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May 22, 2018

What is most surprising aboard the Aida Prima, one of the Aida Cruises ships, in addition to the activities, the modernity and the pleasantness of the architectural style and color palette, is undoubtedly the variety of gastronomic offers.

 The dining possibilities on board are divided into 5 completely free buffets including drinks (water, beer, red and white wine, drinks on tap, coffee and self-service tea infusions); some restaurants that are free but by reservation (drinks are subject to a fee), and restaurants that are by payment. Let’s take a quick look at each of these venues.

The main and largest buffet, located on Deck 6 stern side of the ship, is the Markt Restaurant. Here we offer a huge choice of internationally inspired dishes, from German to Italian to wider international cuisine. At the entrance, the selection of freely available fruit is impressive, including tropical fruits of all kinds. You are welcome to whatever fruit you desire and, if required, there are staff available to clean the fruit for you at the time. The Salumeria is another gem of the Markt Restaurant, with a range of sausages for every taste, sliced on the spot with a spectacular Berkel slicer. In addition there is a wide selection of cheeses, as well as desserts and salads.

The Bella Donna Restaurant, still on Deck 6, offers regional Italian specialties. The environment is very well-kept, with splendid tables “under the trees” of the avenue that crosses the straight side of the ship. You can choose to eat inside or, as said, “street side”. There are excellent choices of dishes, less extensive than the Markt, but definitely worth trying.

The East Restaurant, just beyond the ship’s center, is rather, a paradise for lovers of Asian cuisine. Here you can find dishes in Chinese, Japanese or other Asian styles. The specialty here is to freely compose your dish (with all kinds of meat or fish, vegetables and various seasonings) and have it cooked fresh on the grill. When it is ready, the waiter will notify you and without lining up you will collect the plate you designed. The environment is pleasant and spacious, with inside tables or with views to the outside of the ship.

On deck 7 you can find the Weitere Welt Buffet, with both indoor and outdoor tables. Each day the cuisine is inspired by a different tradition, from regional German to European to international. The space is luminous for both lunch and dinner, it has large screens that reproduce the movement of waves on a beach. It is located in the aft area and has access to the Lanai Bar, where you can enjoy an outdoor digestive when the weather permits.

The fifth buffet is the Fuego, which has already been partially discussed. It has the longest opening hours, being open for practically the entire day with only very short breaks. It has orange colors which recall fire, and outside main meal times offers salads and fruits, desserts, pizza and hamburgers of various kinds. It also has tables outside the main rooms, in the Four Elements area, being outdoors if the glass structure is opened or indoors in case of cold temperatures or bad weather.

There are three restaurants that require reservations but are still free. The Casanova Restaurant, on deck 6, is inspired by Venetian cuisine. The interior, with an open gallery over the promenade, offers beautiful scenes of Venice life, with elegant paintings and a very suggestive atmosphere. The tables are densely spaced and don’t allow for much intimacy but are beautiful in their context. You can also dine beyond the open gallery “in the street” if you prefer a more lively situation. The stuffed tortelli are delicious, as is the seafood pasta.

On deck 7 there are the other two free restaurants available by reservation. At ship’s center, the French Kiss represents a French Brasserie. For breakfast and lunch it is open with free tables, in the evening, however, it is necessary to reserve them. Throughout the day it offers typical French sausages and cheeses as well as a selection of stuffed baguettes, all baked on sight and on the spot. On the opposite side of the Boulangerie, is the Patisserie: with chocolate pralines and a selection of cakes of the day … each more delicious than the other! In the evening you can dine à la carte with typical French dishes… Excellent Bouillabasse, as well as Tartare and Tart Tatin with Lemon.

Continuing towards the stern on deck 7 is the Brauhaus, the on-board brewery. Here, beer is actually produced (with exposed cells where it is kept). On wooden benches, among live plants and flowers, German dishes can be ordered and enjoyed in company, on the long shared tables. On some evenings there is entertainment and live music with artists in traditional Bavarian or German costume. Do not miss the freshly baked Brezeln and the apple and berries compote, served as a dessert. It goes without saying that the beers are excellent, from the Dunkeln to the Weiss …

Moving on to paid restaurants, the choice is equally vast. The Buffalo Steakhouse mainly offers meat dishes of various cuts and various sizes, but also offers seafood. The specialty is naturally buffalo, as suggested by the name and the huge buffalo head hanging on the entrance wall! The kitchen grills are entirely visible. Weather permitting, you can also dine outdoors.

On the opposite side of the ship’s center, you can find the Sushi Bar and the Rossini Gourmet Restaurant. The first offers the most typical products of Japanese cuisine, with an a la carte menu upon reservation. There are few tables available for dining that overlook the sea by a large window, or you can eat on a long counter overlooking the cooks, who cut and prepare the sushi in full view. The Rossini is the most exclusive restaurant on board. It offers two 3 or 6-course set menus! The interior is elegant in style and plays on black and white.

For those who are hungry outside meal times, you can always take advantage of the Fuego, which is almost always open, or the Scharfe Ecke, with fast food products, or the Pier 3 Bar, open all day with various snacks, or indulge in gluttony at the Magnum Bar. Here you can make your own famous ‘stick’ starting with the choice of the chocolate coating (milk, mixed or dark) and then “stuffing” it with a variety of delicacies!

Aida Prima, first unit of the Hyperion class of Aida Cruises, is certainly able to offer a cruise … of taste!

Don’t miss all the Reviews of the Aida Prima, with opinions, advice, photos and videos from Cruising Journal users!

Gabriele Bassi

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