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March 16, 2019

Aida Nova is a Hyperion class ship built in 2018 by Meyer Werft for Aida Cruises. In the German shipyard the design of the twins Aida Prima and Aida Perla has been slightly modified and on board there are some different characteristics.

Aida Nova is a large floating resort, full of attractions of all kinds, vast outdoor spaces and services for passengers of all ages. The cruising style, as with the entire Aida Cruises fleet, is informal and youthful. The interior furnishings are suitable for this type of audience: bright, simple and modern.

On board, the variety of restaurants on offer is striking, based on 4 buffet restaurants, a series of free restaurants on reservation, and additional specialty restaurants on payment. Given this breadth, we will speak in a specific article of the restaurants on board, focusing instead now on all the environments and services offered by the ship.

Of the 17 passenger decks, the first is Deck 3, which houses the infirmary, a series of gangways and a warehouse for bicycles and scooters, offered to passengers for excursions on land. Deck 4 and most of Deck 5 are dedicated to cabins. An exception, right on the stern of deck 5, is the Markt Restaurant, the largest of the 4 buffets available on Aida Nova.

On deck 6 there is a large number of passenger rooms. The Bella Donna Restaurant is situated at the stern and is another buffet available to guests. Continuing towards the bow, you will pass through other restaurants. On the right, we have the Time Machine Restaurant and on the left, the East Restaurant oriental buffet. Walking further you will discover other gastronomic offers: the Teppanyaki Asian Grill and the Sushi House precede the Tokyo Bar, elegant and inevitably linked to Japanese style furnishings.

From the Tokyo Bar you can access the large central space called Theatrium, spread over three bridges. On deck 6 there is the base of the stage and, on the sides, a series of small, very welcoming and comfortable rooms, both for an afternoon reading and for an evening drink. The Nova Bar serves the entire area, assisted by the elegant and eclectic Rossini Bar, which reminds us of the beautiful bow restaurant dedicated to Champagne on Aida Prima and Aida Perla.

Still in the central area of this sixth bridge there is the Rossini Restaurant, gourmet restaurant with refined cuisine and beautiful tables overlooking the sea, and two offices dedicated to the one excursions and the other to the sale of future cruises. Continuing towards the bow you will find the Reception and two large shops (Bordshop and Schmuk & Accessories) with many products branded Aida Cruises, jewellery and accessories of all kinds. The bow closes with the Art Bar on the straight side of the ship, modern, elegant and equipped with many works for sale, the Photo studio and the Art Gallery on the left side of the ship. Finally, Studio X is a space available for events such as art auctions, or other events.

Deck 7 is just as rich in spaces dedicated to Aida Nova passengers. Starting again from the stern, you will first find a beautiful outdoor terrace, with sofas overlooking the sea and the popular Lanai Bar, which serves the entire outdoor area, open on one side also to smokers. From here you can access the Yacht Club Restaurant, the third buffet on board, with nice references to a marine environment and screens with scenes of boats.

As you venture inside the ship, you can walk through another series of restaurants. The spectacular Ocean’s – DasFischrestaurant, where you will feel as if you are immersed in the depths of the sea, surrounded by fish and the sounds of the sea. A little further on you’ll find some excellent hamburgers, served at the Best Burger @ Sea. In just a few steps you can immerse yourself in a French brasserie, at the French kiss, to which you can also add the Aida Nova French Kiss – Die Bar.

Leaving the Koch studio, a kitchen workshop, and the two small Mystery Rooms on the left, we arrive at the second level of the Theatrium, where there are other rooms. The Loge 7 Bar serves the area around the large central atrium. Here, too, there are desks for the sale of future excursions and cruises.

Towards the stern you enter the Street Food area, where you can always find sausages, kebabs, canapés and sandwiches, both for take-away and easy to taste in the available environment. On the right side, going further, is the Aida Welt, another large on-board shop, while on the left is the Casino, fully automated and served by the respective Casino Bar during opening hours.

