06/08/2026
🚢 Have You Heard of Marella Cruises?
If Marella Cruises isn’t on your radar yet, that’s normal. Until recently, it was mainly a UK based cruise line that most Canadian travelers never really saw on the market.
Originally known as Thomson Cruises, the line was rebranded as Marella Cruises in 2017 under the TUI Group, one of Europe’s largest travel companies. Marella has been operating for decades and quietly built a loyal following for a very specific style of cruising.
One of the most interesting parts of Marella is its fleet history. Many of the ships started life with major cruise lines before being refurbished and reintroduced into the Marella fleet.
⚓ Marella Discovery began as Royal Caribbean’s Splendor of the Seas
⚓ Marella Voyager previously sailed as Celebrity Mercury
⚓ Marella Explorer originally operated as Celebrity Galaxy
That history shows up onboard. These aren’t brand new floating cities. They are classic cruise ships that have been updated and modernized, offering a very different feel compared to today’s mega ships.
Think fewer crowds, easier navigation, and more time actually looking at the ocean instead of figuring out where everything is.
What surprises many first time guests is just how relaxed the atmosphere is onboard. There are no water parks or roller coasters, and the focus is much more on the destination and the overall experience at sea.
Until recently, access for Canadians was limited. That has changed with Sunwing now offering fly cruise packages, which has opened the door to Caribbean and Mediterranean itineraries that were previously hard to access from Canada.
Last winter, we had clients sail with Marella and their feedback was consistent:
• Smooth flights and transfers
• Luggage delivered directly to the cabin
• Good food with multiple dining options
• Buffet themes that changed nightly
• Friendly, attentive crew
• A noticeably more relaxed pace onboard
• They would sail again
One thing worth understanding is the style of cruising. Marella is not about the biggest ships or the most attractions onboard. It’s about simplicity, value, and an easy going holiday experience where most of the essentials are included in one price.
Flights, transfers, cruise fare, drinks, gratuities, and dining are typically bundled, which keeps the experience straightforward once you’re onboard.
A good example is their Southern Caribbean itineraries:
🌴 December 1 to 8, 2026
La Romana → Bonaire → Curaçao → Aruba → Santo Domingo → La Romana
💺 Inside Stateroom: CAD $2,175 per person
🪟 Outside Stateroom: CAD $2,265 per person
🌅 Balcony Stateroom: CAD $2,725 per person
✨ Suite: CAD $3,035 per person
Pricing is based on double occupancy and includes flights, cruise, transfers, drinks, gratuities, and more.
Marella isn’t designed to compete with the mega ship experience. It sits in its own lane, and for the right traveler, that simplicity is exactly the appeal.
If you’ve sailed Marella before, what was your experience like? If not, would you try this style of cruising?
📧 [email protected]
📧 [email protected]
