AIDA

AIDA Cruises is a German cruise line based in Rostock, Germany, owned by an American/British parent company. The company traces its roots back to the 1960s when it was founded as Deutsche Seereederei (German Shipping Company), operating a ship named Völkerfreundschaft (“Peoples’ Friendship”). After German reunification in the early 1990s, Deutsche Seereederei was privatized and became DSR, later acquiring Seetours of Bremen. Under the Seetours brand, the company entered the cruise industry. In 2000, DSR was acquired by P&O Princess Cruises, which later merged with Carnival Corporation in 2003 to form Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise conglomerate. Seetours was rebranded as AIDA Cruises in 2004.

After the merger, executive control of AIDA Cruises was transferred to Costa Crociere, another operating company of the Carnival Group responsible for the group’s European brands. AIDA ships are equipped with amenities and facilities aimed at attracting younger, more active vacationers from various nationalities, with a focus on the German market.

Crew members often report that the cabins on AIDA ships are larger than average crew accommodations on other brands, and the internet onboard boasts download speeds of over 50mbps on all ships.