AIDASOL
August 1, 2024 | Bergen, Norway
AIDAsol (AIDA Cruises) was in Bergen, Norway, on August 1, 2024, during a nine-night cruise from Hamburg through Britain and Norway. Bergen was the final port on the voyage after calls in England, Scotland, the Shetland Islands, and Olden before the ship returned to Germany.
AIDAsol is part of the generation of ships that helped expand AIDA Cruises into one of the leading cruise brands serving the German market. Delivered by Meyer Werft in 2011, she belongs to the modified Sphinx class and followed the distinctive design established by the earlier ships in the series, including the large glass-fronted Theatrium at the center of the ship and AIDA’s unmistakable eye-and-lips artwork across the bow. Designed for informal resort-style cruising, AIDAsol has spent much of her career sailing from German ports to Northern Europe while also operating longer voyages to destinations throughout Europe and beyond. Her design also incorporated several efficiency measures that were notable when she entered service, including the ability to connect to shore power while in port.
Information List
Name: AIDAsol
Operator: AIDA Cruises
Builder: Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany
Delivered: March 31, 2011
Entered Service: 2011
Class: Modified Sphinx Class
Length: Approximately 252 meters / 827 feet
Beam: 32.2 meters / 106 feet
Draft: Approximately 7.3 meters / 24 feet
Gross Tonnage: Approximately 71,300 GT
Guest Capacity: Approximately 2,194
Passenger Cabins: Approximately 1,100
Crew: Approximately 600
Decks: 14 passenger-accessible decks
Propulsion: Diesel-electric
Engine Power: 36,000 kW
Speed: Approximately 22 knots
Ship Type: Cruise ship
Visit Shown: August 1, 2024, Bergen, Norway
History and Features
Construction and Entry Into Service:
AIDAsol was built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, as part of AIDA Cruises’ major fleet expansion during the late 2000s and early 2010s.
Meyer Werft delivered the ship to AIDA Cruises on March 31, 2011.
She was the fifth vessel in a seven-ship construction program built by Meyer Werft for AIDA and belongs to the modified version of the Sphinx class.
After delivery, AIDAsol traveled from Emden toward Hamburg before her naming ceremony in Kiel on April 9, 2011.
Her introduction further expanded AIDA’s capacity for cruises from Germany to Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, and other European destinations.
Design and Features:
One of AIDAsol’s most recognizable exterior features is AIDA’s large eye-and-lips artwork extending across the bow, a design that has become a signature of the cruise line.
At the center of the ship is the Theatrium, AIDA’s combination theater and atrium surrounded by large glass surfaces. The venue accommodates approximately 1,100 people and functions as one of the principal entertainment and gathering areas aboard.
The modified Sphinx-class design added additional space compared with the original ships in the class, allowing for an expanded spa area of approximately 2,600 square meters.
When delivered, the ship featured seven restaurants and 13 bars and lounges, along with extensive wellness and entertainment facilities.
More than 65 percent of the ship’s cabins were designed as outside accommodations with balconies.
Meyer Werft incorporated flow-optimized propellers, a low-friction underwater coating, waste-heat recovery, and other systems intended to reduce energy and water consumption.
Shore Power:
AIDAsol was designed with the ability to connect to shore-based electrical power while berthed.
Meyer Werft identifies her as the first ship in the AIDA fleet capable of largely shutting down her onboard generators while receiving electricity from shore.
Shore power allows a cruise ship to reduce local emissions from its diesel generators while docked when compatible infrastructure and electricity are available at the port.
The capability became increasingly important as major European cruise ports expanded shore-power infrastructure during the years following the ship’s introduction.
Service:
Northern Europe has been an important part of AIDAsol’s career, with voyages from German ports serving destinations in Norway, Britain, Iceland, and other parts of the region.
Her size allows her to combine calls at major European cruise ports with voyages into Norwegian coastal and fjord destinations.
Like other AIDA ships, she was designed primarily for the German-speaking cruise market, with an informal onboard experience that differs from the more traditional service style found aboard many international cruise lines.
During the summer of 2024, AIDAsol operated a series of Northern European cruises from Hamburg before beginning a much longer World Cruise later that year.
Bergen – August 1, 2024:
AIDAsol departed Hamburg on July 26, 2024, for a nine-night cruise combining ports in Britain and Norway.
The itinerary had been revised before departure. The originally planned calls at Haugesund and Kristiansand were removed, while Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands and Olden in Norway were added.
The revised voyage took the ship from Hamburg to Newcastle upon Tyne, Invergordon, Kirkwall, the Shetland Islands, Olden, and Bergen.
Bergen on August 1 was the final scheduled port of call before AIDAsol began the return portion of the voyage to Hamburg.
Bergen has long been one of Norway’s most important maritime centers and is a frequent destination for Northern European cruise itineraries because of its historic harbor and position near the western Norwegian fjords.
After leaving Bergen, AIDAsol continued toward Germany and completed the voyage in Hamburg on August 4.
Legacy:
AIDAsol represents an important period in AIDA Cruises’ growth, when the line added a succession of purpose-built ships based on the Sphinx-class concept.
The ship combines several features that became closely associated with the AIDA brand, including the distinctive bow artwork, central Theatrium, informal cruising style, and emphasis on the German-speaking market.
Her early incorporation of shore-power capability also anticipated technology that would become increasingly common at cruise ports during the following decade.
More than a decade after entering service, AIDAsol remains part of the AIDA fleet and continues the Northern European cruising role for which ships of her class were particularly well suited.
