AIDAnova Cruise Ship Guide: Everything You Need to Know (2026–27)
AIDAnova is AIDA Cruises' 183,858-ton flagship and the world's first cruise ship able to run entirely on LNG, carrying around 5,250 guests (6,654 maximum). In winter 2026–27 she sails 7-night round trips from Hamburg to London, Paris, Bruges, Rotterdam and southern Norway, with an onboard Winter Wonderland – then switches to Norway and Baltic cruises from Kiel in summer 2027.
Technical Specifications
Explore the engineering and operational data of the world's most iconic cruise vessels.
183,858 GT
Gross Tonnage
6,654 (maximum)
Passenger Capacity
1,500
Crew Size
2018
Year Built
Hamburg (winter), Kiel (summer)
Home Port
Where Does AIDAnova Sail in 2026–27?
AIDAnova is one of AIDA's two "no-fly" winter ships from Germany, so her schedule centres on Hamburg and Kiel.
Winter 2026–27 (late November to spring) – from Hamburg
-
Metropolen ab Hamburg (7 nights): Southampton (for London), Le Havre (for Paris), Zeebrugge (for Bruges) and Rotterdam.
-
Südnorwegen / Norway & Denmark (7 nights): typically Oslo (often overnight), Kristiansand, Bergen, Stavanger and Copenhagen, depending on the date.
-
Back-to-back the two for a 14-night "Metropolen & Südnorwegen" holiday.
-
Christmas and New Year: a 19–26 December 2026 Norway & Denmark sailing, plus 14-night festive options. On New Year's Eve she's in Rotterdam.
-
Winter Wonderland: from late November to mid-February the ship gets a Christmas-market makeover with winter huts, curling and Karls strawberry gondolas.
Special theme cruises on AIDAnova
-
Comedy Special, 12–19 December 2026 (Metropolen route) – with Atze Schröder and Marc Weide.
-
Body & Soul Week, 9–17 January 2027 – fitness, yoga and wellbeing.
-
Dart Cruise, 20–27 February 2027 – darts names including Raymond van Barneveld and Max Hopp, with Theatrium shows, tournaments and meet-and-greets.
-
Family Special, 20–27 March 2027 – kids' entertainment acts on board.
Summer 2027 – from Kiel
-
A Hamburg-to-Kiel Baltic positioning sailing on 8–15 May 2027 (Oslo, Kristiansand, Skagen, Copenhagen, Aarhus).
-
7-night Norwegian fjords round trips from Kiel – for example Haugesund, Flåm, Bergen and Stavanger.
-
Scandinavia and Baltic weeks, plus 14-night combinations.
Winter 2027–28: AIDA has confirmed she returns to Hamburg for 7-night southern Norway and Western European city cruises.
Past deployments: her maiden season in 2018–19 was in the Canary Islands, followed by a Western Mediterranean summer in 2019. Since 2023 she has been based in northern Europe year-round.
Itineraries change – always check the exact ports for your sailing date on aida.de before booking.
What's Included on AIDAnova
Every AIDA fare includes:
-
Full board in the buffet restaurants with selected drinks: water, soft drinks, table wine, tea, filter coffee and draught beer.
-
Food in AIDA's "specialty" restaurants on most fares (drinks extra) – à la carte restaurants such as Rossini cost extra.
-
Tips – there is no daily service charge (see below).
-
Theatrium shows, Studio X, pools, the Four Elements deck, the gym and fitness classes.
-
Kids' and teens' clubs.
AIDA fare types in 2026
AIDA replaced its old VARIO and Premium fares on 15 July 2025 with six fares. The main differences are whether the full drinks package is included and whether you pick your exact cabin.
Are tips included on AIDAnova?
Yes. Tips are included in every AIDA fare and no automatic service charge is added to your onboard account – a big difference from British-market lines that add a daily gratuity. You can leave an extra tip for great service, but it's entirely optional.
Is there a drinks package on AIDAnova?
Yes. The ALL IN package (guests 25+) and Kids & Teens ALL IN (ages 2–24) are cheapest when bundled in one of the three ALL IN fares. On PREMIUM, CLASSIC or LIGHT you can add a package up to three days before sailing, but without the bundle discount.
Is WiFi free on AIDAnova?
No, apart from COMFORT ALL IN, which includes an unlimited Internet Flat. AIDA's ships use Starlink, and paid packages range from Onboard Chat up to a family plan. PREMIUM and PREMIUM ALL IN include the free Onboard Chat (app-to-app messaging on board only, not the internet).
Is AIDAnova Family Friendly or Adults Only?
AIDAnova is not adults only – she's one of AIDA's most family-focused ships. There are kids' and teens' clubs split by age group, the Four Elements waterslide and climbing deck, family cabins for up to five, and family theme cruises in the school holidays. Couples and solo travellers are well served too, with dedicated solo cabins and adults-friendly bars.
What Makes AIDAnova Different?
She was the first cruise ship to run fully on LNG
AIDAnova can run on liquefied natural gas both at sea and in port, which almost eliminates particulate and sulphur emissions. She was the first cruise ship to receive Germany's "Blauer Engel" (Blue Angel) eco-label for her design.
