AIDAperla Summer 2025: Overnight Stay in Rotterdam Cancelled – Itinerary Adjustment Details

The original plan for AIDAperla on the established Metropolis route – which also includes Southampton, Le Havre, and Zeebrugge – was to dock in Rotterdam every other Thursday. The ship was scheduled to remain in port until 6:00 AM the following day (Friday). This longer layover time would have allowed for shore activities late into the evening. This option is now eliminated on all voyages affected by the current schedule change.

Interestingly, the elimination of the overnight stay in Rotterdam for AIDAperla was already planned starting from the summer season 2026, with a scheduled docking time from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM. The current decision thus brings this adjustment forward. The earlier departure from Rotterdam extends the travel time to the destination port of Hamburg. This has the advantage of allowing for a lower average speed, potentially leading to reduced fuel consumption.

AIDA Cruises operates the Metropolis route year-round. AIDAperla is deployed during the summer months, while AIDAnova takes over these journeys in winter. The sequence of ports visited, as well as individual destinations, may vary depending on the specific travel date. Already during the 2024/2025 winter season, when Rotterdam was usually visited at the beginning of the four-port sequence, AIDAnova only docked during the day. This practice will be maintained in the upcoming winter, with AIDAnova typically docking in Rotterdam on Mondays from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Evening shore excursions are therefore entirely excluded on these winter voyages.