AIDAluna

AIDAluna is a Sphinx-class cruise ship, owned by the United States-based Carnival Corp and operated by AIDA Cruises.[8] Built by Meyer Werft shipyards at Papenburg, Germany, she is the third ship of the class, preceded by AIDAdiva and AIDAbella, and is followed by AIDAblu, AIDAsol, and AIDAmar. The ship has a capacity of 2,100 passengers and is assesed at. AIDAluna initially deployed in the Baltic Sea for the 2009 Summer season. In Winter 2009, she redeployed to the Canary Islands.[8] AIDAluna has an 8 × poolside theater, which is a first for AIDA Cruises.[9]

Concept and construction

AIDAluna is the third ship, out of a series of six Sphinx-class ships, ordered by AIDA Cruises from Meyer Werft, with expected delivery of one ship each year from 2007 to 2012. She is a sister ship of AIDAdiva, AIDAbella, AIDAblu, AIDAsol, and AIDAmar. The first order was only for two ships, but the option extended to six ships.[10][11] She floated out of drydock on 10 February 2009.[12] AIDAluna started her sea trials with her passage on the River Ems on 21 February 2009, departing Papenburg. The voyage culminated at Emden the next day. On 23 February, departing Emden to continue sea trials, she ventured to the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg for final inspection at dock Elbe 17. During the inspection, an object was seen, being tangled on AIDAluna's propellers, which was supposedly caused by the ship's short trip. After a few days, AIDAluna was cleared and continued her sea trials in the North Sea.[13] AIDAluna was delivered to her owners on 16 March 2009.[6] She was christened on 4 April 2009, at Palma de Mallorca by the German supermodel, Franziska Knuppe.

Description

AIDAluna measures 251.89 m long overall and 225.55 m between perpendiculars with a beam of 32.2 m and a draught of 7.3 m. The ship is assessed at, and .[5] The ship is powered by a diesel-electric system consisting of Caterpillar MaK 9M43C diesel engines capable of producing 36000 kW of power turning two propellers, creating 25000 kW and giving the ship a maximum speed of 22 kn.[6] The vessel has a crew of 607.[8]

The cruise ship has 13 decks and 1,025 passenger cabins, with 666 facing the exterior and 359 interior-facing. AIDAluna is capable of hosting 2,050 passengers.[6][8] AIDAluna has a 2300 m2 spa facility and 6400 m2 sun deck. The ship has seven restaurants and 11 bars.[8] The focal point in the ship is the Theatrium, a three-level[6] complex, which could be transformed into a theatre.[6] An onboard 4-D cinema[6] is fitted with moving chairs.[6]

Operational history

AIDAluna started her maiden voyage on 22 March 2009, departing Hamburg. This 14-day voyage culminated in Palma de Mallorca, with stops at Le Havre, Santander, A Coruña, Lisbon, Cádiz, Tangier, Valencia, and Barcelona.[6] In Summer 2009, she was deployed in Baltic Sea and in Winter, she was redeployed in Canary Islands.[8] AIDAluna made her first call in Kiel on 22 April and in Rostock-Warnemünde on 8 May, departing from Palma de Mallorca. She made ten roundtrip cruises in the Baltic during the 2009 Summer season.[14] In 2011, AIDAluna was redeployed in the Caribbean and offered 14-day cruises, with additional 6 to 8-day sailings. On her way to the Caribbean, AIDAluna sailed the United States East Coast, calling at New York City.[15] AIDAluna made the first visit to Bermuda by an AIDA Cruises' ship in September 2011.[16] In April 2014, the ship had a scrubber system installed to reduce its emissions.[17]

At around 5 a.m. on 9 September 2018, the German pop singer Daniel Küblböck jumped overboard when the vessel was in open waters about 185 km north of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in the Labrador Sea. The Canadian Coast Guard launched a search operation,[18][19][20] assisted by AIDAluna and the Holland America cruise ship MS Zuiderdam.[21] The search was abandoned the following day, as the water temperature was 10 C and the maximum survival time in cold water had been exceeded,[22][23] and Küblböck was later officially declared dead.[24]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, AIDA Cruises suspended all cruises in March 2020, only resuming operations after clearance from local governments.[25][26] The ship was the seventh and last of the AIDA cruises fleet to resume operations, sailing in September 2021.[27] During the Winter season of 2024–2025, AIDAluna serviced the Caribbean, departing from Martinique and visiting the Caribbean islands, Mexico, Central America and a single stop in Colombia at Santa Marta.[28] In October 2025, the ship entered dry dock to undergo the "Evolution" refit, in which the ship will get new features and an interior overhaul. The vessel is expected to return to service in early December 2025.[29]

External links

• Official website of AIDAluna
• Photos
• YouTube video clip during the launch of AIDAluna
• Passing the Jann-Berghaus-Brücke on the river Ems
• Picture