“We are looking forward to the largest fleet modernization program in our company’s history,” Steffi Heinicke, senior vice president of guest experiences and onboard revenue, told Cruise Industry News.
Three ships are going into drydock, starting with the AIDAdiva which will dock into the Chantiers Naval shipyard in Marseille from February to March. For the next two ships, the AIDAluna will be in the shipyard from October to December, followed by AIDAbella from January to March 2026.
“The clear focus of our modernization program is to be able to offer a larger variety of experiences, services and comforts to our guests. In that respect, all cabins will be given a fresh look with new color concepts. In addition, we will be offering a larger range of suites. This will be complemented with new exclusive areas and services,” Heinicke said.
“Furthermore, we will also continue to improve the culinary, entertainment and wellness experiences.
“The ships will have a total of eight restaurants and 15 bars and cafés offering national and international cuisines. Popular concepts from the latest generation of ships will also be transferred to the AIDAdiva, such as the Lanai Bar at the stern, the Tokyo Bar, the French Kiss and the Yacht Club Restaurant. And we will introduce a new Asian restaurant, East Fusion.”
Among other details, the Theatrium, the main theater and also the heart of the ships, will be made “cozier and get turned into a kind of living room,” according to Heinicke.
She also said the space layout will be optimized so that the different areas are more harmoniously connected. State-of-the-art technology for sound, lighting and stage control will be installed.
The planning began in early 2023, although ideas and concepts had come much earlier based on customer feedback.
Heinicke explained how the modernization program is a team effort between AIDA and Carnival Maritime. Due to the size of the project and the wide range of tasks, a special project team has been set up within Carnival Maritime that is only dedicated to this project.
“We have around 100 different projects, each accounting for some 100 actions,” Heinicke noted.
Excerpt from the Cruise Industry News Quarterly Magazine Winter 2024-25
