By
Rebecca Gibson |
Marella Cruises, TUI’s UK cruise brand, is to permanently turn Marella Discovery 2 into an adults-only ship and introduce four new onboard entertainment spaces ahead of the winter 2027 season.
The brand will replace children-only spaces with a speakeasy, an escape room, a karaoke room and an arts and crafts area.
Marella Discovery 2 will homeport from three ports in the winter 2027, operating from Tenerife and Gran Canaria between November 2027 and March 2028, then from Malaga in March and April. The ship will also sail a new seven-night ‘Atlantic Fusion’ itinerary from Las Palmas to Santa Cruz de Tenerife in Gran Canaria; Puerto del Rosario, Fuerteventura; Arrecife, Lanzarote; and Agadir, Morocco.
“Our winter 2027 programme will focus on the regeneration of Marella Discovery 2 returning as an adults-only ship for a second consecutive winter season,” said Chris Hackney, CEO at Marella Cruises. “With demand for adults-only cruising continuing to grow, we’re investing in four new onboard concepts to enhance the experience even further.”
In winter 2027, Marella Cruises’ five ships will operate sailings from a total of six European and Caribbean ports. Both Marella Voyager and Marella Explorer 2 will provide Caribbean itineraries from Barbados throughout the season, and Marella Discovery will be based in La Romana, Dominican Republic, between November 2027 and March 2028. The ship will then embark on a transatlantic journey to Palma, Majorca, and begin a month of cruises from the port. Meanwhile, Marella Explorer will offer various Canarian itineraries from Tenerife and Las Palmas.
Marella Cruises has also added 39 new hotels to its ‘Cruise & Stay’ offering, bringing the total number of properties in its portfolio up to 197. The new hotels are located in Barbados, La Romana, Gran Canaria, Malaga, Palma and Tenerife.
In addition, guests staying in Royal Suites, Voyager Suites and Executive Suites across the entire fleet will now benefit from Suite Service Max – a range of in suite amenities, exclusive dining privileges and ‘surprise and delight moments’.
“With brand-new itineraries, festive overnight stays, repositional cruises, transatlantic cruises and an expansion of 39 hotels for our cruise and stay offering, we’re continuing to evolve our holidays to give customers more ways to cruise with Marella Cruises,” said Hackney.