Marella Cruises

Marella Cruises (renamed in 2018 from "Thomson Cruises", tui.co.uk/cruise) is a "TUI Group"-owned and "TUI UK and Ireland"-operated British cruise line, that offers low-price voyages in Europe, Caribbean, and Asia. The company's older vessels are chartered from Holland America Line and Celestyal Cruises. Marella's new fleet consists of TUI-owned ships formerly owned and operated by Royal Caribbean and TUI Cruises.

In late-April 2020 was officially announced that the liner Marella Celebration will be retired (either sold or scrapped) after 15 years of service with Thomson-Marella UK. The ship was scheduled to be homeported in Dubrovnik Croatia (June through October 2020, and May through October 2021), in Limassol Cyprus (Nov-Dec 2020, and March-April 2021) and in Dubai UAE (Dec 2020 through March 2021). All these voyages (which are still listed at CruiseMapper) were canceled.

In mid-October 2021, TUI announced that Mein Schiff Herz will be transferred in 2023 to Marella's fleet. Following a drydock refurbishment, the boat will be renamed Marella Voyager, starting operations for Marella on June 3, 2023.

Company history and changes

Initially, Thomson Cruises (UK company) started operations in 1973, but due to rising fuel costs, its passenger shipping operations were terminated in 1976. Thomson restarted cruise shipping in 1995. Marella Cruises is a very popular brand on the British travel market. It was established in 1965 as a division of the UK's largest tour operator and travel agency Thomson Holidays (now TUI UK). Thomson Holidays was a subsidiary of Thomson Corporation (1989-2008 defunct). Marella's parent company (TUI Group) owns hotels, the companies TUI Cruises, Marella Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, and the travel brands International Expeditions and Zegrahm Expeditions. The company also owns aircraft and the airlines Corsair International (France), TUI Airways (UK), TUI fly Nordic (Sweden), TUI fly Belgium, TUI fly Deutschland, TUI fly Netherlands.

Two Greek ocean liners were chartered by Thomson in 1973, but the company failed to capture the audience, like other cruise lines of the 1970s. Operations were restarted in 1995 after Thomson chartered the liner Sapphire (originally named MS Italia, built 1965, scrapped 2010) from Louis Cruise Lines (now Celestyal Cruises). Soon the company chartered other ocean liners, among which Island Breeze (RMS Transvaal Castle, 1961-2003), Topaz (RMS Empress of Britain, 1955-2008), The Emerald (SS Santa Rosa, 1958-2012).

Thomson Cruises aimed an effect on the British market just like Carnival did in the USA. Package holidays had already been very popular in the UK, and the company wanted the same for cruising. Despite the aging ships, Thomson Cruises attracted an ever-increasing number of first-time UK cruisers with affordable fares and presence of the company's travel agencies across Britain. In the 1990s, Thomson started operations as a budget cruise line and improved its product becoming more successful in the UK by improving amenities, ships and services, and introducing a wider range of itineraries.

Royal Caribbean sold its stake in Island Cruises to TUI Travel (Thomson's parent company) in 2008. In 2009 Island Star left the fleet and joined the Spanish brand of Royal Caribbean - Pullmantur. Island Escape joined Thomson fleet in 2009 and continued to offer informal cruises to the UK source market. Thomson Dream (Marella Dream) joined the fleet in spring 2010 being long-term chartered from Costa Cruises.

In March 2015, Royal Caribbean International (RCI) announced they had agreed to sell Splendour of the Seas to TUI in the second quarter of 2016. TUI would lease the vessel to Thomson Cruises in order to replace Island Escape. In May 2015, TUI Group announced plans for Mein Schiff 1/now Marella Explorer and Mein Schiff 2/Herz/now Marella Voyager to be transferred to Thomson UK over the next few years. Shiff 1 (renamed Marella Explorer) entered Marella's fleet in 2017. In October 2015, Thomson's Island Cruises brand was discontinued after its only ship MS Island Escape (now Ocean Gala) completed its last voyage with Thomson.

