tui adriatic explorer cruise reviews

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• Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

TUI - Marella Cruise - Adriatic Explorer - Advice Pls

By MCFC4Heatons , December 30, 2018 in Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

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MCFC4Heatons

We are going on the Adriatic Explorer cruise with TUI/Marella in June. We've been on a couple of TUI cruises before but this will be the first time with a balcony cabin & I"m wondering if any advice on whereabouts is best on the ship to reserve the cabin?

Also has anyone advice on best trips things to see? 

Thks in advance

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Pensioncruiser

Not been on Explorer yet so can't help with which cabin but the Adriatic is a stunning place to cruise most ports have a fantastic sail in and out, Venice is usually an early sail in which would be starboard with port side out, which is our preference. We mainly do our own thing in port but would suggest if its your first time in a particular you do a round trip to take in most of the popular sites, but which cruise are you doing? 

I think there's a slight confusion, are you doing Adriatic Explorer itinerary on Discovery? If so, we were deck 6 midship on port side and had a great cabin.  Looks  a great itinerary and all the places are easy to DIY, you don't  need to book any trips unless any really appeal.

Yes bit of confusion , the ship is the Discovery (I believe its pretty much the same as the Discovery 2 which we've been on before). The cruise itself is called 'Adriatic Explorer'

Deck 6 midships - above the atrium and next to the coffee shop There are 6 lifts and access to every deck is central to everything

Corfu you can walk into the town, it's  around half an hour.  Dubrovnik has taxis waiting at the port. They will take you to the entrance of the walled city or they will take you on an hour's  tour, good value as they take you to the top of the hill where the cable car goes and saves you the cost of the cable car, they will then drop you at the city walls.  Venice is just great to wander around, getting lost in the backstreets is great fun and you always end up by the Grand Canal.

14 hours ago, Vitalsign said: Deck 6 midships - above the atrium and next to the coffee shop There are 6 lifts and access to every deck is central to everything

Thanks, makes sense, we don't have a very good sense of direction at the best of times :)

14 hours ago, dronnygirl said: Corfu you can walk into the town, it's  around half an hour.  Dubrovnik has taxis waiting at the port. They will take you to the entrance of the walled city or they will take you on an hour's  tour, good value as they take you to the top of the hill where the cable car goes and saves you the cost of the cable car, they will then drop you at the city walls.  Venice is just great to wander around, getting lost in the backstreets is great fun and you always end up by the Grand Canal.

Thanks, useful info :)

We are sailing on the Discovery on the Adriatic Explorer Itinerary and this is the first time we have done a TUI cruise as we have previously been with Royal Caribbean around the Caribbean so any advice you can give us on your return would be great as we sail on 12 July this year.

I would be interested to know if they did any package deals for eating in the speciality restaurants.  I saw that Kora La was £19.95 per person and Surf and Turf £24.95 per person (not sure about other speciality restaurants).

They have in the past had offers on speciality booking if you purchased three. They do still have a reduced price on changeover day. 

9 hours ago, melodie12 said: We are sailing on the Discovery on the Adriatic Explorer Itinerary and this is the first time we have done a TUI cruise as we have previously been with Royal Caribbean around the Caribbean so any advice you can give us on your return would be great as we sail on 12 July this year.   I would be interested to know if they did any package deals for eating in the speciality restaurants.  I saw that Kora La was £19.95 per person and Surf and Turf £24.95 per person (not sure about other speciality restaurants).

I'll definitely pop back with more info on our return from the TUI Cruise. We're planning a trip with Royal Carrebean as our next one on the Symphony Of The Seas which looks just amazing :)

• 3 months later...

On 1/5/2019 at 9:51 PM, melodie12 said: We are sailing on the Discovery on the Adriatic Explorer Itinerary and this is the first time we have done a TUI cruise as we have previously been with Royal Caribbean around the Caribbean so any advice you can give us on your return would be great as we sail on 12 July this year.   I would be interested to know if they did any package deals for eating in the speciality restaurants.  I saw that Kora La was £19.95 per person and Surf and Turf £24.95 per person (not sure about other speciality restaurants).

Funnily enough this we'll be our 3rd time with TUI but we are definately going with Royal Carribean next year as we watched  a program about the humungous Symphony Of The Seas and have decide we have to go on it next year :)

Last time we went with TUI they were offering a discount for booking in all three speciality restaurants, the Thai was really nice and we wnbt in a second (name I forget) serving steaks, fish etc which was really nice too.  You do get  2 or 3 standard restaurants incuded with waiter service as well as the buffer restaurants. The standard restaurants with waiter service were of a very good standard  we thought :)

This drinks package is a contentious issue, they do NOT include some run of the mill popular brands of drinks in the standrard package. I assume the aim to give people a nudge to upgrade to the premium drinks package, quite a few people were cheesed off with this tactic.

TUI are very good at the entertainment side of things, everytime we've been on a TUI ship we thought the entertainment teams were fantastic and their shows in the evenings were amazing....

Will give you an update when we get back we're doing 7 days Adriatic Explorer cruise then 7 days in Sidari, Corfu :)

We didn't bother with paying for a specific cabin.We had a deluxe balcony and were located midships on deck 7 near lifts,perfect.

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• Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

Adriatic Explorer review

By kruzseeka , May 23, 2010 in Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

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It’s Sunday for this port call, so it’s very quiet although there’s a warm welcome at this destination. A small band play in local dress, some small souvenir stalls and a tourist information stand are quayside. You just walk off the ship here into the old town. On the day we went there was a local food/wine tasting market (don’t know whether this is a weekly feature though) which provided some character and colour to the town. There are some cafes around but not much in the way of shops – but a pleasant place for a stroll through the old town (interesting square with palace – although not much in the palace to see).

The first time we went we did the half-day excursion to Ljubljana which we really enjoyed – it’s a lovely drive there with a flat hour long guided walking tour of this small, compact but quite lively capital city. Many locals were around with their families and some local markets of glass and craft products as well as a fascinating (and somewhat bizarre) flea market and a café culture with open air seating along the riverside. (Someone we spoke to went this year and enjoyed it but said there weren’t many market stalls so I don’t know whether this is less than last year or whether the other passenger was just expecting more.)

This year we did a DiY excursion on local buses to Piran. If you ask at the tourist deck on the dock, they will give you a map showing where the bus stop is and you can pull up the timetable from tourist information for local bus services for Koper on the web. I think it was the 9.15 bus we went to catch. You walk around to the right from the berth, follow the walls around and when you see a main road in front of you going off to the right, the bus stop can be seen about 50m along this road – there is no need to cross over – that’s where you are dropped on the way back. It cost 3.10E (one way) but took us through Izola and Portoroz on the way so was like a sight-seeing tour. Piran is at the end of the line and the bus picks you up at the same place you’re dropped off. Piran was lovely – an old town but with much more of a ‘buzz’ than the sleepy Koper. You can walk around the promontory, up to the church for great views and there are cafes in the square (also a lovely chocolate shop!). We had a nice coffee at the café/bar (Neptune Café) where the bus waits and there is free internet access there if you buy a drink. We didn’t notice that until the bus was due to go but may be useful for someone else. It was very easy to do this on your own on public transport so no need to pay for an excursion unless this is your preferred way of going.

This is a pleasant stop but because it’s Sunday, there’s not a great deal to do so perhaps it’s worth thinking of going further afield or on a trip.

Last time we arrived in a pea-souper – this time in the rain!!!! At least we could see Venice as we sailed in – but this is a ‘must-do’ weather permitting! It’s stunning.

There is a vaporetto stop in the dock area which for 6.50E will transport you to St Mark’s. The first one doesn’t start until about 8.50? and as we’d got off early to get to the centre ahead of the crowds, we walked to Piazzale Roma to catch the vaporetto there. This is a reasonable walk though – 15 minutes and you need to follow others or have a map to be sure to find the station as it’s not sign posted very well. The vaporetto we caught only went as far as the Rialto so we still had to walk to St Mark’s! As it costs another 6.50E to come back and you have to be sure the vaporetto is actually taking you where you need to go (we thought we’d caught the vaporetto to get off at the port again but it just sailed past and took us to the P. Roma again. Fortunately we recognised where we were but it did mean we’d got the walk back to port). The Lines of the vaporetto are a bit like the Tube (with route maps available) and some are ‘fast’ ones with few stops so care is needed – it is easy to DiY provided you get the correct one! But you will pay 13E p.p. return so may wish to weigh that up against the ‘Venice on your Own’ option which takes you by motor launch direct to St Mark’s at £18 for a half day and £20 for a full day. We’ve decided to walk all the way in if we’re in Venice again – a lot of people did just following the frequent signs for the centre.

Sadly it was raining in the morning – I felt very sorry for those who’d booked a gondola ride and got drenched. Not the best introduction to Venice! We went to the Doge’s Palace and bought a radio commentary so spent an interesting couple of hours in the dry. Luckily, it brightened up in the afternoon and was lovely – Venice looked at it’s best. St Mark’s got very busy later on but we elected to explore going over the Accademia Bridge onto the side of the Guidicca (sp?) Canal and found a superb icecream shop (Nico’s recommended in the AA guide) and bought a double scoop icecream for 1.70E – a bargain compared with coffee prices typically 3.50E (away from St Mark’s – extortionate there). It was lovely away from the crowded St Mark’s.

The sail-away was gorgeous with most people on deck taking pictures and admiring the fabulous views.

This is a charming little spot – very oldy-worldy with cobbled streets and small tourist shops. There are lots of lovely cafes and a tourist information office to the left of the steps/sweeping staircase as you approach the town from where the tender drops you. This must have the best ever views for a tourist office. We had coffees at the café at the top of the steps which had a lovely view. It was a bit blustery when we arrived with a slight shower from time to time but it soon brightened up and was a pleasant by late morning. We chose to explore here – it may not be suitable for those with walking difficulties as it’s uphill to the centre however you tackle the approach – and it’s not a large place but we thought it was lovely. There are some pleasant limited areas to stroll along the level with cafes. There were some interesting looking trips but as we hadn’t been before, settled for a leisurely stroll, explore and coffee.

