Marella Discovery Review

4.0 / 5.0
546 reviews
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Editor Rating
4.0
Very Good
Overall
Leon Beckenham
Contributor

Taking over from Marella Dream as the line's newest and largest ship, the 1,830-passenger Marella Discovery set sail on its maiden voyage from Palma de Mallorca in June 2016. It was joined by a sister vessel, Marella Discovery II, in April 2017.

Marella Discovery is not a new-build however, but a well-seasoned (1996) ship that had previously been sailing as Royal Caribbean's Splendour of the Seas. It had a $53 million overhaul in 2011, and a further six-week refit completed in April 2016, and was unveiled in its present incarnation complete with new name, new signage and new features. (Note: It was reborn as TUI Discovery, but that name was changed in October 2017. Marella, incidentally, is Celtic for "shining sea".)

The ship was reborn sporting a brand-new look and feel, with a modern wave design on the hull, brightened up interiors and a number of new features including speciality restaurants, several new bars, and redesigned public spaces. Gone is the dark and dingy casino, replaced with the light and colourful flagship Live Room bar. Dining areas sparkle (with the exception of the still rather dowdy buffet restaurant), and updated cabins are modern, clean and comfortable.

A minnow compared to most of its contemporaries, Marella Discovery won't be overwhelming for first-timers, while still managing to squeeze enough in to keep the more seasoned cruiser happy.

Marella Cruises (nee Thomson) is in fact the U.K. cruise brand of German giant, the TUI Group, but despite its German owners -- the vessel is as British as cod and chips. Expect British-brand teabags (both Yorkshire and Twinings), bottles of HP sauce, and John Smith's by the pint.

While still offering plenty of mainstream mealtime favourites, dining on the Discovery has seriously upped its game, in both its free and speciality offerings. Its main dining room, 47°, backs up glittering surrounds with excellent food and service, while the Surf & Turf Steakhouse would compare well with any land-based eatery. Service throughout the ship (from the mostly long-term serving crew) is efficient, smiley, and super-friendly -- expect to be on first name terms with some by the end of the cruise.

Although largely lacking the way of hi-tech wizardry or state-of-the-art showstoppers, the likes of virtual dance classes and touch-screen booking technology do lend the ship a distinctively 21st-century feel. While billed as family-friendly -- and it largely is -- parents with younger kids might struggle to keep their tots entertained.

The ship was a deserved winner of the 2016 Editors' Picks Awards for Best New Ship, and the move (in 2017) to the ship going all-inclusive has cemented its appeal as a great all-rounder accessible to most budgets.

Pros

Manageable-size ship with outstanding service and some excellent dining

Cons

Despite a multimillion dollar refit parts of the ship can still feel dated

Bottom Line

It's an impressive next step in the TUI/Thomson fleet and sure to have widespread appeal

About

Passengers: 1830
Crew: 761
Passenger to Crew: 2.4:1
Launched: 1996
Shore Excursions: 704

Fellow Passengers

Passengers onboard Marella Discovery hail almost exclusively from the British Isles. As well as a strong leaning towards retirees, typical cruisers also comprise working families with young kids and teens, together with the occasional young couple. Thanks to the trust in the Thomson brand (as it was), it's a popular pick with first-timers, though most passengers already have at least a few cruises under their belt.

Marella Discovery Dress Code

There's been a concerted shift to a more casual approach to dress on the Marella Discovery. While scruffy is certainly not de la mode, younger passengers lean towards a relaxed mix of jeans, t-shirts, and the odd piece of sportswear; more senior cruisers tend to stick to smart casual. There's still opportunities to break out the glad rags, with the traditional Captain's Gala Night replaced with a Dress To Impress evening; fancy gowns and tuxes aren't compulsory, though plenty seize the chance to pull on their best. The main restaurants -- 47° and Gallery 47° -- don't allow vests, shorts, or swimwear, and the two a la carte eateries and cocktail bar require collared shirts (with or without tie).

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More about Marella Discovery

Where does Marella Discovery sail from?

Marella Discovery departs from Barbados and Marmaris

Where does Marella Discovery sail to?

Marella Discovery cruises to

How much does it cost to go on Marella Discovery?

Cruises on Marella Discovery start from per person.

Is Marella Discovery a good ship to cruise on?

Marella Discovery won 27 awards over the years.
Marella Discovery Cruiser Reviews

Budget cruising

I have been cruising for nearly 60 years and been on countless cruises but I will give Discovery a fair review. Firstly if you want a 4 or 5 star cruise book another cruise line.Read More
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Hilary H

many10+ Cruises

Age 68s

Far too inconsistent

There were too many negative things with this cruise to tempt us back to Marella againRead More
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duncrieviedude

many10+ Cruises

Age 60s

Fantastic with a few hiccups!!

We will definitely be back on Marella Discovery, our compensation will be spent with the company that paid us.Read More
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Lindamcd

few6-10 Cruises

Age 70s

Marella - First Time Cruising

I am already looking at another Marella cruise for my solo trip next year, hopefully with Discovery again as I had the best time and loved the close knit family that the team are on this boat.Read More
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Megan Maynard

oneFirst Time Cruiser

Age 24s

Marella Cruises Fleet
Marella Discovery
Marella Discovery 2

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