For FY2017, company's turnover was GBP 502 million, with EBITA (earnings-before-interest-taxes-depreciation-amortization) GBP 86,5 million and total number of served passengers 308,000 (101,7% occupancy). For FY2018 (fiscal year), TUI Group's earnings (from the 3 cruise brands - TUI, Marella, and Hapag-Lloyd) increased by 10,7% - to EUR 901,9 million. The company's turnover was EUR 324 million (26,8% increase over 2017). Group's average daily rates increased to EUR 178 euro (TUI, up from EUR 173), EUR 141 (Marella, up from EUR 131) and EUR 615 (Hapag-Lloyd, up from EUR 594).

In March 2018, TUI Group announced that to Marella's fleet will be added Marella Explorer 2 (formerly SkySea Golden Era, initially Celebrity Century), with scheduled delivery in December 2018. The liner was previously operated by SkySea Cruise Line - Asian joint venture company (owned by the RCCL-Royal Caribbean and Ctrip International). SkySea was the first contemporary brand developed for the Chinese market. Operational between May 2015 - September 2018, the new cruise line handled nearly 300 voyages and around 0,5 million passengers.

Marella "cruise and stay" holiday package deals include hotel or apartment at the beginning or at the end of the voyage.

Onboard cuisine offers everything you can think about - from healthy options to exotic local specialties and culinary choices on offer. Daytime entertainment with Marella cruises is great for all members of the family. There are also different activities for children onboard and special children's menu for junior diners. You can relax each evening in the wide range of bars and lounges or enjoy first-class entertainment with singers and comedians.

Marella fly-cruise deals from the UK to the Caribbean are served by regional TUI Airways flights from UK airports (Cardiff, Doncaster Sheffield, East Midlands, Greenock-Glasgow, Newcastle, Stansted, Birmingham, Manchester, London-Gatwick). Flights are to the company's Caribbean homeports Bridgetown Barbados and Montego Bay Jamaica. In 2019 were introduced "cruise-only flights" to Malaysia from Manchester Airport. The TUI Airways service (via Boeing 787 aircraft) connects to Langkawi Island - homeport for Marella's Far East Asia voyages. Such direct flights (TUI Airways) are also offered from London-Gatwick and Birmingham.

On select cruises, Marella offers free all-inclusive upgrades on the fleet's older liners. The new vessels (Marella Discovery and Marella Discovery 2) offered these all-inclusive packages as standard fare inclusion. Since summer 2019, TUI's Marella brand operates with all-inclusive cruise deals fleetwide.

Since November 2022, Marella UK (via partnership with OneSpaWorld Holdings/health and wellness company) provides ocean-inspired wellness products and services on all its ships. The range of OneSpaWorld's services includes Ocean Body Treatments (massages and polishes), Ocean Facial, Ocean Salon Services. On Marella ships, OneSpaWorld uses premium beauty brands like Elemis, L'Oreal, Kerastase. The brands owned by OneSpaWorld include Mandara Spa, Bliss Spa, Chavana Spa, Glow Spa.

(Coronavirus crisis) passenger shipping pause 2020-2021

Due to the COVID pandemic, Marella UK suspended its entire fleet's passenger shipping operations (all liners) by canceling all voyages with pre-scheduled departures in the period March 14, 2020, through late-June 2021.

Next are listed all Marella ships and their first departure dates/regions/homeports in 2021-2022 - DISCOVERY (Sept 3/Mediterranean-Greece from Corfu/"Aegean Discovery"), DISCOVERY 2 (April 5, 2022/Mediterranean from Palma de Mallorca), EXPLORER (June 25/UK from Southampton), EXPLORER 2 (July 10/UK from Newcastle).

• Marella's Caribbean 2021 program was canceled, which affected the ships DISCOVERY (from Montego Bay Jamaica) and EXPLORER 2 (from Bridgetown Barbados).
• DISCOVERY 2's Mediterranean 2021 program (Adriatic and Greek Islands from Corfu) was canceled, and the ship restarted in April 2022.
• DISCOVERY's 2021 homeporting in Palma de Mallorca was replaced with Corfu Greece.
• Two Marella ships (Celebration, Dream) were sold and left the fleet. Marella Dream was originally planned to restart voyages on May 4, 2021. Marella Dream was originally planned to restart voyages on May 4, 2021.

