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Barcelona welcomes AIDAperla

AIDA Cruises expands itscommitment in Europe's cruise capital / Preparations underway for first LNGsupply to a cruise ship in the Mediterranean

AIDAperla – the youngest memberof the AIDA Cruises fleet – reached the port of Barcelona via the westernMediterranean yesterday evening (June 7, 2017), as part of its "WelcomeCruises". During AIDAperla's maiden season, Europe's cruise capital is,alongside Palma de Mallorca, one of the start and end ports for her seven-daycruises in the western Mediterranean.

The Rostock cruise company'slatest ship will be christened on June 30, 2017 in Palma de Mallorca by modeland presenter, Lena Gercke. The spectacular christening ceremony will bestreamed live on the Internet, the AIDA social media channels and on board allAIDA ships starting at 9:30 pm.

Indeploying the twelfth member of its fleet from Barcelona, AIDA Cruises isfurther expanding its commitment to the Spanish megacity. With five AIDA shipsdocking here a total of 61 times in 2017, this year the company will once againbe one of the city's most important partners. Apart from AIDAperla, which willdock 31 times, Barcelona is also a travel destination for guests aboard AIDAstella,AIDAblu, AIDAsol and AIDAaura, and the starting point for over 20 differentexcursions or extended vacations in the Catalonian capital.

AIDACruises is also supporting Barcelona's environmental efforts. Before the summeris out, the company – working with the relevant authorities and other partners– intends to supply AIDAperla with low-emission liquefied natural gas (LNG)while she is docked in the port. Incomparison to the use of conventional fuel, emissions caused by power generatedfrom liquefied natural gas are significantly reduced.

Sinceher twin ship AIDAprima has already been provided with LNG in all five ports ofher Northern Europe cruises since May 2016. AIDAperla will be the second cruiseship worldwide that, thanks to a dual fuel engine, will be able to produceonboard power from LNG while docked – accounting for some 40 percent of heroperating time. The requirement for this is theavailability of LNG in the respective port. AIDA Cruises is also discussingthis issue with other Mediterranean ports.

AIDA Cruises will step up itscommitment still further in 2018. Thanks to the completion of the CarnivalGroup's new cruise terminal, for the first time six ships from the AIDA fleetwill be stopping at Barcelona on their cruises through the Mediterranean. Thecruise corporation is investing a total of around 30 million euros in thefacility which has an area of some 12,500 m². It was designed by the well-knownCatalonian architect Battel I Roig, and is specifically geared to the operationof the next generation of ships that are entirely powered with LNG. The firstship of this generation, AIDAnova, will be commissioned in fall 2018.

AIDA Cruises is one of thefastest growing and commercially most successful tourism businesses in Germany.The company employs about 9,000 people from 40 countries on land and on boardAIDA ships. AIDA Cruises operates one of the world's most state-of-the-artfleets, currently comprising 12 cruise ships. Two more new ships will be built by2021 at the Meyer shipyard in Papenburg (Germany). From 2021 AIDA Cruises willbe the world's first cruise company capable of powering its new generation ofships entirely with LNG (liquefied natural gas). More information atwww.aida.de

All cruises on AIDAperla can bebooked as of now at travel agencies, at the AIDA Customer Center at +49(0)381/202 707 07 or at www.aida.de.

Rostock, June 8, 2017

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