Would you try it? AidaCara voyage report - caution long

[Mattsudds]

If I told you there was a cruise, which isn't NCL, where you can eat when, where and with whom you want, a cruise with no dress code, a cruise where Karaoke doesn't feature on the daily programme, or where the ships don't have a casino, or sales of inch of gold, one where the only art auctions seem to be when the artist themselves is onboard, where dinner is high quality, varied and with drinks included, would you want to go?? If I then tell you that this is with a cruise line which thinks you are interested in the destination so rather than a hard sell on excursions, it has knowledgeable staff available and guidebooks for the ports This is a cruise line which provides 'steamer rugs' in the cabins for each passengers, a cruise line with German and Finnish built ships which exude quality in their finish and attention to detail. How about if I also added, English isn't the majority language, still interested And then I added that this is a cruise line with a big corporate owner but which is being allowed to plough its own furrow, seemingly without much interference from big money HQ. Still interested? Well so was I. And Bill Mayes, esteemed chairman of the Ocean Liner Society.

 

That early set of qualities is, for some, some of the key elements of a quality and interesting cruise. But how about if we then add that the dining is buffet style only (except for an extra tariff restaurant), that you cabin won't have a 'turndown service', that around 1/3rd of the indoor space is covered with a green carpet/ grass for a fitness centre/ putting green, that cabin furniture is partly of the wicker garden variety, that at each port the ship provides (with a charge) bicycles and many passengers use them, and that a rough guess at a packing list might be gym clothes, cycle helmet, golf clubs, lederhosen, 2 watches (don't want to risk being late) and factor 60 extra sensitive sun cream (for the parts the sun doesn't often see - the undressed code), that the entire fleet has some of the most famous 'hull art' out there, then perhaps the line of those interested gets shorter?

 

That is a rather long winded way of introducing readers to a brief report on our recent travels aboard the CS AidaCara, on a cruise from Hamburg, which included a Kiel canal transit. The Cara was berthed at Hamburg's international cruise centre (terminal made out of containers), and embarkation was on 10 May, Hamburg harbour's birthday. Hamburg on an ordinary day is a ship lovers paradise, what with the ships to see, the vast collection of book and model shops to take in and the huge new maritime museum. But on her birthday the party gets really special with the block of streets along the waterfront closed off for stall, a huge influx of ships, displays and open houses and vast crowds of people providing atmosphere, it doesn't get much better than this for a shippy person. After taking in the party, we proceeded to the terminal to embarkation control and after working out what we were being asked (pig flu), we eventually boarded. All our language worries rapidly evaporated when we were checked in in English (by the purser no less - the crew do this task).

 

We found our cabin on deck 5, just below promenade deck. An inside twin. Painted in pastel green with wicker chairs and a canvas awning over one of the beds, it was otherwise like any other ship's cabin. We were however missing bath towels and a quick visit to reception had this sorted along with the 'ah you are our 2 English passengers, welcome', which was nice. We had decided to eat relatively early in order to be on deck when we sailed, and arrived in the buffet just at the wrong time. With horror we envisioned the following few days full of crowds and scrums to eat but fought our way through. And just as we sat down it was as if the crowds evaporated. And then we remembered our buffet lesson from previous AidaDiva trip. If crowded, come back in 10 mins, and suddenly much improved.

 

The AidaCara has 2 buffet restaurants, the Calypso and Markt. There are different dishes at mealtimes in each, with a selection which changes for each meal. With around 10 hot dishes, a grill, an extensive salad buffet, a large paella pan thing, a superb cheese and bread selection together with plenty of puds, you'd struggle to not find ample choices. On each table is a cutlery hanger and the waiters bring red and white wine or sparkling water. There are dispensers with soft drinks, a beer pump (of course) and tea/ coffee. The Calypso restaurant has around 200 seats outdoors but its just a little too windy for that to be comfortable with our stern looking out on the ugly Amadeus.