Dubrovnik :

If you want to ‘do’ Dubrovnik independently it’s very easy. Fixed priced taxis at the port cost 10E to get to Pile Gate which is the entrance to the Old Town. Most passengers were looking for others to share taxis so it cost 10E total for two of us to get there and back. (The taxi rank to go back is just across the road from Pile Gate.) Quite a few people walked but it’s about 45 minutes each way. It’s worth getting in early if you want to walk the walls (70Kuna each) as it gets quite crowded later (plus walking tours) and it gets very hot! It’s quite strenuous though with a lot of steps to climb at different points – but it’s well worth doing. The views are fabulous. The pay desk is to the right as you go through the gate and the entrance to the walls on the left. There are lots of shops both touristy and up-market goods and cafes and boat trips being offered from the harbour (opposite side from Pike Gate – just walk straight through the centre). It’s a fab stop and very picturesque – and when we were there the mock orange was in bloom and the aroma from all these trees was gorgeous.

This is stunning. The sail in is really worth getting up for (or watch as you leave later in the day). It’s like the fjords in Norway. It’s a small, very attractive walled town but with a lot of character and café culture. If you’re VERY energetic you can walk up to the fort but be warned – they say it will take 45 minutes but I reckon that’s for a mountain goat!!! Last year we gave up at the little church (third of the way?) after almost 40 minutes so you’d have to be a very fit and serious walker to do it in that time-scale. However we met people who did make it so it can be done! As we’d been before we decided to do the Hightlights of Montenegro tour (£42 for approx 6.5 hours).

The drive up into the mountains was breath-taking – literally!!! So many hairpin bends – you have to be prepared for that as it was a bit scary! But was it worth it? Wow – definitely yes. It’s stunning scenery. We stopped at little village sooon after departure for some local fare (large thick slices of bread with cheese and ham and a drink) but it was really too soon after breakfast to want anything or appreciate it but I suppose with a relatively long tour and no lunch included they probably thought they need to provide us with something ‘to keep us going’! Then we went to the old capital and saw the ‘palace’ (not what you’d imagine – very plain, quite small and very modest but I suppose it reflected the small nation at that time). It was more of a museum really – not especially memorable but a welcome stop for a quick coffee in the adjacent town and stretch the legs. (There’s a fair bit of time on the coach for this one – but it’s a great way to see the stunning mountainous countryside).

Finally we stopped at Budva which is another with a walled old-town. Our guide had told us how the area was being heavily invested in by Russians who were very evident in the town and that it was an ‘up-market’ resort. I didn’t think it was as attractive as the build-up had lead me to believe but the (small) old town was very characterful (sound like an estate agent now!) with some pretty corners with vine covered cafes where we got the bargain coffee of the week – 1.5E for a lovely cappuccino, water (and toilet stop!). If you do this tour be sure to make careful note of where the bus will collect you – several of our group found difficulty finding the coach again having gone up the wrong (parallel) road from the old town. Perhaps other guides will have a closer pick-up point near the walls to meet then walk you back to the coach but our guide wasn’t as precise or careful about the meet-back arrangements as she might have been.

We felt we could have benefited with slightly longer in Budva but for the cost it was a great trip to see so much of this small country and, with an excellent guide, a good way to learn a lot about this small country.

We had enough time on our return to wander round Kotor on our return and enjoy a coffee in the square. The ship is berthed right by the entrance to the walls so it’s a very easy place to get into and explore.

Do make sure you see the sail in/out though – it’s one of the highlights – and free! It’s like being on an excursion in it’s own right!

Enjoy – it’s a fabulous itinerary. We felt there was something memorable at each port of call and really loved every minute. :D

(I'll do the other half later - we did more tours on this leg so will have more info on excursions.)

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Julessmiles

Thank you for this information - we are doing the B2B later in the year so look forward to part 2 !! I have printed off all this and will read & digest properly.

Welcome home Kruzseeka,

Thank you for the 2 brilliant parts to your review so far. Looking forward to Part 3.

At least we managed to get some hot sun for you for your return to make you feel like you are still on holiday.

Koper: It’s Sunday for this port call, so it’s very quiet although there’s a warm welcome at this destination. A small band play in local dress, some small souvenir stalls and a tourist information stand are quayside. You just walk off the ship here into the old town. On the day we went there was a local food/wine tasting market (don’t know whether this is a weekly feature though) which provided some character and colour to the town. There are some cafes around but not much in the way of shops – but a pleasant place for a stroll through the old town (interesting square with palace – although not much in the palace to see).   The first time we went we did the half-day excursion to Ljubljana which we really enjoyed – it’s a lovely drive there with a flat hour long guided walking tour of this small, compact but quite lively capital city. Many locals were around with their families and some local markets of glass and craft products as well as a fascinating (and somewhat bizarre) flea market and a café culture with open air seating along the riverside. (Someone we spoke to went this year and enjoyed it but said there weren’t many market stalls so I don’t know whether this is less than last year or whether the other passenger was just expecting more.)   This year we did a DiY excursion on local buses to Piran. If you ask at the tourist deck on the dock, they will give you a map showing where the bus stop is and you can pull up the timetable from tourist information for local bus services for Koper on the web. I think it was the 9.15 bus we went to catch. You walk around to the right from the berth, follow the walls around and when you see a main road in front of you going off to the right, the bus stop can be seen about 50m along this road – there is no need to cross over – that’s where you are dropped on the way back. It cost 3.10E (one way) but took us through Izola and Portoroz on the way so was like a sight-seeing tour. Piran is at the end of the line and the bus picks you up at the same place you’re dropped off. Piran was lovely – an old town but with much more of a ‘buzz’ than the sleepy Koper. You can walk around the promontory, up to the church for great views and there are cafes in the square (also a lovely chocolate shop!). We had a nice coffee at the café/bar (Neptune Café) where the bus waits and there is free internet access there if you buy a drink. We didn’t notice that until the bus was due to go but may be useful for someone else. It was very easy to do this on your own on public transport so no need to pay for an excursion unless this is your preferred way of going.   This is a pleasant stop but because it’s Sunday, there’s not a great deal to do so perhaps it’s worth thinking of going further afield or on a trip.     Venice : Last time we arrived in a pea-souper – this time in the rain!!!! At least we could see Venice as we sailed in – but this is a ‘must-do’ weather permitting! It’s stunning.   There is a vaporetto stop in the dock area which for 6.50E will transport you to St Mark’s. The first one doesn’t start until about 8.50? and as we’d got off early to get to the centre ahead of the crowds, we walked to Piazzale Roma to catch the vaporetto there. This is a reasonable walk though – 15 minutes and you need to follow others or have a map to be sure to find the station as it’s not sign posted very well. The vaporetto we caught only went as far as the Rialto so we still had to walk to St Mark’s! As it costs another 6.50E to come back and you have to be sure the vaporetto is actually taking you where you need to go (we thought we’d caught the vaporetto to get off at the port again but it just sailed past and took us to the P. Roma again. Fortunately we recognised where we were but it did mean we’d got the walk back to port). The Lines of the vaporetto are a bit like the Tube (with route maps available) and some are ‘fast’ ones with few stops so care is needed – it is easy to DiY provided you get the correct one! But you will pay 13E p.p. return so may wish to weigh that up against the ‘Venice on your Own’ option which takes you by motor launch direct to St Mark’s at £18 for a half day and £20 for a full day. We’ve decided to walk all the way in if we’re in Venice again – a lot of people did just following the frequent signs for the centre.   Sadly it was raining in the morning – I felt very sorry for those who’d booked a gondola ride and got drenched. Not the best introduction to Venice! We went to the Doge’s Palace and bought a radio commentary so spent an interesting couple of hours in the dry. Luckily, it brightened up in the afternoon and was lovely – Venice looked at it’s best. St Mark’s got very busy later on but we elected to explore going over the Accademia Bridge onto the side of the Guidicca (sp?) Canal and found a superb icecream shop (Nico’s recommended in the AA guide) and bought a double scoop icecream for 1.70E – a bargain compared with coffee prices typically 3.50E (away from St Mark’s – extortionate there). It was lovely away from the crowded St Mark’s.   The sail-away was gorgeous with most people on deck taking pictures and admiring the fabulous views.     Korcula; This is a charming little spot – very oldy-worldy with cobbled streets and small tourist shops. There are lots of lovely cafes and a tourist information office to the left of the steps/sweeping staircase as you approach the town from where the tender drops you. This must have the best ever views for a tourist office. We had coffees at the café at the top of the steps which had a lovely view. It was a bit blustery when we arrived with a slight shower from time to time but it soon brightened up and was a pleasant by late morning. We chose to explore here – it may not be suitable for those with walking difficulties as it’s uphill to the centre however you tackle the approach – and it’s not a large place but we thought it was lovely. There are some pleasant limited areas to stroll along the level with cafes. There were some interesting looking trips but as we hadn’t been before, settled for a leisurely stroll, explore and coffee.     Dubrovnik : If you want to ‘do’ Dubrovnik independently it’s very easy. Fixed priced taxis at the port cost 10E to get to Pile Gate which is the entrance to the Old Town. Most passengers were looking for others to share taxis so it cost 10E total for two of us to get there and back. (The taxi rank to go back is just across the road from Pile Gate.) Quite a few people walked but it’s about 45 minutes each way. It’s worth getting in early if you want to walk the walls (70Kuna each) as it gets quite crowded later (plus walking tours) and it gets very hot! It’s quite strenuous though with a lot of steps to climb at different points – but it’s well worth doing. The views are fabulous. The pay desk is to the right as you go through the gate and the entrance to the walls on the left. There are lots of shops both touristy and up-market goods and cafes and boat trips being offered from the harbour (opposite side from Pike Gate – just walk straight through the centre). It’s a fab stop and very picturesque – and when we were there the mock orange was in bloom and the aroma from all these trees was gorgeous.   Kotor: This is stunning. The sail in is really worth getting up for (or watch as you leave later in the day). It’s like the fjords in Norway. It’s a small, very attractive walled town but with a lot of character and café culture. If you’re VERY energetic you can walk up to the fort but be warned – they say it will take 45 minutes but I reckon that’s for a mountain goat!!! Last year we gave up at the little church (third of the way?) after almost 40 minutes so you’d have to be a very fit and serious walker to do it in that time-scale. However we met people who did make it so it can be done! As we’d been before we decided to do the Hightlights of Montenegro tour (£42 for approx 6.5 hours).   The drive up into the mountains was breath-taking – literally!!! So many hairpin bends – you have to be prepared for that as it was a bit scary! But was it worth it? Wow – definitely yes. It’s stunning scenery. We stopped at little village sooon after departure for some local fare (large thick slices of bread with cheese and ham and a drink) but it was really too soon after breakfast to want anything or appreciate it but I suppose with a relatively long tour and no lunch included they probably thought they need to provide us with something ‘to keep us going’! Then we went to the old capital and saw the ‘palace’ (not what you’d imagine – very plain, quite small and very modest but I suppose it reflected the small nation at that time). It was more of a museum really – not especially memorable but a welcome stop for a quick coffee in the adjacent town and stretch the legs. (There’s a fair bit of time on the coach for this one – but it’s a great way to see the stunning mountainous countryside).   Finally we stopped at Budva which is another with a walled old-town. Our guide had told us how the area was being heavily invested in by Russians who were very evident in the town and that it was an ‘up-market’ resort. I didn’t think it was as attractive as the build-up had lead me to believe but the (small) old town was very characterful (sound like an estate agent now!) with some pretty corners with vine covered cafes where we got the bargain coffee of the week – 1.5E for a lovely cappuccino, water (and toilet stop!). If you do this tour be sure to make careful note of where the bus will collect you – several of our group found difficulty finding the coach again having gone up the wrong (parallel) road from the old town. Perhaps other guides will have a closer pick-up point near the walls to meet then walk you back to the coach but our guide wasn’t as precise or careful about the meet-back arrangements as she might have been.   We felt we could have benefited with slightly longer in Budva but for the cost it was a great trip to see so much of this small country and, with an excellent guide, a good way to learn a lot about this small country.   We had enough time on our return to wander round Kotor on our return and enjoy a coffee in the square. The ship is berthed right by the entrance to the walls so it’s a very easy place to get into and explore.   Do make sure you see the sail in/out though – it’s one of the highlights – and free! It’s like being on an excursion in it’s own right!   Enjoy – it’s a fabulous itinerary. We felt there was something memorable at each port of call and really loved every minute. :D   (I'll do the other half later - we did more tours on this leg so will have more info on excursions.) [/quote Fantastic review, having been on the first week wish we had met up and gained from your experience and hope others reading this follow your guidance and not my inarticulate attempts :o