On the bow of the ship there are two of the most popular nightclubs on board: the Rock Box Bar, where crowded live concerts are held, and The Cube, a real disco where you can stay up late into the night.

We climb up to deck 8, and continue our walk on this huge ship. A small aft space is dedicated to cabins, but we soon move on to the Brauhaus, a typical on-board brewery with entertainment and traditional German dishes. This is the place where you can taste the beer produced directly on board! Another icon of this class of ships is the Casanova Restaurant, in Venetian style, which connects the Brauhaus to the Eis Bar, a paradise for ice cream lovers. On the opposite corridor you will find the Vinothek, where you can taste wines from a long international list, and the Churrascaria Steakhouse, a restaurant dedicated to grilled meats, churrasco and some other delicacies.

This brings you to the third level of the Theatrium. Here you will find the Caffè Mare, which serves drinks for guests who want to enjoy the fantastic view from the windows or for spectators of the show being held there. Crossing a new cruise shop on one side, or the Hemingway Lounge, the small library on board, on the other, you reach the bow area. On the straight side of the ship is Juicy’sSmoothies& Co., which specializes in centrifuges and fresh fruit juices, which precede access to the modern onboard gym, Body & Soul Sport. The gym has a beautiful outdoor area with additional gym equipment and a miniature golf course. On the opposite side, in the Parfumerie, two large shops offer perfumery and other body products. In addition, there is the Friseur, an onboard hairdresser, and other treatments.

Before entering a few more cabins on the far end of the bow, you will finally find access to the Body & Soul OrganicSpa on deck 8, for a fee and on reservation, which is also very large and has an outside area with Jacuzzi and relaxation beds. Among the services offered, you will find a Turkish bath, 4 different saunas, an elegant relaxation area with fake decorative braziers, a footbath and a series of showers.

After a series of decks dedicated to cabins of all kinds, you’ll meet again passenger rooms on deck 16. The aft area is occupied by the series of attractions called Four Elements, which we now know from previous ships. With water features, a suspended path and the fearsome Racer (a slide inside a tunnel), there is also a 5th Element, which represents a bar serving this large area. There is also a small outdoor area overlooking the sea. Also known is the Fuego Restaurant, another buffet open for many hours a day that occupies a long area that leads to the centre of the ship. One area is dedicated to the pizzeria and another very useful novelty is the Baby Corner, fully equipped for the self-service preparation of flours and meals for children.

All the corresponding straight side of the ship is dedicated to children, from the Kids’ Club to the Mini Club, the Teens’ Lounge, the Wave Club and the Game Centre. The Beach Club opens in the middle of the ship, a vast environment frequented at all times of the day. Under a few palm trees, or overlooking the large windows facing the sea, you can read, relax and enjoy a cocktail prepared by the nearby Aida Bar. In the evening, the stage always offers live music and theme nights.

Deck 17 houses the cabin facing the bow and the Aida Lounge in the middle of the ship, an exclusive space dedicated to the guests of the Suites. The remaining part is occupied by the areas below, the same Beach Club that rises on two decks, and the Four Elements. There are, however, outdoor areas available with sun beds and armchairs, as well as the upper deck, the 18th, which is also served by the Pool Bar. Finally, on deck 19, the FKK Bereich offers a reserved space for lovers of whole-body sunbathing.

The accommodation on board a ship the size of Aida Nova is of various categories. From the interior, with an acceptable surface, to the exterior with a window or exterior with a balcony. There are also single cabins, with a good view of the sea thanks to their own private balconies. There are certainly different types of suites, for those who want to have more space and exclusive services. The furnishings are all very modern, some in light tones, others with brighter contrasts, such as the Balcony that we propose in the video of Cruising Journal.

Aida Nova is a ship naturally dedicated to a predominantly German market; however, if you love practicality and informality, you can be perfectly at ease here. The gastronomic offer, although not providing the classic formula of a main restaurant-base, is really rich and allows you to “travel” in the world while remaining comfortably seated at the table.

Don’t miss the complete Photo Gallery and all Reviews with Comments and Opinions about Aida Nova.

Gabriele Bassi 

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