About Spacejunkie2

I love all things Cruise and add that to my hobby Photography I'm in dreamland, I'm an exTravel agency owner with the inside contacts, so I will try to keep you updated in all things travel related with a side serving of images and other maritime stories.

AIDAsol and AIDAmar Connect to Shore Power Simultaneously

Posted on 18 April, 2023 by Spacejunkie2

In a cruise industry first, AIDA Cruises marked the beginning of the season with a double call of the AIDAsol and AIDAmar in Rostock-Warnemünde, where the two cruise ships connected simultaneously to shore power, according to a press release.

“We are delighted by this successful shore power premiere in Rostock-Warnemünde. Thanks to the opening of further shore power facilities in European ports, we will be able to expand our commitment this year. Our goal is to be able to use shore power in all ports in the future. We, therefore, welcome the decisions of other ports to develop a corresponding solution. With our commitment to decarbonization, we are not only driving the energy transition in the cruise sector, but we are also providing an example of how to shape local value creation in our destinations sustainably,” said Felix Eichhorn, president of AIDA Cruises.

The two ships using shore power to supply energy is an important contribution to reducing carbon emissions while ships are docked in port, AIDA said in a press release.

The first shore power facility for cruise ships opened in the Baltic Sea region in 2021 with the AIDAsol in Rostock-Warnemünde during the 12th German National Maritime Conference.

The shore power plant in Warnemünde can supply two ships simultaneously at berths P7 and P8.

Port of San Diego Advances Maritime Museum Redevelopment Plan

Posted on 16 April, 2023 by Spacejunkie2

The Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners voted to advance a redevelopment project proposed by the Maritime Museum Association of San Diego to the environmental review phase, according to a press release.

The Maritime Museum, with historic ships including the Star of India, San Salvador, HMS Surprise, and others, is already an iconic cultural attraction on our San Diego Bay waterfront,” said Chairman Rafael Castellanos, Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners.

“If approved and constructed in the future, this project seeks to greatly enhance the area and bring even more people to our North Embarcadero where there are already so many fun and interesting things to see, do, and experience.”

“Five generations of our community have contributed to making this one of the great Maritime Museums of the world, the place where we tell our story of the sea,” said President and CEO Ray Ashley, Maritime Museum of San Diego. “This stunning improvement to our waterfront is not only something worthy of that story, it projects a vision that our community can take pride in.”

The Maritime Museum’s plan is to redevelop its premises on the North Embarcadero to include galleries, an educational theatre, a museum store, terraces, a café for ticketholders and public and administrative offices.

The Maritime Museum presented the project to the Board of Port Commissioners on Tuesday, April 11. In addition to the changes above, the plan is also to reconfigure the dock area and mooring locations. The estimated cost of the proposed project is $28 million with funding from multiple sources including state grants, private financing, and private fundraising.

AIDAaura Completes 20 Years in Service

Posted on 16 April, 2023 by Spacejunkie2

Scheduled to leave the AIDA Cruises fleet later this year, the AIDAaura will complete 20 years in service this month.

The 42,000-ton vessel was built at the Aker MTW shipyard in Germany and was christened on April 12, 2003, during a ceremony at the German port of Warnemünde.

The ship was named by top model Heidi Klum. A few days later, the AIDAaura welcomed it’s first paying guests as AIDA’s third purpose-built “club ship.”

As part of the company’s unique product concept, the 1,270-passenger ship features multiple open-seating restaurants, mostly offering buffet-style service, in addition to a more relaxed and informal atmosphere.

The AIDAaura is also equipped with several bars and lounges, a library, a two-story theatre, and more, serving the German-speaking market. During its inaugural season, the ship sailed a series of itineraries in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Central America.

The AIDAaura also served as the house of the German Olympic Committee during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

During its 20-year career with AIDA, the ship offered over 800 cruises, sailing to varied destinations that also include Northern Europe, the Indian Ocean, the Amazon, Southeast Asia, Greenland, the Arctic, and more.

After joining the company’s AIDA Selection program in 2016, AIDAaura also offered AIDA’s first-ever world cruise. Sailing during the 2018-2019 winter season, the global tour included visits to 41 destinations in 117 days.

Currently offering a farewell season, the ship is scheduled to be withdrawn from the AIDA Cruises fleet at the end of the third quarter of 2023.

AIDAaura’s last voyage for the company sets sail on September 9 and visits well-known European rivers such as the Thames for Tilbury on the outskirts of the British capital London, the Seine in France for Rouen, and the Scheldt in Belgium for Antwerp.