AIDA Cruises is starting off the new year with a bang, saying the line is experiencing the most successful start-of-year booking weeks in its history. Demand for 2023 cruises is strong, and several booking incentives are being offered.
Strong bookings Seen for 2023 and Beyond
With record bookings since the start of the new year, AIDA Cruises, a Carnival Corp. brand, is gearing up for a robust 2023/24.
The announcement follows similar news from another Carnival line, P&O Cruises, which reported its biggest-ever booking day during the Wave Season of 2023. In fact, it recorded four of its five biggest booking days during the promotion.
AIDA Cruises President Felix Eichhorn said, “We are seeing very strong interest for AIDA cruises across all channels. The record level of bookings covers the entire cruise program for 2023 and beyond. We are delighted that the AIDA fleet is on top of so many people’s minds when planning their vacations and that – whether for the first time or for a repeat – they are embracing our multi-faceted travel offering to the world’s most beautiful destinations.”
Eichhorn did not reveal any specific numbers to illustrate a rise in bookings, but said the line is well prepared to accommodate the increase in booking interest.
Promotions in Place for Families
The cruise line, which caters to the German market, said families planning their summer or fall 2023 vacations should book soon to take advantage of current promotions. Cruisers who book a summer cruise by January 31 will pay no cruise fare for children up to 15 years old occupying the third and fourth bed in their parents’ cabin.
Travelers booking winter 2023/24 cruises at the AIDA Premium Rate by June 30, 2023 can save up to about $970 (900 euros) per person on fares for the first and second person in a cabin. The premium rate offer also comes with other perks, such as bottled water and an internet package.
The cruise line is specifically touting its family-oriented 7-day Baltic Sea From Kiel and 14-day Norway and Baltic Sea sailings aboard AIDAnova, and the 7-day Mediterranean Treasures from Mallorca operated by AIDAcosma, the line’s newest ship, which accommodates 5,200 guests and entered service in early 2022.
Read Also: What is Wave Season for Cruises and When Is It?
Both ships offer deluxe veranda cabins with extra space for families, along with family-friendly shore excursions and special excursions for teenagers. Cruisers looking for shorter trips can choose from several options, including 3- to 5-day sailings from Hamburg, Kiel, and Warnemünde.
Farewell Season for AIDAaura
The cruise line is highlighting voyages that comprise AIDAaura’s farewell season. The 20-year-old ship will be retired from the fleet in September 2023 as part of a fleet optimization plan announced in December by Carnival Corp.
Two Costa Cruises ships also will be retired as the company removes its smaller, less-efficient vessels. AIDAaura accommodates 1,266 guests.
Before it is retired, however, the ship will offer itineraries from southern Africa to the Arctic Circle, including a March departure of a month-long voyage from Cape Town to Hamburg. Summer cruises will call at destinations such as Norway, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland and Scotland.
