Fragen & Antworten

The Trans Cruises of AIDA go through the Nordic region, which is characterized in particular by intact nature and rich biodiversity.

The observation of whales in their natural habitat is part of the very special fascination of this destination region. AIDA Cruises is committed to the protection of marine mammals and calls on its guests to support the protection of species.

Dr. Monika Griefahn, Chief Sustainability Officer and long-time Greenpeace activist, has been in personal contact with the Prime Minister of the Faeroe Islands since 2013. Both in letters as well as at a personal meeting, she has expressed disapproval of whaling, encouraged support for whale conservation, and asked that “whale watching” be considered as a sustainable offer for tourists and residents of the Faeroe Islands. Despite assurances from Prime Minister Kaj Leo Johannessen of his desire to promote whale conservation, there has been no progress in this regard – on the contrary.

On the Faeroe Islands in June 2015, the law on whaling, referred to as “Grindalógin,” was amended to include a clause which obliges every person – locals and visitors – to report every sighting of whales within twelve nautical miles of the coast to the authorities of the Faeroe Islands. Authorities are quoted as saying that these reports can be decisive in determining whether or not the spotted whales are subjected to traditional whaling, known as Grindadráp. If no report is made, there is the threat of fines and prison sentences of up to two years.

Out of a sense of responsibility towards our crew and our guests, as well as for reasons of animal welfare, AIDA Cruises has decided to cease approaching the Faeroe Islands until further notice.

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AIDA Cruises doesn't just equate environmental protection with the installation of certain filter technology, but regards it as an extensive and holistic issue. We are equipped to use any type of fuel currently available. We are independent and flexible in this matter. Of our four engines on board of AIDAprima, one is meant to be run with MGO (Marine Gas Oil), one with liquefied gas, and two for heavy fuel. The latter engines are equipped with an extensive filter unit. With this comprehensive approach, we decrease our emissions greatly and independently of the various types of fuel and even remain below the specified reference values.

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No. The thorough removal of all pollutants produces only sulfate as its end product in the scrubber. Large amounts of this chemical compound are already naturally present in the ocean. The amount of sulfate released in the washing water is very minimal and ecologically harmless. In addition, a regular monitoring and control system will ensure that the allowable maximum values are never exceeded.

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Our filter decreases the following exhaust as follows:

• Nitrogen oxide (NOx)       [red. > 95%]
• Sulfur oxide (SOx)          [red. > 99%]
• Soot particles (PM)          [red. > 90%]
• Carbon monoxide (CO)     [red. > 70%]
• Unburnt hydrocarbon (HC) [red. > 85%]

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Yes. We communicate our commitment to sustainability in a transparent and accessible way. We have been publishing the “AIDA Cares” sustainability report annually since 2007. That makes us pioneers and an example to follow in the German cruise industry. The latest report is available online at www.aida.de/aidacares. You can find all reports as a pdf for download here.

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AIDA Cruises continuously expands its offers of sustainable shore excursions. Together with the sustainability initiative Futouris e.V. and the State Chancellery of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, AIDA developed standardized criteria for sustainable shore excursions in 2013. Their goal was to create a transparent basis for comparing the sustainability of the individual shore excursion options and to base the assessment on measurable and scientific criteria. Whether a guided city walk through Tallinn, bike excursion in Athens, or e-bike tour to Copenhagen – since 2014 AIDA excursions that meet the social, ecological, and cultural criteria are now being specifically have been marked with a tree symbol. AIDA guests can thus easily identify which options are particularly sustainable well before their voyage when they are booking their excursions on myAIDA.

Among the four main criteria for the assessment of sustainable shore excursions are transport services, the content and focus of an excursion (e.g. culture, nature etc.), gastronomical offers and the local partner agency's commitment to sustainability. The assessment also considers numerous subitems. Regarding transport services, it positively impacts the assessment if the local agency compensates CO2 emissions and a bike excursion receives more sustainability points than a tour in a low-emission bus. Nature excursions are also scored particularly high on sustainability if, for example, a trained ranger tells the visitors about wildlife conservation and special aspects. Dining options is another main topic. Sustainable excursions are focused on using regional products for local specialties. Complying with minimum standards for staff according to the core labor standards of the ILO (International Labour Organization), a specialized agency of the United Nations (UNO), also plays an important role in the catalog of criteria.

The new catalog of criteria makes it possible for guests to compare the options. This also contributes to motivating cruise passengers to support a sustainable tourism by choosing sustainable excursion offers.

