AIDAmar Dry Dock Stay: World Cup Event in the Shipyard

Von Sebaso - Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link
Originally, a technical inspection was scheduled for the AIDAmar in the spring, but it fell through due to bad weather in Hamburg. The cruise line's solution? The dry dock stay was simply moved to Rotterdam and carried out during a regular five-day cruise from July 3 to 8, 2026. Instead of docking at tourist ports as usual, the ship spent almost 24 hours in dry dock with over 2,600 guests on board. This was an absolute masterpiece of engineering: while important nautical certificates were renewed on the outer hull, hotel operations inside continued running smoothly thanks to external power and water supplies. Anyone watching the spectacle from the outer decks on the port or starboard side got a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at marine engineering.

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To ensure guests stayed on board despite the lack of shore excursions, AIDA put together a spectacular entertainment package. The trip was quickly marketed as the "AIDA Fan Cruise" and aligned perfectly with the crucial phase of the FIFA World Cup. In addition to public viewing on giant screens, celebrities like comedian Matze Knop and the band Marquess provided top-class entertainment. Because cruise prices were also reduced by up to 50 percent and additional onboard credits were given away, the impending wave of cancellations turned into a fully booked ship full of cheerful holidaymakers and ship enthusiasts.

However, this short stopover in the Netherlands was just a small taste of what is yet to come for the AIDAmar. Starting in November 2026, the ship will dock in Marseille for seven weeks as part of the massive "AIDA Evolution" modernization program. Then, it will no longer be about simple checks, but a massive refit. In the future, passengers can look forward to completely redesigned cabins, recycled materials for greater sustainability, and new dining options like the "Beach House".