ROSTOCK, Germany, Aug. 28,
2020 /PRNewswire/ -- AIDA Cruises, the leading cruise line
in Germany and a part of Carnival
Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), today
announced that it will offer cruises this fall and winter that
combine the fascination of a cruise trip with an unforgettable
holiday experience to several popular destinations.
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. As a result, the company has cancelled its
previously announced cruises for September and has updated its fall
and winter 2020-2021 program to provide its guests and sales
partners additional time to plan and book vacations for a safe and
enjoyable return to cruise holidays.
As the first ship from the AIDA fleet to begin sailing, AIDAmar
will set course on Nov. 1, 2020, for
seven-day voyages to the Canary Islands, a popular destination with
German vacationers.
AIDAperla will follow on Nov. 7,
2020, and will take over the travel program originally
planned for AIDAnova. AIDAmar's voyages will start and end in Las
Palmas, Gran Canaria. For voyages with AIDAperla, in addition to
Las Palmas, AIDA Cruises will offer a second departure port with
Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
In the Western Mediterranean, AIDA Cruises will resume sailing
operations with AIDAstella on Dec. 12,
2020, where the ship will cast off from Palma, Mallorca, on
seven-day cruises to some of the most beautiful cities in the
Western Mediterranean.
The treasures of the Orient take center stage during the
seven-day AIDAprima cruises that will be offered starting
Dec. 11, 2020, from Dubai (United Arab
Emirates) and from Dec. 15,
2020, from Abu Dhabi
(United Arab Emirates).
"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," says Felix Eichhorn, president of AIDA Cruises.
AIDA Cruises is in close contact with the responsible
authorities and airlines in order to prepare for the restart of its
voyages in November and December.
Supported by the theme "With certainty the most beautiful
vacation," the company provides information about the enhanced
protection measures against COVID-19 at
www.aida.de/sichererurlaub.
All AIDA cruises take place in compliance with the requirements
of the respective international and national health authorities as
well as the enhanced health and hygiene standards of AIDA Cruises.
The renowned independent testing company SGS Institut Fresenius and
the classification society DNV-GL have reviewed and confirmed the
enhanced health and hygiene standards and the processes of
preventive measures that AIDA Cruises will implement for the
restart of cruise operations.
All AIDA cruises can be booked at travel agencies, with the AIDA
customer center at the phone number 0381/202 707 07, or online at
www.aida.de.
Due to the current pandemic, events of the last few weeks in
Germany and the associated travel
restrictions in neighboring European countries, especially in
Northern European countries such as Norway and Denmark, as well as the Baltic states, AIDA Cruises has come to the
conclusion that, despite its careful preparations, the conditions
for a safe and responsible restart are not yet in place.
AIDA Cruises unfortunately has to extend its pause in operation
and all short voyages with AIDAblu from Kiel, the voyages with
AIDAperla with departure dates of Sept.
12, 19 and 26 from Hamburg,
as well as all voyages up to and including Oct. 31, 2020, will be cancelled. In addition,
all other voyages planned for the fall and winter season for 2020
and 2021 in the Western Mediterranean, the Azores, Cape Verde Islands and Northern Europe will not take place.
AIDA Cruises also very much regrets cancelling all long-distance
cruises of the fall and winter season for 2020 and 2021 in the
following destinations:
- Caribbean (including transit
cruises) with AIDAdiva, AIDAluna and AIDAperla
- Southern Africa (including
transit cruises) with AIDAmira
- Southeast Asia (including
transit cruises) with AIDAbella and AIDAvita
- Indian Ocean (including transit cruises) with AIDAblu
- Orient with AIDAprima up to and including the voyage on
Dec. 8, 2020
All guests whose voyage cannot take place will be informed
immediately.
Full details of the extension of the pause in operations as well
as FAQs can be found on this website: www.aida.de/reisehinweis.
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SOURCE AIDA Cruises