By
Laura Hyde |
AIDAdiva has returned to service following a seven-week drydock refurbishment project at the Chantier Naval Shipyard in Marseille, France, as part of AIDA Cruises’ Evolution programme. The ship is currently sailing a seven-night roundtrip itinerary from Civitavecchia, Italy.
According to AIDA Cruises, AIDAdiva has been redesigned “from the ground up”. The refurbishment project was carried out by several thousand shipyard workers and specialists from over 170 different outfitting companies, including UK-based firm Trimline.
The biggest change took place in the ship’s guest cabins, with canopies, carpets and curtains all redesigned to fit with the ship’s bright, modern colour concept. Balcony cabins were also given new chairs and sofas while some staterooms were expanded from three- to four-person occupancy. Six family suites were created at the ship’s stern, with each one featuring its own sun deck and separate living and sleeping areas. Suite guests have access to AIDAdiva’s exclusive retreats, the Sky Deck and the Rossini Lounge.
All the ship’s guest staterooms were refreshed and the balcony cabins were updated with new chairs and sofas
AIDAdiva features several new restaurants including the French Kiss restaurant, the French Kiss Bar & Bistro, East Fusion which serves Asian cuisine, the Tapas Bar, and the Yachtclub Restaurant. The ship also features new bars the Panorama Bar, the Ice Bar, Tokyo Bar and Lanai Bar.
AIDAdiva offers several new restaurants such as the French Kiss restaurant and the French Kiss Bar & Bistro
The onboard spa now features two additional wellness suites equipped with a private whirlpool tub, private sauna and waterbed. Meanwhile, the hair spa has been redesigned and is now complemented by a nail salon.
A play park has been created at the front of the outdoor sports deck and includes a 7.5-metre-high climbing tower, a slide and caves. The Kids Club has also been redesigned.
The ship’s new play park includes a 7.5-metre-high climbing tower
As the ship was originally built in 2007 by Meyer Werft, numerous technical and sustainable measures have been implemented during the refurbishment. A reverse osmosis system optimises the in-house production of fresh water from seawater, while a solid waste processor shreds waste to reduce its volume by up to 95 per cent. An energy-efficient LED lighting system was installed to reduce the ship’s energy requirements and the entire IT infrastructure was redesigned with 50 kilometres of new cables laid and 22 tons of electrics replaced.
For the first time more than 45,700 square metres of carpet (the equivalent of more than six football pitches) was removed and sent for sustainable processing to be repurposed. Crew areas and the ship’s reception space now have a new type of carpet from Italian manufacturer Radici, which is made using recycled material that comes from Aquafil’s ECONYL yarn.
AIDA Cruises donated more than 4,400 pieces of furniture from AIDAdiva to DER HAFEN HILFT!, a charity based in Hamburg, Germany, that distributes donations to non-profit organisations and people in need.
Externally, almost 9,000 square metres of ship’s wall were painted with around 17,500 litres of a biocide-free paint to reduce friction as the ship moves through the water, which saves fuel and reduces emissions. A further 8,500 litres of paint were used to refresh outdoor areas and 6.5 kilometres of wooden handrails were also renewed.
AIDAdiva is the first of three ship refurbishments by AIDA Cruises. The second will take place onboard AIDAluna later this year and AIDAbella will enter drydock for its renovation at the beginning of 2026.
“As part of our AIDA Evolution initiative for the future, we have launched the largest fleet modernisation programme in our company's history,” said Felix Eichhorn, president of AIDA Cruises. “For the first three drydock overhauls alone, we are investing hundreds of millions of euros to make our ships fit for the future – both in terms of the travel experience and the technology. We are very proud of this programme. It shows that AIDA continues to evolve, for our guests and the future of cruising.”