 

We are ready to sail at 19:50 and an announcement from the captain tells us about the passage and that we will leave at 8, punktlich. Which we duly do. Sailing from Hamburg is always marvellous with the greetings from on shore and the sights to take in. We pass the Voyager of the Seas in dry dock, sail past the last remnants of the birthday part, past the Airbus A380 factory and the 'Welcome point' where they raise the ship's flag and play the appropriate national anthem from suitable large speakers. And up on deck one of the famous Aida pool parties is tonight's fun, complete with the 'Boney M' concert - remember them? We also caught a couple of the other shows and found it rather amusing not to really know what was going on some of the time, it just adds to the experience. The final show began with a Laser show which was really rather good and tailor made for the itinerary so had laser images of the ship sailing through the Kiel canal. Particularly puzzling was the pirate show which involved basically girls in tight outfits dancing to a couple of songs, followed by blokes dancing to 'Lords of the Dance' and on the 3rd rendition removing some of their clothes. Not sure what was pirate themed about it all but the audience seemed to enjoy it and it didn't seem to matter.

 

Downstairs as we retire to warmth and drinks I begin making my way through the cocktail menu. If I were on a British ship where drink is included with Dinner, to be honest I would expect some crass behaviour by now, but there is none of it. There are 2 main indoor bars, the Lambada bar in the Calypso lounge, the Aida bar, shaped like a star and with a stage where house band the Sopranos are belting out some tunes. The Aida drinks menu is the most extensive I've ever seen on any 'mainstream' ship. Just as an example there are over 5 pages of non-alcoholic cocktails, a whole page of rare malts whiskeys. Cocktails are divided into types with a section on each. Service is always with a smile and language is never a problem. If in doubt we say ein and point at the menu and danke - not that difficult is it!

 

Day 2 is a sea day and its slightly choppy so that captain warns us before lifeboat drill to dress warmly. Having been to lifeboat drills hundreds of times now, we know that the crew take down the numbers of passengers as they enter the area, as a check, and we decide to go 10 mins early just to make sure that our number is seen and not called out in front of hundreds of others. In German the large numbers can get put into 1 long word and we don't want to look daft by not understanding our own number. We assume we'll be first but no, even for a simulated emergency everyone is early. After passing clipboard man to make sure we are ticked off, we loiter and the photographer is doing her rounds. We move into a line as ordered and are photographed a second time and Bill even gets done a 3rd time (another different position). Its just like our last Aida trip where the photographer can't resist taking him…

 

Once that is done its time for a relaxing day at sea interspersed with eating, shopping (Aida souvenirs) and lounging about. Up on deck even a brisk wind won't put off our sailmates and we notice many have blankets. Eventually we work out that these are the 'steamer' rugs' from the cabins. In a feat of logical organisation, they are coloured the same as the colour of the deck plan for the cabin. So we duly claim our, claim 2 chairs, warp up warm and doze off, until the afternoon pool party and Kaffee und Kuchen interruption.

 

For the Sea Day I had reserved online for us to go to Rossini, the onboard waiter service, gourmet restaurant. The confirmation for 20:00 had come through by email. We had a letter in the cabin inviting us to reconfirm once onboard, which we duly did. We thought we had done this for 20:00 but without looking at it, our reservation card indicated 18:30. It turns out this was because tonight's menu was an 11 course spectacular. So when we turned up unsuspecting at 19:45 apologising for being slightly early, we were in fact told off for being over 1 hr late, and the hostess had to go and ask the chef if we could still join. Well it turns out we could but only by skipping the first 3 courses, so feeling slightly like naughty boys we duly sat down and enjoyed a superb dinner. Our (i.e. my…) fault for not checking the card, and to be honest we just saw it as another fun bit of the experience, being un-German and not being on time then told off. Next time we will read the card and cross check that with the email and the conversation. The staff were very nice about it and actually charged us a reduced price for missing the first 3 courses, which was rather nice of them in the end. Dinner was had rounding the top of Denmark with calm seas and the late evening sun setting outside, all rather splendid.