Fantastic review, having been on the first week wish we had met up and gained from your experience and hope others reading this follow your guidance and not my inarticulate attempts :o

Thanks :) but I do tend to rabbit on a bit!! :o I've learned such a lot form others' contributions (short ones as well as longer ones!) that I'm pleased if my comments are helpful to others. It was a lovely cruise - pleased you enjoyed it but sorry you didn't have such good weather in Corfu. It was better on the cruise but still not as hot or wall to wall sunshine which we might have expected/hoped for.

We're into the 'looking at the brochure stage again' - it doesn't take long for withdrawal symptoms to kick-in does it?

Happy future cruising - perhaps we'll meet up sometime on another one! :)

As you say the brochures are out already :) A few people we met on the "Spirit" recommended trying a company called Travelsphere when we talked about a Nile cruise. A quick look at their itinerary might be a good alternative to Thomson for next time :) It's the distance and time spent travelling to the excursions that are mainly putting me off not to mention the cost of excursions :eek:

great review of this cruise - we are thinking of doing this and the pearls of the agean B2B in Aug 2012 for hubbys 40th (proviing they are still doing this itinery at that point LOL) - so was very pleased to read your reviews - you have sold it to me!

Hi Kruzseeka

It's been 'quiet' without you! welcome back.

I'm so pleased that you found your visit to Spinalonga impressive.Brings the book 'The Island' to life doesn't it.

great review can't wait to do this cruise next year

Did a Nile cruise with Cosmos/ Archers. choice of 4* or 5* (4* was fine)

All excursions and alcoholic/ non alcoholic drinks included in price.

good knowledegable guide. Friendly passengers, mixed age range.

Evening entertainment. Optional excursion to Abu Simbel, well worth it

its,only,me

Welcome back Kruzseeka , sounds like you have had a fantastic time , would really like to do Venice , will have to try and fit it in somewhere :D

Hubby & I are doing the same b2b May next year with a couple of variations to ports, Santorini isn't included so maybe this cruise we'll get to all ports!! So far we've missed a port on all 3 cruises we've done. Fantastic to read your review which gives us some hints on things to do, see or avoid.

Hubby & I are doing the same b2b May next year with a couple of variations to ports, Santorini isn't included so maybe this cruise we'll get to all ports!! So far we've missed a port on all 3 cruises we've done. Fantastic to read your review which gives us some hints on things to do, see or avoid.   Keep them coming, as I've said before you're a mine of information.

Thanks - pleased you've found it useful :). I noticed that the itineraries had changed a little for next year - in fact it's gone back to something more like the ones we did last year. (We enjoyed it so much last year we did it again!) You do Split instead of Korcula - that's a good port of call too. You tender in and walk straight into the town directly across from the dock. Diocletian's Palace inside of the walls is the main attraction here - you just wander in and it's free (not so much a separate palace as a walled area within which was the palace as well as houses and other buildings). There's a wide attractive promenade and plenty of cafes for drinks and people watching.

Kusadasi replaces Marmaris. We quite liked this call - clean, with a bazaar (where you're not hassled - attempts to persuade but accept 'no' in good humour) and cafes etc. It's not very big though. We went to Ephesus from here and really enjoyed it - I'd recommend this trip if you are interested in ancient sites. It's quite extensive and impressive but wear shoes/sandals with good grip as the marble pavers are smooth and a bit slippy. (Need sunhat and water too as it gets v hot with the heat being reflected off the white marble.) It was a half day trip so we had enough time to amble round Kusadasi on our return.

Katakolon is a charming, sleepy one street place but with lovely waterfront cafes, tourist shops and sweep of compacted damp sand suitable for walking. There is a small pebbly beach to the left of the berth - the bay is to the right. It's lvely for a gentle stroll and relaxing stop - but you've soon seen all there is there. It's possible to get to Olympia yourself on the train (although they were on strike the first time we went!) but you need to check the timetable as they aren't too frequent and you need to be sure to be back in good time. The 'station' is like a pebbledashed hut at the end and to the right of the main street as you leave the shopping area. Look for the buffers (it's the end of the line) and raised platform (very short) - we had trouble finding it!!! Taxis are available for trips to Olympia but I got the impression they were quite pricey really.

After our failed attempt to get there the year before, we went on a Thomson half-day excursion to Olympia not really expecting too much but I must say it was a revelation! I had no idea from researching on the internet how extensive the site is (I just thought it was a bit of a raised bank creating a stadium! :o ) but it was extremely interesting although I did feel we wouldn't have got so much out of it or enjoyed it so much had we not had the guide to bring it all to life. Although I'm not usually a big museum fan, the museum there was amazing - again with the guide's help we could appreciate just what we were looking at.

We've not done Mykonos - so I'll be looking for some ideas/info from other travellers as it's on our itinerary for next year (on Celebration this time). I'll be pleased to hear of your experiences if you come back before we go.

But I know you'll love the Adriatic/Aegean itineraries - they are fabulous. :)

Hi Kruzseeka,

Mykonos is a bit like your description of Katakolon.

A nice waterfront with cafes and tourist shops with small narrow winding streets with little shops behind.

All whitewashed houses with blue windowsils.

About the only 2 things to do there is go and relax on a beach (not the town beach) :eek:

And the big excursion is to Ancient Delos by boat from the harbour.

The whole island is an archaeological site. It was the centre of religion in the Aegean in Greek times. It was brilliant if you like that sort of thing.

We were there early June and it was a morning excursion and it was really hot, as hot as Egypt.

Hi Kruzseeka, Mykonos is a bit like your description of Katakolon. A nice waterfront with cafes and tourist shops with small narrow winding streets with little shops behind. All whitewashed houses with blue windowsils.   About the only 2 things to do there is go and relax on a beach (not the town beach) :eek:   And the big excursion is to Ancient Delos by boat from the harbour. The whole island is an archaeological site. It was the centre of religion in the Aegean in Greek times. It was brilliant if you like that sort of thing.   We were there early June and it was a morning excursion and it was really hot, as hot as Egypt.   Berwyn

Morning Berwyn, hope all is well with you today :) (raining here - well, it is Bank Holiday but mustn't complain had a lovely few days at the beginning of the week!)

Thanks for that info - I'm really looking forward to Mykonos it sounds lovely. :) I don't mind small places as long as they are attractive and you can have a pleasant stroll and coffee - or something! ;) We're happy to just potter and explore anywhere we haven't been to before as long as it has something to offer so we'll probably do that and look to going on a trip if we go there another time.

It does sound a wee bit bigger than Katakolon though - there are no winding streets behind the waterfront here - it's literally a one-street town no more than 400m long with shops on both sides and cafes behind the shops on the bay side of the street with waterfront cafes there. (There are a few houses dotted here and there in addition - but not areas to walk around although there is a long bay where you can do a decent length walk on the firm sand.) It's lovely but very, very small. Nice for a relaxing drink though and wind-down after a week of more hectic sight-seeing.

Have a good weekend. :)

Morning Kruzseeka,

All fine thanks,

Just finished this morning at 8 a.m. for the weekend. Weather is the same here too, but it looks like it's clearing up and moving East.

That's the handy thing being in N.Wales, we might get it first but we get rid of it 1st too.

Mykonos has some lovely cafes on the front and small shops. And you can wander through the windy streets and come out on the other side to see those Greek windmills.

