When the famous seafarer Christopher Columbus sailed across the Atlantic in 1492 he didn’t know where the voyage would end. In America. Five centuries after his discovery of the new continent, crossing the Atlantic Ocean by ship has lost none of its fascination and allure. In the fall of 2014, AIDA cruise goers can experience the adventure of an Atlantic crossing on two special transatlantic voyages.

On September 4, 2014, AIDAbella will set sail from Warnemünde for America. The transatlantic journey will take a northern route. After brief stops in Norway’s cities Oslo and Bergen, the ship will head west out onto the wide ocean. During the 18-day Atlantic crossing, AIDAbella stops in the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Greenland before AIDA passengers first reach American ground in St. John’s in Newfoundland, Canada. At the end of the voyage, the AIDA Atlantic crossers are greeted by the spectacular skyline of New York.
Days on the open sea are typical for the transatlantic routes. These cruises offer plenty of opportunities to get to know and enjoy the variety of recreational-, sports- and entertainment offerings on board. A very special highlight will amuse guests during AIDAbella’s crossing of the sea. Under the motto “AIDA dances,” professional dance trainers will bring lots of swing on deck. The nationally and internationally prize-winning professional dancer Christian Polanc conveys the magic and passion of Latin American dance in his dance courses on the Atlantic. Christian Polanc is also known as the two-time winner of the RTL show “Let’s Dance.” Rock’n’roll dancers Claudia and Rüdiger Menken surprise AIDA guests who love to dance with the West Coast Swing. This trendy couple dance from the USA is characterized by flowing movements and breathtaking whips to modern disco, pop music and R&B rhythms.

Like Columbus’ ships, AIDAvita departs from Spain on the second transatlantic route. The voyage begins in Majorca on November 18, 2014. During the Atlantic crossing, a stop is made in the Azores Islands. Once guests have arrived in the “New World” the first shore excursion in New York awaits them. After 16 days, the tour finishes up in sunny Miami, Florida. With atmospheric reports on country and people, and lots of photographs, the world-experienced cruise expert Michael Hoeborn gives guests a taste of upcoming stops on the voyage. Guests who discover America in 2014 with AIDAvita can also newly discover themselves. Under the instruction of bestseller author and motivation trainer Frank Wilde, passengers can embark on a journey to themselves. In presentations and workshops, the expert shows how people can recognize and utilize strength they didn’t know they had. The Hamburg comedy star Kay Ray guarantees fun and a festive atmosphere. He is one of the most popular AIDA guest artists and will give the AIDAvita audience’s laughter muscles a good workout.