AIDAperla

The 2017-built AIDAperla cruise ship is the second of two AIDA Cruises vessels in the Hyperion-Class series, together with the sister-ship AIDAprima (2016). AIDAperla is the fleet's 12th vessel and the 2nd of two Japan-built AIDA ships. AIDA's Hyperion-Class was succeeded by the Helios-Class (AIDAnova and AIDAcosma).

The vessel (IMO number 9636967) is currently Italy-flagged (MMSI 247385300) and registered in Genova.

History - construction and ownership

AIDA Cruises is a Rostock-headquartered subsidiary company owned by Carnival Corporation. AIDA is Europe's largest German cruise line (followed by TUI) targeting younger and more active travelers. AIDA was founded in 1960 (as "Deutsche Seereederei") and in 2000 was acquired by P&O Princess Cruises, which merged with Carnival Corporation (shipowner) in 2003. AIDA's first World Cruise (AIDAcara) was in 2017-2018 (October-February) with 116-day roundtrip itinerary from Hamburg Germany.

The 3400-passenger ship AIDAperla is among the most technologically advanced ships on the planet. The hull is designed to reduce friction and to minimize the fuel consumption. Emissions (nitrogen oxide, sulfur oxide, and soot particles) are minimized by the impressive 90 and 99%.

Besides the ship's staff and crew, AIDA cruise passengers are also served by Peper robots - the latest cyborg technology implemented fleetwide in 2016. These humanoid robots greet and guide passengers upon embarkation. They also assist them throughout the cruise by providing information and tips on onboard dining, entertainment, enrichment program (workshops, pre-scheduled events), casino and shopping promotions, shore excursions and tours. Pepper robots are mobile and communicate in 3 languages (English, German, Italian). They can also interpret human emotions by analyzing voice tones and facial expressions.

Decks and Cabins

AIDAperla staterooms (1643 total, in 21 grades) include 32 Suites (in 6 grades), 1101 Balcony (69% of all accommodations, in 10 grades), 198 Oceanviews (in 4 grades) and 312 Interior cabins (in 3 grades). The largest accommodations are the Forward-Facing Premium Suites (sized 1345 ft2 / 125 m2, with private sundeck terrace sized 885 ft2 / 82 m2).

The boat has 18 decks, of which 15 are passenger-accessible and 9 with cabins.

All staterooms offer as standard (complimentary) amenities electronic safe box and lifejackets (in the closet), spacious wardrobe (some with walk-in closet), low table with lounge chairs, double bed (most convertible to twins), Pullman beds (in most quads), bedside tables, wall-mounted reading lamps, direct dial phone (baby monitoring option), smart HDTV (infotainment system - satellite reception, Internet, movies-on-demand, ship info channel, real-time camera views), LED lighting, mirrored dressing table (writing desk) with chair, en-suite bathroom (toilet, shower cabin, single-sink vanity, hairdryer), individually controlled air-conditioning.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

The new AIDAperla has a variety of dining options, including the classic Bella Donna and Markt Restaurant, as well as the Fuego buffet family restaurant. Service restaurants such as Casa Nova and French Kiss offer Mediterranean and French cuisines respectively. Guests onboard can visit the AIDA cooking school and try the interactive cooking classes. The ship also features an exclusive Spray Bar which is spread across two decks and operated via a partnership with Moet & Chandon. The stern side features the Lanai Bar on Deck 8, and guests of Patio Bar on Deck 16 can enjoy the same view as ship's captain. Other bars include AIDAperla's nightclub Nightfly, M Bar, Tapas & Bar, and club D6.

Follows the complete list of AIDAperla restaurants and food bars.

• Scharfe Ecke (Sharp Corner, complimentary fast food dining venue)
• Rossini (a specialty, dinner-only restaurant at surcharge, reservations required; offers waiter service and 6-course a-la-carte menu)
• Markt Restaurant (complimentary main dining room; self-service buffet restaurant with a variety of food stations and a small terrace)
• Bella Donna (Italian cuisine restaurant, complimentary, buffet-style dining, open 24 hours)
• Ristorante Casa Nova (Mediterranean cuisine restaurant at a surcharge)
• Brasserie French Kiss (French cuisine restaurant, reservations-only, at a surcharge)
• Weite Welt Restaurant (Wide World complimentary buffet-style restaurant)
• Buffalo Steakhouse (American fare restaurant with a la carte menu; reservations required; at a surcharge)
• Sushi Bar (Japanese restaurant at surcharge, reservations are required)
• Fuego Restaurant (new family restaurant, complimentary, with a kids buffet)
• East Restaurant (Asian cuisine, buffet-style complimentary restaurant)