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The AIDA team is convinced of the merits of acting sustainably. It is precisely this conviction that we want to pass on to our guests. For example: We have stopped visiting dolphinariums for reasons related to animal welfare. The way in which sea mammals are kept in most of these parks is not in the interest of the species. For this reason, we have decided to stop supporting these institutions. One exception are a few select theme parks that are actively committed to species conservation and promoting the protection of sea animals through their educational and research work. These parks provide the animals with living conditions that exceed the minimum defined standards for animal welfare. AIDA is a member of the Futouris e.V. initiative, which aims to work together with environmental organizations and researchers to review and improve how animal welfare standards are defined and adhered to. AIDA Cruises recommends that guests who are interested in whales and dolphins observe them living free in nature, for example on a whale watching tour. We support soft tourism and are continuing to expand our range of excursions. This is also why for many years we have been offering our guests excursions on which they can see whales, dolphins, and other marine life in their natural habitats. We work with select providers who make sure that tourists will not disturb the animals. We want our guests to have the opportunity to consciously experience the many different facets of sustainability – in everyday life on board and on shore excursions, on bike or Segway tours, and during our informational events on culture and the environment. With our program –through what we offer and what we don’t – we want to inspire our guests and invite them to travel with greater awareness.

To protect fragile ecosystems and to prevent that microorganisms proliferate beyond their native waters, we equipped our latest ship, AIDAstella, with a ballast water treatment system. We thereby fulfill the standards of the IMO International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments* before its entry into effect.
Different organisms are regularly carried in the ballast water that serves to stabilize vessels at sea. These can include plankton and other microorganisms, which are then released when the ballast water is discharged. The challenge lies in making sure that species and organisms taken up with the seawater are not transferred to other ecosystems. If they are, there is the risk that they will establish themselves in the new ecosystem, proliferating and threatening native species. Treating ballast water makes it possible to prevent the unwanted transfer of these organisms in future.

The modern ballast water treatment system on AIDAstella complies with the IMO D-2 standard for ballast water treatment and destroys bacteria without the use of UV rays. That means that no harmful waste is produced.

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Dual-fuel engines can be operated with conventional ship fuels as well as environmentally friendly liquefied gas. With the prospect of expanding onshore infrastructure for use of liquefied gas in future, we are equipping our latest generation of ships to be put into service in 2016 with dual-fuel engines already today. At ports that provide the required infrastructure, we can supply AIDAprima and its sister ship with eco-friendly energy while they are docked.

With the “Decarbonization strategy” concept, AIDA will be the first cruise line in the world to already operate its following generation of AIDA ships, which will begin service in 2019 and 2020, to 100 percent with LNG (liquefied natural gas).

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The best ton of fuel is the fuel that we don't use. Fuel consumption per guest and per voyage day has been reduced by 28.2 percent since 2007.

An AIDA ship today consumes just three liters of fuel per person over 100 kilometers. This was confirmed in a report by independent experts from the ship classification company DNV GL in 2012.

For a long time, we have been cruising on our routes at a considerably lower speed. This represents another way of reducing larger amounts of fuel. Efficient route management and the optimization of scheduling and laytime are methods of saving substantial amounts of fuel. By optimizing the hull design from one ship generation to the next, using intelligent motor technology and many other measures, we are also continuously reducing our energy requirements – and considerably decreasing emissions.

The new generation of AIDA ships that will go into operation in 2016 will be the first cruise ships in the world to feature MALS technology (MALS = Mitsubishi Air Lubrication System). This system will enable the ships to glide on a cushion of air. This reduces drag, saves propulsion power, and reduces fuel consumption by 7 percent. See also here.

Today, all ships in the AIDA fleet that began operating since 2007 are already capable of facilitating an eco-friendly shoreside power supply during downtime in the port. AIDA expressly welcomes initiatives to create the necessary infrastructure.

Nonetheless, we don't want to rely solely on the availability of equipment for shoreside power. With the LNG hybrid barge, AIDA Cruises and Becker Marine Systems have, in collaboration with other partners, developed a groundbreaking new project that makes it possible to supply cruise ships with power with few emissions during downtime in the Port of Hamburg. The power needed to operate a cruise ship will then cease to be generated by the ship's own diesel engines, but instead will be produced by liquefied natural gas (LNG). This will thus again reduce emissions and soot particles. In contrast to the traditional marine diesel with 0.1 percent sulfur, in the future, the ships will no longer be emitting any more sulfur oxide (SOx) nor soot particles. Nitric oxide emissions (NOx) will be reduced by up to 80 percent and carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent.

