Marella Cruises
Marella Cruises is the British cruise line of the TUI Group, sold through TUI UK. It traces back to Thomson, which first ran cruises from 1973 to 1976 and restarted in 1995; the line was renamed Marella in October 2017, a name meant to keep it distinct from TUI's German joint venture, TUI Cruises.
Page updated
About Marella Cruises
The fleet is five midsize ships built in the 1990s for Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises: Marella Discovery and Discovery 2 (Vision class) and Marella Explorer, Explorer 2 and Voyager (Century class). Several came by way of TUI Cruises, where Explorer and Voyager sailed as Mein Schiff ships. Two newbuilds ordered for Marella in 2025 were reassigned to TUI Cruises later that year, so the line continues with its existing ships.
Marella sells mostly fly-cruise holidays for British travelers, with ships based at Mediterranean ports such as Palma, Dubrovnik and Limassol in summer and in the Caribbean and Canary Islands in winter. Fares are all-inclusive as standard, covering food, drinks and tips, and two ships, Explorer 2 and, from November 2026, Discovery 2, are adults-only.
What Marella Cruises is known for
Marella is known for packaging cruises the way TUI packages beach holidays: flights from UK airports, transfers and an all-inclusive fare that already covers drinks and gratuities, which keeps planning and budgeting simple. Its ships carry under 2,000 guests and offer a broad mix of restaurants, bars and shows for their size, and the line splits its fleet between family-friendly ships and adults-only ones.
The trade-off is age. Every ship in the fleet was built between 1995 and 1997 for other lines, so cabins are smaller and attractions fewer than on new megaships, and planned newbuilds that would have modernized the fleet were cancelled in 2025. The British-focused onboard style, sterling pricing and UK-centered sales also make it a less natural choice for travelers from elsewhere.
Who it's for
Mainstream · big ships with lots to do and fares for most budgets
- Couples
- Families
- Adults only
- Value seekers
Marella suits British travelers who want an easy, all-inclusive fly-cruise with drinks and tips already paid, especially first-time cruisers and families on the family-friendly ships. Couples who want a quieter trip can choose the adults-only Marella Explorer 2 or, from late 2026, Marella Discovery 2. Itineraries are mostly week-long port-intensive loops in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands and the Caribbean, which suits travelers who like a new port nearly every day.
Travelers outside the UK, and anyone who wants the newest ships with large water parks or many specialty venues, will find more choice on the big international lines. Those who prefer to sail from a home port without flying should look at UK-based lines that sail from Southampton or other British ports.
Cruising solo on Marella Cruises
Marella Cruises is one of the easiest mainstream lines to sail alone. Each ship has single cabins, every cruise has a hosted solo coffee morning, dinner and farewell drinks, dining is flexible with shared tables on request, and the all-inclusive fare covers drinks, tips and flights from UK airports. Marella Explorer 2 is adults-only and the quietest pick for a solo traveler.
- Cabins for one
- Single cabins (inside to balcony)
- Single supplement
- Single cabins are priced for one with the same fittings as double cabins. Marella runs regular solo deals across single inside to balcony cabins; a solo guest in a standard cabin pays a supplement that varies by sailing.
- Meeting other solo guests
- Onboard Guest Experience Coordinators host events for solo travelers on every cruise: a coffee morning on day one, a hosted dinner midway and farewell drinks on the last night. Solo guests can choose to sit alone or at a shared table in the restaurants.
How it rates
- Cabins
- 2.4/5
- Dining
- 3/5
- Entertainment
- 2/5
- Service
- 4/5
- Pools & decks
- 3/5
- Value
- 4/5
The fleet's average on each metric, across 5 rated ships in service. Each ship is scored 1 to 5 by Cruises Frog's editors; these are not reader reviews.
Rankings and comparisons
Where Marella Cruises sails
Ships
Best rated
#13.2 ★Marella Explorer 21995 · 71,545 GT · 1,814 guests · Caribbean · MediterraneanMarella Explorer 2 is the lead ship of the Century class, built by Meyer Werft and entered service in December 1995 as Celebrity Cruises' Century. After sailing in China as…#23.2 ★Marella Voyager1997 · 77,302 GT · 1,912 guests · Mediterranean · CaribbeanMarella Voyager is a Century class ship built by Meyer Werft in Germany that entered service in 1997 as Celebrity Cruises' Mercury. She later sailed for TUI Cruises as Mein…
#33.0 ★Marella Discovery1996 · 69,130 GT · 1,830 guests · Mediterranean · CaribbeanMarella Discovery is a Vision class ship built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in France that entered service in March 1996 as Royal Caribbean's Splendour of the Seas. TUI bought…Every ship, by class
Century class
3 ships · 1995–1997 · 71,545–77,302 GT · avg 3.1 ★
Vision class
2 ships · 1995–1996 · 69,130–69,472 GT · avg 3.0 ★
Former ships
| Ship | Sailed | Gross tons | Left |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marella Dream | 2010–2020 | 54,763 | October 2020 |
| Marella Celebration | 2005–2020 | 33,933 | April 2020 |
Where to fly in
- Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI)1 Marella Cruises ship sails from Bridgetown, Barbados
- Dubrovnik Ruđer Bošković Airport (DBV)1 Marella Cruises ship sails from Dubrovnik, Croatia2 lounges on Lounge Frog
- Larnaca International Airport (LCA)1 Marella Cruises ship sails from Limassol, Cyprus1 lounge on Lounge Frog
- Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI)1 Marella Cruises ship sails from Palma de Mallorca, Spain4 lounges on Lounge Frog
- Tenerife South–Reina Sofía (TFS)1 Marella Cruises ship sails from Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain1 lounge on Lounge Frog
Quick answers
What is Marella Cruises known for?
