AIDAluna

AIDAluna is a Sphinx-class cruise ship, owned by the United States-based Carnival Corp and operated by AIDA Cruises. Built by Meyer Werft shipyards at Papenburg, Germany, she is the third ship of the class, preceded by and , and is followed by , , and . The ship has a capacity of 2,100 passengers and is assesed at . AIDAluna initially deployed in the Baltic Sea for the 2009 Summer season. In Winter 2009, she redeployed to the Canary Islands. AIDAluna has an poolside theater, which is a first for AIDA Cruises.

==Concept and construction== thumb|left|AIDAluna during construction at the Meyer Werft shipyards at [[Papenburg]] AIDAluna is the third ship, out of a series of six Sphinx-class ships, ordered by AIDA Cruises from Meyer Werft, with expected delivery of one ship each year from 2007 to 2012. She is a sister ship of AIDAdiva, AIDAbella, AIDAblu, AIDAsol, and AIDAmar. The first order was only for two ships, but the option extended to six ships. She floated out of drydock on 10 February 2009. AIDAluna started her sea trials with her passage on the River Ems on 21 February 2009, departing Papenburg. The voyage culminated at Emden the next day. On 23 February, departing Emden to continue sea trials, she ventured to the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg for final inspection at dock Elbe 17. During the inspection, an object was seen, being tangled on AIDAlunas propellers, which was supposedly caused by the ship's short trip. After a few days, AIDAluna was cleared and continued her sea trials in the North Sea. AIDAluna was delivered to her owners on 16 March 2009. She was christened on 4 April 2009, at Palma de Mallorca by the German supermodel, Franziska Knuppe.