On June 24, 2023, on the ships AIDAperla, AIDAprima and AIDAnova was introduced the new specialty restaurant Soulkitchen. The a-la-carte-priced venue has a 3-course menu with plant-based vegan dishes (including meat and seafood alternatives) and organic beverages (coffee, tea, fresh juices) as well as non-alcoholic wines and spirits.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Passengers can unwind by the pool in the AIDAperla's Beach Club. At night, this area turns into a magnificent party scene. The Beach Club is housed beneath the expandable membrane roof. It features the activity area "Four Elements" (based on water, air, fire, and earth). Guests can have their best "AIDA fun" on the two water slides, or to try rock climbing, or any other activities on the ship's sports deck. This deck also has a giant LED wall for movies and other outdoor video entertainment. In addition to the Teens and Kids Clubs on board, for the first time, there is a "Mini Club" for infants from 6 months.

The panoramic glass elevators which connect the outdoor areas, as well as the glass 45-meter above water level skywalk are among the other highlights. Organic treatments pamper at the Body & Soul Organic Spa. AIDA plaza offers a wealth of bars and shops and functions as a meeting place and a stage for street performers. The enhanced Theatrium is the heart of the entertainment - its round stage is the trademark of AIDA Cruises.

Follows the complete list of AIDAperla lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Pier 3 Bar (coffee bar)
• Spray Bar (adults-only 2-level luxury lounge & Champagne bar via a partnership with French winery "Moet & Chandon")
• Diskothek (Disco D6, with a DJ program, light shows, and themed dance parties)
• Nachtclub Nightfly (adult-only nightclub lounge with grand piano, live band music, and its own bar)
• Tapas & Bar
• AIDA Plaza (2-deck high, open-floor Atrium lounge with bars and live entertainment; luxury boutique shopping arcade)
• Jewelry Shop; Travel Shop; PhotoShop; Sports Shop; Parfumerie; Kids Shop; Treasure Chest Shop
• Kids Club (AIDA Cruises kids program is complimentary, with supervised, age-appropriate activities: the 3 age groups include Seahorses for 3-6 yo, Dolphins for 7-9 yo and Sharks 10-11 yo; the Kids Club has an outdoor area with a paddling pool)
• AIDA Bar (cocktail bar with live music)
• Art Gallery (Kunstgalerie; sells original artworks of renowned art schools and German artists; hosts art auctions)
• AIDA Lounge (with 270-degree panoramic views and comfortable seating)
• The Library (Bibliotek; offers card and board games)
• Casino (served by Casino Bar)
• Theatrium (3-deck high, big-capacity show lounge with large stage with a dynamic platform; this is a combined Atrium-Theater-Lounge for daily entertainment, large-scale productions, cabaret, and magician shows; served by Theatrium Bar)
• Eiscafe (ice cream parlor Ice cafe Erste Sahne)
• Cafe Mare (patisserie & specialty coffee bar)
• Vinotek (fine wines shop; offers sommelier service and wine tasting events)
• Brauhaus (beerhouse; onboard brewery, purified seawater is used for brewing beer; the Beer House sells its own draft beers)
• Destille (Distillery; fruit spirits bar)
• AIDA Bar (big-capacity lounge with panoramic windows)
• Photo Gallery & Shop (professional photo & video services, duty-free accessories and equipment; new feature are the photo kiosks with touch-screens /face-recognition system)
• AIDA Shop (duty-free merchandise at discount prices; the shopping arcade has a general store selling liquor and tobaccos, as well as small boutiques for jewelry, luxury watches, perfumes, brand fashion clothing, AIDA logo goods)
• Beauty Salon (Friseur; provides hairdresser, barber services, professional manicure/pedicure Nail Spa)
• Body & Soul Sports Fitness Centre (with a modern Gym and separate area for classes)
• Zen Lounge (relaxation room; hosts indoor classes)
• Blutenmeer (Blooming Sea flower shop)
• Kochstudio (Cooking Studio for culinary classes, workshops, master chefs presentations; reservations are required)
• Lanai Bar (with outdoor seating area)
• Sundeck area (with 4 infinity pools)
• Wave Club (water playground and teens club with supervised activities in two age groups - Orcas for 12 -13 yo and Teens 14 -17 yo; complimentary)
• Body & Soul Organic SPA complex (3100 m2, with indoor/outdoor pools, big whirlpools and retractable glass roof; offers Japanese Tea Ceremony, body scrubs, and wraps; facilities include 5 saunas, treatment rooms, Rasul bath, relaxation room, shower room, conservatory, luxury Spa Suites, SPA Bar)
• AIDA Lounge (with 270-degree panorama views, comfortable couches, and tables); Sunset Bar
• Mini Club (childcare/babysitting services for toddlers and little kids 6 months to 3yo)
• Four Elements (Water Park with rock climbing walls, pools and whirlpools, splash pool and fountains for children, a stage for live shows, huge LED screen and 2 water slides; the activity deck is covered with a sliding glass roof)
• Bar 5 Elements (serving the Aqua Park complex)
• AIDA Beach Club (2-deck high relaxation oasis, covered with a glass dome for tropical beach-like experience with live plants and palm trees; in the evenings, the club is transformed into a party zone)
• Sundeck / sunbathing area (Freibereich, located above the swimming pool; with loungers, served by the Pool Bar); the ship's Top Deck is dedicated to Freikorperkultur / FKK Bereich nudist area with sun loungers)
• Sun Deck games area (Sonnendeck - Freibereich, with shuffleboard, giant chess, Boccia, backgammon, darts, table tennis)
• Patio deck (exclusive, covered deck area for Panorama cabin guests only, adult-only)
• Sports Deck area (Sportaussendeck with a combined sports court volleyball/basketball, Golf Cage, putting green area, golf simulator)
• Rock Climbing Walls; High Ropes Course; Power Walking/Jogging Track.

