AIDA Metropolises 2022 · Page 2

In the evening we tried the tapas bar – simply delicious. Our first day was a sea day, perfect for easing into the holiday. We had reserved the gourmet breakfast at Buffalo in advance – a lovely start to the day. A general verdict on AIDA and how it handles coronavirus: we're aware that we're in a pandemic and that times are very challenging. The cruise industry has been suffering for over 2 years from recurring restrictions, cancellations and limitations, and with them loss of revenue. Partly to support the industry, we booked a cruise with AIDA during the pandemic – and enjoyed it, albeit with certain restrictions.

Our first port of call was Cherbourg in France. Because of coronavirus, leaving the ship was only possible on a booked excursion. So we booked a 4-hour walking tour of Cherbourg. It took us past the most beautiful spots in Cherbourg, and our guide told us a lot about the town.

Of course there were evening shows on our trip again, and they're always great to watch.

Our next port was Zeebrugge, and here too we had booked an excursion with AIDA. The bus took us right across Flanders, and we saw a small town and lots of nature. Personally we didn't like this excursion, as nothing really beautiful was shown. Still, it was nice to have solid ground under our feet again for a while.