The world’s first LNG hybrid barge of Becker Marine Systems was christened with the name “Hummel” on October 18, 2014, in HafenCity Hamburg. As part of a practical test in Hamburg, AIDAsol has been supplied with low-emission power from liquefied gas (LNG) since May 30, 2015, at the Hafencity Cruise Terminal.

With this pilot project, Becker Marine Systems and AIDA Cruises are setting an example for environmental and climate protection, not only for the city of Hamburg but also for the entire maritime industry. With the LNG hybrid barge, we have again demonstrated that environmental protection and economic interests are not a contradiction for us.

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Developed within the Carnival Group for treating emissions, the system relies on cutting-edge technology with an especially compact design that is revolutionary because it can technically accommodate all relevant treatment processes. Nitrogen oxides are chemically bound in a catalytic converter and soot and fuel residues are precipitated in a filter. The sulfur oxides are removed in a scrubber without any chemicals being added. 

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Switching to water-saving appliances such as special shower heads, flow regulators on sinks and showers, timer switches, and infrared switches in washroom areas has made it possible to continually reduce the amount of fresh water consumed per person. Our research shows that AIDA has the lowest per capita consumption in the entire cruise industry. A water-saving vacuum system that uses just one liter of water per flush is used to flush the toilets. We also use a vacuum food waste system on nearly all our ships to dispose of food waste. This system uses considerably less water than standard disposal systems. Usually food waste is pumped through a pipeline – with the help of the innovative vacuum system, the water required for this can be saved.

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Investments for the most modern environmental technology will amount to around 100 million Euros from 2013 to 2016. 

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No. The claim by the Society for Nature Conservation (NABU) that a cruise ship generates as much emissions as five million modern cars on the same amount of road is incorrect. This comparison is not only misleading, it is also untrue. This has already been proven by independent experts such as Prof. Dr. Ing. Holger Watter from the Maritime Center at Flensburg University of Applied Sciences. (http://www.fh-flensburg.de/mz/#presse, cf. → Ship Emissions).

Besides transport, cruise ships also provide hotel accommodation, catering, and infrastructure for leisure activities. These additional services are included in the evaluation of power use. Clearly, the NABU's campaign against cruise travel has been guided by emotions, rather than by the objective facts about emissions.

It has actually been proven that cruise ships represent one of the most efficient means of transport with regard to CO₂ emissions. Per person, a cruise ship emits around one sixth of the CO₂ emissions that an automobile would.

An AIDA ship only uses an average of 3 liters of fuel per person on board to travel 100 kilometers. The correctness of this claim and the calculation were confirmed in an independent report prepared by Germanischer Lloyd experts in 2012.

Prof. Dr. Ing. Holger Watter from the Maritime Center at Flensburg University of Applied Sciences is a renowned expert in sustainable power systems. He says: "Just 3 percent of CO₂ emissions are generated by maritime shipping and travel. Ships are the most efficient means of transporting goods and people. They have emission rates that are a fraction of those of other modes of transport (automobile, train, airplane). Maritime "power stations" achieve degrees of efficiency that are above those of shoreside stations. We're not speaking against environmental protection. Sea travel is – when considered objectively – highly efficient both economically and ecologically. But when simplistic solutions are suggested and risks and secondary effects are ignored, then we need to take a closer look!"

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No. Within Carnival Group, we have been working diligently for years to develop a comprehensive filter solution. If we had first started when the NABU campaign came out, we surely wouldn't be able to present to you today such highly innovative technology that reduces nitrogen oxide as well as sulfur oxide and soot particles by 90 to 99 percent.

With the upcoming generation of ships that will be put into service in 2016, AIDA Cruises is once again setting the bar for environmental protection. This was also confirmed by the Society for Nature Conservation (Naturschutzbund Deutschland - NABU). In the NABU Cruise Ship Ranking 2015, AIDA is ranked number one with its newbuilds 2019/2020 which will be fueled by 100% LNG as well as AIDAprima and its still unnamed cruise liner as the most environmentally friendly newbuilds. 

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For us it is irrelevant what kind of fuel is used. What matters is what we can do to effectively reduce emissions. In the past few years, a number of technical innovations for alternative modes of power generation for ships have been developed. Today, no one can be certain which will be globally established in the future. AIDA Cruises has invested significant sums so that it will be prepared for all forms of energy generation that are technically available today.

