Tag Archives: cruises

AIDA Shows Off 3D Virtual Tours of Crew Areas

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AIDA Shows Off 3D Virtual Tours of Crew Areas

AIDA Cruises is now offering a glimpse of its crew areas through a series of 3D virtual tours created in partnership with Liquid Ambient.

According to a report by Crew Centre, the 360º views give seafarers and future employees a behind-the-scenes look at life onboard.

The tours allow potential crew members to explore crew areas, including dedicated restaurants, bars and training centres.

The feature is available for all AIDA vessels, with tours divided by the fleet’s three ship classes: Helios, Hyperion and Sphinx.

Future employees can also explore staterooms onboard the vessels, which include single cabins, single cabins with a shared bathroom and double cabins.

The company said that its ships are not just a place to work but also a “second home” for their employees.

As such, all AIDA vessels also offer further features for crew members’ well-being, including gyms, saunas, sun and pool decks, hairdressers and relaxation areas.

The vessels also offer a Crew Recreation Centre, which is said to provide books, movies and board games.

According to the company’s website, AIDA currently employs 18,000 personnel worldwide in two offices and on 11 ships.

The company’s staff comes from 60 countries and spends three to six months onboard its vessels per contract.

With two newbuilds debuting in the future, the company is expected to add at least 2,500 new crew members to its lineup over the next six years.

Ordered from the Fincantieri shipyard earlier this year, AIDA’s next-generation vessels are set to enter service in 2030 and 2031. At 150,000 tons, the new LNG-powered ships will have a capacity for 4,200 guests each.

In addition to building new vessels, AIDA is currently investing in updating its Sphinx Class ships, which are set to undergo refits over the next few years.

As part of the AIDA Evolution program, the seven vessels are getting a fresher look, as well as more suites, updated public areas and new features.

Disney Adventure Embarks on Sea Trials

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Disney Adventure Embarks on Sea Trials

The new Disney Adventure sailed from Germany earlier this week to embark on its first set of sea trials.

Currently in the final stages of construction at the MV Werften shipyard, the vessel is now undergoing a series of assessments and trials in the Baltic and North Seas.

Over 1,400 workers are reportedly on board the ship, which is scheduled to be delivered to Disney Cruise Line in late September.

According to Ostsee Zeitung, the Disney Adventure will see testing of technology and systems while sailing to another German port, Bremerhaven.

The week-long trials are also said to include a technical visit to Rügen, an island on the Baltic coast of Germany.

The Disney Adventure is expected to undergo a second set of sea trials later this month.

The 208,000-ton ship is then set to embark on a delivery voyage to Asia ahead of its maiden cruise, which is scheduled to depart from Singapore on December 15, 2025.

As the largest cruise ship in the company’s fleet, the Adventure will be Disney’s first vessel dedicated to Southeast Asia.

Sailing from the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore on a year-round basis, the 6,000-guest ship will offer three- and four-night cruises to nowhere.

The vessel’s schedule in the region was recently extended with the addition of extra departures through December 2026.

In addition to the Disney Adventure, Disney Cruise Line is also welcoming the Disney Destiny to its fleet this year.

The LNG-powered ship is currently under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany for delivery in the fourth quarter.

As a sister to the Disney Wish and the Disney Treasure, the 2,500-guest vessel is set to welcome guests for its inaugural voyage in November 2025.

Sailing from Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades, the Destiny will spend its maiden season offering four- and five-night cruises to the Bahamas and the Caribbean.

Legend of the Seas Floats Out at Meyer Turku

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Legend of the Seas Floats Out at Meyer Turku

Meyer Turku hosted a festive ceremony on August 29, 2025, to celebrate the float out of Royal Caribbean International’s new Legend of the Seas.

According to a press release, the traditional float-out ceremony included speeches by representatives of the shipyard and the cruise line, as well as a gun salute and a playful competition to open the water valves of the construction basin in Finland.

During the weekend following the ceremony, the new 250,800-ton ship was moved to the outfitting dock, where finishing work will continue for another year.

“The Legend of the Seas continues the state-of-the-art Icon Class, which allows the Finnish maritime industry to showcase its unique expertise at its best,” said Casimir Lindholm, CEO of Meyer Turku.

“The shipyard, Royal Caribbean and an extensive network of partners work together to develop the processes and concepts from ship to ship. Alongside its sister ships, the Legend of the Seas will also mark an important milestone in increasingly responsible shipbuilding,” he added.

At 365 meters long, nearly 50 meters wide, the 248,000-ton LNG-powered vessel is the third ship in Royal Caribbean’s Icon class.

The first in the series, the Icon of the Seas, was delivered to the brand in November 2023, followed by the Star of the Seas in July 2025.

The fourth Icon Class ship, currently under construction at the shipyard and yet to be named, will be completed in 2027.

According to Meyer Turku, Royal Caribbean’s agreement with the shipyard also includes options to build fifth and sixth Icon Class ships.

Set to spend its inaugural season in the Mediterranean, the Legend of the Seas will be delivered to Royal Caribbean in the summer of 2026.

Following initial itineraries in Europe, the ship is scheduled to debut in the United States ahead of sailing in the Caribbean during the 2026-27 winter season.