AIDA Cruises Highlights Operational Efficiency Initiatives

AIDA Cruises Highlights Operational Efficiency Initiatives

AIDA Cruises has detailed several initiatives it employs in order to improve ship operation efficiency.  

They include expanded shore power use, increased adoption of biofuels and advanced digital solutions. 

Biofuels 

After biofuel was first used onboard the AIDAprima in summer 2022, the LNG-powered ships in the fleet are being prepared for the future use of additional biofuels and e-fuels as soon as they become available in sufficient quantities. 

In 2025, more than 8,500 t of ISCC EU-certified Bio LNG were supplied to the AIDAnova in the ports of Hamburg, Kiel and Zeebrugge, according to Dirk Inger, senior vice president public affairs, communication & sustainability at AIDA Cruises. 

The company said it is also working with partners from science and industry to prepare for the future use of e-fuels onboard its vessels. 

Examples include participating in research and development activities focused on innovative energy conversion and storage technologies based on renewable ammonia as well as developing hydrogen as a fuel for future combustion engine-based marine propulsion systems and evaluating the implications of integrating such technologies into cruise ships.  

“However, several challenges remain for the broader adoption of e-fuels, including fuel availability in ports, industrial-scale production capacities, internationally harmonized regulatory frameworks, and the lack of commercially viable pricing structures in Germany and Europe,” Inger added.  

Shore Power 

In 2017, the AIDAsol became the first cruise ship to regularly use shore power in the Port of Hamburg through Europe’s first shore power facility for cruise ships, located at the Cruise Center in Altona.  

Since then, AIDA Cruises has continuously expanded the use of shore power, resulting in 340 shore power connections in 2024 and 440 in 2025. 

The company is currently planning around 540 shore power calls for 2026 with its vessels. 

Shore power is available in 17 European ports, including Hamburg, Warnemünde, Kiel, Southampton, Bergen, Oslo, Stockholm, Rotterdam, Copenhagen, and Le Havre, among others.  

This represents approximately half of all AIDA port calls on Northern European itineraries departing from Germany.

Digital Energy Management 

Reducing energy consumption is said to be a key component of the company’s technical fleet management strategy, and all ships in the fleet are equipped with integrated energy management systems that are connected to a group-wide data platform.  

Digital applications, machine learning and artificial intelligence are used to analyze operational data and identify further optimization opportunities. 

AIDA underlined EOS (Energy Optimization System), a digital analytics system, which has been gradually implemented across the AIDA fleet since 2023, as one of the most important investments in this area. 

Incorporating variables such as weather and wind conditions, vessel and engine models, and the number of guests onboard, EOS assists crews in making operational decisions in real time, such as optimizing onboard energy flows or calculating routes designed to minimize energy demand.  

The system has been shown to significantly reduce energy requirements for propulsion and various onboard systems, AIDA noted. 

AIDA Innovation Hub 

As part of the application phase for the new AIDA Innovation Hub, start-ups, tech companies, industry partners and scientific and research institutions were invited to submit their ideas for smart solutions in the fields of decarbonization, sustainability and AI tools.  

The company received more than 150 potential ideas, which will now be reviewed and the shortlisted projects will be presented to an expert jury in Rostock on September 16, 2026.  

The winners will have the opportunity to further develop their ideas together with AIDA through implementation studies or test them as a pilot project onboard AIDA vessels. 

AIDA Announces Deployment for 2027-28 Winter Season

AIDA Announces Deployment for 2027-28 Winter Season

AIDA Cruises opened bookings for its 2027-28 winter season on Wednesday, the company announced in a press release.

The deployment includes over 300 cruises to a wide range of destinations, including the Canary Islands, Northern Europe, the Caribbean, South America, the Indian Ocean and South Africa.

Among the highlights of the season are the itineraries to tropical destinations, including the Caribbean and Central America.

According to AIDA, three ships will sail in the region: the AIDAbella, the AIDAluna and, for the first time, the AIDAprima.

