AIDAblu
Product brand
UnclaimedAIDAblu is a Sphinx-class cruise ship operated by the German cruise line AIDA Cruises.
Last updated August 24, 2026
Overview
AIDAblu is a Sphinx-class cruise ship operated by AIDA Cruises, the German cruise brand within the Carnival Corporation & plc group. The vessel was constructed by Meyer Werft and delivered on 4 February 2010. It became the seventh ship in AIDA Cruises’ fleet and belongs to a family of ships that includes AIDAdiva, AIDAbella, AIDAluna, AIDAsol and AIDAmar. Compared with the earlier members of the class, AIDAblu incorporates an additional partial deck and expanded public areas. The ship was designed for the contemporary German-speaking cruise market, combining resort-style accommodation with a broad range of restaurants, bars, entertainment spaces and outdoor leisure facilities. It has 1,096 cabins, including 374 interior cabins and 722 outside cabins, and can accommodate approximately 2,050 passengers. Its public facilities include six restaurants, ten bars, approximately 8,120 square metres of outer-deck space and a roughly 3,000-square-metre Theatrium, the open multi-level entertainment venue associated with AIDA’s Sphinx-class design. One of AIDAblu’s most distinctive features is an onboard brewery, described in contemporary reference material as the first brewery installed on a cruise ship. Beer served aboard the ship is brewed on board, making the facility both a production installation and a central part of the ship’s hospitality concept. Together with its restaurants and entertainment areas, the brewery supports AIDA’s informal, leisure-oriented positioning rather than a highly formal cruise experience. AIDAblu operates as a vessel rather than as an independently incorporated company or separately listed brand. Its commercial identity is tied to AIDA Cruises, while ownership and group affiliation ultimately connect it to Carnival Corporation & plc. The ship’s technical identifiers include IMO number 9398888, MMSI 247282500 and callsign IBWX. The name AIDAblu had previously been used for another AIDA vessel between 2004 and 2007. The current ship entered service in 2010 and has continued to be identified with AIDA’s European cruise offering. Reported incidents associated with the vessel include alleged damage during a 2010 port approach involving the Costa Atlantica and the death of a Filipino crew member aboard the ship while it was docked in Hamburg on 18 May 2020. The latter was reported not to have been suspected as a COVID-19 death.
History
AIDAblu is a Sphinx-class cruise ship associated with AIDA Cruises, the German cruise line known for operating large leisure vessels in European markets. The ship was built by Meyer Werft and delivered on 4 February 2010. It became the seventh vessel in AIDA Cruises’ fleet and was developed as part of the same broad generation as AIDAdiva, AIDAbella and AIDAluna. Similar ships, including AIDAsol and AIDAmar, followed or complemented the class. The vessel incorporates a partial additional deck compared with some earlier Sphinx-class ships. Its design combines passenger cabins with a large collection of restaurants, bars, entertainment areas and outdoor leisure facilities. AIDAblu has 1,096 cabins: 374 are interior cabins and 722 are outside cabins. Its stated passenger capacity is approximately 2,050. Public spaces include six restaurants, ten bars, about 8,120 square metres of outer-deck area and a Theatrium of approximately 3,000 square metres. The Theatrium is an open, vertically arranged performance and gathering space characteristic of AIDA’s ship design. A notable feature is the onboard brewery, described in reference material as the first brewery installed on a cruise ship. Beer served on the vessel is brewed aboard, giving the ship a distinctive food-and-beverage attraction in addition to its conventional cruise facilities. This feature fits AIDA’s informal, activity-oriented approach to cruising, in which dining, entertainment and casual social spaces are central parts of the passenger experience. The designation AIDAblu was not entirely new to the fleet. An earlier AIDA ship used the same name from 2004 to 2007. The current AIDAblu therefore represents a later use of an established vessel name rather than the creation of an independently incorporated business. The ship is commercially operated by AIDA Cruises and belongs to the wider Carnival Corporation & plc group structure. AIDAblu’s technical identifiers are IMO 9398888, MMSI 247282500 and callsign IBWX. The vessel has also appeared in reports concerning operational incidents. In 2010, the Costa Atlantica was reported to have approached the port of Warnemünde at excessive speed, allegedly causing damage to AIDAblu. In another incident, a male Filipino crew member who had worked in the galley was found dead in his cabin on 18 May 2020 while the ship was docked in Hamburg. The available reference material says that COVID-19 was not suspected in connection with that death. No further verified information about the vessel’s current itineraries, command personnel or commercial financial performance is provided by the supplied sources.
- 2020
Crew death in Hamburg
[1]A Filipino crew member was found dead aboard the ship while it was docked in Hamburg on 18 May 2020.
- 2010
Current AIDAblu delivered
[1]Meyer Werft delivered the current AIDAblu to AIDA Cruises on 4 February 2010.
- 2010
Reported Warnemünde incident
[1]Reference material reports alleged damage to AIDAblu during a high-speed port approach by Costa Atlantica.
- 2007
Earlier AIDAblu identity discontinued
[1]The earlier ship carrying the AIDAblu name was used under that name through 2007.
- 2004
Earlier use of the AIDAblu name
[1]A previous AIDA vessel used the AIDAblu name before the current ship entered service.
Products and positioning
AIDAblu is positioned as a contemporary, resort-style cruise ship for AIDA Cruises’ European leisure market, emphasizing casual hospitality, varied dining, entertainment and extensive outdoor spaces.
Cruise ship · 2010
AIDAblu cruise ship
The principal and only known product represented by the AIDAblu name is the Sphinx-class passenger cruise ship delivered in 2010. It provides accommodation for approximately 2,050 passengers in 1,096 cabins, together with restaurants, bars, entertainment facilities and extensive outdoor deck areas. Its onboard brewery is a distinguishing hospitality feature.
Brand decisions
2010
Introduction of the current AIDAbluProduct launchBackground
AIDA Cruises expanded its Sphinx-class fleet with a new vessel built by Meyer Werft.
Action taken
The cruise line accepted delivery of AIDAblu on 4 February 2010 and placed the ship into its passenger-cruise operation.
Aftermath
AIDAblu became the seventh ship in the AIDA fleet and added a brewery and expanded public facilities to the brand’s ship offering.
Recent events
- 2020
Crew member found dead aboard AIDAblu in Hamburg[1]
Other
On 18 May 2020, a Filipino crew member who had worked in the galley department was found dead in his cabin while AIDAblu was docked in Hamburg. Reference material states that COVID-19 was not suspected as the cause of death.
- 2010
AIDAblu delivered by Meyer Werft[1]
Product launch
Meyer Werft delivered AIDAblu to AIDA Cruises on 4 February 2010, introducing the vessel as the seventh ship in the AIDA fleet.
- 2010
AIDAblu reportedly damaged during Costa Atlantica port approach[1]
Other
Reference material reports that the Costa Atlantica, under the command of Francesco Schettino, entered Warnemünde at excessive speed and allegedly caused damage to AIDAblu.
Sources3 sources
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