future is taking up speed: AIDA Cruises receives innovative and world’s first LNG cruise ship AIDAnova
AIDA Cruises took receipt of its latest ship AIDAnova from the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg on December 12, 2018.
The formal commissioning of this innovative prototype of a new generation of AIDA ships was attended by Michael Thamm, CEO Costa Group & Carnival Asia, Felix Eichhorn, President AIDA Cruises, Bernard Meyer and Tim Meyer, managing directors of Meyer Werft, Captain Boris Becker and other guests of honor.
With AIDAnova, one of the most innovative new-builds with outstanding experiential worlds for its guests will be going into service. It is furthermore the first cruise ship worldwide that can be operated with low-emission liquefied natural gas (LNG) both in port and at sea.
Felix Eichhorn, President AIDA Cruises, drew attention to the uniqueness of the prototype: "With huge enthusiasm and creativity, we have brought together an extraordinary product variety on AIDAnova. We are incredibly proud to be operating what is currently the world's most eco-friendly cruise ship, and we will be consistently pursuing this path of continuous development."
"We thank the Meyer Werft shipyard and our many partners for their dedication in implementing our new ideas and concepts, and we are confident that together we have paved the way for the future of cruising with this prototype," Felix Eichhorn continued.
The first guests will be welcomed aboard on Tenerife on December 19, 2018. They can look forward to a vast range of entirely new culinary and entertainment choices. In particular, the number of service restaurants has been significantly expanded. The Ocean's - the specialty restaurant for fish and seafood – is but only one example. In the new Churrascaria Steakhouse, grilled meat from the spit is served.
For the perfect Asian dining experience, the range of sushi offers and teppanyaki dishes have been expanded and new hot pots and a tandoori area have been added. For the perfect Asian dining experience, the East Restaurant has been expanded to include a Tandoori area. New is also the Yachtclub Restaurant, which offers light seasonal cuisine and international specialties in a maritime flair, and the Street Food Mile, where you can enjoy a snack from currywurst, kebab or sandwiches from early morning until after midnight.
At the new Time Machine Restaurant, guests enter a world full of wonders and surprises. Over a fantastic time-traveling dinner, the lines between reality and fantasy blur. Everything moves and rotates; waiters turn into magicians as they serve a delicious multi-course menu.
Studio X stands for innovative entertainment with exciting formats of every kind of TV entertainment. The modern recording studio aboard AIDAnova is the first TV studio at sea that produces and broadcasts live on a daily basis. The multipurpose room is thus one of AIDAnova's highlights. The guests attend the broadcasts live, enjoying both well-known TV formats, and some TV shows specially developed for AIDAnova.
The popular Theatrium features the first 360-degree stage with more than 10 LED walls and a "Magic Tunnel" for spectacular artist appearances.
The Four Elements activity area with ropes course and water slides, and the Beach Club for relaxation are, of course, also found aboard AIDAnova. Apart from that, the ship features a wellness area of around 3,500 square meters, an outdoor gym, 17 restaurants and 17 bars. One of the many highlights are the 21 different cabin variants. From the penthouse suite over two decks to spacious family cabins or comfortable single cabins, every guest has the opportunity to feel at home in their own individual way at sea.
The entire interior of AIDAnova impresses with its innovative design. The modern architecture gives a light and airy feeling to the rooms. The nuanced color compositions give AIDAnova elegance and the refined structures provide surprising effects.
AIDAnova is equipped with state-of-the-art technology for eco-friendly travel. AIDA Cruises already started to invest in liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a propulsion technology more than ten years ago. Emissions of particulate matter and sulfur oxides are almost completely eliminated. Nitrogen oxides and CO2 emissions are sustainably reduced. In 2021 and 2023, two additional ships from this new AIDA generation will join the AIDA fleet. In less than five years, more than half of all AIDA guests will be traveling on board ships that are either fully or partially powered with low-emission liquefied natural gas.
During her premiere season, from mid-December 2018 AIDAnova will be going on seven-day cruises around the island world of the Canaries and Madeira. The program takes in the fascinating volcanic landscapes of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, and the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira.
Starting in the summer of 2019, AIDAnova will set course for Mediterranean destinations such as Mallorca, Barcelona, Rome, Florence, and Marseilles. Thus, the new cruise ship will offer the two most popular routes of German guests - in the winter season the Canary Islands and in the summer months the western Mediterranean.
All AIDAnova cruises can be booked at travel agencies, with the AIDA Customer Center by phoning +49 (0)381/202 707 07 or online at www.aida.de.
Rostock, December 12, 2018
About AIDA Cruises:
AIDA Cruises is one of the fastest growing and commercially most successful tourism businesses in Germany. The company employs about 12,500 people from more than 40 countries on land and on board AIDA ships. AIDA Cruises operates one of the world's most state-of-the-art fleets, comprised of 13 cruise ships.
Two new LNG cruise ships built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg (Germany) will join the fleet by 2023. More information at www.aida.de