Itineraries

AIDAperla itinerary program is based on 7-day Western Mediterranean round-trip cruises with call ports including Corsica, Civitavecchia-Rome, Livorno (Pisa-Florence) and Barcelona. Departures are out of home-port Palma de Mallorca leaving every Saturday.

AIDAperla is the 12th AIDA liner and also company's second Japan-built ships - launched after AIDAprima (2016 April). In August 2011, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) was awarded the contract for building two new generation AIDA ships – Prima and Perla. Prima ship’s construction started in June 2013. The vessel was floated out on May 4, 2015, and delivered on March 14, 2016. Perla was delivered on April 27 and christened in Palma de Mallorca on June 30 (during the 7-day Inaugural cruise June 24 – July 1) from Barcelona.

On April 27, 2017, the vessel was officially delivered to AIDA Cruises. The traditional Japanese ceremony was attended by Michael Thamm (Costa Group's CEO), Felix Eichhorn (AIDA's President), Shunichi Miyanaga (shipbuilder MHI's President and CEO) and Kazuaki Kimura (shipbuilder MHI Industry and Infrastructure department's President and CEO).

Ship's godmother is Lena Gercke - German model and presenter, who in 2006 won the first season of "Germany's Next Topmodel" (abbrev GNTM, Reality-TV show). Between 2009-2012 she hosted the first 4 seasons of "Austria's Next Topmodel".

During the 7-day Inaugural cruise (June 24 - July 1), on June 30 was the vessel's christening ceremony held in Palma de Mallorca. The special event featured a spectacular music and lighting show. The naming ceremony was also live-transmitted on the internet and various social media channels.

Perla became world's second cruise liner (after Prima) fitted with dual-fuel engines, producing energy from LNG (liquefied natural gas) while the vessel is docked in port. The LNG fuel is supplied by truck (Royal Dutch Shell being AIDA's exclusive LNG provider). Ship's diesel engines are shut off in port, resulting in approx 80% reduction of NOX emissions and about 20% of CO2.

AIDAperla refurbishments review

The ship's first drydock refurbishment was in 2022 (April-May) done at Lloyd Werft's shipyard in Bremerhaven Germany. The project included mainly technical updates and regular/scheduled maintenance works, including hull cleaning and painting.

Part of the wellness complex, the Body & Soul Organic Spa was upgraded with a new Hypoxi Studio (for figure-shaping classes) while the Gym was upgraded with cyberobics workouts (led by professional trainers).

Other changes following the drydocking in 2022 included adding a new ice cream bar (with a wide selection of cakes) and Fashion Accessories (shopping area for sunglasses, leather goods, handbags).

Ship technology

AIDAperla is one of the world's most technologically advanced cruise vessels. The ship rides on a cushion of air, thus reducing frictions and fuel consumption, The new technology is called MALS ("Mitsubishi Air Lubrication System"), allowing the liner to glide on an air bubbles carpet.

Zeppelin Power Systems was contracted to provide engine-maintenance and support services. The deal included the company's "Cat Asset Intelligence" (engine data analysis) system providing real-time monitoring and reporting.