The vessels will offer a series of 14- to 21-night island-hopping cruises departing from ports like La Romana in the Dominican Republic and Bridgetown in Barbados.

Other highlights include the “big winter breaks” onboard the AIDAmar, which offers round-trip cruises to warmer destinations from Hamburg, Germany.

The ship’s lineup includes a 48-day itinerary to Brazil and South America, in addition to a 21-day journey to the Azores and Morocco.

Also sailing from Germany, the AIDAnova is set to offer a series of winter sailings departing from Hamburg that visit ports in Scandinavia, Denmark and major ports in Western Europe.

The Canary Islands are set for a strong season, with the AIDAsol, the AIDAstella and the AIDAcosma offering itineraries that sail to Madeira Island.

The AIDAblu will offer a mix of itineraries that sail to both the Indian Ocean and South Africa, visiting destinations in Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and La Réunion, in addition to Cape Town, East London, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Walvis Bay, Namibia.

According to the company’s press release, guests who book sailings of the new season by April 30, 2027, will receive discounts of up to 975 euros per person.

Additional benefits include free choice of cabin, a Rail&Fly ticket valid throughout Germany for travel by train and two bottles of mineral water onboard daily.

Of note, AIDA did not announce plans to offer itineraries in the Middle East and the Arabian Gulf in 2027-28.

Earlier this year, the company decided to cancel all of its sailings in the region scheduled for 2025-26 due to security concerns.

AIDAcosma Itineraries Changed Due to Drydock

AIDAcosma Itineraries Changed Due to Drydock

AIDA Cruises is adjusting two itineraries of the AIDAcosma due to changes to the ship’s scheduled drydock, according to a report by Schiffe und Kreuzfahrten.

The LNG-powered ship is scheduled to undergo its first routine drydock in the fall of 2026 following its delivery in 2021.

As part of the adjustment, AIDA reportedly pushed forward the departure dates of two sailings, which were originally scheduled to start on November 29, 2026, and December 5, 2026.

According to the German cruise news website, the sailings will now depart, respectively, on Nov. 26, 2026, and Dec. 3, 2026.

Cruising from Palma de Mallorca, Spain, the AIDAcosma is set to offer itineraries to the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands during the timeframe.

The first cruise sails for six nights and features visits to destinations in Spain, France, and Italy, including Barcelona, Marseille, La Spezia, and Civitavecchia.

As part of the ship’s repositioning voyage to the Canaries, the second cruise sails between Palma de Mallorca and Las Palmas.

The seven-night itinerary features visits to Málaga, Cádiz, Puerto de Rosario and Arrecife before arriving in Las Palmas.

AIDA is currently informing guests of the changes, Schiffe und Kreuzfahrten’s report added, with further details expected to be released soon.

Passengers who booked pre- and post-cruise packages with the company will have their travel arrangements adjusted to meet the new departure and arrival dates.

Built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany, the AIDAcosma is part of Carnival Corporation’s Excel class and entered service in 2021.

As a sister to the 2018-built AIDAnova, the 180,000-ton vessel serves the German-speaking markets in itineraries to the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Middle East and the Canaries.

Upon completing its scheduled drydock, the AIDAcosma is scheduled to offer winter cruises in the Atlantic, sailing to the Canary Islands and Madeira.

 

AIDAnova Celebrates Five Years in Service

AIDAnova Celebrates Five Years in Service

The AIDAnova is completing its fifth year in service this month. After being delivered by the Meyer Werft shipyard, the LNG-powered vessel joined AIDA Cruises fleet on December 12, 2018.

As the first in a series of LNG-powered cruise ships built by Carnival Corporation, the AIDAnova introduced a new generation of vessels for AIDA.

Now sharing the title of largest ship in the fleet of the German operator along with its sister ship AIDAcosma, the 5,200-guest vessel spent its inaugural season in the Canary Islands.

Soon after being delivered, the AIDAnova welcomed guests for its inaugural cruise in St. Curz de Tenerife on Dec. 19, 2018.

