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. 

AIDAprima Guests Test Self Check-In Terminals in Hamburg

AIDAprima Guests Test Self Check-In Terminals in Hamburg

AIDA Cruises tested digital guest check-in with all guests for the first time in a pilot project at the Steinwerder Cruise Center in Hamburg.

According to a company statement, guests were able to embark independently for a cruise aboard the AIDAprima at one of the 20 digital check-in terminals on July 23, 2026.

During check-in, a photo was taken of each guest, which is stored in the ship system for the duration of the trip. The image was then compared with the photo on guests’ ID documents based on biometric data.

Digital check-in was found to speed up the embarkation process at the terminal, offering more flexibility in combination with the personal service available at a classic counter.

The new service was developed in collaboration with Lufthansa Industry Solutions over a period of two years, adapting self-service check-in terminals from aviation for use in cruises.

This included, among other things, the integration of printers for boarding passes and the connection to the ship’s systems.

The boarding pass is RFID-encoded, serving as a means of payment onboard and as a key to the cabin, among other things.

AIDA noted that it intends to use the findings from the pilot project to explore further use of this technology.

Arabian Gulf Update: Cruise Lines Cancel Remaining Sailings in the Region

Arabian Gulf Update: Cruise Lines Cancel Remaining Sailings in the Region

Amid ongoing security concerns and regional operational challenges, multiple cruise lines have now cancelled the remainder of their 2025-26 winter deployments in the Arabian Gulf.

MSC

With sailings in the region through early April, MSC Cruises cancelled the remainder of its 2025-26 season in the Middle East.

In its cancellation statement, the company said that the decision was made to prioritize the safety and well-being of its guests and crew while following the guidance of the regional military authorities.

The MSC Euribia was scheduled to offer five additional departures in the Arabian Gulf, with itineraries visiting the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.

Celestyal

Operating its two ships in the region for the winter, Celestyal Cruises cancelled the remainder of its season in the Arabian Gulf earlier this month.

With the Celestyal Journey and the Celestyal Discovery stuck in the region, the company also had to cancel the first cruises of the season in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In a statement shared earlier this week, Celestyal said that it is “still in the process of finalizing operational arrangements” for the vessel’s repositioning voyages to Europe.

TUI

TUI Cruises is another cruise line with two ships currently in the Arabian Gulf, the Mein Schiff 4 and the Mein Schiff 5.

In an update published on its website, the company said that it decided to cancel sailings in the region due to travel and safety advice issued by the German Foreign Office.

As a result, sailings scheduled to take place onboard the Mein Schiff 4 through March 23, 2026, will no longer take place. Similarly, all cruises onboard the Mein Schiff 5 through March 12, 2026, have also been cancelled.

Aroya

Aroya Cruises cancelled all of its upcoming cruises planned for the 2025-26 season in the Arabian Gulf.

In a statement shared with Cruise Industry News, the company said that the decision was related to “ongoing regional operational considerations” and was made in coordination with the relevant maritime and national authorities.

After arriving in the United Arab Emirates in late February, the Aroya was scheduled to sail in the region through early May.

 

Costa and AIDA

Two traditional players in the region, Costa and AIDA Cruises cancelled their seasons in the Arabian Gulf in mid-2025.

The brands planned to operate itineraries in the Arabian Gulf between November 2025 and March 2026 onboard the Costa Toscana and the AIDAprima, respectively.

In similar statements, the Carnival-owned brands said that the decision was related to a fluid situation in the region and aimed to give guests certainty.

 

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.

AIDA Cruises Cancels 2025-26 Season in the Middle East

AIDA Cruises Cancels 2025-26 Season in the Middle East

AIDA Cruises is cancelling its 2025-26 season in the Middle East due to security concerns in the region.

It impacts sailings set to take place on the AIDAprima between October 3, 2025, and March 25, 2026.

In a statement sent to booked guests, the company noted that the vessel will now sail in Northern Europe and the Atlantic Islands during this timeframe.

“With this decision, the company wants to provide its guests with reliable clarity about their vacation trips in the coming winter season as early as possible. At the same time, the safety of guests and crew is our top priority,” AIDA reportedly said.

