Atlantic Islands & 7 Nt Tenerife Stay, 26 January 2027 (14 nights)

We've now travelled on both Explorer & Explorer 2 which are much the same in size & design. Both older ships but beautifully kept & very tidy with efficient happy friendly staff, very easy to embark & disembark at ports. We couldn't fault the food & generous meat portions, the exception being very thin custard, breafast yoghurts & afternoon ice cream, which was virtually liquid! We preferred The Indigo Lounge on Explorer 2 as Explorer looses a lot of seating space to the bar, steps & dance floor area making it a less appealing space. Our deck 9 cabin was well placed mid ships & no noise from nearby lifts. Cabins are outdated compared to new huge behemoths but we like the extra space they provide, they are still very servicable & comfortable having everything we need, apart from usb ports. However there was a glass shower door & plenty of cupboard & drawer spaces, mirrors, TV if needed, though not a magnifying mirror, shampoo or conditioner (just soap) so you need to take your own, along with a night light for the bathroom. The cabin was serviced daily with an evening turndown service, animal towel art & a dark choc square on the pillow. This was the first time we'd encountered a single door to the (double depth) balcony which did cause a near-sleepless night in a doozy of a storm. The lock rattled continually in the high winds & was only stifled slightly by stuffing a cushion under the handle. We reported it to reception next morning & it was tightened by maintenance successfully next day. We even had a call back from customer services to check we were satisfied - well done Marella. There was a hammock, 2 chairs a table & a sunbed on the balcony & yet still plenty of space to move around. The nightly shows were wonderfully entertaining & enthusiastic. Service overall was good & there was also a humourous feel to things & we had a great week without the need for Premium drink package. Drinks were variable in strength & appearance from bar to bar & different bar staff as with most ships, but we were fine without incurring additional costs. We loved the option to eat Italian a couple of nights insterad of MDR but really don't see the point of Picadilly's taking up half the mezanine level it being standard British fare that doesn't change & can be found elsewhere on the ship(s) on most days. The casual snack options by the pool & at the Aft bar were all very good & kept well stocked. it has definitely been another positive experience & this time we travelled with friends so we were a little apprehensive in case there were problems or inconsistencies that could spoil their trip. There weren't & despite being children on board they were not in great numbers or unruly so added to the family atmosphere.

All excellent couldn’t fault anything

Fantastic cruise the crew & all the staff are so friendly and can’t do enough for you. Marella Explorer is a great ship. Great food in the Latitude,Vista & Piccadillys,also plenty of choice for breakfast & lunch in the Marketplace. Special mention to William in the Squid & Anchor and Robert in the Italian so friendly and polite. Also on deck 9 cabin stewards Lukman,Putra & Janet

We had the most amazing time on our cruise. The ship was beautifully clean, great facilities, great entertainment. The staff are wonderful and can't do enough for you. However, I feel I must mention we felt some of the reception staff need to be more understanding of elderly passengers who need lots of help with wifi/internet queries.