On that day, the vessel departed on a seven-night cruise that sailed across the Spanish archipelago and also included a visit to Funchal, in Portugal’s Madeira Island.

In late April 2019, the AIDAnova repositioned to Southern Europe for a summer season in the Western Mediterranean.

Sailing from Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona, in Spain, the ship’s regular seven-night itinerary featured three additional ports in Italy and France: Civitavecchia for Rome, La Spezia for Florence, and Marseille.

Currently sailing from Hamburg, in Germany, the AIDAnova is offering a series of cruises to Northern and Western Europe during the 2023-24 winter.

Different itineraries will be offered through late April, including seven-night voyages to Norway and Denmark, and week-long cruises to Germany, England, Belgium, the Netherlands and France.

The cruises can be combined to create a single 14-night cruise that visits Western Europe, the North Sea and Scandinavia.

The AIDAnova remains in the region during the 2024 summer, offering different itineraries to the Norwegian Fjords, Scandinavia and more departing from the German port of Kiel.

AIDAnova Marks Successful Start to Canaries and Madeira Season

AIDANova in the port of Oslo, Photo Credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

AIDA Cruises announced a successful start to its Canaries and Madeira season with the AIDAnova along with positive feedback after an official dialogue series with local partners.

AIDA just completed the first official dialogue series aboard the AIDAnova, the company said in a press release.

The dialogue series took place from November 23 to November 28, 2022, attended by numerous official representatives from politics, the port industry and tourism.

The goal of the dialogue was to inform local partners of AIDA’s current goals as well as to engage in a joint venture.

“We are happy and grateful to know such reliable partners at our side and look forward to making an important contribution to tourism on these beautiful islands again this season,” said Captain Marc-Dominique Tidow.

The AIDAnova made calls at Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Madeira, which were very well received by the partners in the region.

During the winter season, the AIDAnova will set sail on seven-day cruises to the Canaries including the exploration of the volcanic landscapes of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, as well as the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira.

In April 2023, the AIDAnova will set course for the Norwegian fjords while the summer itineraries will include visits to Bergen, Nordfjordeid, Alesund and Stavanger.

 

AIDA Announces Substitute Ports in the Baltic with Russia Out

AIDA Announces Substitute Ports in the Baltic with Russia Out

AIDA Cruises, Carnival Corporation's German brand, has announced replacement ports in the Baltic and not call in Saint Petersburg this summer. 

The AIDAdiva, AIDAmar, AIDAnova and AIDAvita will see calls in Russia cancelled and replaced by destinations such as Riga (Latvia), Copenhagen (Denmark), Oslo (Norway) or Visby (Gotland/Sweden).

The AIDAdiva will call at the Latvian capital Riga or Copenhagen instead of Saint Petersburg on its seven-day Baltic Sea roundtrip from Warnemünde starting between May 14 and October 8, 2022. The voyage with a departure date of May 7, 2022, will include a visit to Hamina in southern Finland.

For the seven-day round trips in the Baltic Sea with the AIDAnova from Kiel with departure dates between May 14 and October 15, 2022, AIDA Cruises has developed alternative routes in the Baltic Sea as well as to Norway and Denmark. Baltic cruises now include an extended stay in the Estonian capital Tallinn. Copenhagen/Kalundborg is also new on the itinerary.

The AIDAnova is now setting course for Scandinavia on new voyages. In addition to a visit to Copenhagen and Kristiansand, AIDAnova’s guests can enjoy a two-day stay in Oslo.

On its 10 day Baltic cruises, the AIDAmar will call at the port of Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland and the Latvian capital Riga instead of Saint Petersburg.

In addition, the first sailing of the AIDAvita will depart on July 24, 2022. 

COVID Outbreak Ends Voyage For Thousands Already Aboard Cruise Ship

The German operator of a cruise ship that has been stuck in Lisbon’s port due to an outbreak of the coronavirus among its crew pulled the plug on the voyage on Sunday after some passengers tested positive, port authorities said.

