Costa Group: German brand Aida Cruises chooses Italy for its restart

AlDAblu has departed from Civitavecchia for a one-week itinerary devoted entirely to Italy.

Costa Group: German brand Aida Cruises chooses Italy for its restart

Aida Cruises, the German brand of the Costa Group, restarts from Italy for the resumption of its cruises. It's the AIDAblu's first cruise after the pause for the Covid-19 emergency, with a seven-day itinerary visiting exclusively Italian ports, calling at Naples, Palermo, Catania, La Spezia and with an overnight in Civitavecchia/Rome. The first cruise is set to begin October 17, with voyages offered weekly until November 28.

AIDAblu is the fourth ship of the Costa Group to resume operations, after the three ships of the Costa Cruises brand - Costa Deliziosa, Costa Diadema and Costa Smeralda - which restarted in September and October. Costa Smeralda was also today in the port of Civitavecchia, together with AIDAblu, as part of her first cruise, which departed on 10 October from Savona with calls only in Italian ports.

Group CEO, Costa Group & Carnival Asia Michael Thamm, said:

“The restart of AIDAblu is an important milestone for Costa Group, as it marks the return to cruising after a long pause also for our German brand AIDA Cruises, joining Costa Cruises. We are very proud that the restart takes place from Italy, because all of our ships fly the Italian flag and our Group is headquartered in Italy. Currently, cruises are only operating in the Mediterranean and in Italy, which would not have been possible without the support of the Italian Government and authorities. Thanks to AIDAblu’s cruise program, we are contributing to the restart of international tourism in Italy, bringing our German guests to a destination they love in a safe and responsible way. We see this ship as a symbol of the long-lasting, solid relationships between Italy and Germany”.

AIDAblu will bring further benefits for the recovery of the tourism ecosystem in Italy, in addition to the other three Costa ships that have already resumed operations in Italy. Thanks to the cruises departing tomorrow from Civitavecchia, AIDAblu German guests will have the opportunity to visit five Italian destinations in a single holiday. The economic contribution coming from cruises represents important support for Italian tourism and economy. According to a study conducted by Deloitte & Touche, the University of Genoa and the University of Hamburg, the Costa Group generated in Italy a total economic impact in 2018 of 3.5 billion euros, creating around 17,000 full-time equivalent jobs and work for 4,700 Italian suppliers and partners.

The resumption of sailing from AIDA Cruises and Costa Cruises is part of a phased-in approach by Costa Group to resume operations gradually, with enhanced health protocols developed in coordination with government and health authorities. Based on health and mitigation guidelines in Germany and Italy, the AIDA health protocols implemented on all of the brand’s cruises include measures encompassing the entirety of the cruise experience, from booking to disembarkation. Developed with leading medical experts, the program has been audited and confirmed by the renowned independent auditing company SGS Institut Fresenius and the classification society DNV-GL.

The measures include guests and crew being tested for COVID-19 with negative results required prior to boarding. Other protocols include regular  temperature and health checks for guests and crew, physical distancing guidelines, facial coverings when physical distancing is not possible, capacity controls and increased sanitization measures, as well as guided shore excursions managed by AIDA to maintain health protocols.