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.[10][11] She floated out of drydock on 10 February 2009.[12]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 AIDAluna's 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.[13]AIDAluna was delivered to her owners on 16 March 2009.[3] She was christened on 4 April 2009, at Palma de Mallorca by the German supermodel, Franziska Knuppe.
The cruise ship has 13 decks and 1,025 passenger cabins, with 666 facing the exterior and 359 interior-facing. AIDAluna is capable of hosting 2,050 passengers.[3][8]AIDAluna has a 2,300-square-metre (25,000sqft)spa facility and 6,400m2 (69,000sqft)sun deck. The ship has seven restaurants and 11 bars.[8] The focal point in the ship is the Theatrium, a three-level[3] complex, which could be transformed into a theatre.[3] An onboard 4-D cinema[3] is fitted with moving chairs.[3]
AIDAluna started her maiden voyage on 22 March 2009, departing Hamburg. This 14-day voyage culminated in Palma de Mallorca, with stops at Le Havre, Santander, A Coruña, Lisbon, Cadiz, Tangier, Valencia, and Barcelona.[3] In Summer 2009, she was deployed in Baltic Sea and in Winter, she was redeployed in Canary Islands.[8]AIDAluna made her first call in Kiel on 22 April and in Rostock-Warnemünde on 8 May, departing from Palma de Mallorca. She made ten roundtrip cruises in the Baltic during the 2009 Summer season.[14] In 2011, AIDAluna was redeployed in the Caribbean and offered 14-day cruises, with additional 6 to 8-day sailings. On her way to the Caribbean, AIDAluna sailed the United States East Coast, calling at New York City.[15]AIDAluna made the first visit to Bermuda by an AIDA Cruises' ship in September 2011.[16] In April 2014, the ship had a scrubber system installed to reduce its emissions.[17]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, AIDA Cruises suspended all cruises in March 2020, only resuming operations after clearance from local governments.[25][26] The ship was the seventh and last of the AIDA cruises fleet to resume operations, sailing in September 2021.[27] During the Winter season of 2024–2025, AIDAluna serviced the Caribbean, departing from Martinique and visiting the Caribbean islands, Mexico, Central America and a single stop in Colombia at Santa Marta.[28] In October 2025, the ship entered dry dock to undergo the "Evolution" refit, in which the ship will get new features and an interior overhaul. The vessel is expected to return to service in early December 2025.[29]
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