Time-Lapse Video of AIDAmar's Christening

Carnival's German brand, AIDA, christened their new ship, AIDAmar, at Hamburg on Saturday night (May 12, 2012) during the port's 823rd Anniversary Celebration. If that wasn't big enough, AIDA brought AIDAmar's three sisters to be part of the spectacle. More than 1.4 million people attended the christening. You can see the whole evening in a minute in this video:



If that was a little quick for you, AIDA provided these excellent photos and a longer video below:

Video: AIDAmar Travels Down Ems River

Meyer Werft sailed AIDAmar down the Ems River last night (the evening of April 12, 2012) from their yard in Papenburg (Germany) to Emden (Netherlands) where it will be based for sea trials. AIDAmar completed the overnight trip and arrived at approximately 6:30am this morning (April 13). Later this morning, AIDAmar left for its first sea trial in the North Sea.

In the first video, provided by Meyer Werft, the ship can be seen leaving Papenburg.




The second video is a report from aboard the ship during the conveyance which was provided by AIDA.




Handover to AIDA is scheduled for May 3, and AIDAmar will be christened in Hamburg on May 12 as part of the 823rd Anniversary of Hamburg Harbor. Three sister ships will welcome the newest member of the AIDA fleet with a unique boat parade.

Meyer Werft Floats Out AIDAmar

Early Sunday morning (April 1, 2012), Meyer Werft floated out AIDA's next ship, AIDAmar. The speeded-up process can be seen in this time-lapse video provided by AIDA.



Some of our readers who couldn't make the trip to Papenburg got up in the middle of the night (in the US) to take in the operation on Meyer Werft's webcam. The photo below is an example of what they saw on the Meyer website.

When AIDAmar was towed into this area, viewers got a bit of a preview of AIDA's next vessel. Prior to towing AIDAmar out of the building dock, an unfinished section of AIDAstella had to be moved out of the way. It can be seen here just off AIDAmar's stern. It will become part of the bow of the new ship (You can match it up with the shape of AIDAmar.) It was later towed back into the dry dock. AIDAstella will be delivered in about a year.

AIDAmar's conveyance down the Ems River is planned for April 13, weather permitting. It will be christened in Hamburg on May 12.

Meyer Werft Readies AIDAmar for Float Out

AIDAmar is shown in these photos inside the covered building dock yesterday at Meyer Werft in Papenburg (Germany). The ship will be floated out for testing and docking at the outdoor finishing dock on April 1, 2012.

The ship is shown resting on blocks in the the drydock. It is being flooded today in anticipation of Sunday's operation. In the second photo, note the tug boat sitting on the floor of the dry dock already in position to assist in guiding the ship's bow during the float out.

Photos courtesy of Meyer Werft

AIDAmar Almost Ready for Float Out

AIDAmar is nearing completion at Meyer Werft in Papenburg (Germany). The yard has scheduled the ship to be floated out of the covered building dock on April 1 (2012). Interior work is normally completed during the next phase while it waits in the lagoon for its conveyance down the Ems River for sea trials. The conveyance is planned for mid-April, with delivery in May.

AIDAmar is the sixth in the series of seven in the class. The last will be delivered in late 2013.

Photos courtesy of Meyer Werft

A Ship Gets Its Lips

Now here's something you don't see every day. In this video, it looks like lipstick is being applied to AIDAmar, AIDA's next vessel under construction at Meyer Werft in Papenburg (Germany). You don't need to understand the German in this video to know the new ship is having AIDA's iconic red lips painted on its bow - a sign that construction is proceeding on schedule for delivery in May.

Video: AIDAmar Gets Its Stack

AIDAmar is under construction at Meyer Werft in Papenburg (Germany). Last week Meyer lifted the ship's stack into place, making it the last major exterior element to go into place. Of course there is another "major" feature yet to come, AIDA's iconic giant red lips, which still have to be painted on the ship's bow.

AIDAmar Engines Installed

AIDAmar, the next ship under construction for Carnival Corp's AIDA brand, is ten months away from delivery by Meyer Werft. Last week the ship's four giant engines arrived by boat at the Papenburg yard. AIDAmar, at this point doesn't look much like a ship, but a crane lifted them into place where they will go in the hull, and the ship will be built around them.

This video from AIDA shows the installation process which took only six hours.



Each of the 127-ton engines has nine cylinders and will generate 1,000 kilowatts of power that will be used for propulsion and electricity aboard the ship.

AIDAmar is scheduled to enter service on May 12, 2012.