By
Alex Smith |
Marella Cruises' Discovery has departed from Cruise Terminal 5 at Port Canaveral, beginning a series of 26 weekly sailings from May until November. This sailing also marks Marella's inaugural voyage from the USA.
Rear Admiral Wayne Justice, commissioner of Canaveral Port Authority, presented Captain Chris Douglass of Marella Discovery with a commemorative plaque to welcome the ship to Port Canaveral for the first time. As the ship departed from Port Canaveral, it received a traditional water gun salute led by Fireboat 2 from Canaveral Fire Rescue, accompanied by two tugboats provided by Seabulk and E.N. Bisso.
"We are excited to extend a warm welcome to Marella Cruises’ Discovery and honoured that they’ve chosen to base their first homeport in the United States at Port Canaveral,” said Captain John Murray, CEO of Port Canaveral. "Their decision to join us is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team and only adds to our reputation as the world's busiest port. We are proud to be associated with a high-quality brand as Marella and look forward to providing an exceptional customer experience for their guests."
Marella will operate five flights weekly from the UK to Melbourne Orlando International Airport. These flights will bring approximately 1,500 British passengers each week, who will then embark on cruises. The cruise line becomes the sixth to homeport at the Port, joining Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean International.
“It gives me a great amount of pride to welcome the Marella Discovery as Port Canaveral’s newest homeported vessel,” said Admiral Justice. “This exciting milestone marks a significant moment for our Port, and we look forward to welcoming passengers from around the world as they embark on unforgettable adventures from Florida’s Space Coast. We’re honoured to have Marella Cruises as a valuable partner in our community."
Marella Discovery will offer varying itineraries on its ‘American Dream, Floridian Favourites, and Sunshine State and Sands’ programme, with planned visits to Charleston, South Carolina, New York City, Norfolk, Virginia, New Orleans, Key West, Miami, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, and Freeport and Nassau in the Bahamas.