German cruise line AIDA Cruises, part of the Carnival Corporation group, will restart its cruise operations in Italy this Saturday, October 17, becoming the second Carnival Corporation brand to do so, after Costa Cruises in September.
The restart of cruises by AIDA Cruises and Costa Cruises is part of a plan by Carnival Corporation to gradually and in phases restart operations, regionally and with limited itineraries, reduced passenger capacity and enhanced health protocols developed in coordination with government and health authorities.
AIDA Cruises will restart operations with the AIDAblu, scheduled to depart from Civitavecchia and sail a seven-day route to Palermo, Naples, and La Spezia. The first cruise will be on October 17, with weekly sailings until November 28.
AIDA Cruises' restart plans were developed following Costa Cruises' return to operations in Italy in early September, which began with two ships departing from Trieste and Genoa on seven-day voyages with Italian guests visiting destinations in Italy. Costa Cruises' cruises were expanded on October 10 with a third ship, the Costa Smeralda.
Working with international and national health authorities and medical experts, AIDA Cruises and Costa Cruises have developed a comprehensive set of health protocols to facilitate a safe restart of cruise vacations. Both brands are providing guests with detailed information on the enhanced protocols, which will continue to be modeled on the prevention guidelines defined by each brand's respective country and approved by the flag state, Italy. The protocols will be updated based on the latest scientific evidence and medical knowledge regarding prevention strategies.
Based on health and safety guidelines in Germany and Italy, the health and safety program will be implemented on all of the brand's cruise ships, with measures covering the entire cruise experience, from booking to disembarkation. Developed with leading medical experts, the program has been audited and approved by the reputable independent company SGS Institut Fresenius and the classification society DNV-GL.
The measures include COVID-19 testing for passengers and crew with negative results before boarding. Other protocols include regular temperature checks and health screenings for guests and crew, social distancing rules, face masks, capacity limits, and enhanced hygiene measures, as well as guided excursions managed by AIDA to maintain health protocols.
