TUI’s Mein Schiff 1 entered dry dock in Cadiz to begin her transformation into the new Marella Cruises’ 1,924-passenger ship Marella Explorer.
The 265-metre long Marella Explorer will be the largest ship to join Marella Cruises fleet after the 4-week multi-million pound refurbishment involving approx 1,600 people, including contractors, partners and Marella Cruises team.
The refit will involve installing 45 km2 of carpet, over 60 km of data cabling as well as 650 wi-fi access points.
A couple of the largest new features aboard the 13-deck liner will be the flagship bar, club and casino Indigo, and the first at sea Champneys Spa. The spa will offer a Finnish sauna with floor-to-ceiling windows, full-service thermal suite and treatment suites with showers and mini saunas, spa cabanas on ship's adults-only Veranda Deck. The ship will also have 962 cabins, around 40% of which will boast balconies.
Marella Explorer departs from Cadiz on May 13, and will be officially christened by her newly appointed godmother Sue Stewart, hotel operations manager of Marella Cruises, and Mandy Galloway, TUI Cruises retail agent. The vessel will then embark on the first customer sailing in the Mediterranean, leaving from Palma on May 19.