All affected bookings received full refunds (100% monetary) or 110% in FCC (future cruise credit), including on prepurchased through Marella (TUI UK) packages and services. With rebooking, the fare paid is transferred to FCCs (110%). Holiday package bookings (cruise and land vacations) receive 120% refund (in FCC) or 100% cash refund. All refunds are received within 4 weeks prior to the original departure date.

With a large selection of destinations and itineraries, Marella Cruises may show you the whole world. With a variety of UK cruises with departures from Southampton, Newcastle and Harwich, fly-cruise holidays from a large number of airports (available departures from over twenty UK airports), Marella Cruises sail in the Red Sea and the Canary Islands during winter, the Mediterranean in summer. There are about a hundred different destinations to explore aboard Marella ships.

Marella's UK-Caribbean fly-cruise deals are via TUI Airways (sister-company, part of TUI Group). The packages include direct flights from the UK (London-Gatwick and Birmingham) to Melbourne Orlando Airport. Marella optionally offers "cruise and stay" packages with a choice of 18 different hotels in the Caribbean.

Marella cruise itinerary changes

Following the Coronavirus crisis, in mid-April 2021 Marella announced a new ex-UK 2021 summer program with itineraries leaving roundtrip from UK ports and mainly coastal cruising along Britain's coast.

Marella Explorer 1 was homeported in Southampton (starting June 25, 2021).

• The 3-night "Sail the South Coast" (mini-cruise itinerary from Southampton) visits Dover and Portland.
• The "Sail the Irish Sea" itinerary (starting August 2021) from Southampton visits Liverpool, Dublin, Cobh.
• Scottish itineraries out of Southampton visit Invergordon, Leith (Edinburgh), Newcastle.
• "A Taste of the West Coast" itinerary (one-way Southampton to Portland) visits Greenock, Belfast, Holyhead.

Marella Explorer 2 was homeported in Newcastle upon Tyne (starting July 10, 2021).

Marella Celebration (1984-built, former ms Noordam and Thomson Celebration) joined the fleet in 2005. During summer, the ship operated Adriatic Sea roundtrips out of Dubrovnik Croatia. During winter it offered Persian Gulf cruises from Dubai. For summer 2018, the ship was relocated to homeport Dubrovnik for an adults-only cruise program with full-day port stays in Bar, Korcula, Zadar, Venice, Trieste, Split. The ship also introduced 2 new 7-day itineraries, themed "Sail Three Seas" (Valletta Malta, Messina Sicily, Cephalonia Island, Igoumenitsa, Kotor) and "Greek Mystique" (Chania Crete, Piraeus-Athens, Kalamata, Corfu Island, Kotor).

• In late-April 2020, Marella announced that the Celebration ship will be retired after 15 years of service with Thomson-Marella UK.
• Marella Celebration was scheduled to be homeported in Dubrovnik Croatia (June through October 2020, and May through October 2021), in Limassol Cyprus (Nov-Dec 2020, and March-April 2021) and in Dubai UAE (Dec 2020 through March 2021). All these scheduled departures were cancelled. Among those were two repositioning cruises (via Suez Canal) visiting Singapore. Both relocation voyages ("Wonders of the Far East" and "Flavours of the Far East") were planned as 14-day itineraries featuring a late-night stay in Singapore.
• Marella Celebration had also planned 3 new itineraries from homeports Limassol, Dubai and Dubrovnik. The 6-night "Ancient Adventure" (from Dubrovnik) visits Piraeus-Athens and Rhodes Island. The relocation voyages between Limassol and Dubai ("Continental Crossing" and "Arabia Awaits") visited Aqaba-Petra (Jordan) and Salalah (Oman).

Thomson Majesty (1992-built) joined the fleet in 2012 and operated roundtrips to Madeira and Canary Islands with departures from Tenerife and Gran Canaria. In 2018, the ship was sold to Mano Cruises and now operates as Crown Iris.

Thomson Spirit (1983-built, former ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Patriot, ms Spirit), joined the fleet in 2003. The ship offered year-round European itineraries - Western Mediterranean (from Malaga and roundtrip Madeira) and Canary Islands (departures from Tenerife and Gran Canaria). Thomson Spirit's last cruise for Marella was scheduled for October 21, 2018.