 

The next day was Copenhagen and true to form the ship unloaded a load of bikes and off pedalled some of our superfit, lycra clad shipmates, some on an organised cycle, others just hiring one. We ship nuts went to Helsingor to play with the ferries and spent the day trying all of them, including the rather splendid looking ACE Link vessels, with dark blue hulls and yacht like appearance they are very pleasant. In common with their competitors, they have waiter service restaurants (5 ships on the route have this). This is all the more remarkable when you consider that the crossing time is 20 mins with a 10 min turnaround.

 

That evening we sailed south from Copenhagen and sailed over the tunnel right at the end of the runway for Copenhagen airport, rather than under the adjoining bridge. Next morning we awoke as we were entering Kiel Ford for the slow passage to the locks. We were passed by all manner of ships, including the restored paddler Freya and the beautiful Gorch Fock under full sail, with the crew on deck to salute our passing. We entered the locks around 11am and were ready to proceed around 30-45 mins later, but sat there because the programme said we began at 12 noon, so that is when we set off!

 

The Kiel canal is in full use for ships, although not as much as when built due to their increasing size. It is crossed by numerous bridges, small and large ferries and a rather precarious looking transporter bridge (essentially a ferry platform suspended from a much higher bridge by wires, which makes the brief crossing. All along people were cycling, whistling and waving as we passed, it was a wonderful experience. All too soon we were at Brunsbuttel and turning to meander down river for our late evening/ early morning arrival back in Hamburg.

 

So that was the itinerary, how about the ship? Well like with the first Aida trip I made, I wasn't sure what to expect. The Diva seemed so different and innovative compared to other ships, and this 'Mutterschiff' - mother ship as the company sometimes call her was 12 years old, would we be disappointed? Not a bit of it. If this is the 'mothership' then it reminds me of that phrase mothers have uttered down the ages to their newer Diva daughters - your generation didn't invent it you know. There was so much of the Diva that had clearly been inspired and built upon the Cara. The theatrium takes its bench seating and relaxed style from the venue on the Cara. The different styles of buffet restaurants, the bars with limited seating but huge amounts of standing or circulating space, the décor, the indoor golf/ fitness centre and even the FKK deck (use strong, sensitive sun cream and remember that when passing under bridges, passers by can see everything… And these are well built ships where the attention to detail is unnecessary but welcome, with little flourishes in the décor which continue the theme. Not for these ships the cheap finish or half hearted efforts of some. And this all got us reflecting on just how much the Diva class really is a logical and simple development of the Aida concept first put forward on the Cara. Within the Carnival empire, I can't think of any brand that seems quite so untouched between an original ship and subsequent Carnival funded newbuilds. Of course that may change in the future and we can look forward to a future new class of ships with an extra deck of 'spa cabins' from AidaBlu onwards.

 

So did we enjoy it and would we go again? Absolutely every minute. And having bought the extra sensitive factor 60 sun cream, lederhosen and a radio controlled accurate watch, it would be a shame not to use them again!

[wrinster22]

Sounds Interesting. Correct me If i am wrong but AIDA cruises is owned by Costa which is Part of Carnival. But it was not origonally part of costa maybe Princess?

[wrinster22]

Sounds Interesting. Correct me If i am wrong but AIDA cruises is owned by Costa which is Part of Carnival. But it was not origonally part of costa maybe Princess?

[NancyJewel92]

Sounds Interesting. Correct me If i am wrong but AIDA cruises is owned by Costa which is Part of Carnival. But it was not origonally part of costa maybe Princess?

 

Here's some information on the background of AIDA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIDA_Cruises

 

 

Mattsudds - I enjoyed reading your review. On my last trip aboard the Costa Atlantica, we shared the dock in Cozumel with the AIDA Luna. Prior to then, I was unaware of this cruise line. Too bad I do not speak German as its sailing AIDA sounds interesting. :-)

[RalphRackstraw]

Ach, so! I lived 15 years in Germany (my two younger sons were born there), and I greatly appreciated the fun-loving side of the German character, as well as their awesome efficiency and engineering flair. These ships sound like the maritime equivalent of some of the wonderful German resorts we enjoyed --- I'd sail with them in a minute! :D