Marella Voyager Review

Manageable Marella Voyager Deck Plan Makes For Easier-Than-Average Navigation

Marella Voyager's deck plan is easily navigable by most standards, though it would benefit slightly from clearer signage to indicate forward from aft. Deck 11 is the hub for daytime action, being both the pool deck (complete with bar, snack bar and stage) and where you’ll find The Kitchens – the busiest area of the ship for breakfast and lunch times. Adults seeking peace away from the bustle can slip into the Oceans Spa on Deck 11 or ascend to The Veranda on Deck 14, the only real kid-free area and certainly the quietest. Different ages tend to coexist happily throughout the ship, although we were sailing outside of UK school holidays.

Decks 5 through to 7 contain most of the entertainment, premium dining and bar lounge areas, so you’ll find most passengers gravitating to this part of the ship in the evening. The Marella Voyager deck plan does a pretty good job of separating sleeping areas from the livelier nightlife. There might be some sound spill from the Squid & Anchor into Deck 8 aft cabins, but most late-night shenanigans are contained in The Electric Rooms on Deck 12. We found our suite on Deck 10 perfectly positioned for easy pool and dining access and (besides one weekly pool deck party) away from any after-dark din.

Straightforward, Spruced-up Cabins Offer Comfort Where it Counts

With a dozen or so room types, passengers shouldn’t struggle to find one that ticks the right boxes for them. Freshly zhuzhed up in 2023, all the cabins we saw felt clean and contemporary with spaces thoughtfully laid-out for those travelling in families or groups. Categories break down into the standard Inside, Outside, Balcony, Family and Suite, all delivering where it really matters with comfy beds, effective air con and good showers.

We were undeniably impressed with what the Executive Suites have to offer, both in terms of size and finish – families might want to consider stretching their budget for one if possible. That said, cosier Family Balcony Cabins can sleep up to one more (five in all) and still provide a feeling of light and space.

Which cabins to avoid depends largely on your plans on board. Night owls won’t mind cabins aft cabins on Deck 8 that sit above the Squid & Anchor pub, where there can be music past midnight. Noise and footfall around the kids’ club on Deck 9 aft might cause annoyance to cabins close by, especially during school holidays. Half a dozen cabins also have restricted picture window views on forward Deck 4, so check the Marella Voyager deck plan beforehand if this would be an issue.

Marella Voyager Has the Widest Food Selection in the Fleet

There’s a welcome return of many of Marella Cruises' food staples, from the likes of premium dining Surf & Turf and Kora La to the popular poolside grab-and-go Snack Shack. The biggest dining development has been replacing the traditional buffet with food-court-style The Kitchens, offering an impressive choice of eight distinctive stations. We found food quality generally above-par and with daily variations on each theme. Dining experience in the ship’s main dining room, Latitude 53, could feel a little conveyer-belt with long waits at peak times, but service is swift and the menu didn’t disappoint. New-to-the-line Mexican eatery Abuela’s scored high for their dinner offering (though someone should tell them chorizo and churros are Spanish). Another big step forward is in the ship’s increased selection of meat-free dishes, totalling several dozen in all, as well as plenty of plant-based alternatives to keep veggies and vegans happy.