The new cruise ship, AIDAstella, successfully completed its first journey on the River Ems after docking at the Ems Wharf in Emden at around 1.30 p.m. on Saturday, February 9, 2013.

At midnight on Saturday – earlier than planned – AIDAstella cast off from Papenburg accompanied by a big firework display. Two tugboats towed the ship backwards through the dock gate of the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg at a speed of 1.5 knots. AIDAstella then passed by the bottlenecks of the Weener Friesen Bridge and the Jann-Berghaus Bridge without any difficulty. Just about 6 meters separated the ship’s side from the bridge pillars.

This was the seventh time an AIDA ship had passed through the Ems since 2007. Large numbers of AIDA fans followed the spectacular crossing from the dykes of the River Ems and accompanied AIDAstella on her journey from Papenburg to Emden.

On Saturday afternoon, the 71,304 GRT cruise ship embarked on her first test run on the North Sea. The final interior fittings will be completed over the next few weeks, with the vessel fitted with hotel equipment and furniture and finally taking on provisions.

The Meyer Werft shipyard will officially hand over AIDAstella to AIDA Cruises on March 11, 2013. The tenth AIDA fleet member will be christened in Rostock-Warnemünde on March 16, 2013. On the evening of the christening, Captain Nico Berg (38) will lead not just one, but as many as 10 eponyms onto the stage for the christening ceremony. The company has invited its personnel and closest associates as guests of honor at the christening celebrations.

Further information about the new ship can be found at www.aida.de/aidastella.


Rostock, February 9, 2013