In addition, cruise lines are said to be concerned about transit time around Africa if they cannot transit the Suez Canal.

The company also noted that the safety of its guests and crew is a top priority, adding that the “situation in the Middle East cannot currently be reliably assessed for the foreseeable future.”

The new itineraries will sail from Kiel and Hamburg, visiting destinations in the North and Baltic Seas, as well as the Canary Islands.

Bookings for the new AIDAprima sailings will open on July 30, 2025, cruisetricks.de reported.

Affected guests are being offered rebooking alternatives, in addition to a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) valued at ten per cent of the fare paid for the cancelled cruises.

AIDA had been offering itineraries in the Middle East for nearly two decades.

Excluding the pandemic years, the company’s 2025-26 season will be the first without a ship sailing from UAE ports.

AIDA first introduced itineraries in the region during the winter of 2006-07, with the AIDAcara offering weeklong cruises from Dubai.

Other ships that sailed in the region over the years include the AIDAdiva, the AIDAblu, the AIDAstella, the AIDAprima and the AIDAnova.

With the AIDAprima repositioning to Northern Europe and the Canaries, AIDA also cancelled some sailings that were scheduled to take place onboard the AIDAbella in early 2026.

World’s Largest Cruise Company Turns to Air Bubbles to Help Reduce Emissions

The world’s largest cruise shipping company has announced plans to install air lubrication technology on at least 20% of its fleet.

Carnival Corporation says the Air Lubrication Systems (ALS), which are already in use aboard four ships, will be added to five more ships this year with plans to install the technology on at least 10 more ships across a majority of its brands through 2027.

The hull drag-reducing technology is expected to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions by about 5% per ship, according to the company.

ALS technology, which first saw service within the Carnival Corporation fleet in 2016 with the introduction of AIDAprima, generates a cushion of air bubbles to lubricate the flat bottom of a ship’s hull, reducing friction between the ship and surrounding water, resulting in savings in energy and fuel consumption across a wide speed range.

Carnival Corporation is currently installing the Silverstream® System ALS on five more ships, including two ships in 2022 for its Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises (UK) brands. In addition, the company is planning at least 10 more installations for existing and newbuild ships across more than half of its cruise line brands, and it expects continued expansion of the ALS program. The expansion plans build on the success of four systems currently operating on ships from its AIDA Cruises and Princess Cruises brands.

“The installation of air lubrication technology is another example of our ongoing efforts to drive energy efficiency and reduce fuel consumption and emissions throughout our fleet,” said Bill Burke, chief maritime officer for Carnival Corporation. “We look forward to expanding the ALS program and furthering our long-term sustainability strategy to continually invest in a broad range of energy reduction initiatives, which has included over $350 million invested in energy efficiency improvements since 2016.”

Carnival Corporation has committed to reducing carbon emission intensity by 20% from its 2019 baseline by 2030 and has set an aspiration to achieve net carbon-neutral ship operations by 2050.

AIDAprima Completes Bio-Bunkering in Partnership with GoodFuel

AIDAprima Completes Bio-Bunkering in Partnership with GoodFuel

GoodFuels partnered with Carnival Corporation's AIDA Cruises and completed the first bio-bunkering on AIDAprima, according to a press release.

The AIDAprima was refuelled with GoodFuels' sustainable biofuels during a port visit to Rotterdam, in the Netherlands as part of a seven-day cruise, visiting Hamburg, Southampton, Le Havre, and Zeebrugge, according to the company. Without requiring any engine or tank modifications, AIDAprima was bunkered with biofuel and continued its itineraries.

"With the successful start of biofuel usage, we have proven that gradual decarbonization is possible even on ships already in service. An important prerequisite for us as a cruise line to be able to use it is that it becomes widely available on an industrial scale and at marketable prices," commented Felix Eichhorn, president, of AIDA Cruises.

The recent bio-bunkering appears to be just the beginning, as AIDA expects additional deliveries and a possible expansion to other Carnival Corporation brands.

