New play area on the AIDAdiva: adventure for children at sea

As part of the AIDA Evolution Programme, Berliner is equipping all seven ships of the Sphinx class. These include the AIDAdiva, AIDAbella and AIDAluna as well as the AIDAblu, AIDAmar, AIDAsol and AIDAstella. The first ship in line for this amazing project was the AIDAdiva, where not only cabins and technical systems were renewed within seven weeks, but a new leisure area was created as well.

A special highlight for families is located on Deck 14. There, a new climbing structure installed by us has been added to the so-called Fun Park, offering play and movement opportunities for children of different age groups.

„We wanted to create a structure that can be used by several children at the same time and is appealing across age groups“, explains Ursula Maile, Senior Manager Entertainment Technic Operations & Projects at AIDA Cruises. As a similar concept had already been successfully implemented on the AIDAcosma and was very well received by the guests, the decision was once again made to collaborate with Berliner.

The Fun Park is located at the stern of the 252-metre-long ship and covers around 66 square metres of play area. The highlight of the facility is the rope playhouse Triitopia, which is connected to the playhouse Quii via a net tunnel.

Inside Triitopia, a spatial net invites children to climb up to a height of six metres. From there, a 13.8-metre-long tube slide leads back down. Via a net tunnel, the children reach the playhouse Quii, which is additionally accessible via staggered HPL steps. Consideration has also been given to younger children as well as children with limited mobility: play panels at ground level enable active participation in the play experience.

In terms of design, the facility picks up on the maritime environment. Ship’s ropes, portholes and lifebuoys shape the design of the playhouses and emphasise the nautical character of the play area.

The installation of the facility posed high technical requirements. The approximately 7.5-tonne play structure had to be firmly welded to the ship’s deck and secured against wind loads of up to 60 knots. The planning and installation of the long tube slide also presented a particular challenge. Due to the limited space and numerous safety requirements, its shape had to be precisely adapted to the conditions on board.

In addition to the play value, safety was also a central focus of the planning. Additional emergency access points as well as an integrated cable pull enable rapid assistance in an emergency. “Safety is extremely important to us,” says Ursula Maile. “On a ship, the safety regulations are more extensive than the European playground standards. Thanks to the previous project on the AIDAcosma, the team was already familiar with these regulations and was able to respond flexibly to the additional requirements.”

With the new Fun Park, an exceptional play area has been created on the AIDAdiva that offers children adventure while also providing parents with space for relaxing moments.

“We have achieved something great with this play structure – and that on the high seas, where you might least expect it,” says Ursula Maile.