Content Section

Premiere: AIDA’s first world cruise launched from Hamburg

AIDAcara says goodbyewith a huge fireworks display / Second world cruise with AIDAaura from October7, 2018, already available for booking

On Tuesday, October 17, 2017 at 8.00 p.m.,the cry of "cast off" went up for AIDAcara as she set out from Hamburg on AIDACruises' very first world cruise. The 116-day cruise around the world will takeher, over the course of 116 days until February 10, 2018, to 41 ports in 23countries on five continents. Highlights of the journey are, amongst others, EasterIsland, New Zealand and Australia, Sugar Loaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro andthe Maldives. Reason enough for the cruise company to celebrate this uniqueevent with a very special launch.

Before AIDAcara and around 1,100 guestsaboard said goodbye to the Hanseatic City, however, Captain Lars Krüger made atrip from the cruise terminal in Steinwerder around the port passing theHafencity and the Elbphilharmonie. Afterwards the ship set out towards Altonawhere a spectacular fireworks display illuminated the Hamburg night sky at 9.30p.m. Around 2,000 spectators watched AIDAcara's farewell from the banks of theriver Elbe or live on Facebook.

From Hamburg, AIDAcara sets a course to SouthAmerica via Southampton, Lisbon, Funchal (Madeira) and Praia (Cape Verde). OnOctober 31, 2017, Neptun and his entourage are expected aboard to christenguests and crew alike when the equator will be crossed for the first time. Dreamdestinations such as Recife and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Montevideo (Uruguay),Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego are just some of thestops along the way before AIDAcara travels from Valparaiso (Chile) to EasterIsland. The cruise continues on to Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora in the SouthSeas paradise of French Polynesia. Other stops such as Auckland (NewZealand), Sydney (Australia), the Great Barrier Reef, Bali, Singapore and theMaldives are sure to delight all of our explorers on board.

World cruise guests will be experiencing thedifferent countries and their people in a unique way. Lengthy shore excursionswill give them the chance to familiarize themselves with imposing landscapes,cultures and natural worlds from an entirely new angle. On board they willenjoy AIDAcara's intimate and laid-back atmosphere. The specially devisedentertainment program makes reference to the typical culture of the respectivedestinations. Numerous guest artistes performing comedy, magic, drag acts,artistry and music will deliver both thrills and delight. The cruiseexclusively features star tenor Tobey Wilson with his classical, pop and jazzrepertoire.

Exciting background and well-informed stories relating tothe various world cruise destinations will be provided by lecturers such ascrime writer Jörg Böhm, or documentary filmmaker and expedition leader KlausKiesewetter. Actor Wanja Mues, for his part, will be presenting his favoritebooks as part of the "Celebrities Read" series. Dr. Pedro Gonzalez, fitnesscoach for the German soccer league (DFB) and the St. Pauli soccer club will bebringing along his scientific training program for professional athletes andsoccer world champions.

During this dream cruise, guests can also look forward toexquisite culinary options with over 70 regional specialty menus which areperfectly designed to match the individual destinations – from recipe toseasoning.

On October 8, 2018, the cry of "cast off!"will be heard again when this great adventure gets underway from Hamburg forthe second time. Sailing until February 2, 2019, AIDAaura's route over 117 dayswill take her to 41 ports in 20 countries on four continents. Many of the destinationswill be visited for the first time in AIDA's history. These include SouthAfrica, Namibia, Melbourne, Tasmania and the South Seas archipelago of Fiji,Samoa and New Caledonia.

AIDA presents both the cruise and the on-board program at www.aidaselection.de – but there is moreas well: the website also has inspiring videos and interviews that bring theindividual destinations and their inhabitants vividly to life.

Further information and bookings at travelagencies, by calling the AIDA Customer Center at +49 (0) 381 / 20 27 07 07 orat www.aida.de.

Rostock, October 18, 2017

Kaleidoscope powered