AIDA Transfer Cruise 2017 · Page 6

Up to 54 migrant workers live here for a certain time (up to 3 months) and clean clothes in the simplest way: washing by hand, drying in the sun and ironing with an iron heated by wood.

Our next station was a stop at the first Portuguese church. Admission was free. Then on to a ginger factory, where ginger is still processed by hand. The next stop was at the Chinese fishing nets, where we could also take a closer look at the area.

Lots of small stalls line the square. In a narrow lane we discovered a French café and stopped there for a little snack. The owner, Alice, moved from France to India many years ago and now runs the small hotel with the café. The prices are very low and the quality very high, so definitely recommended. There's Wi-Fi too, and the toilets are of European standard. Then on to a palace, which we visited (admission 5 INR, about 3 cents). Of course we also stopped at various shops, where we were allowed to look at lots of great things – and could have bought them too. But it wasn't pushy, and we could leave the shop at any time without any problem.

Prices always started at 80 euros, and we haggled like mad. Our price was 20–25 euros, and the lowest counter-offer was 45 euros. So we left the shops without buying anything. After 5.5 hours we arrived back at the port tired but happy. We gave each of our two drivers 30 euros for the great day and went back into the port area. By the way, we saw very little rubbish in Cochin – there's even refuse collection. So a complete contrast to Goa. In front of the ship AIDA had set up a Christmas stand, and we were offered cold fruit juice and Christmas stollen.

A white angel danced through the guests to German Christmas carols. A really strange sight – Christmas at 35 degrees, eating stollen. But we happily joined in the fun. Countless market stalls had been set up in front of the ship too, and here we found the scarves again and bought two straight away, 25 euros for both. In the evening AIDAbella set course for the Maldives.

A short note on AIDA and India: the AIDA excursion in Goa was a total disaster and very badly planned by AIDA. The chosen route through the rubbish areas gave us a very bad impression of India, which was only reinforced by the scout's remarks. We found the sights visited a joke, and the hotel itself would get 2 stars at most in Germany. The constant face checks and the lovely times early in the morning before getting up delight every guest on holiday. And let's not forget that every guest had paid between 150 and 220 euros for the visa required for India. If we hadn't got a different, great impression in Cochin through our private tour, we would have come away with a very bad impression of India. AIDA should work on its tours.

After a sea day we reached the Maldives. As the Maldives have no port for such large ships, we lay at anchor and were taken ashore by tender boats. At 8.30 a.m. we left the ship and reached the city of Malé 20 minutes later.

Right at the pier, the operator Malediven Travel was already waiting to welcome its guests.

In the Maldives you have to book an excursion, as the capital Malé isn't exactly beautiful and the atolls can only be reached by boat. AIDA of course offers excursions too, but we found 160 euros per person for a half-day excursion too expensive. So we booked the same excursion in advance through Malediven Travel, much cheaper and with more extras. For example, lunch and drinks were completely free for us, whereas AIDA guests had to pay extra. We were on the island from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the AIDA guests only 4 hours. All small differences that persuaded us to book directly with a local operator.

At the pier in Malé we paid directly (about 113 euros per person), and 30 minutes later we were taken by boat to the Vadoo Adaaran Resort – and it was exactly how we had always imagined the Maldives. After a greeting and a welcome drink, we were given small wristbands so we could eat and drink free of charge. We grabbed 4 loungers on the white sandy beach and lay down in the shade.

It was a wonderful, glorious day with lots of fun and joy. The snorkelling was great, and we even saw rays. Lunch was superb and the mango/rum tasted good – simply a perfect day.