The AIDAnova, with 2,844 passengers and 1,353 crew onboard docked in Lisbon on Dec. 29 while en route to the island of Madeira for New Year’s Eve celebrations, but was unable to continue the journey after 52 cases of COVID-19 were detected among the fully-vaccinated crew.

It had been allowed to leave port and head to the Spanish island of Lanzarote on Sunday, but now another 12 people have tested positive, including four passengers, captain of the port Diogo Vieira Branco told TSF radio.

“The company’s protocol was immediately actioned, with those infected, who are asymptomatic or displaying light symptoms, immediately isolated on the ship … and the company decided to end the cruise and disembark the passengers,” he said.

The passengers would be transported home by air, he added, without specifying when.

The company, AIDA Cruises, which is a subsidiary of Carnival Corp, did not reply to a Reuters request for comment.

Reuters footage showed passengers still enjoying the afternoon sun on decks with their drinks, and local media said the disembarking would begin after 6 a.m. on Monday.

The crew who had tested positive between Wednesday and Friday were transferred to Lisbon hotels and were in isolation there.

On Thursday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised people to avoid travelling on cruise ships regardless of their vaccination status.

The move delivered another blow to the industry that only returned to the seas in June after a months-long suspension of voyages caused by the pandemic.

AIDA Status Update: The Latest and Greatest

AIDA is one of the cruise lines that has managed to resume service after a pandemic-related break, at least partially.

In this short update, Cruise Industry News recaps what the German cruise line has been up to since it stopped sailing in March 2020.

Service Resumptions

Over the last year, AIDA continually looked for service resumption opportunities. While some plans ended up scrapped before the actual service start, others went ahead. The German cruise line already welcomed passengers back three times.

First, in October, it reactivated the AIDAsol in the Mediterranean, in an all-Italian itinerary visiting Naples, Palermo, Catania, La Spezia and Civitavecchia. After a couple of sailings, however, the operation had to be cancelled due to new travel restrictions in Germany.

After cancelling other restart plans, AIDA had its second service resumption on Dec. 5, with the AIDAperla in the Canaries. A second ship, the AIDAmar, was added to the program before Christmas. On Dec. 29, AIDA was forced to cancel the operation after IT issues. 

While plans initially called for a January restart, a new lockdown in Germany prompted further cancellations.  

Sailing in the Canaries

The AIDAperla then re-entered service on March 20, marking the third AIDA resumption. The ship is currently sailing in the Canaries, offering a week-long cruise departing Gran Canaria and visiting Tenerife, La Palma, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote.

The operation was recently extended until June, replacing a set of previously announced Mediterranean cruises. 

Intact Fleet  

With the Carnival Corporation having sold 18 ships already since the start of the pandemic, the AIDA fleet remains intact. So far, none of its 14 vessels had to depart the fleet.   

After the sales in other brands, AIDA ended up with some of the older and smallest vessels across the nine brands of the corporation – including the 38,000-ton AIDAcara built in 1996 and the 48,200-ton AIDAmira built-in 1999.

AIDAcosma Delayed

AIDA’s 2021 new build, meanwhile, was significantly delayed. Initially scheduled for a spring debut, the LNG-powered AIDAcosma was pushed to the third quarter. With the change, the vessel’s inaugural season in Europe was entirely cancelled and the first voyage rescheduled to Oct. 23, 2021.

In other AIDA shipbuilding news, the cruise line announced in November that it is progressing on its way to emission-neutral ships. The cruise line also said that it plans to install batteries onboard the AIDAperla and fuel cells onboard the AIDAnova in 2021.

By the Numbers:

Ships:

• Ships shed: -0
• Ships added: +0

Result: No Change

Berths:

• Berths shed: -0
• Berths added: + 0

Result: No Change

Top Block Placed on AIDAcosma

AIDAcosma in the Meyer Werft shipyard.

The new AIDAcosma is inching closer to completion as Meyer Werft placed the bridge block on the ship in the yard's covered building hall in Papenburg, Germany.

