The name "Astoria Grande" was painted on the bow of AIDA Cruises' ship AIDAcara (1996-built) that was sold in June 2021 to an unknown buyer.
Industry players believe that small ship manager Mester Commercial Ltd, which is listed as the owner of the former AIDAcara ship, is launching a new brand (Russian cruise line).
The German subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & PLC, AIDA Cruises, didn't give any details on the vessel's future owner when the sale deal was announced in June 2021. Few details were available until AIDAcara was recently handed over to the Cyprus-based company Mester Commercial.
However, IHS Markit Ltd (London UK-based ship register with listed shipowners by IMO) shows the Moscow-based company "Aquilon Shipping" as the bareboat owner.
According to sources who followed the sale, AIDAcara is ultimately owned by a Russian entrepreneur poised to launch cruise shipping operations for Russian customers.