Almost a month after the scheduled sale of the cruise ship AIDAaura to Miray Cruises, intended to rebrand it as MV Lara for Life at Sea Cruises, the vessel remains in Bremerhaven, Germany still under Carnival Corporation ownership. The official handover hasn't occurred, and AIDAaura's crew, now reduced to a minimum, continues to maintain the ship.

The crew originally intended for Life at Sea Cruises left the ship earlier this month reports schiffe-und-kreuzfahrten. Earlier, lifeatsea.blog, an independent site, suggested around 250 crew members from Greece and Turkey would be employed by a subcontractor for Miray Cruises to join the ship.

The November 11, 2023 start date for the 3-Year World Cruise is unlikely due to the ship's conversion, which will take at least 18 days in a shipyard. Also, a shift from Istanbul to Amsterdam as the departure port complicates the schedule. The MV Lara's departure date will most likely be delayed.

Miray Cruises' CEO, Kendra Holmes, anticipated the ship's purchase closing in mid-October, but that hasn't happened. Conflicting information between the Life at Sea Cruises website and guest expectations regarding the departure adds to the uncertainty.

Currently berthed at Columbuskaje in Bremerhaven, AIDAaura has changed locations several times in Bremerhaven.