The 5,400 guest ship is a sister to the AIDAnova, and both are powered by LNG, with another AIDA newbuild due for delivery from the German yard in 2023.

The AIDAcosma is set for a spring 2021 delivery date from the shipbuilder. 

Her inaugural season has the ship sailing in the Baltic and to the Norwegian fjords next summer followed by a planned deployment to the Middle East for 2021-2022.

AIDA Moves Restart Forward, Cruising from Italy In October

AIDA Cruises will expand its range of cruises this fall with new voyages visiting the highlights of Italy, starting on Oct. 17, 2020.

Carnival's German brand is thus moving up its restart from November to October.

The new seven-day itinerary departs from Civitavecchia near Rome and travels to Palermo and Catania in Sicily, Naples and La Spezia. In Rome, an overnight stay is planned. AIDA did not say what ship will be put into service first.

The voyages will be offered weekly until Nov. 28, 2020.

Bookings open Monday, Sept. 21.

AIDA had previously announced its fall and winter program for 2020 and 2021, sending the AIDAmar to the Canary Islands, starting Nov. 1, 2020, followed by the AIDAperla Nov. 7, taking over the program originally intended for the AIDAnova.

The AIDAmar will sail from Las Palmas, while the AIDAperla will use Tenerife in addition to Las Palmas for turnarounds.

AIDA also plans to launch service in the Western Mediterranean with the AIDAstella on Dec. 12, 2020, sailing seven day cruises from Palma, Mallorca.

 

AIDAnova Delivered

Carnival Corporation has welcomed AIDA Cruises' new AIDAnova into its fleet today at a celebration in Bremerhaven, Germany, as the world's first cruise vessel to be powered at sea and in port by liquefied natural gas (LNG).

"AIDAnova is a milestone for our company and the entire cruise industry," said Michael Thamm, group CEO of Carnival Corporation's Costa Group – which includes AIDA Cruises and Costa Cruises – and Carnival Asia. "With Carnival Corporation pioneering LNG technology, we start a new era of environmentally friendly cruising. It's important now that the respective infrastructure will be further developed as more and more cruise lines are following our example."

The largest cruise ship ever built at a German shipyard, AIDAnova also marks an exciting new generation of ships for AIDA Cruises.

AIDAnova set sail today for the Canary Islands to welcome its inaugural guests at Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, embarking on December 19 for a seven-day holiday cruise around the Canary Islands and Madeira.

"I am so pleased about this extraordinary ship, which is another milestone on our steady path to providing sustainable cruises," said Felix Eichhorn, president of AIDA Cruises, at today's handover event. "AIDAnova will offer guests entirely new experiences onboard through the further development of the innovative ship designs of AIDAprima and AIDAperla, and many other successful products in the AIDA fleet. With an extraordinary variety of individual vacation options, exciting entertainment and new wellness, fitness and culinary offerings, we are providing new and exciting reasons for people to enjoy a cruise vacation, one of the vacation industry's fastest-growing sectors."

In 2021 and 2023, two additional ships from the new AIDA Cruises generation of vessels will join the AIDA fleet, in addition to new LNG-powered ships on order for Costa Cruises, P&O Cruises in the UK, and Carnival Cruise Line and Princess Cruises.

Following today's launch of AIDAnova, Carnival Corporation has an additional 10 next-generation "green" cruise ships on order that will be powered by LNG.

Carnival Corporation to Operate Santa Cruz de Tenerife Cruise Terminal in Canary Islands

Carnival Corporation to Operate Santa Cruz de Tenerife Cruise Terminal in Canary Islands

Carnival Corporation today announced an agreement with the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife following a Board of Directors meeting presided by Pedro Suárez López de Vergara to be the first concession-holder to operate the Canary Islands' and Mid Atlantic's newest cruise terminal.

The terminal can accommodate "green" ships powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and will welcome AIDAnova, from the corporation's Germany-based AIDA Cruises brand, on its maiden voyage in December, Carnival said. 

