AIDAprima is the flagship of AIDA Cruises, built by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding at their shipyard in Nagasaki in Japan. The cruise ship entered service on April 25, 2016. The ship was christened on 7 May 2016 in Hamburg in Germany as part of the 827th Hamburg Port Anniversary (Hafengeburtstag). Like the other AIDA ships she sails under the Italian flag. For the cruise operations Costa Crociere in Genoa is responsible. The ship, which is specially designed for the German market corporate brand AIDA Cruises, start year-round from the Hamburg Cruise Terminal Steinwerder to weeklong cruises in Western Europe.
AIDAprima is the largest cruise ship in AIDA cruises fleet, with an overall length of 300.00 m (984.25 ft), moulded beam of 37.60 m (123.4 ft), and maximum draft of 8.00 m (26.25 ft). The vessel has a capacity of 3,300 passengers and 900 crew members. AIDAprima has 18 passenger decks, 15 dining options, indoor and outdoor pools, as well as shops, cafes, and bars.
The AIDA Beach Club pool area, which is covered by a transparent UV-permeable membrane dome, allows passengers to relax in a beach setting with natural light despite inclement weather. The Beach Club features the longest indoor water slide on a cruise ship, a rock climbing wall, and a lazy river. At night, the Beach Club serves as a discotheque, with stars or laser shows projected onto the dome.
AIDAprima is driven by three MaK 12V M43C diesel engines and one MaK M46DF dual-fuel (LNG/oil) engine, which give 53,150 hp to the propulsion system. The engine has computer-controlled fuel injection to increase fuel economy. The ship is propelled by ABB Azipod XO units, which allows a service speed of 22 kts. The AIDAprima uses Mitsubishi Heavy Industries‘s proprietary Mitsubishi Air Lubrication System (MALS), which releases small air bubbles to cover the bottom of the vessel, reducing the friction between the hull and the surrounding water. This is predicted to reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption by more than 7%.
