12
Jun
Access

Wanzl – the sea dogs from Swabia

AIDAperla will cruise the Mediterranean with more than 900 Wanzl trolleys on board from summer of this year

Wanzl is sailing with the AIDAperla, the twelfth and newest member of the AIDA Cruises fleet. From July, the AIDAperla will depart from Palma, Mallorca and Barcelona on seven-day tours of the Mediterranean. The AIDAperla is due to be launched on 30 June by model and presenter Lena Gercke.

More than 900 Wanzl trolleys will be used on the AIDAperla every day, for housekeeping, cabin room service, laundry and luggage transport on the ship’s decks. Wanzl will also be supplying shopping baskets for retail therapy in the many shops, while the mobile guidance systems from Leipheim will help passengers find their way around on board.

AIDA Cruises and Wanzl launched the joint project in 2014 to develop customised and solution-oriented trolleys for the AIDAperla over a period of three years, including the KT3 linen trolley and the cabin steward trolley.

 

Transporting laundry with the KT3 linen trolley

In February, Wanzl shipped 14 containers on schedule to AIDA Cruises, full to the brim with equipment for hotel service on the high seas. Folded into compact units, 380 KT3 linen trolleys accompanied them on their journey. The wire trolley runs smoothly on five castors to transport laundry around the ship, and is a bespoke solution especially for the AIDAperla. With the fifth castor underneath the centre of the trolley, the compact, slim trolley can be turned on the spot. The four steering castors, all fitted with locks, ensure directional stability, easy steering and a secure brake stop. A glance at the interior of the trolley proves interesting – there is plenty of space to ensure that the routes for transporting laundry are short and efficient. The flexible levels hold fresh, stacked laundry in place, and can be attached vertically using a handle – with no tools required – providing even more space for dirty laundry when pushing the trolley. The individual details and solutions are clever and practical – plastic impact protectors for interiors; a special handle to lift the trolley over thresholds; and partial or total protection with special robust, opaque and weatherproof tarpaulins.

Transporting laundry with the KT3 linen trolley

Housekeeping with the cabin steward trolley

The new cabin steward trolley, customised for the AIDAperla, is ideal for housekeeping. The 98 trolleys, which are bespoke in every detail, come with a lockable roller panel, and are fitted with locking brakes for rough seas. The cabin steward trolley, made from sturdy steel tubing, has an array of practical accessories to support a cutting-edge, efficient and environmentally friendly cleaning process in the cabins. Flexible levels hold fresh linen, while the top deck is reserved for minibar refills. Laundry bags and refuse sacks, together with the closable lid, can be hooked into the side rails, whilst an integrated ashtray is also included. The fifth wheel located in the centre of the trolley’s base allows the cabin steward trolley to be turned on the spot, meaning that it can perform the perfect pirouette for a quick change of direction at any time.

Housekeeping with the cabin steward trolley

Comfort and convenience: AIDA and Wanzl


A cruise on the seven seas means first-class service on board, even in a limited space. Every metre counts in the passageways, the on-board laundry area, and in the kitchen. Wanzl, a premium supplier, knows its products down to the finest details – the hotel industry professionals on land have long since become experienced sea dogs. AIDA Cruises has been a customer of the Leipheim-based company for many years – and for very good reason: the high-quality products MADE BY WANZL do their job professionally, and are customised to meet the special requirements on board. In 2016, Wanzl delivered around 1,000 trolleys for the first class service on the AIDAprima, the identical sister ship of the AIDAperla. Special Wanzl cruise ship roll cages with low nesting depths and all-round outdoor-proof protection are in operation for AIDA Cruises, for luggage logistics and quick baggage handling during embarkation and disembarkation. Cruise ship roll cages are transported by forklifts and cranes, or can also be pushed manually. This is no sailor’s yarn – Wanzl is now just as much at home around the world on the high seas as it is on land.