Here are some pics of Mykonos

http://s727.photobucket.com/albums/ww273/Cymro1953/Legend%20Of%20The%20Seas%20June%202009/Mykonos/

Oh it looks lovely! Thanks for the pics Berwyn. :) It's quite a while to wait though until we go but it's great to get an idea of what places are like - but clearly somewhere to look forward to visiting. :)

hi kruzseeka great review of all the ports we are going 27th august 10 .think we will do some of the thompson trips as have never been before/ have been looking at the piran and portoroz half day to start with do you no if it is a morning of afternoon trip. we have been to venice before but will prob still do the organised tour . in korcula it doesnt mention any trips is that because it is a small island and easy to do yourself thanks ...

Hi cbmagic :) Pleased you found the review helpful.

The Piran & Portoroz excursion departed 08.30 and was approx a 4 hour trip costing £30 p.p. It seems as though they don't stop for long at Portoroz - the main stop being Piran.

I wouldn't want to try to persuade you - you must do whatever you feel most comfortable with - but I must say it is really easy to get to Piran yourself for 6.20E p.p. (return). They hand out very good maps of the town at the tourist desk on the dock and you can ask the guy there to show you on the map where the bus stop is to Piran.

If you turn right out of the port, follow the road round by the waterfront, carry on outside the walls on this road - 'Pristaniska ulica' until you get to a fairly major road on your right - there is a roundabout at this junction - on your map from the ship the church Sv.Basso is on the walled side of the road here, diagonally opposite where you'd be. 'Ljubjanska Cesta' is the name of the road I believe but in any event you will see the bus stop with a shelter about 50m along on the right - no need to cross over. The bus will come from your left. They run about half-hourly and as you don't set sail until 23.00 there's loads of time to get there and back. It's about a 45 minute journey - they stop off at Izola, Portoroz on the way (a lovely interesting and scenic journey) and we had about 2 hours at Piran then came back. Piran is the end of the line so you can't go wrong. There is a point beyond which the buses can't go so it just turns round there for the return journey - so you can't get lost. We were back in Koper by about 2pm. I can certainly recommend it.

Korcula had a number of excursions:

1. Riviera cruise: £28, 4hrs, dep. 13.30: trip round the archepelago of islands + time to explore monastery on Badija Is. and stone quarries on Vrnik Is. then sail to Lumbarda

2. Korcula by foot: £16, 2hrs, 10.30 and 14.00:

(you can do this yourself very easily as the tender stop is in the town but of course don't get the benefit of the guide's input)

3. Taste of Dalmatia: £52, 5.5hrs, dep 10.45:

relax on a boat to Orebic, drive round the Peljesac peninsula to the Matusko winery - wine tasting. then to Ston stop for seafood lunch, with more local vino - boat ride back to Korcula.

4. Island discovery: £50, approx 7.5hrs, dep 10.30

tour of island of korcula - coves, cheese & wine, museum/traditional house visit, Vela Lake and archeological museum, lunch, leisurely walk around Korcula

5. Korcula town and island: £32 approx 5hrs dep 13.00

Seaside resort of Vela Lake for stop then to Blato sample some local cheese & wine, back round island to Korcula with guided tour of town

6. Village and vineyards: £44, 4hrs, dep 10.45

coach drive thro vineyardsto Orebic, drive thro Peljisac region to Potomje for tasting session, donkey farm, tuck into smoked ham and cheese, ride a donkey!!, boat trip back to korcula.

We just walked around ourselves - it's quite a small town but very quaint, tourist shops and cafes. We spent about 3 hours ashore then went back to the Spirit for a cream tea! :eek: If we went again, we'd probably do a trip as we've explored the town already - it just depends how much you want to see and how long you want to be off the ship - it's a small place so a couple of hours or so is probably more than enough and that includes having some refreshments and people watching (oh, and an internet cafe in my case!)

Hope this helps. Enjoy it's a great trip. :)

Thank you so much for the Adriatic Explorer Ports of call info - have you managed to write the Pearls of the Aegean as yet? We are doing this back to back next year and found your review really helpful

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TUI Marella Explorer Cruise Review – Cruising with kids

This summer we took our first ever cruise.  We had spent weeks searching online looking for a holiday, but nothing really stood out so we thought let’s try something different with the kids this year.  We found a cruise holiday on TUI and made the booking which would see us sail around the Adriatic Sea.

As we had never cruised before and if we were being honest after we booked it we did have some scepticism about this sort of holiday – cruising often has the perception as more for older travellers rather than for families.  What if the food or entertainment was poor – we would be stuck on this floating hotel for a week.

However, we needn’t have worried, this was one of our most memorable holidays and we can’t wait to take another cruise – let me tell you why you should try a Marella cruise with your family, with this honest review.

About Marella Explorer

The Marella Explorer is one of four ships operated by TUI UK, a British cruise line.  The ship was originally built for Celebrity called the Celebrity Galaxy, before being transferred to TUI CRUISES as Mein Schiff.  It joined the TUI Marella fleet in 2018 and is one of their most modern and recently renovated.  Their latest ship the Marella Voyager sets sail in June 2023 and looks really impressive.

Embarkation

One of the main reasons we booked the Adriatic Explorer cruise with TUI was because everything is taken care of from the flights from our local airport to the transfers to and from the ship.

When we arrived at Ioannis Kapodistrias airport in Corfu, the whole process was seamless and stress free.  We were met by the TUI reps who took us to our coach for the short transfer to the cruise terminal.  This was one of the reasons why we selected TUI Marella for our first cruise compared to the other cruise lines where flights and transfers are not always aligned with cruises, but with TUI we had the reassurance that this was all taken care of.

Whilst we waited for our test result we watched the muster drill and within 15 minutes we were informed that our PCR test result was negative and we were allowed to progress to check-in, which again was welcoming and efficient.

It’s a short walk along the harbourside to board the ship and once we cleared customs and made our way towards the ship’s gangway, we looked up in awe and couldn’t get over the scale and size of this huge floating hotel on the water.

The Marella Explorer is what is classed as a mid-sized ship and carries just over 1,900 passengers at full capacity, the result is it doesn’t feel as busy and hectic as some of the other cruise lines who have launched mega ships in recent years carrying up to 6,000 passengers.

It was such an exciting feeling as we got close to the Explorer as we started our first ever cruise.  Upon boarding we were directed to a designated point on the ship to collect our cruise cards and we excitedly made our way to our staterooms which already had our luggage waiting outside.

Staterooms on the Marella Explorer

The Marella Explorer has 962 staterooms, ranging from inside cabins, outside ocean view cabins, two types of balcony cabins and family cabins.  If you want to splash out then they have junior and executive suites, and we had a sneak peak on-board and looked fabulous for couples, a selling point for me was that they came with Clarins toiletries.

Interconnecting Large Balcony Cabins

We booked two large balcony staterooms on deck 10 that had interconnecting balconies, so they were perfect for a family of four. When we were looking for cabins for us on the TUI website we nearly opted for a single cabin that it said would hold four people.

Although it would have been much cheaper than 2 cabins it would have really affected our first cruise experience as there would not have been enough room for all of us – 2 adults and an 11 and 14 year old.

One of my favourite things to do in our room, was to open the curtains each morning, step out onto our balcony and take in the views – these rooms are definitely worth upgrading to.  They are also perfect for families due to the fact that they were interconnecting which allowed us to have a walkthrough balcony.

Our rooms were a reasonable size at 16m2 with a queen size bed for us and twin beds for the girls, along with a desk, sofa, safe and plenty of storage space.  Although the décor in the cabins was not as luxurious as what we had seen on some of the other cruise lines, it had all the mod cons you would expect including

• air conditioning,
• large wall mounted smart TV,
• tea and coffee making facilities

The cleanliness of the room was superb and the girls enjoyed the attention to detail from the towel art to the chocolates left on our pillows at turn down.  We never travel light so it was great to see that our cabins had a lot of storage, with three wardrobes, two for hanging clothes and the other with shelves and drawers so we had more than enough room for all of our things.

There was a small desk area that you could use for charging your devices or doing hair and makeup,  but the hairdryer was attached to the wall in the bathroom.   What let the room down slightly was if you needed to charge any electrical devices as there were only 2 sockets in the room.

If you are like us and have multiple devices from phones, watches and iPad’s to charge then you need to bring a travel adapter with you. I recommend you get the adapters with extra USB ports.

We paid the extra £50 per cabin to select our rooms on the 10 th floor, because we wanted to ensure our rooms were next door to each other. 

No wi-fi was included which I believe is standard practice on many cruise lines, but in 2022 it does seem excessive to charge for this – it’s the equivalent of charging for water or electricity in your cabin.  We did take out their wi-fi plan at £49 for a week but it was really slow and the signal was so poor it was practically unusable across the ship so we had to rely on our mobile data when we arrived at the various ports.

What did work well was their free to use Navigator app through your web browser on your phone or tablet.  This contained all the information you needed from daily itineraries, port information, dining and excursion booking and access to your online account, we found this really helpful and useful.  Alternatively, just off the reception area, were self service kiosks containing the same functionality as their Navigator app.

As the cost of a large balcony cabin is a noticeable increase over their standard cabins, it would have been nice if they had the Clarins toiletries included that are standard in their junior and executive suites.  Plenty of towels were provided and you had separate ones for the pool which were refreshed each day but no bathrobes or slippers were provided.

You can view a video tour of our rooms below.

Dining and Drinks on the Marella Explorer

With 10 restaurants on board, there was no chance that we would go hungry or get bored of the food on the Marella Explorer.  We could have eaten in a different restaurant on each night of our cruise if we wanted to.

Although Marella market these cruises as all-inclusive, that’s not exactly the case as some of it’s restaurants are at an extra cost

Starting with the complimentary restaurants, our favourite was in the main dining room, home to Latitude 53 and Vista the Italian restaurant.  We loved it in here, and we were given the same table each day, perfectly located next to the huge floor to ceiling windows allowing us to have spectacular views of the wake and the ocean as we dined.

This two-storey dining room was so grand and elegant, just has I had imagined it would be on a cruise, and although it was formal dining it was without the strict formal dress code that is often associated with cruising – no dinner jackets or tuxedos required, just smart clothing that you would wear at a nice restaurant back home.

