Thirst on board: AIDA cruise runs out the drinks after two days!

Thirst on board: AIDA cruise runs out the drinks after two days!

Stavanger, Norwegen - The AIDA Feelings Festival Cruise successfully started on May 13, 2025 with a moving opening party and the winner of the newcomer song contest, "Listorio & Elepanthr". After two days on board there is an unexpected problem: the guests are thirsty, since 18,900 of around 20,000 bottles of beer from the sponsor "Salitos" were consumed. In view of 3,300 passengers on the ship, the probably remaining 1,100 bottles are not sufficient to supply them until the end of the trip. Nadine Maraschi, press spokeswoman for AIDA, noticed that this is the first time that "Salitos" appears as a sponsor of the cruise festival, which is why there is no experience in order to be able to better assess beer consumption.

In order to breastfeed the thirst of passengers, the DJ duo "HBZ" came up with the idea of ​​spontaneously inviting the guests to free beer, which further catapulted the beer consumption. Usually AIDA offers its own beer brewed on the ship and beers in a Dortmund brewery. In Stavanger, where the ship was next morning, new bottles could be reordered. Chef Jens Dater made it clear that reorder can be complex at inns, but usually does not be a problem. So far, there is no information on how many bottles were sold in the days of four to six. AIDA also dispensed with the sale of beverage packages to avoid excessive alcohol consumption. Much of the travel expenses for the author of these lines was taken over by AIDA as part of a press trip.

attractive offers for young travelers

The Festival Cruise is not the only event that AIDA offers for younger travelers. The AIDAprima is known for its cruises, which are specially designed for young people between the ages of 18 and 36. The routes lead through the English Channel, the North Sea, the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands, whereby an extensive leisure program is offered on board. These include a climbing garden, a water slide, a beach club as well as night clubs and an on -board disco. In order to address the target group, extra young employees are hired, and the prices are adapted to the young audience, including special discounts and a "cabin divider" that enables singles to have the costs half.

AIDA also offers special events and an artist mix on board the cruise festival. Popular routes for party people, for example, include the Mediterranean with destinations such as Barcelona, ​​Marseille and Ibiza as well as the Canary Islands with Tenerife and Gran Canaria. In Rotterdam, the ship is overnight, which gives passengers the opportunity to explore the city under nightlife. Free WiFi on board makes it easier to share experiences on social media and increases the attractiveness of travel.

growth of the cruise industry

The collapse in the availability of drinks on the AIDA shows a larger picture in the cruise industry. According to a current report by the Cruise Lines International Association (Clia), passenger volume rose to 31.7 million in 2023, which corresponds to an increase of 6.8 % compared to 2019. In North America in particular, growth of 17.5 %was recorded, while Europe also increased with 8.2 million passengers. Forecasts indicate that the cruise capacity will increase by 10 % by 2028, which corresponds to almost 40 million passengers by 2027. The report also emphasizes that 82 % of the cruise participants are planning to cross again, and Millennials show the greatest interest in future cruises.

AIDA and other cruise companies are increasingly relying on sustainability and environmentally friendly technologies. With the aim of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, investments in sustainable practices are promoted. In 2022, cruise tourism generated $ 138 billion in economic performance and supported over 1.2 million jobs, with the majority of these jobs being created, especially in the ports.