Marella Discovery

Plush seating and an 800-plus capacity give the ship’s main entertainment venue professional credentials. We have 11 unique shows, including West End to Broadway, an on-stage spectacular showcasing all your favourite musical theatre classics.

Fast Facts:

• 11 Unique Shows
• 2 Shows a Night
• West-end Style Shows

A position on the highest point on deck 11 – where the bar gets its name from – means that drinks in this lounge come with the ship’s best sea views. It’s a contemporary cocktail bar by evening, transforming into a late-night disco as the hours pass.

Fast Facts:

• Great Views Day & Night
• Cocktail Bar Great for Pre-Dinner Drinks
• Late Night Disco

Marella Discovery’s flagship watering hole is our most spacious and modern yet, and houses our biggest selection of on-tap beers. Expect the atmosphere to build pace as the hours draw in – evenings might start with the sounds of our signature yellow piano, and end with the sounds of dancefloor classics.

Fast Facts:

• Nightly Live Music
• Big selection of on-tap beers
• Flagship Bar

The stylish casino is open until late, and features blackjack tables, and fruit machines. If you’re a beginner, ask the croupiers about getting some lessons in. You’ve also got the entertainment – and the bar – in the Live Room to accompany you while you’re having a flutter.

Fast Facts:

• Blackjack Tables
• Fruit Machines
• In Live Room

The heart of the ship is taken over by a spectacular five-storey atrium. Think panoramic windows, mood lighting, and Willy Wonka-esque glass lifts. Low-key entertainment is held here, with an agenda that includes cabaret performances and cocktails with the captain.

Grab a seat – and a glass of bubbles – at this classy bar, and you’ll have a great view of the entertainment in the atrium.

Fast Facts:

• Live Music
• Relaxing Atmosphere
• Bespoke Drinks Menu

If you’re craving a taste of home, our pub at sea should do the trick. It’s a modern take on a typical British boozer and, as such you can expect entertainment like pub quizzes and game shows.

Fast Facts:

• Quizzes
• Gameshows
• Marella's Own Pub at Sea

In this real-life room escape game, you'll need to work as a team to find clues and solve puzzles before the time runs out. A charge applies for this activity.

Siren's Spell

Can you beat captain Turley? The notorious pirate has stolen the Pearl of the Titan, and it's being guarded by the deep-sea magic of the Sirens. If it stays in the wrong hands, it could spell the end of the seven seas. You and your teammates will have 60 minutes to complete a series of games and challenges to break the Siren's spell before he catches you...or you'll be walking the plank.

Suitable for those aged 8 and above. There's an extra charge for this activity.

Drop by the Pure Portrait Studio, and you can book in for a classic indoor photo shoot, or a more fun-filled session on the deck.

The onboard boutiques are open when the ship’s at sea, and stock a great range of duty-free products.

Our open-air cinema lets you watch classic movies and the latest box office hits under the stars.

Fast Facts:

• Classic Movies
• Latest Box Office Hits
• Movies Under the Stars

These sociable spots tick the box for cold drinks in between dips.

This fun, interactive space has games consoles for adults and children.

Head to the gallery to pick up photos of your time on the ship. You can also view and buy pictures via our kiosks, which use state-of-the-art facial recognition. For a special take-home, ask the photographer for a private shoot.

This just-for-adults sunbathing area is located at the back of the ship, so you can relax with views of the horizon.

We’re open around the clock for anything you need.

If you fancy getting glammed up for the weekly Dress to Impress night, pop in to the salon for a manicure or hair up-do. Alternatively, spoil yourself in the spa – it’s got a string of treatment cabins where you can indulge in a full-body massage or a rejuvenating facial. Just so you know, all treatments are chargeable.

• Hair & Beauty Salon
• Wide Range of Treatments Available
• Chargeable

Enjoy a workout in the fleet’s largest gym, before working up an even bigger sweat in the sauna.

Brave the heights of the rock-climbing wall, and get a bird’s-eye view of the ship and the ocean.

An open-air pool for all the family. Loungers are lined up along the water’s edge, while music and quizzes keep the atmosphere up.