The food and service on offer here was some of the best we have had on holiday and we have been lucky enough to stay in some of the best hotels across the world.  What made it most appealing was the rapport we built with the restaurant staff by being allocated the same waiters each night.

What we also liked on a Marella cruise was the fact that there are no set dining times, like you have on other cruise lines, meaning that we could dine when we wanted to, rather than having to try and fit our schedule around when the cruise line wanted us to dine at.

Latitude 53 was also open for breakfast and though many chose the self-serve buffet breakfast at the Market Place, we made the most of the white linen tablecloths and waiter service as we tucked into our delicious made to order breakfasts each morning.

For lunch we would often stop off at the Italian in the Mediterranean restaurant on deck 11 at the back of the ship.  We enjoyed freshly made pizza and made to order pasta dishes here, which were always a favourite with the kids and we loved the setting offering great views of the ocean at the back (aft) of the ship.

You could also visit the Tapas restaurant here at lunch serving a range of light bites from sandwiches to fries.

Beer, wine and soft drinks served at mealtimes were included in all of the restaurants at no extra cost. An upgraded premium drinks package was available at additional cost, but we didn’t feel it was necessary to upgrade as the cost of bottled water and other drinks we paid for wouldn’t have been the same amount as the upgrade cost.

The brightly coloured beach huts and oversized deck chairs not only were popular Instagram spots on board they provided a lovely setting to enjoy lunch alfresco.  A grab and go fridge containing sandwiches, salads and fruit boxes are also available here, so there was something for everyone.

Scoops was another popular stop for us, although not included in the all inclusive, the ice creams were delicious and only a £1 per scoop, we particular loved the theming in this area and the cool uni-cycle seats.

Marella, also offered their traditional English afternoon each day at the Marketplace buffet, offering a wide selection of cakes, sandwiches, hot scones and jam.  We loved escaping here from the afternoon heat and sample the different cakes each day!  Afternoon tea was also served in the more formal setting of the Latitude restaurant one day each week called The Great Musical Afternoon Tea at £15 per person.

There are also several specialty restaurants on-board the Marella Explorer which come at an extra charge and all need to be pre-booked , especially the steakhouse, Surf and Turf and Kora La, the Indian restaurant.

These restaurants book up fast, so don’t make the mistake we made and leave it too late as we didn’t get a chance to try them.  Everyone we spoke with said  both were a fantastic dining experience – it’s a shame they were not included in the dining package that comes with the cruise.

We would often have pre-dinner drinks at Aperitif one of the most stylish bars on board followed by post dinner drinks at Indigo.  Indigo was spectacular with lots of comfortable seating and 360 degree views, plus it was close to the disco – one of the girls favourite areas on the ship.

The Squid and Anchor pub was really popular with other guests, but it was far too busy for us – we preferred the The Lounge with its neon pink piano and live band.

On deck 7 was a shopping arcade called the Broad Street shops containing a range of stores including a large duty free to shops selling jewellery, designer and high street clothing.

I found the prices to be reasonable and cheaper than back in the UK.  As you will know from our travels, we love a little retail therapy and it was nice to be able to do this onboard picking up perfume and beauty products and the girls had a unique ship charm from Pandora.

Things to Do on the Marella Explorer

Although Marella Explorer is not one of the mega cruise ships, there was still a huge variety of entertainment available for all the family.

Every evening we would receive our copy of Cruise News in our cabin, which displayed the full agenda for the next day’s entertainment so we could plan our schedule.

As we explored the ship we were amazed at just how much there was to do for families and marvelled at the size of this ship and the amount of things they managed to fit onboard.

Although you won’t find water slides or go-karts that you would find on the newer, larger cruise lines there was still plenty of things on-board to keep all of us entertained for our week cruise.

Swimming Pools

When we stay at a hotel, the pool is the most important thing for the kids and it was no different on a cruise ship.  Located on the top decks of the ship, the pool deck featured hot tubs and two pools which the girls loved.

The pool deck and the deck surrounding the pool did get very busy in particular on the sea day which was the first full day if our cruise it.  Being our first cruise we made the mistake of thinking there would be enough sun loungers but it was packed and it took us a while to find empty loungers on another deck which was a long way from the pool, so it wasn’t ideal for the kids.

For families with younger children there was a small kids pool and slide at the rear (aft) of the ship which looked great and it was always much quieter than the main pool deck.

Entertainment and Activities

The daily entertainment around the poolside was a little holiday camp like but fun all the same and the kids in particular loved it, with Holly winning an award for being the best dancer and the entertainment team did a great job encouraging guests to take part.  For adults wanting to escape the noise from the main pool deck, the adult only area of the verandah on deck 14 looked perfect which lots of comfortable padded loungers.

During each day there were lots of other entertainment options going on around the ship, where the girls encountered their first ever game of bingo in the Squid and Anchor bar.  The Gala Night was an opportunity to dress to impress where we got to meet the captain and crew in the beautiful atrium setting of the ship.

Marella translates from Celtic as ‘shining sea’ and the interior designers have cleverly managed to add in shimmering design features throughout the ship, but our favourite was the photo spot infront of the glitzy Marella logo.

For children there was a dedicated gaming zone, home to lots of Playstation and Xbox consoles while the library area had a good selection of family board games to play.  For movies there was a large indoor cinema but our favourite was watching movies at night on the large screen on the pool deck with freshly made popcorn.

The main evening entertainment area onboard is called the Broadway Show Lounge, a huge theatre with a seating capacity of 1000 which two shows nightly.  This is really a spectacular space and this auditorium wouldn’t look out of place in the West End, with lots of comfortable and spacious seating each with their own personal table.

Each evening , we enjoyed walks on the deck especially the wide promenade deck and I loved the fact that there was plenty of space to relax to escape the crowds.

When we weren’t at the movies or the disco’s, we preferred to relax in the comfortable seating areas in the many beautiful public areas of the hotel playing card games or listening to the live music in the Lounge bar.

There is a Champneys Spa on-board which looked fabulous and takes up the front of the ship on deck 11, but unfortunately I didnt get a chance to try it out.  The use of their thermal spa is not included and comes at an extra cost of £15 for a day pass and there are also wide range of spa treatments available to book including facials, massages and body wraps.

The literary on our 7-night Adriatic cruise, round-trip from Corfu, had stops in Koper, Slovenia – Trieste, Italy – Split, Croatia, Dubrovnik, Croatia and Kotor, Montenegro.

What we loved was waking up to a new destination to explore each day and this was one of the highlights of what cruising can offer families and allowed us to visit destinations that we would have overlooked. We loved each destination that we arrived at, each having their own unique charm and attraction, here are some of the highlights.

At each and every port you dock at there are numerous excursions that can be booked either via the TUI website before you go on holiday or through ‘Navigate’ Marella Cruises on-board app and some of the more popular excursions can sell out early.  There was definitely a wide selection of things to do, from cycling trips, city tours on a TukTuk to visiting a water park.  Some destinations offered more family friendly excursions than others but there is nothing stopping you arranging your own trips like we did in most of the ports.

We were unsure if cruising was right for us before we went and it was an expensive gamble for a family holiday.  However our experience with Marella on their Explorer ship changed our perception of cruising and we are so glad we booked it.

TUI Marella should be proud of their staff on board the Explorer, they are a credit to your brand and each and everyone of them made us feel so welcome from the moment we stepped on board to the moment we left.

Marella cruises are often overlooked for the bigger and more popular cruise lines such as MSC,  Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, but it would have to be a strong all-round product to beat our first cruise experience with Marella.

So would we cruise again and what about Marella?  Definitely, we were really impressed with the TUI Marella cruise experience, so much so that we are planning a cruise for next year on their brand new ship to join their fleet called Marella Voyager.

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Hi Thankyou for your review, it was very interesting to read your families experience. We have cruised several times & find Matella to be just right for us. We love waking up in a new port every morning & going to explore it. The food is always of a high standard & as yet we have never come across any bad crew. They all seem to love their jobs & looking after us We are on Explorer in April & it seems like we will be in for a treat again! Thankyou x

Thank you for your great review. Has really given me an on-site to so many aspects of our first cruise booked for October 🛳️😊

This has been so helpful in helping us choose if a TUI cruise is the right choice for us! Thank you so much for your detailed review! It is extremely detailed!

It was lovely to read you all had a wonderful first cruise. We are going on the same cruise on 5th May 2023. Although we have been on the ship before we have not done the Eastern Med. We wondered if you could give us some tips on the ‘do it yourself’ ports of call. Eg. In Kotor and Dubrovnik. Did you use public transport or were there tuktuk’s? Would be grateful for anything. Thanks.

This is one of the best reviews of the Marella Explorer I have read; the youtube videos of ship are often poor and your still photos are much more professional. Although we were on a different route, we were on the Explorer two weeks ago, for my husbands big birthday, around the Canary Islands. It is a great restorer after a cold Scottish winter to get out each day with only tee shirt and summer clothes on. The only other place you can do this, in March, is apparently the Carrabean, which we dont fancy as we are not beach people. We prefer cities and touring, which is why the Canary Islands is so great. We have done this tour twice before, but on the Marella Dream, which is now out of commission. We were concerned a bit about the larger ship, but the Explorer is wondeful! We especially like that Tui cruises have free access dining, no set times or set tables to sit on every night, we would hate that. You can have a drink or two in the bars first, then go to dinner when you fancy it, never had to wait, except one night, for 10 mins for a table to be free, just like a restaurant on land. The main restaurant food is wonderful, but we loved the italian restaurant best of all, again no booking, just go when ready. The entertainment was great, and caught up with some newly released films we would have paid a lot to see at home in the cinema. The staff are fantastic, kissed and hugged some before leaving and promised to come back next year for my big birthday. They simply could not do enough for you, and all with a smile.

Great review. Just booked to go on the same cruise/stops and this really helped and has given us something to look forward to.

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this review. I’ve been weighing up booking a TUI cruise for my family and after reading this I definitely will be. It will also be our first cruise and with 5 children! Pleased to hear you all had a great holiday 🙂

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4 replies to this topic

I agree with technoman - you won't get many Marella cruisers on here.