Welcoming 617,987 cruise passengers in 2017, Santa Cruz de Tenerife is one of the busiest cruise ports in the Canary Islands, the seven-island Spanish archipelago off the coast of Africa and Spain.

Carnival Corporation also manages two other cruise terminals in Spain – the Helix and Palacruceros facilities in Barcelona.

Seven brands from Carnival Corporation – AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn and P&O Cruises UK – make port calls to Tenerife during the course of the year. Carnival Corporation expects to bring more than 300,000 passenger visits to the port in 2018 – half of all cruise passenger visits – with 130 calls by 31 different ships from the company's cruise line brands.

"Carnival Corporation has long been a valued partner with the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the Canary Islands, and we are confident that they will be a wonderful steward of our recently built cruise port," said Pedro Suárez López de Vergara, president of the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. "Thanks in large part to Carnival Corporationships, the cruise market generated an economic impact to the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the city of Santa Cruz of €24 million ($27.1 million) in the 2018 cruise season, an increase of €6m from the 2017 cruise season, and we look forward to continuing to share our beautiful island with visiting cruise passengers coming through this cruise terminal."

The Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife celebrates this long-term agreement with the aim of extending the benefits to its other ports – Santa Cruz de La Palma, San Sebastián de La Gomera, La Estaca in El Hierro and Los Cristianos in Tenerife.

"This concession and our ongoing investment is part of Carnival Corporation's long-term strategy to continue to develop the cruise industry in the Canary Islands," said Giora Israel, senior vice president of global port and destination development for Carnival Corporation. "Our passion is to always provide the best possible experiences for our guests, and Tenerife is an extremely popular destination that offers something for everyone – including a storied history, beautiful beaches, exotic gardens, unique crafts and memorable cuisine. We look forward to ensuring that our cruise guests coming through the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife have a great experience, and we also look forward to expanding relationships with our friends in Tenerife."

Santa Cruz Terminal joins eight global ports and terminals already operated by Carnival Corporation and its cruise line brands, including:

Barcelona (Helix & Palacruceros terminals) in Spain
Savona in Italy
Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic
Puerta Maya in Cozumel, Mexico
Grand Turk Cruise Center in the Turks and Caicos Islands
Mahogany Bay in Roatan, Honduras
Long Beach in California

AIDAnova Delivery Pushed Back

AIDAnova Delivery Pushed Back

AIDA Cruises has announced the AIDAnova will not be delivered as scheduled, following a notification from Meyer Werft.

As a result, a number of preview cruises will not take place, but the ship is still on schedule to sail its maiden voyage on Dec. 2 from Hamburg to the Canary Islands.

"Our aim is to use AIDAnova for a ship that not only complies with the usual high AIDA quality but also inspires our guests in many product areas with new innovations," AIDA said, in a prepared statement.

Earlier this week, a small fire broke out onboard the ship but was quickly contained, with local media suggesting it may have been arson. As a result, sea trials were also said to be delayed. 

AIDAnova Set for Ems River Transit

AIDAnova Set for Ems River Transit

The new AIDAnova will leave Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg and carefully transit the Ems River on her way to Eemshaven, according to a statement. 

The transfer is set to begin on Oct. 8 and conclude about 24 hours later, AIDA said.

The ship will leave around 8:00 a.m. from Papenburg, and pass the Friesen-bridge near Weener in the early afternoon. Another milestone will happen in the early evening as the ship will pass the Jann-Berghaus-bridge in Leer .

After the passage of the Ems barrier Gandersum around 1:00 a.m., the ship is expected to arrive in Emden at 02:30 a.m. and moor in Eemshaven at 09:00 a.m.

AIDA will provide pretzels, croissants, coffee and tea at the Meyer shipyard, at the Friesen-bridge and at the Jann-Berghaus-bridge for onlookers. 

Meyer Werft Floats AIDAnova, the World’s First LNG-Powered Cruise Ship

AIDANova pictured Tuesday, August 21, 2018, after its float-out from Meyer Werft’s covered building dock. Photo: Meyer Werft

German shipbuilder Meyer Werft has floated out the world’s first LNG-powered cruise ship from its covered construction dock in Papenburg.