 “This first bio-bunkering with AIDA Cruises marks an exciting step forward on the cruise industry’s decarbonisation pathway, demonstrating that our sustainable biofuels are a safe, technically viable and convenient option to drastically cut down emissions from passenger's vessels. As the effects of climate change are felt acutely in several parts of the world, the time for action is now, and biofuels are one of the few options that can already make a difference today. We are delighted to have worked alongside the trail-blazers at AIDA Cruises in the past few months to make this milestone a reality, and we look forward to collaborating again in the future," said Dirk Kronemeijer, chief executive officer, GoodFuels.

AIDA To Sponsor the Port of Hamburg’s 833rd Anniversary

AIDA To Sponsor the Port of Hamburg’s 833rd Anniversary

AIDA Cruises will sponsor the 833rd-anniversary celebrations for the Port of Hamburg, taking place from Sept. 16 to 18, 2022.

The main attraction on the water will be AIDAprima on Saturday evening, Sept. 17, 2022: As the finale of the birthday party, the AIDAprima will provide a light show in the heart of the city.

“We are delighted to be the sponsor of Hafengeburtstag Hamburg for the ninth time, the largest maritime event in northern Germany with over a million visitors,” commented Alexander Ewig, senior vice president of marketing and sales for AIDA, in a prepared statement.

During the three-day event, those interested in cruising can find inspiration for their next dream vacation aboard an AIDA ship at a cruise line store set up in the port. Among the features, visitors will be able to see a replica AIDAcosma cabin. There will also be a large roof terrace with lounge chairs, along with AIDA travel consultants to provide information.

By 2022, nine AIDA ships will make 120 calls in Hamburg, The AIDAsol kicked off the nearly 12-month season on Jan. 7, 2022, and the AIDAprima will conclude the year on Dec. 29, 2022.

AIDA Denies Plans to Use AIDAbella as Quarantine Ship for Crew

AIDA Cruises has denied that it had plans to use its 2,030-passenger ship AIDAbella as a ”quarantine ship” for crew members.

“No, this is not true,” AIDA’s press department told Cruise Industry News. “There are no concrete plans for the AIDAbella now.”

An article by the German website moin.de stated that the AIDAbella was being transformed into a quarantine ship for 1,500 crew members. The quarantine was supposed to take place in Kiel, Germany. According to moin.de, those onboard would be crew members for the AIDAcosma which is set to debut later this year.

“The latest ship in the AIDA fleet (the AIDAcosma) is to be put into operation in Bremerhaven in December. However, before the crew can start their work on the cruise ship, they have to go into isolation because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. And that's what AIDAbella is intended for,” the website wrote.

The AIDAcosma, AIDA Cruises’ latest ship, was floated out at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany in July. Initially scheduled for a spring 2021 debut, the AIDAcosma’s debut is now set for later this year. With the change, the vessel’s inaugural season in Europe was entirely cancelled and the first voyage was rescheduled to Dec. 22, 2021.

AIDA Cruises’ nearest deployment plans include AIDAdiva’s launching of the 2021 season on Oct. 16, becoming the eighth AIDA ship to restart commercial cruises.

On March 20, 2021, the AIDAperla became the first AIDA ship to restart cruise operations after the pandemic – initially around the Canary Islands and, since July 10, from Palma de Mallorca with seven-day cruises in the western Mediterranean. On May 21, the AIDAsol followed from Kiel, becoming the first ship to resume cruise operations from a German port. On May 22, the AIDAblu began cruises to Greek destinations from/to Corfu.

The AIDAprima resumed cruises from/to Kiel – and visiting Stockholm, Gothenburg and Visby – on July 10. In the course of this, AIDAsol moved to Rostock/Warnemünde, where Baltic Sea voyages have been on the program since July 1.

On July 29, the AIDAstella, the fifth ship of AIDA Cruises, set sail again. Two days later, on July 31, the first seven-day voyage with the AIDAmar departed from Hamburg, Germany. From Aug. 28, the AIDAmar sailed to Norway for the first time after the pandemic with fully-vaccinated cruises (or for those who can prove that they have recovered from the coronavirus).

