Tag Archives: restart service

Aida Cruises aims to start sailing again in November

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AIDAmar | Built by MEYER WERFT

German cruise line Aida has extended the suspension of cruises until November when it plans to restart operations with a Canary Islands itinerary.

The Carnival Corporation brand has cancelled its previously announced cruises for September and October and updated its autumn-winter programme because of Covid-19 restrictions.

It said in a statement on Friday: “Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the conditions are currently not in place in Germany’s neighbouring European countries, especially in the north with Norway and Denmark or the Baltic states.

“For many distant destinations outside of Europe, the Federal Republic of Germany has issued a travel warning or the respective countries have prohibited calls of cruise ships until 2021.”

The first ship to begin sailing, Aidamar, will depart on November 1 for seven-day voyages around the Canary Islands, a destination popular with German cruisers.

Aidaperla will follow on November 7 and will take over itineraries originally planned for Aidanova (pictured).

Aidastella will start cruises in the western Mediterranean on December 12, launching from Majorca.

Aidaprima will offer cruises from Dubai from December 11 and from Abu Dhabi from December 15.

Felix Eichhorn, president of Aida Cruises, said: “Even though it is currently not possible for cruise ships to call at Norway, which is so important for our voyages to the north, we are confident that the first Aida ships from Germany will be able to travel to northern Europe again at the beginning of 2021.”

Aida Cruises is also cancelling autumn-winter cruises to destinations in the Caribbean, southern Africa, Indian Ocean and the Far East.

TUI Adds Second Ship Back Into Service; Doubles Capacity

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Mein Schiff 1

TUI Cruises is already doubling capacity and spinning up a second ship as the Mein Schiff 1 will restart service at 60 per cent occupancy out of Kiel in August, according to the German cruise company.

This follows the Mein Schiff 2, which resumes service later this month with short cruises from Hamburg.

The Mein Schiff 1 will sail cruises to nowhere (known as “Blue Cruises”) from Kiel, offering three- and four-day short sailings.

“This gives guests the opportunity to enjoy the Mein Schiff experience on board with the premium all-inclusive concept and at the same time treat themselves to a break at sea, of course with an adapted and expanded health and safety concept,” the company said. “The basis for the resumption of cruise operations is the guiding principles of the responsible authorities, which were developed in coordination with CLIA Germany and the shipping companies as well as in cooperation with experts.”

Pricing starts at 599 euro per person for a balcony stateroom.

First river cruise with Covid-19 regulations completes sailing

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MS nickoVISION Itinerary, Current Position, Ship Review | CruiseMapper

nickoVision cruising down the Danube

Scylla has completed the first river cruise to take place with new Covid-19 safety regulations.

The Swiss line’s nickoVISION ship has docked in Dusseldorf, Germany, after a 13-day sailing along the Danube, Main and Rhine rivers.

The ship set sail on June 1 with regular temperature checks carried out on passengers and crew, and a one-way system in corridors to maintain social distancing.

“Both guests and crew mastered these challenges with flying colours,” said chief executive Arno Reitsma. “Our first post-lockdown river cruise went without a hitch. All passengers were very satisfied with the cruise experience, they felt completely safe with the new measures and said they had a really pleasant time with us.”

Scylla, which has a fleet of 35 river ships carrying between 88 and 220 passengers, will now continue with its European river cruise programme this summer.

Reitsma added: “After a very successful start, the river cruise season can now be continued. This means that guests will once again be able to enjoy a variety of river cruises on Europe’s most popular waterways, even though travel itself is now slightly different.

“We are not yet able to operate on all the European rivers we used to, but we will be gradually adding new routes and expanding our offer.”