The steel cutting of the vessel with yard number S.696 at MEYER WERFT in Papenburg marks the start of construction for the first LNG cruise liner for AIDA Cruises, the company said in its press release.
Felix Eichhorn, President of AIDA Cruises, pressed the start button of the computer-controlled cutting machine, thereby commencing work on the first steel plate for the next generation of AIDA cruise ships. The first ship in this new class will be delivered at the end of 2018. With this new project, AIDA is continuing its long-standing partnership with MEYER WERFT. From 2007 to 2013, the Papenburg shipyard produced seven Diva Class cruise liners that operate successfully today in the market for AIDA cruises.
The new ships for AIDA Cruises are also equipped with features tailor-made for the destination and for a first-class cruise experience. The ships will be setting new standards, not only in terms of their gross tonnage of 183,900 and space for 2,500 cabins but also in terms of design and environmental compatibility.