The dual-fuel engines in our new ships can run on all traditional ship fuels or in the port with liquefied gas. With exhaust treatment we can reduce our emissions even more than would be possible with low-sulfur fuel. To date, this is not available everywhere. The use of liquefied gas is currently the most environmentally friendly solution for powering a ship. Nonetheless, at this point in time it is only available while we are moored in the harbor. LNG does not produce any soot particles or sulfur oxide; in comparison to the use of marine diesel, nitrogen oxide is reduced by 80 percent, carbon monoxide emissions by 20 percent. With the ‘Decarbonization strategy’ concept, AIDA will be the first cruise line in the world to operate its new ship generation of 2019/2020 completely with liquefied natural gas (LNG).

In addition, we have already prepared all ships put into service since 2007 for shoreside power.

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We have installed a unit with multiple levels. This unit treats a total of five main emissions: nitrogen oxide, sulfur oxide, carbon monoxide, as well as soot and unburnt hydrocarbon. The desulfurization takes place in a step with the scrubber at the end of the treatment. Using a step with a scrubber within our comprehensive system for exhaust gas treatment is therefore very different from conventional scrubbers that are already installed on several ships and work without pretreatment steps.

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There are currently no international technical standards for connections to shoreside power in the shipping industry and there are almost no offers for this in the areas traversed by AIDA. Nevertheless, AIDA Cruises has already equipped all of the ships put into service starting in 2007 for shoreside power. In July 2013, AIDAsol became the first ship of the fleet to be completely equipped for shoreside power and can receive it in any location that offers it. In 2016, the first shoreside power plant for cruise ships in Europe is starting operation in Hamburg Altona. The first practical tests with AIDAsol are already underway.

From an environmental point of view, it is essential that shoreside power generation be cleaner than generation with the very modern systems on board the AIDA ships themselves, which means it must be green electricity.

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The cruise industry is only responsible for a very small share of the emissions produced by ships. According to the CLIA (Cruise Line International Association), cruise ships represent less than 0.5 percent of the civil navigational fleet worldwide. AIDA Cruises accounts for about 0.01 percent of the total commercial ships worldwide.

Although cruises are only responsible for a small amount of the ship emissions, they engage the cruise industry and especially AIDA far beyond the legally required amount and are a driver in the development of innovative environmental technologies for the shipping industry. This is how AIDA contributes to improving environmental protection in the entire shipping industry. 

Given current technological developments, cruise ship tourism has the potential to become one of the most eco-friendly ways of traveling in comparison to other options available today. More information can be found at www.aida.de/aidacares.

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The majority of our ships have a diesel-electric propulsion system. This means that the ship's diesel engines are physically separate from the propeller's drive shafts, which are turned by electric motors. The ship diesel engines operate power generators. The power generated by the generator is fed into the onboard grid. This means that only as much energy as is required is generated, and our ships are highly efficient at all sailing speeds. 

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The use of innovative lighting equipment and a comprehensive light management system makes it possible to save around 30 percent of the connected load required for the illumination on all ships starting with AIDAsol (which began operating in 2007). Key card switches prevent light and air conditioning systems from operating unnecessarily. When guests enter their cabin, they slip their key into the purpose-built holder. This automatically switches on the lights and the air conditioning. When they leave the room, they take their card with them and the lights go out. Furthermore, unlike many shoreside hotels, the air conditioning is also turned down to a lower level. All cabins in the new ships are also equipped with a modern air recirculation system which includes waste heat recovery. This saves energy as the temperature in each cabin is controlled separately (HVAC control system). This modern technology reduces energy consumption in the cabins by up to 20 percent. For air conditioning, we use refrigerants which do not damage the ozone layer protecting the earth. This has allowed us to reduce emissions of ozone-depleting refrigerants to zero.

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The new ships under construction and scheduled to be put into service in 2016 are receiving a comprehensive filter system for reducing exhaust.

With this yet unrivaled exhaust treatment technology, we are able to treat and thus reduce by between 90 and 99 percent the emissions of soot particles, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur oxide for the very first time. Simultaneously, we reduce carbon monoxide emissions by 70 percent and emissions of unburned hydrocarbons by 85 percent. This comprehensive concept for the exhaust aftertreatment is a milestone for AIDA Cruises and the cruise industry as a whole.

At AIDA, we don't just want to set the bar with our new ships, we also want to continually improve the eco-balance of our entire fleet. It is for this reason that we will also be outfitting our other ships with the new, comprehensive filter system step by step.