On Sept. 5, 2021, the AIDAluna became the seventh ship in the AIDA fleet to start its season – the latest AIDA ship to resume operations.

AIDA to Add Capacity from German Citing Cruise Demand

Citing strong demand for voyages from northern German ports, AIDA Cruises will deploy another Sphinx-class ship from Kiel, according to a press release. 

On August 15, 2021, the first four-day short cruise to Gdynia will start followed by a three-day cruise to Gothenburg.

Both voyages will be offered alternately through Oct. 14.

The name of the ship will be announced shortly, the company said, and all cruises are already open for bookings.

On the four-day voyage, the ship calls at the Polish port of Gdynia after a relaxing sea day passing the island of Gotland, among others.

AIDA started operating from Kiel in May with the AIDAprima sailing every Saturday on week-long cruises in the Baltic, calling in Gothenburg, Visby on the island of Gotland, and Stockholm.

AIDA Cancels Most Cruises Through August; Could Still See Gradual Summer Start

AIDA Cruises announced that it is cancelled cruises through August 31, but added believes it will resume its cruise operation later this summer.

The news does not apply to individual departures from AIDAprima, AIDAperla and AIDAdiva.

"AIDA Cruises is in close and constant contact with all of the relevant authorities discussing the brand's interest in restarting cruise vacations, when the time is right, under adapted conditions and in full compliance with all sanitization and hygiene standards and protocols for physical distancing," the company said.

Shorepower An Ongoing Debate

Norway’s Kristiansand was the second European port to offer shorepower to cruise ships when its 16 MW installation came online in September. The only other European port offering shorepower is Hamburg, at its Altona Terminal, while Livorno expects to be operational by the end of the year.

A spokesperson for the Port of Hamburg said that preparations were underway for a feasibility study to install shorepower at all of its the cruise terminals.

In addition, Warnemunde-Rostock and Kiel have announced plans for shorepower installations for cruise ships.

Meanwhile, AIDA Cruises also has a hybrid solution, with the AIDAperla and AIDAprima running on LNG supplied by a truck while in port in Hamburg, Rotterdam, Le Havre, Southampton and Zeebrugge, as well as in Barcelona for the AIDAprima, and in Madeira during the winter. According to AIDA, Marseille, Civitavecchia and Kiel are also preparing to supply LNG for the dual fuel ships, while the line is in the discussion stage with Palma de Mallorca.

The only other shorepower installations for cruise ships are in the United States and Canada – on the West Coast in Juneau, Long Beach, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver and on the East Coast in Montreal, Halifax and New York’s Brooklyn terminal.

Additional shorepower facilities in North America and Europe are dedicated to ferries, container ships, tugboats, fishing vessels and offshore vessels and rigs.

Cruise ports in Europe have so far been reluctant to install shorepower due to the high investment cost combined with relatively low usage in addition to many ships not having the equipment to connect.

Enova, a Norwegian government agency providing public funding for cold-ironing installations, claims that funding shorepower for cruise ships is too costly, considering the power requirement and the limited seasonal use. It has instead thrown the challenge back to the cruise industry, with Enova’s CEO stating that it is the cruise lines’ responsibility to clean up their own business.

The investment for supplying 1 to 2 MW of power is relatively low compared to a system for a cruise ship. The 16 MW Kristiansand installation was made possible by a 4 million euro EU grant.

Meanwhile, some cruise ports are facing negative public reaction on heavy traffic days due to the visible exhaust that can literally “cover” a port, a town or a fjord.

Kjetil Paulsen, a senior adviser on shipping at the Bellona Foundation, an environmental organization based in Norway, and working with Carnival Corporation,  added that it is in the interest of the industry and the ports to reduce emissions. What tourist would pay to visit destinations covered by clouds of exhaust, he asked.

Sickness Virus hits the AIDA Prima for six

Hundreds of cruise passengers quarantined in their cabins after bug sweeps the decks and leaves them vomiting and suffering diarrhoea

AIDAprima

Hundreds of passengers on a luxury Mediterranean cruise were reportedly struck down with a sickness bug that left them quarantined in their cabins.