The indoor pool comes with a huge glass canopy roof, and rows of comfortable loungers.

You’ll find four relaxing whirlpool baths on Deck 9.

Take in the scenic views while burning some calories on a run around the Jogging Track on deck 10.

A made-for-teens hangout spot conveniently located by the games area. There's even a karaoke booth where you can record your own CD.

This colourful children’s club is free, and it gives 3 to 11-year-olds the chance to meet new friends. Little ones can look forward to arts and crafts, games, movie nights, and trips up to the bridge to say hello to the captain.

If you’ve got tots in tow, there’s a dedicated space where you can go feed and entertain them.

Take the whole family to the minigolf green for an afternoon of fun. It’s got nine holes and widescreen sea views.

Activity-wise, we’ve not forgotten about our youngest guests. While children head to the kids’ club, you can take your under-threes along to our new Babytainment classes for parents and babies. Each free session brings something different to the table, from nursery rhyme sing-alongs to baby ballet. They’re educational, too – take Sing & Sign, for instance, where little ones can follow in the footsteps of Mr Tumble from CBeebies, by learning Makaton sign language. The sessions take place all year round, with at least one per day.

For a different way of exploring a port of call, try one of our e-bike tours

This way, you can really get to know a destination and see the places that bus tours can't reach. You'll be led around by a guide, who'll give you the lowdown on all the sights. 

Our Destination Services team can talk to you about our ports of call, help you decide which excursions are right for you, and book you onto your next cruise with us.

Catch a cookery demo with one of the ship’s head chefs, or practice your own culinary skills at one of our kitchen classes. Cocktail-making demos and wine-tasting sessions also star on the agenda.

If you're planning a cruise and have a disability, use a wheelchair, have special dietary needs, a sensory impairment or are undergoing medical treatment, you must let Marella know when making your booking. Failure in doing this may result in you being refused boarding on arrival at the ship. For more information please contact Marella's Customer Welfare Team. If you plan to use a wheelchair onboard and require adapted facilities you must book a specially adapted cabin. All of Marella shops have at least four of these cabins. These cabins may only be booked by those who require adapted facilities. If you plan to use your wheelchair onboard but do not require adapted facilities, please contact the Customer Welfare Team to make sure an appropriate cabin type can be selected. If you need your wheelchair - either standard or battery operated - when you're ashore, Marella will look after it for you at the gangway so it's there when you need it. But you will have to be able to manage the gangway without it. In ports where a tender to shore is necessary, you'll have to stay onboard if you can't manage without your wheelchair. At other times, depending on the port and the tides , it may not be possible for you to leave the ship at all due to gangway access. Some excursions may not be suitable for the less mobile. Marella Cruises have teamed up with AccessAble, who have created detailed access guides for each of our ships. Visit their website to find out more: https://www.accessable.co.uk/marella-cruises

If you've got any dietary requirements, please mention it when you book and let the restaurant manager know once you're onboard. We also provide vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and diabetic-friendly options on request. If you need to bring your own food for medical reasons, please let us know in advance so we can ensure we have the correct facilities in place to store and prepare this. There may be some requests we aren't able to accommodate, so it's important you let us know when you book your cruise. Take a look at a sample menu to see the kind of dishes on offer.

No one under the age of 17 can travel on their own onboard our cruise ships. For itineraries that include stops in the USA, the minimum age to travel alone will be 21 – this applies whilst onboard the ship and ashore. For Cruise & Stay holidays, travellers aged between 2 and 12 are classed as children. Infants under 6 months old are not permitted to travel on our cruises.

Just so you know, Marella Explorer 2 is exclusively for those aged 17 and over, and we have a handful of itineraries on other ships that are adults-only, too. These itineraries will be clearly marked as adults-only online, and the minimum age for all passengers on these sailings is 17, with the exception of Electric Sunsets, where the minimum age is 18.

