AIDA Metropolises 2017 · Page 3

Our brief verdict on AIDAprima:
The purpose of our trip wasn't the Metropolises tour but the new ship in the AIDA fleet. To say it right away: the ship is overwhelming and leaves nothing to be desired. Although the ship is almost 300 metres long, we found our way around immediately, and after just one day we no longer needed the signposts. But there are also points that haven't been implemented so well yet. We often noticed that the crew and the big ship aren't working in harmony yet. For example, there are no towels in the spa area and they're only restocked two hours later; the loungers in the spa are all reserved with towels, but hardly anyone is to be seen. Or different opening times for the market restaurant are shown online than in the printed "AIDA heute". Anyone who has ever sailed with AIDA can imagine what it was like in front of the market restaurant when it opened 30 minutes later without any information.

The new restaurant concept is very successful. Simply reserve a table, and you have a quiet, relaxed evening with your loved one. The food is chosen straight from the menu, with several starters, main courses and desserts to choose from. Everything is brought to the table. Drinks at extra cost. Our favourite restaurant had always been the market restaurant, but that has now changed.

We preferred the Ocean Spa area on the smaller ships. We found it cosier to lie under the palms and trees, and since the sauna and spa areas are no longer separate, there's a lot of movement and restlessness in the spa.

I mustn't forget the ice rink on deck 16 and the ropes course. Climbing on the 16th floor above the heads of the other passengers is quite an experience.

In short, AIDAprima has turned out to be a successful ship, and we'll certainly be back on board.