Tripadvisor staff removed this post because it did not meet Tripadvisor's forum guideline limiting each user to a single forums screen name.

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Marella Explorer

Former names: tui explorer, tui mein schiff 1, celebrity galaxy, mv galaxy.

Cruise line Marella Cruises

• Corfu Island (Kerkyra, Greece)
• Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Canary Islands)
• Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands)

Marella Explorer current position

Marella Explorer current location is at West Africa (coordinates 32.64208 N / -16.91156 W) cruising en route to Funchal. The AIS position was reported 49 minutes ago.

Current itinerary of Marella Explorer

Marella Explorer current cruise is 7 days, round-trip Atlantic Islands . Prices start from USD 1426 (double occupancy rates). The itinerary starts on 05 Apr, 2024 and ends on 12 Apr, 2024 .

Specifications of Marella Explorer

•   Itineraries
•   Review
•   Wiki

Marella Explorer Itineraries

Marella explorer review, review of marella explorer.

The 1996-built (as "Celebrity Galaxy") cruise ship Marella Explorer 1 was previously operated as "Mein Schiff 1" by TUI Cruises . Schiff 1 was TUI fleet's oldest liner, with sisterships the current fleetmates Marella Voyager (fka Mein Schiff Herz/between 2018-2023) and Marella Explorer 2 (fka Celebrity Century ) . The vessel entered Thomson's/Marella's fleet in 2017 under the name "TUI Explorer", but in October was renamed "Marella Explorer". In 2018, the newbuild TUI Mein Schiff 1 took the name "Schiff 1".

The vessel (IMO number 9106297) is currently Malta- flagged  (MMSI 249051000) and registered in  Valletta .

History - construction and ownership

Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson Cruises UK) is a British passenger shipping company and trademarked travel brand owned by TUI Group. The company entered the cruise market in 1973 via Thomson Holidays (now TUI UK), but due to rising fuel costs, this service was terminated in 1976. Thomson Cruises restarted passenger shipping operations in 1995. The Thomson brand was renamed to "Marella Cruises" in 2018. Marella's parent company (TUI Group) owns hotels, the sister-companies TUI Cruises, Marella Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, the travel brands International Expeditions and Zegrahm Expeditions, also aircraft and the airlines Corsair International (France), TUI Airways (UK), TUI fly Nordic (Sweden), TUI fly Belgium, TUI fly Deutschland, TUI fly the Netherlands.

The 1900-passenger ship was built for the Royal Caribbean’s Celebrity Cruises company, renamed to "Celebrity Galaxy" in 2008 and joined TUI fleet in 2009 after an extensive drydock refit . The vessel entered Marella's  fleet in 2017. Mein Schiff 1 was one of TUI's two oldest Century-class vessels - followed by Mein Schiff 2 (former "Celebrity Mercury", in 2018 renamed "Mein Schiff Herz") and Celebrity Century (now Marella Explorer 2 ).

The Explorer joined Marella Cruises fleet as the 3rd vessel transferred from other RCCL-owned fleets. It was preceded by Marella Discovery (2015, former Splendour of the Seas) and Marella Discovery 2 (2017, former Legend of the Seas) and followed by TUI Explorer 2 (2018, the old Mein Schiff 2).

Marella Explorer features a new-for-the-fleet kids pool, an innovative entertainment program, 10 dining venues. Another first for Marella Cruises is the tasting menu-type restaurant in one of the brand new yet-unnamed venues, described as "an intimate space, suited for couples or friends".

The Indigo flagship bar is the ship's focal point. A new high-end London-style drinking venue named Aperitif links Kora La and Surf & Turf restaurants. Other features include The Scoops ice-cream parlor with bicycle-themed quirky seating; The Lounge - another new venue with a color-changing bar and brightly-colored piano; Umi Sushi counter; The Mediterranean dining venue with a glass roof inspired by local tavernas, housing two inclusive restaurants (pizzeria and tapas) and for-fee Hot Stone Grill.

Decks and Cabins

Of all Marella Explorer staterooms (962 total), ~40% have private steop-out balconies. All cabins are with individual air-conditioning, wardrobes, smart HDTV, hairdryer, tea-coffee-making facilities, en-suite bathrooms. Accommodation types include:

• Indoor (16 m2, fleet's largest), Outdoor (17 m2), Single Indoor / Outdoor cabins (Decks 4, 5, 8, 9)
• Balcony cabins (17 m2), 14x Family Balcony (20 m2; decks 9, 10, 12, each with 2 twin beds)
• Suites - Balcony Junior Suite (22 m2) and Executive Suite (49 m2)

The boat has 13 decks , of which 10 are passenger-accessible and 6 are with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Marella Explorer has a total of 10 dining venues, including Surf & Turf, Kora La, Snack Shack, Umi Sushi and open-air Mediterranean Restaurant with Pizza and Tapas areas. The Kora La features Oriental-style lanterns and paintings paired with a pan-Asian menu of noodle dishes and curries. This is a fine dining addition and there is a small premium to eat here.

Ship's dining venues are located on decks 5, 6, 7 and 11. Follows the complete list of Marella Explorer restaurants and food bars.

• Latitude 53 (situated aft on decks 5 and 6) is the main waiter service restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows and gold-and-grey color scheme.
• Vista Restaurant (Deck 5, situated in Latitude 53) in the evening transforms into an Italian restaurant for regional favorites prepared with authentic ingredients.
• The Dining Club on Deck 5 is a fine dining restaurant that serves experimental cuisine. There is a charge to dine here.
• Umi Sushi on Deck 7 serves sushi, sashimi, nigiri rolls that are prepared in front of the guests of the eatery. Umi Sushi is open for dinner only, and costs extra.
• Kora La on Deck 7 has oriental-style lanterns and paintings paired with a pan-Asian menu. Passengers pay a cover charge to eat here.
• Surf & Turf Steakhouse on Deck 7 specializes in all things meat. Its menu includes mains like lobster, grilled chicken, and pork chops, but the highlight is the 28-day-aged steaks. There is a chopping board artwork as well as leather booth seating. Cover charge is applied for dining here.
• Snack Shack (Deck 11) is a laidback eatery featuring food stalls, oversized deckchairs, and beach huts. It offers grab‘n’go snacks and lunches along with a drinks station.
• The Market Place on Deck 11 is a buffet restaurant where guests can watch the chefs prepare dishes from around the world. It is made up of different food stalls.
• Tapas @ The Mediterranean on Deck 11 is specialized in tapas dishes for both lunch and dinner.
• Italian @ The Mediterranean pizzeria on Deck 11, with wood-fired oven and salad bar.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

A couple of the largest new features aboard the 13-deck Marella Explorer include the flagship bar, club and casino Indigo (situated at the top deck), and the first at sea Champneys Spa. Indigo is home to the longest bar onboard the ship and features the Broadway show lounge able to accommodate 1,000 guests. The Broadway street lounge is on Decks 6 and 7, which also houses other entertainment facilities. The venue hosts cocktail-making sessions and demos. Entertainment facilities include Indigo Club with a DJ booth and dance floor, and the Indigo Casino Lounge with card tables and slot machines.

A pool is situated on deck 11, which also homes the Oceans gym and spa. The spa offers a Finnish Sauna with floor-ceiling windows, full-service thermal suite and treatment suites with showers and mini saunas, spa cabanas on ship's adults-only Veranda Deck.

Follows the complete list of Marella Explorer lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• The Lounge (Deck 6) has a color-changing feature bar, ring-shaped seats, and hot-pink piano.
• Bar 53 (Deck 5) is an indoor bar lounge (adjacent to Latitude 53), perfectly placed for pre-dinner drinks.
• The Shack on Deck 12 offers cool-down drinks between sunbathing. It is above Snack Shack and overlooks the pool.
• Bar@The Mediterranean on Deck 11 wraps around The Mediterranean and runs from the inside to the outside. It serves Mediterranean specialties, the usual drinks, and frozen cocktails.
• Indigo Bar on Deck 12 boasts the longest bar in the fleet. Cocktail-making sessions and flare demonstrations take place here.
• Broadway Show Lounge is situated on two Decks, 6 and 7, and has a capacity of 1,000 people. It offers waiter service and brand-new shows.
• Indigo Casino on Deck 12 is the spot to try out the card tables and slot machines. Indigo Club is in the middle of Indigo.
• Aperitif on Deck 7 is a stylish bar with Champagne and Prosecco on the menu. It is a great spot to head for a drink before or after meals at one of the specialty restaurants.
• Squid & Anchor on Deck 7 is the first pub of Marella Cruises at sea. There are 2 bars to pick from, one of which deals in premium whiskies and gins, that are chargeable. The spot is home to quiz nights and a live band.
• Scoops is a vintage-looking parlor that serves up gelato. The seating is quirky and includes a collection of bike seats sit that face out to sea. A charge is applied here.
• The Coffee Port serves Lavazza and sweet treats. It overlooks the atrium and features live piano music. A charge is applied here.
• Movies by Moonlight offers family-friendly movies, plus extra screenings during the high season.
• M Club is the onboard Kids’ Club, with games from M Crew - characters exclusive to the ship.
• The Attic is a quiet, noise-free zone.
• Gamer Zone is for everyone onboard, fully stocked with machines.
• The Hideout (aft-starboard) is an exclusive room/club lounge for older children and teens. The exclusive venue is fitted with gaming consoles and comfy chairs. In the high season, The Hideout hosts organized and supervised games and themed events.
• Broad Street Shops are the onboard boutiques stocked with everyday essentials, duty-free products, perfumes, jewelry, and souvenirs.
• Photo Studio & Kiosks on Deck 6 provides professional photoshoot. There are also kiosks, where passengers can view and buy the photos captured by the onboard photography team.
• Outdoor swimming pool on Deck 11 is split in two by a stage, where the entertainment team run daily activities. The Pool bar sits next to the pool and is great for frozen cocktails. A trio of whirlpools sits next to the main pool.
• The Attic (Library/reading corner)
• The Veranda is adults-only and has Balinese beds and cocoon chairs.
• Sports Court provides basketball and mini-football.
• Minigolf and Table tennis is at the top of the ship, on the Sports & Family Deck.

