AIDA CruisesCarnival Corporation & plcCruise ShipsP&O Princess Cruises plcPast and Present

MV Astoria Grande (Ex AIDAcara) – Past and Present

IMO Number: 9112789

MV Astoria Grande

ex Aidacara, Aida

© Joonas Kortelainen

© Joonas Kortelainen

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1996 by Kvaerner-Masa Yard, Åbo, Finland (Yard No 1337) as a Passenger (Cruise) Ship for Deutsche Seereederei Touristik, Rostock, Germany

Technical Data

  • Original Cost: DM 300 million
  • Length: 193.34m (overall), 174.15m (registered)
  • Breadth of hull: 27.60m
  • Depth: 16.95m (moulded)
  • Draught: 6.00m
  • Tonnage: 38,531 gross/ 38,557 (2009)/17,094 net/ 17,766 (2009)/3,752 deadweight
  • Engines: 4 x MAN B & W 6L48/60 diesels
  • Power/Propellers: 21720kW/2
  • Speed: 21 knots
  • Capacity: 1,230 passengers
  • Crew: 369
  • Navigation Officers: German/
  • Passenger Decks: 9
  • Call Sign: ELVB5, IBNR , VSOR6, T8A3965 
  • IMO Number: 9112789
  • MMSI Number: 511100759
  • Registry: Monrovia/Liberia 🇱🇷, London/UK 🇬🇧, Genoa/Italy 🇮🇹, Panama 🇵🇦, Malakal Harbour/Palau 🇵🇼


Current AIS Location


Please note that this specific vessels AIS position data may be over an hour old and that the vessels position will only be displayed when it is within range of the VesselFinder AIS system. The AIS transponder/ship position data featured on this page is intended for information purposes only and it is in no way related to the 'Safety of Navigation at Sea'. All the AIS ship position data featured within this article is provided by VesselFinder and we are therefore not responsible for its content or its accuracy.


History

September 11th 1995: Keel laid.

February 16th 1996: Launched as AIDA.

June 4th 1996: Completed and delivered to Deutsche Seereederei Touristik, Rostock, Germany.

June 7th 1996: Christened in Warnemünde.

June 11th 1996: Maiden cruise from Bremerhaven – Palma De Mallorca. In the summer she cruised in the Mediterranean and the remainder of the year the Caribbean.

© Brian Fisher

© Brian Fisher

August 1997: Taken over by Norwegian Cruise Line, Monrovia, Liberia.

August 1999: Sold to Deutsche Seereederei, Germany. (Arkona-Touristik).

September 1999: Taken over by Aida Cruises.

December 2001: Renamed AIDACARA.

September 2003: Registered Owner: P&O Cruises.

March 2004: Registered Owner: Carnival PLC

December 2004: Registered Owner: Costa Grociere

  

© Aleksi Lindström (both)

April 2005: Arrived in Rostock for rebuilding, lasting two weeks.

April 2005: Resumed cruising.

  

© Aleksi Lindström (both)

September 18th 2018: Called at Dover

© Neil Hopper © Neil Hopper  

© Neil Hopper © Neil Hopper  

© Neil Hopper © Neil Hopper  

© Neil Hopper

June 2021: After having been laid up in Tallinn an announcement was made that she had been sold to an independent Russian buyer for further use or scrap.

August 2021: The Russian purchaser renamed her ASTORIA GRANDE. Listed as the bareboat owner of the ship is Aquilon Shipping, Moscow.

July 2022: Listed as Registered Owner: Goodwin Shipping LtdOwner & Operator: Emrah Yilmaz Cavusoglu Camelot Maritime Ship Crew Training Isletmeciligi (Camelot Maritime Ship & Management)

D173457Q Brian 

🆕 D173457Q Brian (Istanbul, 26/06/2023)

July 27th 2023:

“A visit of the ‘Astoria Grande’, carrying Russian tourists to the port of Batumi, turned into a political incident on July 27, 2023. After initially reporting the cruise would be permitted as the ship was not listed under the sanctions, the Georgian government voiced support as protestors lined the dock prompting the ship to depart earlier than scheduled. The vessel was starting a summer season of trips from the port of Sochi with stops at Trabzon, Amasra, Istanbul and Batumi. The seven-day cruise is starting at prices of approximately $1,200 per person. The AIDACara was acquired in 2021 reportedly by a group of Russian investors and renamed Astoria Grande, beginning cruise service in 2022 from Sochi. The listed owners are in the Seychelles and the cruise ship is now registered in Palau. Marketing for the cruises is conducted by a Turkish company Miray International but it is mostly marketed inside Russia.”.


All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions found. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: Brian Fisher, Neil Hopper, Joonas Kortelainen and Aleksi Lindström for their assistance in compiling this feature.

Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Back to top button