Marella Dream (1986, fka MS Homeric, ms Westerdam, Costa Europa, Thomson Dream) joined the fleet in 2010 and left the fleet in 2020. During summer, the ship offered Eastern Mediterranean roundtrips from Corfu Greece. During winter it offered Caribbean roundtrips from Jamaica (Montego Bay), with Transatlantic repositioning crossings between the Caribbean and Europe.

• On October 1, 2020, was announced the retirement (end of the charter) of the 34-year-old Marella Dream - after 10 years of service with Thomson-Marella UK (2010-2020). All Marella Dream cruises scheduled between May 4 and December 30, 2021 (37x itineraries) were cancelled. All Marella Dream Mediterranean 2021 voyages were transferred to Marella Discovery 1, which was rescheduled for homeporting in Palma de Mallorca Spain (instead of Port Canaveral USA). As a result of the redeployment, Discovery 1's summer 2021 Caribbean voyages were all cancelled.

Marella Discovery 1 (1996, former "Splendour of the Seas" and "Thomson Discovery") joined the fleet in 2016. The ship offers year-round Western Mediterranean roundtrips from Palma de Mallorca.

Marella Discovery 2 (1995-built, fka "Legend of the Seas" / Royal Caribbean and "TUI Discovery 2"), joined the fleet in Spring 2017. The ship operates Mediterranean cruises (leaving from Malaga Spain) and Canary Islands cruises (out of Tenerife to ports in the Canaries, Morocco, and Madeira).

Marella Explorer (1996-built, fka Mein Schiff 1, initially "Celebrity Galaxy") started operations in 2018, with 7-day Western Mediterranean cruises leaving roundtrip from homeport Palma De Mallorca Spain and visiting popular French Riviera ports in France.

Marella Explorer 2 (1995-built, fka "SkySea Golden Era", initially "Celebrity Century") started operations in April 2019 with 7-day Mediterranean itineraries leaving roundtrip from homeport Naples (Italy).

Marella Voyager (1997-built, fka "Mein Schiff 1" and "Mein Schiff Herz", initially "Celebrity Mercury") joins Marella's fleet in June 2023. Following a drydock, the boat's Maiden Voyage leaves on June 3, 2023, from Palma de Mallorca (Majorca Island, Balearic Spain).

• Out of Palma/homeport are visited large port cities in Italy, Spain and France. The 7-day itineraries are themed "Mediterranean Secrets", "Highlights Of The Mediterranean", "Highlights Of The Med", "Magic Of Spain", "Cosmopolitan Classics", "Mediterranean Secrets".
• Marella Voyager's winter 2023-2024 program is in the Caribbean, based on homeporting in Bridgetown Barbados and offers 3x 8-day itineraries - "A Taste of the Tropics from Barbados", "Paradise Islands", and "Tropical Delights". The ship's winter schedule will be open for booking from July 21, 2022.

Itineraries 2024-2025

Marella returns to Dominicana in winter 2024-2025, after a 7-year hiatus (since 2017 under the Thomson Cruises brand).

The adults-only Marella Explorer 2 ship is homeported in La Romana (starting on Christmas Eve/Dec 24, 2024) for a series of Caribbean roundtrips. The itineraries visit destinations in Grenada, Barbados, St Lucia, St Kitts, Dominica, Antigua, St Maarten, Tortola BVI, and Samana Dominicana (new port for Marella).

Additionally, a third itinerary visits the Netherlands' ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao).

Marella's winter 2024-2025 Mediterranean schedule features two shorter itineraries. Marella Explorer ship starts from Malaga (on December 9th, 2024) heading towards Tenerife Canaries via Gibraltar UK and Casablanca Morocco, with one day at sea. The Marella Voyager ship departs from Palma de Mallorca (on November 2) visiting Spain's ports Alicante, Almeria, and Malaga.

New winter itineraries include 6-night voyages leaving from Marmaris Turkey, Corfu Greece and Malaga.

Marella's summer 2025 itineraries incorporate 10x cruise-and-hotel/cruisetour packages.