Champneys: Marella Cruises partnered with Champneys to bring such a state-of-the-art spa. Guests can book in for treatments (facials, body wraps, massages), plus there is a beauty salon. The spa is the largest in the fleet and also includes a relaxation room, treatment cabins with hot tubs, made-for-two suites. The adults-only sauna has floor-to-ceiling windows and a steam room. Alternatively, passengers can work out at the Gym.

Since November 2022, Marella UK (via partnership with OneSpaWorld Holdings/health and wellness company) provides ocean-inspired wellness products and services on all its ships. The range of OneSpaWorld's services includes Ocean Body Treatments (massages and polishes), Ocean Facial, Ocean Salon Services. On Marella ships, OneSpaWorld uses premium beauty brands like Elemis, L'Oreal, Kerastase. The brands owned by OneSpaWorld include Mandara Spa, Bliss Spa, Chavana Spa, Glow Spa.

Itineraries

Marella Explorer 1 itinerary program was initially based on Western Mediterranean 7-night roundtrips from Palma de Mallorca (Balearic Spain) . Among the call ports were popular French Riviera ports . The itineraries were themed as:

• "Cosmopolitan Classics" (Palermo Sicily, Livorno-Florence, Villefranche-Nice, Palamos Spain)
• "Highlights Of The Mediterranean" (Ajaccio Corsica, Civitavecchia-Rome, Marina di Carrara Italy, Saint Raphael France, Barcelona)
• "Magic Of Spain" (Cadiz, Lisbon, Gibraltar, Malaga, Cartagena)
• "Mediterranean Secrets" (Porto Torres Sardinia, La Spezia, Calvi Corsica, Sete France, Tarragona Spain)

Following the Coronavirus crisis, in 2021 Marella Explorer 1 restarted operations on June 25, with UK itineraries and homeporting in Southampton England . Winter 2021-2022 program was scheduled for the Canaries with roundtrips from Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria .

Summer 2022 program was for Adriatic and Greece itineraries leaving roundtrip from Corfu Greece .

Marella Explorer - user reviews and comments

Photos of marella explorer.

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Other Marella Cruises cruise ships

• Marella Discovery
• Marella Discovery 2
• Marella Explorer 2
• Marella Voyager

Marella Explorer Wiki

The ship's powerplant is based on MAN B&W marine diesel engines (model 9L48/60) with combined power output 31,5 MW (42240 hp).

The vessel has Meyer Werft Papenburg yard/hull number 638, volume 76998 GT-tons, DWT-deadweight tonnage 6500 tons, max draught 8,3 m.

During its pre-Marella service (May 15, 2009, through April 11, 2018), the liner served its previous operators for 8 years and 11 months, or a total of 3254 days.

TUI Mein Schiff 1 was built in Papenburg Germany for Celebrity Cruises (another RCCL brand) as MV Galaxy (later "Celebrity Galaxy"). In May 2009 the vessel was transferred to the fleet of the Royal Caribbean's TUI subsidiary. The vessel was renamed in Hamburg, Germany , to "Mein Schiff" (meaning "my ship") on 15 May 2009. The godmother of the newly refurbished (EUR 50-million) vessel became Ina Muller - a renowned German artist and TV personality. Of the same class is also Celebrity Mercury ( Schiff Herz / Marella Voyager ).

Fun fact is, that when operated as "Galaxy", the ship hosted the BBC TV's docu-soap titled "The Cruise".

Marella Explorer refurbishment 2021 review

The boat's 4-week drydock refurbishment in December 2021 (at Navantia's Puerto Real shipyard in Cadiz Spain ) was conducted by Trimline Ltd. The project involved 80 specialists, including upholsterers, floor layers, decorators, tilers, polishers, joiners, welders, electricians.

Works included renovations of the two dining rooms (Latitude and Vista restaurants), Indigo Bar & Casino (interactive LED dancefloor), The Mediterranean Bar (all seats and sofas), The Attic (Library), The Hideout (teens venue), Broadway Show Lounge, Cinema, Squid & Anchor (pub), Umi Sushi (food bar), The Lounge, Bar 53, Coffee Port (bar), Snack Shack (fast-food bar), Cruise Holiday Store, Destination Services (lobby area).

The Pool Deck was also renovated.

A total of 60 staterooms were recarpeted.

The ship's entire lighting system was updated/replaced with a new, ultra-high efficiency one that is ~15% more efficient than the LED standard.

Marella Explorer refurbishment 2019 review

In 2019 (October 11 through November 6) the ship was drydocked at DAMEN Shiprepair Brest France ).

The USD 25 million drydocking project was managed/supervised by CCS (COLUMBIA Cruise Services Ltd) and included mainly technical maintenance works, machinery upgrades and updates to interior spaces. Hideout (teen lounge on Deck 14) received AstroTurf (artificial grass surface and titled flooring outside) and new furniture (loungers, deckchairs, bar stools).

Marella Explorer refurbishment 2018 review

In 2018, the liner entered drydock in Cadiz Spain (April 20 through May 13) at Navantia shipyard. The 4-week drydocking project was managed by Trimline Ltd / Southampton-based cruise ship interior outfitting company).

During the refit, the vessel received new carpeting (45 km2 / 17 mi), new data cables (over 60 km / 37 mi), 650 wi-fi access points.

A total of 35 venues and public areas were reconstructed and refurbished. Among the new venues installed during the reconstruction were the Flagship Bar, Disco Club, Indigo (entertainment complex), Champneys Spa (first at sea). The new spa has a Finnish sauna with floor-ceiling windows, full-service thermal suite, treatment suites (with showers and their own saunas). Spa cabanas were added to the adults-only The Veranda (Deck 14).

Marella Explorer's christening ceremony was on May 18, 2018 (held in Palma de Mallorca), with two appointed godmothers - Sue Stewart (Marella Cruises' hotel operations manager) and Mandy Galloway (TUI Cruises' retail agent). The inaugural cruise from Palma departed on May 19.

The Apollo Group company was contracted for providing all Marella ships with the entire onboard hotel product and services. This includes administration, food staff (preparation and serving), housekeeping staff, also the vessel's provisioning and crewing. Other luxury cruise lines served by Apollo are Oceania (6 ships fleet) and RSSC-Regent (4 ships fleet).

Like the other fleetmates, Marella Explorer offers an all-inclusive product designed specifically for the UK source market. The ship has a total of 10 dining venues, among which company's signature Surf & Turf, Kora La, Snack Shack, Umi Sushi. The new top-deck bar (Indigo) has panoramic ocean views. In the evenings, Indigo Bar doubles as ship's Casino and disco-nightclub. Another new bar (Aperitif) offers pre- and post-dinner cocktails.

Maiden Voyage 2018

The ship's homeport is Palma de Mallorca (Majorca Island, Spain) . The ship is also operated with "UK to Mediterranean" fly-cruise program.

Next table shows the "Inaugural Cruise" (maiden voyage) scheduled for May 19, 2018.

7 nights / 8 days (themed "Cosmopolitan Classics") - prices starting from USD 1000 pp (GBP 1130 pp) double occupancy Inside Cabin rates. The itinerary shows all ports of call in the ship's Mediterranean roundtrip program.

(OLD / alte) TUI Mein Schiff 1 cruise ship

The TUI ship's itinerary program was based on Eastern and Southern Caribbean cruises leaving from Barbados and Dominican Republic. Other operational regions included Europe (Mediterranean departures out of Palma de Mallorca , and Baltic Sea from Hamburg ) and Asia (leaving roundtrip from Singapore ).

The old Mein Schiff 1 had a total of 962 staterooms, including suites, junior suites, balconied family cabins, balcony rooms, oceanview and inside. In addition, there were barrier-free staterooms. All cabins as amenities offered safe, air-conditioning, bathroom (WC / shower), minibar, phone, flat TV. Family cabins with veranda were sized 20 m2 with capacity up to 5 passengers.

The ship's main dining room was the aft-located, 2-deck Atlantic Restaurant (capacity 950 seats). The other main dining option was the complimentary Anckelmannsplatz Buffet. Room service was available 24 hours.

Follows the complete list of Mein Schiff 1 restaurants and food bars.

• "Atlantic Classic" (950-seat, complimentary main dining room (of all three) for buffet-style Breakfast and waiter-served Lunch and Dinner. Some menu inclusions are at extra charge
• "Richards Fine Dining (70-seat dinner restaurant, reservations required, at surcharge PP)
• Surf & Turf (specialty seafood and steakhouse restaurant)
• Blaue Welt Bar (45-seat sushi bar at surcharge, dinner-only 6:30 - 11:00 p.m.)
• Anckelmannsplatz buffet restaurant (412-seat, with a partially covered outdoor area for al-fresco dining; complimentary, self-service, with various food stations)
• GOSCH Sylt (80-seat complimentary seafood restaurant, a la carte menu; with outdoor seating area)
• Cliff 24 (24-hour, 40-seat complimentary Grill Bar, serving the pool deck area)
• La Vela (66-seat complementary bistro)
• Aussenalster Bar (91-seat complimentary al fresco dining and sports bar).

The primary shipboard entertainment was in the 927-seat Theater (ship's main show lounge) with 2 nightly shows. A 200-seat cinema doubled as a lecture room. Fortunes Casino's gambling options included roulette and blackjack tables and slot machines. The ship's duty-free shops had liquor, tobaccos, jewelry, perfumes, travel essentials, and convenience goods.

The ship had several bars, clubs, and discos, including the Nightclub, the Lounge, Rendezvous Lounge, the cigar bar. Among the onboard activities were computer classes, bingo, trivia games, dancing classes.

Of all 3 swimming pools, 2 were saltwater (with 5 large whirlpools / hot-tubs), and 1 was freshwater (located under the greenhouse-like roof). The Steiner AquaSpa (Japanese-styled) had its own rock garden and offered many personal services, massages, and thalassotherapy. The ship had an extensive art collection on display. Follows the complete list of Mein Schiff 1 lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for adults, kids, and teens.

