AIDA Summer 2026: New Campaign with Mascot Matti, Routes & Backgrounds

Bild: AIDA Cruises
January is not just a cold winter month in the cruise industry. It marks the start of the so-called "Wave Season." During these first weeks of the year, the majority of vacations for the upcoming summer are traditionally booked. The cruise line AIDA Cruises is using this period for a strategic realignment. Instead of pure price wars, the company is focusing on emotions and a new face in 2026: the red-bellied lemur "Matti."

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In the current campaign "Hallo Sommer, Hi AIDA" (Hello Summer, Hi AIDA), the cruise line is moving away from purely technical depictions of its ships. The focus is less on the number of restaurants or the size of the slides, and more on the experience on board. This is where Matti comes in. The animated lemur with large eyes is intended to appeal primarily to families. He stands for curiosity, the joy of discovery, and social interaction on board. In commercials, he interacts with guests and makes the AIDA brand more approachable. He serves as an emotional bridge to playfully introduce the concept of cruising, especially to children.

Parallel to TV advertising, a large-scale campaign is running in the digital space. From January 15 to February 18, 2026, AIDA is hosting the "Great Maki Challenge." The principle is simple: anyone who "cracks coconuts" on the website enters the prize draw.

The special feature is the weekly repetition. There isn't just one chance, but new winning opportunities every week.

  • The Grand Prize: A travel voucher worth 1,500 euros is up for grabs weekly. This often covers a large part of a family trip.
  • Additional Prizes: "Explorer Packages" are also being raffled off.

Through this mechanic, it is worthwhile for interested parties to visit the website regularly and engage with the current offers.

Those wishing to invest their winnings – or their own vacation budget – will find a clear product profile in the summer of 2026. AIDA is relying heavily on its modern ship classes.

  • Western Mediterranean: The AIDAcosma (Helios Class) sails the classic route from Mallorca. A destination that is particularly attractive and competitively priced for families and first-timers.
  • Northern Europe: The AIDAperla starts from Hamburg. Its big advantage is the covered "Beach Club," which makes holiday feelings independent of the weather.
  • Scandinavia: The AIDAnova serves the popular routes heading north from Kiel.
  • Eastern Mediterranean: The slightly smaller AIDAblu operates here, sailing from Corfu, among other places. Prices are often slightly higher here due to included flights and the appeal of the Greek islands.

In addition, AIDA is focusing on event voyages to fill ships outside the summer holidays. These include appearances by stars or special themed trips for winter sports enthusiasts in March.

Not everything takes place digitally. AIDA has also completely revamped its trade fair presence for 2026. At major travel trade fairs such as CMT in Stuttgart or ITB in Berlin, visitors can now enter true-to-original replicas of cabins. Anyone unsure about how large a veranda stateroom on the AIDAcosma really is can test this on-site ("try before you buy"). Interesting for trade fair visitors: A significantly higher travel voucher (2,500 euros) is raffled off here than on the internet.

Behind the scenes of the colorful advertising world, there are, of course, serious topics. For instance, the cruise line had to manage a Norovirus outbreak on the AIDAdiva in January 2026. However, through transparent communication and cooperation with health authorities, the situation was resolved professionally.

At the same time, the "AIDA Evolution" program is underway. Older ships like the AIDAluna are being modernized. A positive side effect: almost 5,000 pieces of furniture from the renovation were donated to social causes.

Those who have never been on a ship can also book ship visits in German ports (e.g., Hamburg or Kiel). For 59 euros per person (children up to 15 years are free), you can get a taste of life on board – and receive a 50 euro onboard credit if you book a trip later.

Conclusion: In 2026, AIDA is skillfully linking emotional advertising with hard sales targets. Whether Maki Matti will fill the ships will become evident in the booking figures of the coming weeks.