Marella Cruises: the back story

About Marella Cruises: the back story

By the ULTIMATE the world’s cruise lines Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Marella is the cruise line of TUI, the travel group, and it sells cruising the way TUI sells holidays: all inclusive as standard, tips included, and flights to the ship. Its five ships range from the family-friendly Marella Voyager to the adults-only Marella Explorer 2.

A holiday company at sea

Marella Cruises Limited is part of TUI Group, and it shows: a Marella cruise is sold like a TUI holiday, with an all-inclusive price that, in Marella’s words, ‘includes tips, too’. For a first-time cruiser that means few surprises on the bill.

Five ships

The fleet is small and easy to understand. Marella Voyager is the biggest choice, with 18 restaurants, 10 bars, a food hall, an immersive speakeasy and a Mexican restaurant. Marella Explorer has 11 restaurants, the fleet’s biggest spa, a cinema and The Dining Club. Marella Explorer 2 is adults only, with a barbecue restaurant, a golf simulator and a Champagne and Prosecco bar. Marella Discovery and Discovery 2 each have nine restaurants, seven bars and indoor and outdoor pools.

All inclusive as standard: that includes tips, too.

The Marella style

Some things are on every ship: The Coffee Port, the Squid & Anchor pub and the Broadway Show Lounge, with West End-style shows, quizzes and live music. Every cabin has tea and coffee-making facilities, and there are at least six included places to eat on every ship.

Where it sails

Marella’s itineraries cover the Western and Eastern Mediterranean in summer, now including Patras for mainland Greece; the Canary Islands in winter; and the Caribbean, with Barbados, Aruba and the Dominican Republic among the islands.

Our advice: if you want the simplest possible first cruise, Marella’s all-inclusive price is hard to beat; choose Explorer 2 for an adults-only week, Voyager for the most choice, and book the Caribbean early for the winter fares.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Marella Cruises: the back story before you go.