The float-out of AIDAnova took place Tuesday evening from the shipbuilder’s 504-meter building dock II. The vessel was then berthed at the outfitting pier, where its mast and funnel cladding will be fitted.

AIDAnova is scheduled to make the trip down the river Ems to Bremerhaven in late September. There, the cruise ship will undergo final outfitting and interior fittings, while further testing will be performed on the ship’s LNG-powered engines followed by sea trials. 

AIDAnova is the first of three LNG-powered ships planned for Carnival Corp.’s AIDA brand. The ship is scheduled to join AIDA Cruises’ fleet this Fall as the first-ever cruise ship in the world to be fully powered by LNG. The AIDAnova will have over 2,600 passenger cabins, a gross tonnage of over 180,000, a length of 337 meters and a width of 42 meters.

The second ship in the series will be christened in the spring of 2021, followed by the third in 2023.

As of earlier this year, Carnival had agreements in place with Meyer Werft and its Finish sister yard Meyer Turku to build nine LNG-powered cruise ships across four of Carnival’s nine global cruise brands with delivery dates between 2018 and 2023

A video of the float-out is below:

New Technology: Carnival LNG Bunkering

With the AIDAnova slated to start regular service in the Canary Islands in December, Carnival Corporation has been working on the LNG bunkering processes and procedures not only for the new AIDA ship but also for the Costa and Carnival ships that will follow.

Carnival has contracted Shell to supply AIDA and Costa with LNG in Northern and Southern Europe and Carnival in Southern Florida. A bunkering solution for P&O’s new ships, which will also be LNG-fueled, was in the discussion stage, according to Tom Strang, senior vice president of maritime affairs.

“Because of the volume we are going to consume, LNG will be supplied by a bunker vessel,” he continued. “Shell already has a bunker vessel, the Cardissa based out of Rotterdam, and has another vessel under contract that is currently being adapted to bunkering.

“There are only six bunkering vessels for LNG in the world of which two will be dedicated to our trade going forward.”

A barge is under construction for bunkering in South Florida that will be ready by the first quarter of 2021.

The LNG capacity of the new cruise ships will be 3,620 cubic meters in three tanks, Strang said. “The typical maximum bunkering load we can take will be just over 3,000 cubic meters which should take from six to 10 hours, a little bit longer than traditional bunkering, but not significantly so.”

The ships will be dual fuel, meaning that will also carry MGO onboard as a pilot fuel and also to satisfy the safe return to port requirements.

In order to bunker, Shell needs approval permits in every port, Strang explained. He described it as a complex process where Shell has to run risk and hazard assessments together with the ports and authorities, unlike bunkering HFO or MGO that do not require a similar approval process.

“As part of the process we have gone through with Shell we have developed a very specific bunkering protocol,” Strang said.

The cruise line’s class society must also approve the procedures as must the class society for the bunkering vessel along with the port and local authorities before permits are granted.

Strang added: “If we had waited until the infrastructure was there before placing orders we would only now be thinking about possible orders. We took the view that this is the best fuel available for environmental performance and a number of other reasons, and then we entered into partnerships to build the infrastructure when and where we need it.”

AIDAnova Gets Her Smile

AIDAnova Gets Her Smile

The new AIDAnova officially has her smile, as AIDA announced its trademark hull art had been applied to the new LNG-powered ship at the Meyer Werft facility in Papenburg.

"The exterior painting of smiling lips, eye, eyelid and a wave is applied to all AIDA ships based on an idea from the Rostock artist Feliks Büttner. The smiling lips are the first element, and already adorn 250 m² of the ship’s bow. It took 50 litres of black, orange, and red paint to paint the brand symbol," AIDA said, in a prepared statement.

The AIDAnova will be christened in Papenburg on August 31, 2018, during the AIDA Open Air, a concert event.

The ship will be delivered in November and is scheduled to start revenue sailings in December in the Canary Islands.