Marella is known for packaging cruises the way TUI packages beach holidays: flights from UK airports, transfers and an all-inclusive fare that already covers drinks and gratuities, which keeps planning and budgeting simple. Its ships carry under 2,000 guests and offer a broad mix of restaurants, bars and shows for their size, and the line splits its fleet between family-friendly ships and adults-only ones.
Who is Marella Cruises best for?
Marella suits British travelers who want an easy, all-inclusive fly-cruise with drinks and tips already paid, especially first-time cruisers and families on the family-friendly ships. Couples who want a quieter trip can choose the adults-only Marella Explorer 2 or, from late 2026, Marella Discovery 2. Itineraries are mostly week-long port-intensive loops in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands and the Caribbean, which suits travelers who like a new port nearly every day.
Is Marella Cruises good for solo travellers?
Marella Cruises is one of the easiest mainstream lines to sail alone. Each ship has single cabins, every cruise has a hosted solo coffee morning, dinner and farewell drinks, dining is flexible with shared tables on request, and the all-inclusive fare covers drinks, tips and flights from UK airports. Marella Explorer 2 is adults-only and the quietest pick for a solo traveler.
Where does Marella Cruises sail?
Marella Cruises's ships in service sail Mediterranean (5 ships), Caribbean (3 ships) and Canary Islands (2 ships).
How is Marella Cruises rated?
Marella Cruises's fleet averages 3.1 out of 5 on Cruises Frog, across 5 rated ships. Its best-rated ship is Marella Explorer 2 at 3.2.
How many ships does Marella Cruises have?
Marella Cruises has 5 ships in service on Cruises Frog: Marella Discovery, Marella Discovery 2, Marella Explorer, Marella Explorer 2 and Marella Voyager.
What ship classes does Marella Cruises sail?
Marella Cruises sails 2 classes of ship in service: Century class (3 ships) and Vision class (2 ships).
Who owns Marella Cruises?
Marella Cruises is part of TUI Group.
Where is Marella Cruises based?
Marella Cruises is headquartered in Luton, England. It has operated since 1973.
What is the largest Marella Cruises ship?
Marella Voyager is Marella Cruises's largest ship at 77,302 gross tons, carrying 1,912 guests.
Cruising with children
Marella’s family offer includes different activities for children and teens. First confirm that your chosen ship and departure are family friendly; the brand also sells adults-only cruising.
Read the Marella Cruises family guide →Is a drinks package worth it?
House wine is included in Marella Cruises' fares, so you may not need a drinks package. If you'd want cocktails or premium wines, enter what they cost.
House wine is included in Marella Cruises' fares, so you may not need a drinks package at all. Marella Cruises FAQ ↗
Per person, a day, as the line quotes it.
A typical drink you'd buy on board.
Optional. Count coffees and sodas if the package covers them.
The days the package is charged for.
To make the drinks package pay for itself
6drinks a day
A $75-a-day package costs the same as 5.8 drinks at $13. Over 7 days that's $525, or 41 drinks for the cruise.
Pay as you go
At 5 drinks a day, buying drinks one at a time costs about $70 less than the package.
- Drinks package, 7 days
- $525
- Drink by drink, 5 drinks a day
- $455
Break-even is a target for your wallet, not a dare for your liver.
Traveller reviews
What people who've been say. One review each; you can update yours.
Related news about Marella Cruises and its ships
- Only six cruise lines in our catalog have solo cabins on every ship
American Cruise Lines leads with 24 ships. Lindblad, Marella, Ambassador, Aurora Expeditions and Fred. Olsen complete the short list.
Cruise line ranking
- The 12 best adults-only cruise ships, ranked: 2026
Twelve ships where no child can board, from Viking Vela and Virgin's Lady ships to Saga's over-50s newbuilds and the British adults-only ships of P&O, Marella and Ambassador, ranked by our editorial scores.
Ship ranking
- The 5 best adults-only cruise lines, ranked: 2026
Only a handful of cruise lines keep children off every sailing. We rank the five that do, from Virgin Voyages' party ships to Saga's over-50s fleet, and explain which lines only have adults-only ships.
Cruise line ranking
- What a glass of house wine costs on cruise lines, and which ones pour it free
From $9 on Royal Caribbean to $14 on MSC, and free on 25 lines. The prices behind Cruise Frog's drinks package calculator.
Cruise lines
- Solo cruising with Marella Cruises: single cabins, hosted events and all-inclusive fares
Marella has single cabins on its ships, hosts a solo coffee morning, dinner and farewell drinks on every cruise, and includes drinks and tips in the fare.
Cruise lines
- 5 things Marella Cruises does well—and 1 it doesn’t
Five strengths of Marella Cruises, one clear drawback, and the travelers most likely to enjoy its cruise style.
Cruise lines