Marella Explorer Reviews

Summary:  Excellent throughout.

Summary:  From start to finish we enjoyed every minute. The crew were wonderful, especially Monoj our cabin steward who made us animals and flowers from towels and a lovely Birthday cake also from towels on my wifes 60th Birthday, and a 'lets celebrate' sign on the door. The ship was lovely, the food was exceptional both in the restaurant and the buffet. The all inclusive was a bonus , we didn't feel the need to upgrade to premium as we don't drink coffee or premium single malt whiskey. The Fjords were really beautiful and we were blessed with lovely weather. Will cruise again with Marella.

Summary:  We loved the cruise. From getting on at Newcastle, much easier than airports, to the amazing sights of the fjords, the crew who can’t do enough for you, the stewards who clean your cabin, the entertainment cast who put on fabulous shows, the food and drink which is there from morning to night, and everything about Marella cruises are there to give you a unforgettable holiday, wouldn’t go with anybody else.

Summary:  Just got home from Marella Explorer Baltic cruise. It was my first time and I have had nothing to complain about - weather included!

Summary:  Excellent experience all round. Positives were quality of food - all inclusive is great - and the quality of shows was excellent. The cabin and balcony were very spacious and stewards very efficient and eager to please. I enjoyed the spa on many occasions. The decor was understated but classy, and staff were helpful and friendly. The excursions booked through Marella were very informative and good value. A couple of negatives were organisation in the buffet restaurant (e.g. running out of crockery and having to search for cutlery) and embarkation at Newcastle was a little chaotic - though staff were very helpful. I had a great time overall and will definitely use Thomson (Marella) again. Iglu Cruise staff were also very efficient dealing with our booking from start to end.

Summary:  Very well maintained, action regarding faults dealt with immediately. Staff very attentive and friendly. On a down side food could have been a bit hotter at times, this includes the fine dining.

Summary:  This was our first cruise and we were not disappointed. From the time we handed our luggage over at the check in until we collected it on disembarkation, everything was very well organised. All the crew and staff treated us with respect and were very friendly. The food was first rate with plenty of choice. The cabin stewards were very efficient and couldn't do enough for us, ours was named Hobin, he even made towel sculptures and left a pair of swans in our cabin on the day of our 50th wedding anniversary which he arranged on the bed along with our cards. Entertainment was first class we don't know how they kept up their energy to do two excellent productions each night. Excursions we booked were first class and allowed us to visit places we would not have known about. We were kept informed of activities going on aboard the ship so we could plan our days, especially when at sea. It was our first cruise, but it will not be our last. We just have to save hard for the next one.

Summary:  First time on one of the new to Tui larger ships. Certainly a nicer ship in terms of decor and comfortable cabin. Informal dining much improved. Used to compare buffets on older ships to factory canteens. This was less of a bustle, better food and an overall better experience. Formal restaurant had less courses on the menu and we thought standard had dropped slightly. Environment of the restaurant was very nice. Vegetable cooking is appalling - cooked to a mush! Big disappointment was the entertainment. Tui used to lead the field in its class of ships. Performances were spoilt by too loud heavy beat background music which drowned out singers. The content of the programmes was badly chosen for the audience and might have suited a younger crowd. Tui have changed its entertainment supply company and the new company might need to adjust to the clientele on these ships. The cruise ran smoothly although there was more tendering than the itinerary suggested. Whether this was poor management or unavoidable I don't know. We would certainly continue to use Tui/Marella cruises if the prices and itineraries suit us.

Summary:  We chos to have an inside cabin on deck 4 .It was much more spacious than expected and had everything we required -and more plenty of wardrobe and drawer space -even for us who take everything but the kitchen sink!Wewereon theMidnight Sucruise departing 9thJue 2019.Great ports of call and we were blessed with exceptionally great weather. Our cabin steward was superb and he made us a 'friend'' nearly every night. The food was excellent and we celebrated a friend's birthday in the Surf andTurf which was exceptional. A couple of the excursions were a bit disappointing and the entertainment -although excellent was not always for our era -The comedian was not to our taste either very rude about little people and large people - not PC at all ! Overall we had a wonderful time and would certainly go with Marella again. Livedteship but prefer te Discovery.

Summary:  The crew who serve in the bars and restaurants are excellent, always smiling and helpful. Our cabin steward was brilliant and nothing was too much trouble for her.the ship was in a very good condition and kept spotlessly clean. The food was varied and well presented. Particularly pleased the the quality and variety of fresh fruit. The ship is all inclusive and the standard drinks package had more than enough variety for us, if you like fancy cocktails or ciders then it’s worth considering the premium package.didnt go to any of the shows not our thing but the entertainment in the bars was in general very good. The bathroom in the cabin was probably the largest we have had on a cruise and the hanging wardrobes the biggest. I particularly liked the hammock on the large balcony. Because of the large bathroom and cupboards I felt the rest of the cabin was smaller than normal. Also the exit onto the balcony was by single door rather than a wall of glass with a sliding door. This tended to make the cabin dark.my other grouse was with the destination team, to say that they were disorganised would be kind. Sailing from Newcastle is a bonus for us especially as we love cruising in northern waters. We certainly will be cruising with Marella again.