Of the ten ships that are currently in the AIDA fleet, four ships (AIDAluna, AIDAvita, AIDAmar and AIDAdiva) have already received the first installations of a comprehensive system for exhaust gas treatment – a so-called scrubber that reduces the sulfur oxides. Further installations will follow. Additional ships will be retrofitted during the regular shipyard times.

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Systematic waste management on board is standard practice at AIDA. In preparation for each routing, the disposal options at the individual ports are thoroughly examined. Based on the findings, waste management for each voyage is planned so that we may use the best available disposal alternative.

Our waste is presorted and compacted on board; it is then disposed of ashore in line with current modern standards. Metal is pressed and glass is broken down to save storage space. Food waste is also compacted to dehydrate it. The result is a biologically degradable substance.

At all destinations, AIDA works with the best waste disposal companies. Whenever possible, we use the services of certified waste disposal companies. In Europe, this is the case at all ports. At other destinations where corresponding standards need to be developed first, we select the best available alternative. To ensure that waste is disposed of correctly, our environmental officers visit the waste management companies on site and conduct company audits and inspections.

But however well our waste management system works, it is of course even better to generate as little waste as possible. That is why we’re working on significantly reducing our waste generation per guest and per day along with continuously increasing the recycling quota.

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The cruise ship industry is currently engaged in an intensive competition for technological innovations to reduce emissions. We would therefore like to ask for your understanding for the fact that we are not willing to give any details about our partners at this time.

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AIDA Cruises takes part in diverse research projects to advance the development of new technologies for environmental protection.

Since 2009, for example, we have been participating in the research project “Toplaterne des Leuchtturmprojektes e4ships” relating to the ecological, technical and economic assessment of use of fuel cells on ships. Another essential part of the project is formulating rules and standards for the approval and installation of fuel cells on ships and the use of low-emission fuels. The use of especially low-emission, gas-operated engines on board can be more quickly realized than the fuel cells.

As the first cruise line worldwide, we are equipping our new ship generation that will start operating in 2016 with dual fuel engines for the use of environmentally friendly liquefied gas. As part of the EU’s “BunGas” project, AIDA and experts from the maritime industry and research have been committed to finding a way of developing safe and secure gas tanks for cruise ships since 2011. The project was completed successfully in 2014. The results will be presented to national and international parliaments in a next step.

Together with the Testing Institute for Waste Water Technology in Aachen, we are investigating technical possibilities for continuously optimizing treatment performance to achieve the HELCOM levels for phosphorus and nitrogen before they become mandatory. The project NAUTEK also deals with the treatment, purification and reuse of waste water on cruise ships.

In the last two years, we successfully advanced the topic of “sustainable shoreside excursions” with our partner Futouris e.V. Having created a catalog of criteria for sustainable shoreside excursions in 2013, we focused on jointly researching the sustainable organization of excursions in 2014. AIDA currently offers its guest 138 sustainable shoreside excursions worldwide along with about 230 biking and e-bike excursions in 160 ports. 

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What is ultimately decisive for the environment is not which fuel is used but that the emissions are lowered as efficiently as possible. AIDA is therefore equipped to use any type of fuel currently available. In this, we are independent from the supply and flexible.

Low-sulfur fuel has been a reality on important routes for many years. We use only low-sulfur fuel with a maximum of 0.1 percent sulfur content in the North and Baltic Sea as well as off the coasts of North America. In all European ports, engines have also been operating exclusively on diesel with a maximum sulfur content of 0.1 percent since 2010. AIDA has been doing this voluntarily in the Hamburg port since 2007.

However: Low-sulfur fuel is not available everywhere. According to experts from the CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) supply is not able to keep with demand. The UN organization IMO has thus decided to introduce a plan that will be implemented in phases. Refineries will have to update their equipment in order to be able to produce the required amounts.

To efficiently reduce our emissions, AIDA has comprehensively invested in new technologies. With the exhaust treatment, we can reduce our emissions further than as would be possible with low-sulfur fuel alone. To date, this is still not available everywhere. The dual-fuel engines in our new ships in 2016 can run on all traditional ship fuels or – as the first cruise ships worldwide – in the port with liquefied gas. With the “decarbonization strategy” concept, AIDA will be the first cruise line in the world to already operate its following generation of AIDA ships, which will begin service in 2019 and 2020, to 100 percent with LNG (liquefied natural gas). LNG does not produce any soot particles or sulfur oxide; in comparison to the use of marine diesel, nitrogen oxide is reduced by 80 percent, carbon monoxide emissions by 20 percent. 

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Yes, there is a comprehensive program for retrofitting the AIDA fleet. This will happen during regularly scheduled shipyard times.

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