Bringing AIDAbella home

**Ally** · 04-24-2008, 07:19 AM

Quote:

AIDAbella was named last night in Warnemünde by godmother, top German model, Eva Padberg. The naming ceremony took place in a specially erected tent alongside the cruise terminal. The entertainment was a dance and musical extravaganza supplied by the AIDA entertainment troupe, based on the fantasy musical Avalon.

AIDA President, Michael Thamm, said it was a wonderful occasion to bring the ship home to the company’s HQ in Rostock where the ship will be based this summer. “It is a beautiful ship and a remarkable day for AIDA” he told Seatrade Insider.

This year the company is expecting 50,000 passengers to join Baltic cruises on AIDabella out of Warnemünde, representing half of the companies 2008 Baltic market.

In the autumn AIDAbella will move to the Canaries for her winter 2008/09 cruise programme, replacing AIDAdiva, which will move to the Middle East. Next newbuild AIDAluna is already under construction in the building dock at Meyer Werft’s Papenburg yard and is already around 60% completed. She will be delivered next year and will take just 13 months to build from start to finish.

The 69,200gt AIDAbella, is virtually identical to her sister ship, AIDAdiva. Apart from the colour scheme of her interior design, the only other difference is the centrepiece theatrum, which has been slightly modified to offer better viewing.

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**Ally** · 04-24-2008, 07:27 AM

A few photo's of the naming ceremony last night (courtesy of Aida)