A German-speaking ship
AIDA is a German brand. Announcements, shows and menus are mainly in German and the onboard currency is the euro. English-speaking guests can sail, but expect a genuinely German holiday atmosphere – which is part of the appeal.
No formal nights
There's no dress code beyond smart-casual and no formal nights, and buffet dining is open seating.
Four Elements
An adventure deck with waterslides, a climbing and high-ropes course and a pool area, all under a glass roof so it works in a North Sea winter.
Beach Club
A huge pool deck covered by a UV-permeable foil dome, so you can sunbathe while sheltered from wind and rain. At night it becomes a party venue.
Theatrium and Studio X
The Theatrium is AIDA's open, multi-deck show space with a 360° stage, 11 LED walls and laser effects – a lounge by day and the main show venue by night. Studio X was the first working TV studio at sea, where AIDA's own onboard TV programmes are produced in front of guests.
AIDAnova Cabins and Suites
AIDAnova has 2,626 cabins in 21 categories – the widest choice in the AIDA fleet.
Cabin type , What you get
Solo interior / solo balcony AIDA's first dedicated single cabins – no single supplement on a double room
Interior The cheapest way to sail; around 300 on board
Sea view Window, no balcony
Balcony / Veranda The most common cabin type – more than 1,600 on board
Deluxe balcony / family Sleeps up to five; good for families
Junior Suite / Suite Welcome treat, welcome dinner in an à la carte restaurant, priority check-in and luggage
Penthouse Suite Two-storey suites with a large private sun deck
Our tip: On winter Hamburg sailings a balcony is less about sunbathing and more about watching the Elbe and the fjords – a sea-view or even interior cabin can be the smarter-value pick, then upgrade the drinks rather than the room.
AIDAnova Restaurants
The buffet restaurants are included and are the heart of AIDA dining – no fixed dining times.
Included buffets
-
Markt Restaurant – AIDA's classic international buffet.
-
Fuego – family favourite (deck 16), now with Best Pizza@Sea added in the 2024 dry dock.
-
East Restaurant – Asian buffet.
-
Bella Donna – Italian and Mediterranean buffet.
-
Yachtclub Restaurant – buffet with a smarter feel.
Extra-charge and specialty dining
-
Rossini – AIDA's gourmet restaurant.
-
Brasserie French Kiss – French brasserie.
-
Ristorante Casa Nova – Italian à la carte.
-
Buffalo Steakhouse – grills and steaks.
-
Sushi Bar – sushi and sashimi.
-
Time Machine – an immersive themed dinner experience that's unique to the Helios-class ships.
-
Brauhaus – AIDA's onboard brewery with hearty German dishes.
Snacks and sweets: the Eisbar on deck 8 was expanded in 2024 with a second counter and more than 20 homemade ice cream flavours (paid).
Booking tip: Book Rossini and Time Machine in the myAIDA portal before you sail – they're the first to fill on 7-night sailings with 5,000+ guests.
Shows and Nightlife on AIDAnova
The Theatrium hosts the main evening shows – musicals, acrobatics, live music and interactive TV-style game shows – plus talks and family shows by day. The programme rotates, so check the daily planner on the AIDA app.
Theme cruises bring headline guests: comedy with Atze Schröder and Marc Weide (December 2026), darts legends on the Dart Cruise (February 2027) and kids' entertainers on the Family Special (March 2027).
Studio X films AIDA's onboard TV shows live – go and watch a recording at least once.
For nightlife, the Beach Club becomes a party deck with DJs and light projections in the evening, and there are 16–17 bars and clubs on board (AIDA's figures vary by fact sheet), from pool bars to cocktail lounges.
Winter Wonderland: AIDAnova's Signature Season
From late November to mid-February, AIDAnova becomes a floating Christmas market.
What to expect: winter huts, festive lights, curling (Eisstockschießen), Karls strawberry gondolas, mulled wine and waffles – then Christmas markets ashore in London, Bruges, Copenhagen or Oslo, depending on the route.
What to wear: layers. The domed Beach Club and Four Elements stay comfortable, but open decks in the North Sea in December are cold and windy. Pack a proper coat, hat and gloves for port days.
Tips: Christmas Day and New Year's Eve sailings sell out first. For the full festive feel without the peak price, pick an early-December or mid-January departure – the Winter Wonderland runs until mid-February.
AIDAnova Insider Tips
-
Tips are already included – don't budget for a daily gratuity.
-
Do the drinks maths before you book. Water, soft drinks, wine and draught beer are free with buffet meals; the ALL IN package mainly adds cocktails, coffees and drinks outside mealtimes.
-
Book an ALL IN fare rather than adding the package later – it's cheaper bundled.
-
No-fly from the UK side: the Metropolen route calls at Southampton, but AIDA sells cruises from Hamburg, so check with AIDA whether you can join there before you plan around it.
-
Learn a few German phrases – you'll get more out of the shows and announcements.
-
Use the myAIDA portal to reserve à la carte restaurants and excursions in advance.