Around 300 people on board the Aida Cruises ship the Aida Prima were left suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea after a virus is thought to have swept the vessel following its departure from Palma in Majorca on September 22.

The cruise liner had been bound for destinations including Corsica, Rome, Florence and Barcelona.

But it reportedly had to turn back for Majorca after passengers started feeling ill with gastroenteritis, leaving on-board doctors completely overwhelmed and ordering those that were sick to stay in their cabins.

According to German newspaper Bild, several passengers first started feeling unwell following a planned bus excursion.

Then when all those on board the cruise returned to the ship, the bug quickly spread with some passengers having to wait up to five hours to see the doctor.

Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported that infected passengers were then told to stay in their cabins while they were brought bread and water by staff.

After turning back to Palma earlier than planned, all guests that had been on board were reportedly taken to a farm on the outskirts of the city and told to wait for flights back to Germany.

But it is believed that many refused to stay and took the first flights they could find back home.

The Aida Prima boasts 12 restaurants, 14 bars and cafes and a casino and can carry over 3,000 passengers.

A wave of illness also spread over one of the Prima's sister ships, the Perla, recently. 

Last month dozens of passengers on it fell ill and they were quarantined on board after it moored in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam.

The ship's German operator Aida Cruises said in a statement that crew increased hygiene measures after 'gastro intestinal infections occurred among passengers'.

Local emergency services said in a statement that 70 passengers reported feeling sick and received treatment on-board.

AIDA Offers Abu Dhabi F1 Package

AIDA Offers Abu Dhabi F1 Package

AIDA Cruises is offering a seven-day cruise from Dubai Nov. 23 to 30 aboard the AIDAprima that includes the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix with pricing starting at 2,698 euro including flights and the race.

The race package features tickets for two days for the last FI race of the season, Nov. 24 and 25 (2018), including support races, qualifying and the F1 race.

Concerts are also part of the program, with performers Sam Smith and Guns N’Roses.

AIDA said the total package – cruise, flights and race – can be booked with travel agents or directly from AIDA online or by phone.

AIDAperla Kisses Nagasaki

Above image of the AIDAperla, the twelfth ship in AIDA Cruises’ fleet, which has undergone a paint job at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ (MHI) shipyard in Nagasaki, Japan. 

Following the completion of the works on the 300-meter long hull of AIDAperla, the newbuilding vessel has now received the mouth and the eyes, the symbols gracing AIDA Cruises’ fleet.

The bow design of the AIDAperla is 261 meters long, according to AIDA Cruises.

Finishing touches to the new ship will follow in the spring of 2017, the company said.

Once completed, the new cruise ship will be able to accommodate 3,300 passengers and 900 crew members.

The AIDAperla is expected to start voyages from September 1, 2017, sailing on four different routes in the Mediterranean Sea.

Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona will be the first and the last ports of call for seven-day voyages.

Apart from Mallorca and Barcelona, the AIDAperla will also visit Corsica, Florence/Livorno and Rome/Civitavecchia.

Image Courtesy: AIDA Cruises

Carnival Corp.’s profit skyrockets in ‘remarkable’ Q2

The launch of Holland America's Koningsdam was one of Carnival Corp.'s second-quarter highlights.

Driven by higher ticket prices and fuller ships, Carnival Corp. had net income of $605 million in the second quarter, up from $222 million a year earlier.

Net revenue yields rose 3.6%, significantly higher than the range of 1.5% to 2.5% in the company’s earlier forecast.

The results came despite a currency-exchange drag and fuel price increase equal to $127 million.

“This was among the most remarkable quarters in the history of the company,” said CEO Arnold Donald, citing not only the earnings but the introduction of three new flagships (Carnival Vista, Holland America Line’s Koningsdam and the AidaPrima) and the historic launch of Cuba cruises by the new Fathom brand.

Carnival’s revenue advanced slightly to $3.7 billion from $3.6 billion.

The increase in yield was a combination of a 3.5% increase in ticket prices and a 4% rise in onboard spending, CFO David Bernstein said.