All Marella cruises give you All Inclusive as standard, here’s the full list of what’s included:

• Selected draught beer and cider
• A range of spirits and aperitifs, including lots of big brands
• Selected wine and Prosecco by the glass
• A selection of cocktails, from Long Island Iced Tea to Pimm’s and lemonade
• Selected soft drinks by the glass including mocktails and fruit juice.

You can upgrade to the Premium All Inclusive package and get these extras…

• Upgraded cocktails, such as Mojitos and Aperol Spritz’s
• Premium gins, vodkas, rums and tequilas, including Bombay Sapphire and Absolut Vodka
• Cans of soft drink
• More choice of whiskies, brandies and Cognacs
• All drinks from The Coffee Port menu, which are made with premium Lavazza coffee

The onboard dress code varies for each restaurant, but you can easily break it down into beachwear, casual and smart. The first is a come-as-you-are affair, so bikinis and trunks get the thumbs up, but please wear something on your feet for safety reasons. Casual, meanwhile, speaks for itself – we’re talking tops and shorts or a sundress. Then you’ve got smart, which is when you’ll need to dress up a little bit. You can wear shirts or polo-shirts, trousers or tailored shorts, skirts or dresses, smart trainers, shoes or sandals, but we ask that you leave sportswear, flip-flops and non-tailored shorts in your cabin. If you want to add a jacket or a tie, that’s completely up to you, but our Dress to Impress nights give you the chance to get really suited and booted.

If you book onto one of our shore excursions, make sure to consider what’s culturally appropriate to wear. For example, if you’re visiting a religious building you might be asked to cover your legs, shoulders, and hair. Or, if you’re cruising in tropical climes like in the Caribbean bring a waterproof jacket in case of rain. Make sure you bring some comfy shoes with you too, as your excursions might include lots of walking.

Each of our ships has a medical centre and we have an English-speaking doctor and nurses on board who keep surgery hours. The opening hours are in Cruise News, plus there’s a 24-hour emergency service you can call by dialling 999 from your cabin phone. Just so you know, there’s a fee for using the medical centre, getting prescriptions and follow-up visits, which will be charged to your onboard account.

All our ships are non-smoking, which means you can only smoke in designated areas of the open deck. Smoking isn't permitted on cabin balconies, either. As for e-cigarettes, you can use these in the designated areas on deck.

In some countries e-cigarettes are banned and will be confiscated. You can visit gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to check the countries you'll be sailing to. 

We have Wi-Fi on all of our ships, as well as designated Wi-Fi zones. Internet access is charged to your cabin account at the rate advertised on board. Mobiles can be used, too, and there are telephones in each cabin, so it's easy to stay in touch with people back home. If you're pairing your cruise with a stay in one of our hotels, we'll let you know which places have free Wi-Fi – just look out for the special logo. Due to the nature of the location, Wi-Fi connectivity on our Nile cruises can be poor.

On a Marella cruise, you’ll always find a warm and welcoming atmosphere, from the moment you step onboard, wherever we sail. Our friendly staff will remember your name, as well as your favourite cocktail. And in the restaurants, we’re just as well-versed in local specialities as we are in decent cups of tea. In fact, we've been endorsed with the Good Housekeeping Reader Recommended stamp of approval. A massive 90% of our customers said the service was very good or excellent – and were impressed by how staff recognised them on a return visit. We picked up the prize for Best Cruise Line for Value at the 2019 Cruise Critic Editor’s Choice Awards. We’ve also picked up numerous awards at the Cruise Critic 2019 Cruisers Choice Awards, including Best Entertainment on Marella Discovery. Most recently in 2021 Marella won the Marine Interior Design of the Year Award for the refit of The Glass House on Marella Discovery in the Seatrade Cruise Awards.

If you have any questions regarding Marella Cruises' onboard experience, try visiting the designated page on our website

https://www.tui.co.uk/cruise/onboard-experience/

We’re always assessing how we can make our cruise fleet more sustainable, and we’re finding new ways all the time. For example, on Marella Discovery, we refurbished the main dining room to remove all neon and halogen lights and replaced them with a more efficient system. This helped cut the ship’s yearly carbon emissions, as well as reduce Marella Discovery’s overall fuel consumption. And, since 2019 we’ve swapped over five million pieces of single-use plastic with paper or wood alternatives.

