News Release

Holiday highlights on board AIDA

Whether Cape or Caribbean, wellness or hiking: AIDA’s variety of vacation highlights for Christmas and New Year’s Eve offer something for everyone

Leaving all the holiday stress and winter behind while still enjoying the traditional Christmas spirit far away from home. Or dancing carefree at a wild New Year’s Eve party with amazing light shows. These dreams come true with AIDA.

Dreaming of a delicious Christmas... on board AIDA

On board, our guests experience a buffet that pleases every palate, from traditional to spicy Asian dishes. True holiday gourmets enjoy a feast with roast goose, red cabbage, and dumplings. A lavish seafood platter with lobster, a juicy and tender veal roast, and scrumptious pâtés await guests as well. For dessert, the deliciously smelling apple - cinnamon crumble awaits its consumption. Traditional gingerbread houses, Christmas cookies and stollen complete the Christmas meal plan.

A diverse entertainment program gets guests in the holiday mood, far away from cold winter. At the AIDA Christmas gala, guests experience magical shows with the AIDA Stars, the captain and officers. Children recite poems and sing Christmas songs while the traditional video devotional is a reflective, extra-special moment. Those who’d like to keep celebrating can dance on the pool deck, at the Anytime Bar, or at the Beach Club’s glamorous X-mas Party.

There’s something for little guests, too. On Christmas Eve, Santa Claus hands out parents’ gifts to their children on board the AIDA ships. On most ships even a Christmas sleepover party takes place in the Kids Club.

The Christmas atmosphere on board is topped off with lovingly decorated ships and bright Christmas trees. Around 240 trees delight big and small AIDA vacationers on the 14 AIDA ships. On board AIDAperla, 36 trees adorn the public areas, including two five-meter-high trees.

Those who not only want to enjoy that traditional Christmas feeling like at home but also learn something new can explore the holiday traditions of other cultures on land. AIDA’s ships will be spread out all over the globe on New Year’s Eve. There’s Christmas under palm trees on board AIDAdiva, AIDAluna and AIDAperla in the Caribbean. Kitschy yet beautiful ornaments, illuminated stars and glittering snowmen await AIDAbella guests in Bangkok. Christmas Eve will be just as exotic for guests on AIDAprima as they sail the Arabian Gulf. On the other side of the world, in Tauranga, to be exact, the world travelers on board AIDAaura will experience the kind of Christmas Eve traditions they are accustomed to because despite hot temperatures, New Zealand celebrates the holidays with the wintry symbolism of Santa Claus in his red coat, on his sleigh, and with the Christmas song “Jingle Bells.”

On board AIDAcara, AIDAnova and AIDAstella, guests spend Christmas in summery temperatures on the Canary Islands and also visit the Flower Island of Madeira on their cruises.

3,2,1… Happy New Year

Anyone can do sparklers and jumping jacks. But who can say they experienced one of the most spectacular fireworks displays live and up close on New Year’s Eve? Guests on board AIDAcara and AIDAstella can when their ships dock at Funchal/Madeira at the turn of the year. The fireworks in Madeira are famed all over the world and even listed in the Guinness World Records. From about 25 stations around Funchal, fireworks are simultaneously fired into the sky. The fireworks against the breathtaking backdrop of Singapore (AIDAbella), Hong Kong (AIDAvita), Sydney (AIDAaura), Lisbon (AIDAmar), Santa Cruz de Tenerife (AIDAnova), and Abu Dhabi (AIDAprima) will be equally unforgettable. On board AIDAsol, guests will celebrate the turn of the year with a Venetian masquerade ball on their way from Livorno/Italy to Marseille/France. At the New Year’s Eve gala on board AIDAdiva, guitarist and singer Wayne Morris will rock into the new year with guests while a traditional New Year’s Eve gala accompanied by a colorful mix of comedy, drag, light, and laser show is taking place on AIDAperla. On all other ships, guests will enjoy a fantastic New Year’s Eve party as well. Glamorous light decorations spread festive cheer among guests and crew while the exclusive New Year’s Eve gala with rousing live entertainment and great artists guarantees top-class entertainment. Kids and teens celebrate their own New Year’s Eve parties with the AIDA hosts including a sleepover at the Kids Club. A culinary highlight crowns the New Year’s Eve celebrations on board: The extravagant New Year’s Eve menu features delicious dishes from all over the world. The caviar buffet, a midnight snack and a hearty New Year’s Day breakfast make the turn of the year perfect.

Christmas and New Year’s Eve 2020 – Book early and save

Guests save when they book next year’s cruise now. Attractive Early Saver Plus discounts are granted on bookings made by May 31, 2020. Those who book early also enjoy all the advantages of the AIDA PREMIUM rate, e.g. the choice of desired stateroom, the AIDA Rail&Fly Ticket, which can be used throughout Germany, two bottles of complimentary mineral water on board every day, and Internet access (250 MB data volume) per stateroom, per cruise.

More information and bookings at travel agencies, online at www.aida.de, or with the AIDA Customer Center at the phone number +49 (0) 381 / 20 27 07 07. Festive menus, Christmas gifts, and spa treatments can be booked prior to the cruise on MyAIDA (www.aida.de/myaida).

Rostock, November 27, 2019

Where are AIDA’s ships on Christmas and New Year’s Eve?

Ship                         December 24                                          December 31

AIDAaura Tauranga/New Zealand                          Sydney/Australia

AIDAbella Bangkok/ Thailand                  Singapore

AIDAblu   Port Louis/Mauritius                               at sea, sailing to Madagascar

AIDAcara at sea, sailing to Madeira                       Funchal/Madeira   

AIDAdiva Samaná/Dom. Republic                          at sea, sailing to Mexico

AIDAluna St. John’s/Antigua & Barbuda at sea, sailing to Colón/Panama

AIDAmar Màlaga/Spain                                         Lisbon/Portugal

AIDAmira at sea, sailing to Port Elizabeth              at sea, sailing to Namibia

AIDAnova                at sea, sailing to Tenerife                       Santa Cruz/Tenerife

AIDAperla                St. John’s/Antigua & Barbuda at sea, sailing to Grenada

AIDAprima              Abu Dhabi                                               Abu Dhabi

AIDAsol                   Livorno/Italy                                            at sea, sailing to Marseille/France

AIDAstella               Funchal/Madeira                                    Funchal/Madeira   

AIDAvita  at sea, sailing to Brunei                          Hong Kong