Prices for Europe cruises on Carnival’s North America brands are lower although occupancies are up, Bernstein said.

Donald positioned the decision by Britain to leave the European Union as a boost for Cunard Line and P&O Cruises because their fares in the weakened pound sterling are now more competitive with land vacations abroad for British travelers.

Bernstein said every change of 10% or more in the pound’s value has an effect of about 8 cents a share, or about $60 million, on Carnival’s full-year results.

Donald said Carnival has looked at its U.K and European forecasts in light of the Brexit vote. “At this point, we have no reason to adjust anything,” he said.

Cruise stocks, including Carnival’s, were hit harder than the market in general after the British vote. After the earnings release, Carnival shares were up more than 4% but were up less than 0.25% by 11:30 am Eastern.

Asked about the future development of Fathom, Donald said that its cruises to the Dominican Republic are geared toward a “travel segment rather than cruise,” and that Carnival’s ability to access that segment is “challenging.” He said Cuba sailings on Fathom have been successful and are very strongly booked for fall, but that there are still unsold cabins on summer departures.

Costa trials onboard robots

Pepper robots are being used on board Costa and Aida cruise ships

By http://www.passengership.info/

Costa Group has signed an exclusive agreement with French company Aldebaran to use its Pepper robots on board vessels to assist passengers on Costa and Aida cruise ships. Pepper is the world’s first robot that reads main human emotions.

Michael Thamm, chief executive of the Costa Group, said: “With an emotional robot on board our cruise ships we are once again continuing our tradition of innovation. For us, this is an important step towards a digital future for our brands.”

Pepper has successfully completed a trial on board AIDAstella. The first batch of Peppers will join the crew and start helping on board AIDAprima and Costa Diadema in spring 2016, guiding guests when they embark and while on board. They will also be on hand to provide recommendations and tips on restaurants, events and excursions. They can communicate in German, Italian and English. By summer of 2016 the rest of the robots will be joining the crew aboard the Costa and Aida fleets.

Pepper was developed in Japan and is the first humanoid robot capable of recognising the main emotions and to take his environment into account and proactively act accordingly. Pepper is well equipped with features and a high-level interface for communicating with those around him, to move fluidly and analyse expressions and voice tones using the latest advances in voice and emotion recognition.

The robot measures 120cm tall and weighs 28kg. Its movement is provided by three omnidirectional wheels while a 3D camera detects people and their movements and it has a 10 inch touch screen.

It has still to be decided whether the Peppers have to meet STCW training requirements.

Smiles all 'round for AIDAprima

Smiles all 'round for AIDAprima

AIDAprima's lips will shine across a total area of 150sq mtr

Rostock artist Feliks Büttner, creator of the signature kissing lips, eyes and waves found on the bow of every AIDA Cruises ship, faced a special challenge designing the motif for AIDAprima, currently under construction at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard in Nagasaki, Japan.

The designer had to adapt the graphic design for the first AIDA ship to be built outside Germany, as the bow of the MHI-constructed vessel is different from the others in the fleet.

The position lights and anchor hatch in the bow section also had to be taken into account in the application of the motif in order to create its familiar three-dimensional effect. A total 342 litres of paint in 11 colours was used.

In 1996, AIDA Cruises became the first cruise line to introduce a painting on its ships' bows.

For two decades, AIDA ships have been wearing the smile across the oceans.

When completed, AIDAprima’s kissing lips will shine across a total area of 150sq mtr. Each eye on the starboard and port side covers an area of 212sq mgr, and the blue waves on both sides of the hull fill an area of 330sq mtr. The entire painting extends over a length of 261mtr, surpassing all previous such paintings in the AIDA fleet.

The 124,500gt AIDAprima is scheduled to start its maiden cruise on October 1 from Yokohama, Japan. The 50-day journey ends on November 20 in Dubai. Following a winter season in the Middle East, the ship will depart from Dubai on March 18, 2016, headed for home port of Hamburg commencing a year-round programme of weekly cruises to Southhampton, Le Havre, Zeebrugge and Rotterdam end April.