Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson Cruises) are a family-friendly mid-sized cruise line with a classic British flavour.
Part of the TUI group, they sail to some of the most popular destinations in the world.
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They offer a range of mid-sized family-friendly ships to choose from.
While the ships tend to be located mainly in the Mediterranean or Caribbean, there are occasional no-fly mini cruise itineraries that depart from the UK, mostly Southampton and Newcastle.
Marella Cruises fleet
Marella Discovery (formerly TUI Discovery) is one of the newest member of the fleet. Formerly Royal Caribbean's Splendour of the Seas the ship has undergone a makeover now sails as part of the Thomson fleet.
She joins Marella Dream, Marella Celebration, Thomson Spirit, and Thomson Majesty. Each ship has a different character and feel to it, but all offer the same service Marella is known for.
In Summer 2017, Marella Discovery 2 (briefly TUI Discovery 2) became the newest ship in the fleet. Formerly sailing as Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas, the ship underwent a makeover before joining the Marella family.
New ships in the fleet now include Marella Explorer and Marella Explorer 2.
Marella Mini Cruise itineraries for 2020
In 2020 Marella Explorer 2 will sail itineraries from Newcastle and Southampton. There's just one mini cruise planned right now:
| Date | Nights | Departs | Arrives | Itinerary | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 September 2020 | 3 | Newcastle | Southampton | Ijmuiden (For Amsterdam), Netherlands; Zeebrugge (for Bruges), Belgium | Prices ° |
At the time of writing the three-night cruise was priced from £480 per person based on two adults sharing an inside cabin on a all-inclusive basis including port taxes, tips and service charges. Be aware this is an adults-only mini cruise and is themed as 'Electric Sunsets - 90s vs 00s Cruise'.
The dull-but-necessary small print
All deals are subject to availability and can be withdrawn by the operator without prior notice. The lead-in prices (otherwise known as the 'from' prices) are, unless otherwise stated above, based on two adults sharing the cheapest available cabin on the cheapest available date. Typically the best prices are available at the start of any promotion period so the earlier you book the better choice of sailing dates and cabin availability you should have. Mid-week sail dates are likely to be cheaper than weekend sail dates.
Alternative cruise lines to try
P&O Cruises Mini Cruises 2019 / 2020
Looking for a mini cruise holiday on a cruise ship? Trusted British cruise line P&O Cruises has you covered.
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Mini Cruises 2020 / 2021
Looking for a mini cruise holiday on a cruise ship? Experience the characterful Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines ships.
Royal Caribbean Mini Cruises 2020
Looking for an action-packed, fun-filled mini cruise holiday on a cruise ship? Sail with Royal Caribbean International.
any really good cruise offers on Marella explorer 2 for 2020 . sailed Marella in june to Fjords Loved it and got it a really good price as I am a dedicated price matcher and don't go for first prices given . I am flexible on all dates were free for sailing the seas ….Smile
thanks
Elsie
I cover mini cruises on this website. The 2020 Marella Explorer 2 mini cruise recently went on sale, but based on last year's prices I don't expect to see the price drop much.