Marella Discovery 2 is homeported in Limassol Cyprus (commencing May 7, 2025) for the summer, marking the brand's return to Limassol since the winter of 2017 (under the Thomson brand). The liner will operate two different itineraries - "Aegean Gems" (Kusadasi, Mykonos, Piraeus-Athens, Souda Crete, Rhodes) and "Grecian Discovery" (Piraeus, Santorini, Crete, Rhodes).

Simultaneously, Marella Voyager ship (inaugurated in June 2023) is homeported in Palma during summer 2025, introducing 4 different itineraries: "Magic of Spain", "Treasures of the Mediterranean", "Mediterranean Secrets" and "Mediterranean Medley".

Marella's summer 2025 program also introduces 10x cruise-and-land packages providing access to 200+ hotels in destinations like Palma, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Cyprus. These packages allow selection between pre-cruise and post-cruise hotel stays.

In winter 2025, Marella is introducing 2 new ports for the Marella Discovery, expanding its Caribbean itineraries to include Isla Catalina in the Dominican Republic and Ponce (Puerto Rico), starting from December 16th, 2025. Notably, this marks the first time Marella Cruises calls at both Ponce and Isla Catalina.

The new ports feature in the 'Tropical Isles' itinerary, which embarks from La Romana (Dominican Republic). This route includes stops in San Juan (Puerto Rico), Charlotte Amalie, and Fredriksted in the U.S. Virgin Islands, before heading to the newly added destinations of Ponce and Isla Catalina, and returning to La Romana.

Additionally, starting January 8th, 2026, the Marella Discovery 2 is due to sail the 'Exotic Islands' itinerary, which calls at Barbados, St. Lucia, Aruba, Curacao, and Grenada. Overnight stays are available onboard in Willemstad (Curacao) and cruise & stay options are offered at select resorts in Barbados.

The 'Island Explorer' itinerary, commencing on November 8th, 2025 aboard Marella Voyager and the adults-only Marella Explorer 2, visit Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Madeira, and La Palma, offering guests the flexibility to embark from either Tenerife or Gran Canaria, with an overnight stay in Funchal, Madeira.

For those seeking a festive experience, Marella Voyager’s 'A New Year's Dream' itinerary includes the renowned Madeira fireworks display, with stops in Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Madeira, and Gran Canaria. Cruise & stay options are available in Tenerife and Gran Canaria as well.

Caribbean 2025-2026 itineraries (ships Marella Discovery & Marella Discovery 2)

In July 2024, Marella UK added two new Caribbean ports of call for the Marella Discovery ship (Isla Catalina/Dominicana and Ponce/Puerto Rico) starting from December 16, 2025.

Marella’s winter 2025-2026 Caribbean itineraries (open for booking on July 18, 2024) feature 167 hotels available for cruise-and-stay guests, operated from 14 UK airports.

Marella Discovery's new call ports are part of the "Tropical Isles" itinerary leaving roundtrip from homeport La Romana/Dominicana. The voyage visits San Juan/Puerto Rico; Charlotte Amalie/St Thomas USVI; Fredriksted/St Croix USVI; Ponce/Puerto Rico, and Catalina Island, then returns back to La Romana.

Additionally (starting January 8, 2026), the Marella Discovery 2 ship operates the "Exotic Islands" Caribbean itinerary, visiting destinations ni Barbados, St Lucia, Aruba, Curacao, and Grenada.

New overnight port stays are available in Willemstad/Curacao, with Barbados cruise-and-hotel options at Hilton Barbados Resort (Needhams Point) and Radisson Aquatica (Hastings).

Marella Cruises to Cuba

Marella Explorer 2's 7-night itinerary "Flavours of the Caribbean" visits Cuba with an overnight in Havana. The 7-day roundtrip from Jamaica (Montego Bay) also visits Mexico (Cozumel), and Grand Cayman Island (George Town).

Marella offered roundtrips to Cuba out of Jamaica (Montego Bay) with Marella Dream. Itineraries started in 2017. The maiden voyage was on January 31 (7-night to Grand Cayman, Havana, Cozumel). In 2020, two Marella ships (Celebration, Dream) were sold and left the fleet.