Tag Archives: Aidadiva

AIDAdiva Returns to Germany Following World Cruise

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AIDAdiva Returns to Germany Following World Cruise

The AIDAdiva has recently returned to the port of Hamburg in Germany following AIDA’s 2025-26 world cruise.

After undergoing a major refurbishment as part of AIDA’s Evolution refit program, the vessel embarked on the voyage in early November 2025.

The AIDAdiva then visited 53 destinations in 27 countries before arriving back at its homeport on March 23, 2026.

Covering 35,000 nautical miles, the itinerary was highlighted by milestones for AIDA Cruises, including the company’s return to New York City following a six-year hiatus.

The cruise also marked the brand’s first visits to ports on the West Coast of North America, as well as in Japan and Hawaii.

The 2,030-passenger ship also spent New Year’s Eve docked in Honolulu during its first visit to the Aloha State.

Other highlights of the itinerary included AIDA’s first-ever transit of the Panama Canal, which took place on December 6, 2025.

Following the completion of its world cruise, the AIDAdiva is now set to offer summer cruises out of ports in Germany.

The ship’s schedule includes a series of four- to 14-night cruises to destinations in Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea.

Ports of call set to be visited include Vik in Norway, Visby in Sweden, Gdynia in Poland and Aarhus in Denmark.

In late August, the 2007-built ship is scheduled to reposition to North America for fall cruises departing from New York City.

The 12-night itineraries are highlighted by visits to destinations in Canada and New England, as well as Florida and the Bahamas, including Portland, Boston, Miami and Nassau.

In late October, the AIDAdiva sets sail to La Romana in the Dominican Republic ahead of a winter season offering cruises to the Southern and Eastern Caribbean.

AIDA’s next world voyage is scheduled to depart from Hamburg in mid-October 2026 onboard the AIDAsol.

The 126-night cruise will follow a different itinerary that will include stops in South America, the South Pacific, Australia, Africa and the Indian Ocean.

AIDAbella Back at Sea Post-Modernization

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AIDAbella Back at Sea Post-Modernization

The AIDAbella is resuming service in Palma de Mallorca on March 11 following its AIDA Evolution refurbishment.

The cruise ship had previously spent seven weeks in a shipyard in Marseille, where it underwent a comprehensive overhaul and modernization.

According to a statement from the company, the upgrade included new and additional restaurants, bars with enhanced service, new activity areas for families and a fresh look for the public areas.

In addition to redesigning guest cabins, new and additional suites were added, as well as exclusive areas such as the Sky Deck and the Rossini Lounge.

Furthermore, technical upgrades were made to reduce energy consumption and improve efficiency.

Approximately 5,100 pieces of furniture were donated to social organizations and 18 tons of aluminum from sun loungers and chairs were recycled, demonstrating  circular economy in practice.

The company also refurbished approximately 45,000 m2 of carpets, 10,000 m2 of carpet underlay, 2,500 m2 of artificial turf and over 1,000 mattresses, giving them a new lease on life.

The crew and reception areas got a fully recyclable, allergy-friendly carpet made from Econyl yarn, produced from recycled carpets from the AIDAdiva and AIDAluna.

Thanks to a new reverse osmosis system, the AIDAbella can produce more fresh water from seawater using less energy, the company said.

The consistent use of LED lighting, further optimization of demand-based climate control, and modernized catering technology are meant to contribute to reducing energy and water consumption onboard.

Finally, a special biocide-free coating was added to reduce fouling on the hull, thus also reducing fuel consumption.

The ship’s first itinerary post-modernization is a seven-day roundtrip from Palma that includes stops in Civitavecchia (Rome), La Spezia, Marseille – with a special overnight stay – and Barcelona, before returning to Palma.

Nippon Paint Marine Showcases Coating Solutions Results Aboard AIDAdiva

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Nippon Paint Marine Showcases Coating Solutions Results Aboard AIDAdiva

Nippon Paint Marine announced that its application of AQUATERRAS, an advanced polymer technology, on the AIDAdiva has resulted in lower costs and downtime, as the need for planned in-water hull cleaning was removed for over three years.

John Drew, director at Nippon Paint Marine, Europe, told Cruise Industry News the patented structure, paired with a hydrolysis-driven self-polishing mechanism, optimises hull smoothness over time and delivers a reduction in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

“Our team of experts has a detailed understanding of the challenging itineraries that cruise vessels must operate under, often spending extended periods within regions in which the impact of biofouling is keenly felt, as well as managing stakeholder pressure from consumers where sustainability is a priority,” Drew explained.

Meeting the Industry Where It Is

According to Drew, the industry is adapting to an increasingly complex regulatory environment designed to support the reduction of carbon emissions and increase sustainability.

“Our clients are focused on balancing the need to mitigate emissions from their fleets through enhanced operational efficiencies and the integration of clean technologies while remaining commercially competitive,” he added.

To meet these requirements, the company launched AQUATERRAS, which combines hydrophilic and hydrophobic micro-domains to resist biological adhesion.

Drew added that, while delivering a speed loss of 1 per cent over 60 months, compared to the 5.9 per cent industry average, the attributes enable vessels to generate up to 14.7 per cent in fuel savings and associated emissions reduction.

“Hull performance directly affects both operating costs and environmental impact, so maintaining a clean hull across such varied conditions is critical,” he said. “AQUATERRAS has demonstrated its ability to meet these challenges.”

“For example, following its application to the AIDAdiva in 2022, the vessel operated for three years without the need for any in-water hull cleaning, maintaining a fouling-free vertical bottom despite extensive service in high-biofouling regions such as the Caribbean and Mediterranean,” he explained.

The performance supported sustained fuel efficiency gains and eliminated the environmental risks associated with traditional coatings due to its biocide-free characteristics.

Drew added that the solution, for both drydock and newbuild projects, does not require specialist application equipment and can be applied at any yard.

The Focus for the Future

“Looking ahead, innovation in marine coatings will be shaped by three priorities: advancing sustainability, maximising operational efficiency and ensuring compliance with increasingly stringent and fragmented environmental regulations,” said Drew.

“We expect to see a continued shift away from biocidal systems toward alternative technologies that deliver long-term fouling prevention without environmental trade-offs, as well as a focus on developing low-volatile organic compounds solutions that are designed to minimise the release of harmful organic chemicals into the surrounding environment during application and drying,” he added.

Nippon Paint Marine will invest heavily into research and development leading into 2026, as innovation means looking well beyond the next 12 months, Drew said. Innovations and materials need to be tested over a number of years in varied operating conditions before being launched to market.

Collaboration is the Way Forward

“Working closely with shipowners, operators, shipyards, and research partners is imperative for us, as it ensures our innovations align with the operational challenges our customers face,” Drew said.

“Through working together, we can help our partners meet their various commercial and environmental targets, today and in the long term. This means continuing to innovate while ensuring our products support the highest levels of performance, are cost-effective and support ongoing regulatory compliance.”