Aida Cruises to restart cruise operations in Italy
Aida Cruises, the German brand of the Costa Group, has announced it will restart its cruises in Italy.
The cruise line will sail tomorrow for the first time since the global suspension of cruises, following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Aida Cruises’ AIDAblu cruise ship will depart tomorrow for Civitavecchia, taking passengers on a seven-day itinerary exclusively around Italy.
Ports of call will include Naples, Palermo, Catania, La Spezia and an overnight stay in Civitavecchia for Rome.
Following on from the line’s first sailing post-Covid aboard AIDAblu, the line will offer weekly voyages up until 28 November.
AIDAblu is the fourth ship in the Costa Group to resume operation in the new Covid-19 landscape, following on from three of Costa Cruises own ships – Costa Deliziosa, Costa Diadema and Costa Smeralda – which have all resumed operations in Italy.
Group CEO, Costa Group and 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”.
The resumption of Aida Cruises and Costa Cruises is part of a phased-in approach by the Costa Group, who have dramatically enhanced health protocols in-line with government and health authorities.
Measures include both guests and crew being tested for Covid-19 before boarding, temperature and health checks, physical distancing and increased sanitisation.
