After the typhoon Haiyan caused severe destruction in the Philippines in November of 2013, guests and crew members of AIDA Cruises responded with tremendous generosity. With the initiative “AIDA Help for the Philippines” and the annual New Year’s raffle on board the AIDA fleet, the cruise line collected total donations of over €223,700 for the victims of the typhoon Haiyan. The sum will benefit the SOS Children’s Villages, as well as affected crew members of AIDA and their families in the Philippines.

Monika Griefahn, Chief Sustainability Officer at AIDA Cruises, says, “We are overwhelmed by the sympathy our guests have demonstrated and by their generous donations. This is the highest sum we have ever collected in an AIDA relief effort. Thank you to everyone who contributed.” AIDA Cruises sponsored trips and valuable prizes for the raffle. With proceeds from the traditional New Year’s raffle on board the ships, AIDA has been supporting children’s aid projects all over the world for many years. This year, the proceeds will benefit the SOS Children’s Villages in the Philippines. They are particularly dependent upon assistance after the typhoon.

Many crew members on board AIDA’s ships come from the Philippines. Around 800 of them come from the most severely affected regions. The result of the raffle exceeded all expectations, including those of crew members. The crew on AIDAstella was so moved by the guests’ generosity that it spontaneously came up with a personal thank you. Club director Heiko Schliek explains, “A Philippine choir with colleagues from all departments – machines, deck, show ensemble, housekeeping, kitchen, restaurant, bar, etc. – sang for our guests on the pool deck. It was truly a very special and highly emotional moment that I have never experienced before.”