• Theater (main show lounge for grand-style show productions; with a revolving stage and eight dynamic LED screens)
• Internet computers room
• Wii-Corner (kids/teens gaming arcade)
• Sturmfrei (Teens Lounge featuring video gaming consoles, dance floor, foosball table, activities like karaoke, cooking classes, teen parties, movies, etc.)
• Atelier (Workshop/art studio for painters); Walentowski Art Gallery; Fotogalerie (Photo Gallery); Library/Bibliothek
• Wein & Wahrheit Vinothek (15-seat fine wine shop)
• Aussicht Bar (25-seat night cocktail bar)
• The Neuer Wall shopping arcades
• Blaue Welt Bar & Lounge; Nasch Bar (40-seat); TUI Bar; Abtanz Bar (100-seat disco nightclub); Uberschau Bar (25-seat wellness bar with a "healthy drinks" menu)
• Casino (170-seat; open only during sea days)
• Himmel & Meer Lounge (Suite Guests only); X-Lounge (Suite-guests only lounge)
• SPA & Meer (SPA & Sea complex with a Finnish Sauna, Oriental steam bath, relaxation area, Spa Suites, La Vida Bar, SPA Shop, Beauty Salon)
• Sport & Gesunheit (Sport & Health Fitness Centre; Fitness classes/personal trainers provided at a surcharge)
• Aussenpool (outdoor pool area with a 25 m long swimming pool, extensive sunbathing area, Aussenalster Bar & Grill)
• Insel der Seerauber (Pirates' Island Kids Club complimentary lounge)
• Sun deck area (11,990 m2; the forward section features Entspannungsinseln/Relaxation Islands with mini-balconies, available for rent)
• Outdoor sports area (with a full-size sports court for basketball, volleyball, golf simulator)
• Grune Oase (Green Oasis - outdoor sports area for open-air classes - stretching, relaxation, Yoga, Pilates); Power Walking / Jogging Track
• Lounges & Bars: Ausenalster, Abtanz, Aussicht, Blaue Welt, Nasch, TUI, Unverzicht, Uberschau, La Vida Sana Bar, Himmel & Meer, Casino Lounge, Wein & Wahrheit, X-Lounge.
• Spa, Fitness Center (aerobic classes), jogging track, 3 jacuzzis, 2 outdoor swimming pools (1 with salt water, 1 freshwater /covered), duty-free shops, shop, 927-seat Theater, Casino, Kids Club.

Marella Adriatic Affair Cruise – Ports of Call Review

We have wanted to visit Croatia for a few years now and when we found the Marella Cruises Adriatic Affair Itinerary it was perfect. It was a seven day cruise on the Marella Celebration Cruise Ship .

It would take us to 3 different ports of call in Croatia, firstly Dubrovnik, then Rijeka, and Korcula. In addition to Croatia, we would also be visiting Koper in Slovenia, Durres in Albania and Venice in Italy. In this post we show you what these ports of call have to offer and whether this itinerary is for you!

Dubrovnik – our first port of call on the Marella Adriatic Affair Cruise 

Our first port of call on the Marella Adriatic Affair Cruise was Dubrovnik. We left England at 0900 and arrived at the port of Dubrovnik at 1300. The drive to the port only took 30 minutes and the views were superb. Make sure you sit on the left side of your transport to enjoy this view.

Looking down onto Dubrovnik

We were not due to sail away from Dubrovnik until 2200 so had time to explore. We were informed that Muster drill was at 1730, this was a bit frustrating as it was smack bang in the middle of the time we had in port. Instead of getting straight off the ship to explore, we decided to get to know the ship and get off after the drill. The Old town of Dubrovnik is not within walking distance but easily accessible by taxi. Taxis were readily available at the terminal and we paid 13 euros, which seemed a set fee talking to other passengers. After a 10 minute journey we arrived at the walls of Dubrovnik.

The walls of the old town in Dubrovnik

The old town of Dubrovnik was spectacular. A large walled city with tiny alley ways shooting off in all directions from the main streets. If you want to walk the wall there its an additional cost of 120 Kuna (£13.50), however, as the last entrance to the wall was at 7pm we didn’t have time to do it. If you want to walk the wall make sure you come earlier in the day.

Cooling off in Dubrovnik

It was a very hot day when we visited, around the narrow streets there is some shade and drinking fountains to be found. However we would advise taking a bottle of water off the ship when you go.

Game of Thrones Steps

Paul being a huge Game of Thrones fan, wanted to find the famous steps where Cersei does the Walk of Shame, and we found them quite easily. A very popular spot and it is impossible to get any photo’s that are not full of other tourists!

Pin for future reference!

Beautiful Dubrovnik

It certainly is a beautiful port of call, one of the nicest we have visited and within easy reach from the port of Dubrovnik. I am sure that we will return here again one day.

Rijeka, Croatia – our second port of call on our  Marella Adriatic Affair Cruise 

After a day at sea, our second port of call on the Marella Cruises Adriatic Affair was Rijeka, Croatia. A free shuttle bus to the centre of Rijeka was provided for the journey into town and within 10 minutes we arrived at a little marina and some market stalls.

Shuttle bus drop off in Rijeka

Rijeka is a pleasant town, however, not as picturesque as Dubrovnik. There was a pedestrian area with lots of cafes and restaurants and it was reasonably priced to eat and drink. Shopping was very cheap and our friend Pelican Pete who we met on the ship bought a pair of swimming shorts for only £2!

Market in Rjeka

We walked around for a couple of hours, there was interesting architecture if you looked up but fairly bland at eye level. We found a busy fruit market which was entertaining. We enjoyed our day, it was a pleasant port of call but not somewhere we feel the need to return.

Square in Rjeka

Koper Slovenia – our third port of call  Marella Adriatic Affair Cruise 

Only a few minutes walk from the ship you will find some steps and a lift that takes you up to the town. We really liked our wander through the town of Koper, it had a very chilled vibe with a cafe culture and a really relaxed atmosphere.

Koper, Slovenia

Walking back to the ship we came across a man made pebble beach where families were enjoying a swim. So don’t forget to take your swimmers if you fancy a dip.

Walking around the town we also found a pretty harbour with an area where there were mist showers to cool you down, they were very welcome in the heat.

Cooling down!

This was our first experience of Slovenia and we loved it! Koper was a lovely port of call, with everything within walking distance. Our taster of Slovenia has made us want to see more!

Sailing away from Koper

Venice, Italy – our fourth  port of call on the  Marella Adriatic Affair Cruise 

We decided to get up early and watch the sail to Venice, we are so glad we did.

After leaving the ship, walk for approximately 5 minutes and you will see the water taxi booths. It cost 15 euros each for a return ticket, or 8 euros for a single journey. The journey only takes 20 minutes, and the water taxi drops you literally 5 minutes walk from St Mark’s square. Coming back we had to queue, so make sure you give yourselves plenty of time to get back to the ship, you do not want to see the ship sailing off into the distance!

Gondola’s of Venice

We knew that when we visited Venice we wanted to have a gondola ride so we decided to see what deals were available. There were varying prices for up to €100. Make sure you head away from St Mark’s Square area and you can pick one up for €80. This was the cheapest price that we found. We shared our gondola with a couple Pete and Lesley who we had met on the ship so that cut the cost too. It was a fun thing to do and we are glad we did it. Also another experience ticked off the bucket list!

Stunning canals of Venice

A trip to Italy would not be complete without sampling some Gelato. At 2 euros each it was actually not too expensive and it was delicious! Pizza was also on our agenda and we found a lovely little restaurant with a covered garden and had the most excellent Pizza. It was also good value, the total bill was 21 euros per couple which included a fanta and a beer, and a limoncello shot to finish!

St Marks Square

We enjoyed St Mark’s square and stood at a distance to listen to the music outside the Florian Hotel, and watched the waiters busily serving the customers. Interestingly we met a Mum and her daughter at dinner on the ship that night, they explained they had sat down by the music and ordered two coffees and two fairy type cakes, when their bill came it was 55 euros. The breakdown of the bill showed that they had been charged 6 euros each for the pleasure of listening to the music! Venice is expensive but if you move away from the main tourists spots you can find reasonably priced food and drink.

The Florian

We had a fantastic day in Venice it is truly a beautiful port of call. We walked miles, got lost a lot, but thoroughly enjoyed it. Venice is certainly a photographers paradise, and we will definitely be returning!

Grand Canal

Korcula, Croatia – our fifth  port of call on the  Marella Adriatic Affair Cruise

Beautiful Korcula

This was the only port of call where we had to be tendered to shore. The tendering system was efficient and within 10 minutes we had arrived at the shore. A few minutes walk and we were within the walls of the Old town in Korcula.

The walls of Korcula

Best described as a miniature Dubrovnik, Korcula is surrounded by crystal clear waters. It was delightful, we walked the cobbled streets and alleys, and had a great afternoon. There were plenty of restaurants and bars available, where you could just sit and watch the world go by.

Stunning coastline

We really liked Korcula, it was stunning in all directions. A superb port of call and a place where we would love to spend more time.

Wandering beautiful Korcula

Durres, Albania – our sixth  port of call on the  Marella Adriatic Affair Cruise 

We were not sure what to expect with our visit to Albania. Our first views of the port was not very picturesque, it was very industrial.

Port of Durres

We walked out of the port, wandered straight ahead, and found the town of Durres within a few minutes. We passed a few empty squares, some cafes and there were some opportunities to shop. The prices advertised were extremely cheap.

If you turn left out of the port, you will find the beach. It was deserted but not the nicest. We spent a few hours walking around Durres but must admit we did not really enjoy our time here. If Durres is one of your ports of call on your cruise, then we would advise on booking an excursion, so you can explore a different part of Albania.

Beach in Durres

We thoroughly enjoyed our Marella Adriatic Affair Cruise. The diverse ports of call made it a very interesting holiday. We enjoyed the various experiences and I am sure we will be back to this part of the world in the not so distant future.

Further Reading/Videos –

Marella Cruises Page

Our YOU TUBE CHANNEL has lots of Marella cruise ship tours and reviews so do check it out too.

Thanks for reading!

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Thomson Celebration docked in Koper, Slovenia