People, Planet, Progress

We know that going away on holiday is one of life’s great pleasures – you get to relax, recharge your batteries and make unforgettable memories. However, we’re also aware of the impact flying planes and running hotels have on the environment, and our planet as a whole. As a company, we pledge to become a net-zero company by 2050 at the latest, and we’re working hard to make that goal a reality.

With that being said, some of the things we need to achieve this aim aren’t readily available at scale right now. But that’s not an excuse to do nothing. So, we’re implementing a bunch of other planet-friendly measures in the meantime to make sure all of our operations are as clean and as environmentally friendly as they can be. To do this, we’re focusing on four key areas:

• Waste reduction and management
• Reducing our emissions
• Protecting the natural world
• Supporting local economies and communities

With your help, the TUI Care Foundation – an independent organisation initiated and supported by TUI – is working hard to ensure tourism continues to have a positive impact by protecting the natural environment and empowering local communities in holiday destinations around the world.

From safeguarding marine environments in Turkey and Majorca, to vocational training for young people in the Dominican Republic and Sri Lanka, and tackling plastic waste in Cyprus and Zanzibar – your donation supports over 50 TUI Care Foundation projects in 25 countries worldwide.

We have you – our loyal customers – to thank for making the TUI Care Foundation’s work possible. Every time you book a holiday with us, you have the option to make a donation to the TUI Care Foundation and it’s these donations that help to make a difference around the world, so please keep them coming.

Now when you book, you can also choose to adopt a turtle or a tree and support the TUI Care Foundation’s global TUI Turtle Aid and TUI Forests programmes.

By adopting a turtle, you’re helping to protect endangered loggerhead turtles and their nesting sites on beaches, increase hatchling survival rates and raise awareness in tourism destinations about the importance of protecting native turtle populations.

Your tree adoption helps to look after a newly planted tree seedling in one of the TUI Care Foundation’s forests around the world. The TUI Forests programme puts woodland at the centre of thriving communities in holiday destinations. It plants new trees and supports local livelihoods through community-managed tree nurseries and by creating forest-based tourism experiences.

Every penny you donate counts towards our mission to preserve holiday destinations in a way that benefits the natural environment and local people, now and in the future.

Pool and bath towels are provided and every cabin has a hairdryer. If you need to stock up on essentials, our onboard shops sell things like toothpaste. It’s a good idea to bring a light jacket with you, as there’s often a strong sea breeze.

The onboard dress code varies for each restaurant, but you can easily break it down into Beachwear, Casual and Smart. The first is a come-as-you-are affair, so bikinis and trunks get the thumbs up, but please wear something on your feet for safety reasons. Casual, meanwhile, speaks for itself – we’re talking tops and shorts or a sundress. Then you’ve got Smart, which is when you’ll need to dress up a little bit. You can wear shirts or polo-shirts, trousers or tailored shorts, skirts or dresses, smart trainers, shoes or sandals, but we ask that you leave sportswear, flip-flops and non-tailored shorts in your cabin. If you want to add a jacket or a tie, that’s completely up to you, but our Dress to Impress nights give you the chance to get really suited and booted.

Finally, if you book any excursions, you might need to adhere to certain dress codes. Islamic countries have strict modesty laws, so, in certain areas, you’ll need to cover your shoulders and knees. When visiting mosques or other holy sites, women may be required to cover their hair, arms and legs, and men will need to wear long trousers and a top with sleeves.

Ever wanted to book a slot at the spa, the casino, or your favourite onboard restaurant without leaving your cabin or sunbed? Well, there’s an app for that – it’s called Navigate. Our onboard app is like having your own personal cruise planner in the palm of your hand, and you can use it to manage lots of different aspects of your cruise. When you embark on a Marella Cruise you'll have access to Navigate which can help you with everything from watching the safety video, to accessing your onboard account, booking shore excursions, restaurants, spa treatments and much much more. If you need any more information or assistance with this then head to Reception onboard and they'll be happy to help.