Ship's powerplant consists of 3x diesel engines (Caterpillar MaK, model 12V M43C, total output 28,35 MV) plus 1x dual-fuel (LNG/oil, model MaK M46DF, output 8,6 MV). Dual-fuel engines use heavy oil and LNG, thus reducing fuel consumption. The vessel has an advanced filtering system that reduces stack emissions (greenhouse gases). Ship's propulsion consists of 2x stabilizers, 2x ABB Azipod drives (new XO-Pod thruster series, power output per unit: 3 MW) plus 3x Brunvoll thrusters (model FU-115-3000). Ship's total power output is 48 MW.

The following YouTube video shows the sister-ship AIDAprima's construction (time-lapse) at shipyard Nagasaki Japan.

AIDAperla is also among the world's first "LNG cruise ships" - using LNG fuel supply while berthed in ports. This is also the second German-market dedicated cruise ship (together with Prima) with an ice rink. With the Prima's ice rink, AIDA Cruises announced the company's partnership with "Holiday on Ice". The ice rink is opened only during the winter season (until mid-March).

Among the ship's signature facilities are also Beach Club (adults-only complex, dome-covered), climbing garden, Four Elements (water park with 2 slides), Mini Club (nursery / babysitting), patio deck (panorama cabins), promenade deck (lanai with infinity pools), huge Spa complex (sized 3100 sqm / 33400 sq ft), glass-walled elevators, skywalk (glass-bottomed platform).

On September 5, 2019, AIDA signed with Corvus Energy (Norwegian battery manufacturer) a deal for delivery and installation on AIDAperla of lithium-ion marine battery systems. The equipment is manufactured at Corvus Energy's new production plant in Bergen Norway. AIDAperla's battery pack was scheduled for 2020. With total output 10 MWh, this is world's ever-largest battery storage system installed on a passenger liner.

Inaugural itineraries 2017-2018

According to the AIDA's official announcement made on March 9, 2016, the ship would operate on 7-day Western Mediterranean round-trip itineraries with ports of call Corsica (France), Civitavecchia-Rome (Italy), Livorno (Pisa-Florence, Italy) and Barcelona (Spain). Departures are out of Palma de Mallorca (home-port, leaving every Saturday) and Barcelona (home-port, leaving every Friday). Another option is an overnight in Marseille.

Starting from June 1, 2017 (before the cruise ship's official christening cruise June 24, 2017) there were scheduled several introductory cruises. The 5-day Inaugural Cruise (themed "welcome cruise", June 1-6, 2017) was from Palma de Mallorca to Marseille, Barcelona, and Valencia. Prices started at EUR 550 per person (an inside cabin, AIDA PREMIUM rate with included Early Saver discount of EUR 50).

The ship's "Inaugural Cruise" date (from Japan) and the rest of its departure and call port dates for the 2017 and 2018 European itineraries were announced at the end of December 2016.

• AIDAperla joins the AIDA fleet as its 12th member.
• The Inaugural Cruise was initially scheduled for July 1, 2017, as the vessel was launched 2 months earlier than planned. Passengers booked on AIDAbella (itineraries between June 30 - August 26, 2017) were offered a chance to re-book to AIDAperla.
• In mid-February 2017, AIDA rescheduled the Inaugural cruise for June 24 (7-day itinerary, to July 1) departing from Palma de Mallorca to Civitavecchia-Rome, Livorno-Florence) and Barcelona.
• Starting September 1, 2017, the ship operates on 4 different itinerary routes in the Western Mediterranean (named "Pearls of the Mediterranean" - 1, 2, 3, 4).
• In March 2018, the ship visits Germany for the first time. Hamburg is its homeport for round-trip 7-day itineraries to ports in Western Europe (including Southampton, Le Havre-Paris, Zeebrugge, Rotterdam).
• Pearls of the Mediterranean cruise prices on AIDAperla (July - October 2017) on the 7-day roundtrips from Majorca Island and Barcelona start from EUR 930 PP (Inside cabin rates with double occupancy).

The following tables show the ship's Inaugural cruise itineraries as ports of call sequences and port times. Prices are indicative and per person (double-occupancy inside cabin rates).

(2017) 7 nights / 8 days repositioning from Barcelona to Palma de Mallorca

(2017) 6 nights / 7 days Inaugural Mediterranean cruise round-trip from Palma (theme "Taufreise")

(2017) 7 nights / 8 days Inaugural Mediterranean cruise round-trip from Barcelona (theme "Perlen Am Mittelmeer 2"

(2018) 15 nights / 16 days repositioning from Barcelona to Hamburg

(2018) 7 nights / 8 days Inaugural Baltic Sea cruise roundtrip from Rotterdam (prices from USD 830 pp)

(2018) 7 nights / 8 days Inaugural Cruise roundtrip from homeport Hamburg (prices from USD 880 pp)

Godspeed!