Everything you need to know about Marella Cruises’ affordable all-inclusive packages

TUI is a one-stop shop when it comes to family holidays. And while you might be familiar with its impressive array of package holidays, all-inclusive hotels, lakes and mountains resorts and city breaks, you might not know as much about its UK cruise line, Marella Cruises.

With a fantastic choice of itineraries in the Med, the Atlantic and the Caribbean and a fleet of ships that have a relaxed and laid-back feel, a Marella cruise is well worth considering if you’re thinking about booking a cruise for your next family holiday. It’s an affordable introduction to the world of cruising, as its all-inclusive packages offer excellent value. Cruise pricing can be notoriously tricky to get to grips with, especially when it comes to things like drinks bundles and tips, but Marella Cruises has made it easy for families to see exactly what’s included upfront like food and drink, flights, transfers, cabin accommodation, onboard entertainment, kids’ clubs and even tips! 

As with all things TUI, booking is a breeze — flexible payment options make footing the bill manageable and all reservations come with ATOL and ABTA protection. And right now you can save up to £300 per booking as part of Marella’s ‘Adventure Awaits’ Cruise Promotion. 

We’ve rounded up everything you need to know about Marella Cruises including insights from Mumsnetters that have sailed onboard and returned to drop anchor in our popular holidays forum.

-Mumsnet user, PinkPondQueen

What’s included in the price of a Marella Cruises holiday?

The nice thing about Marella - it’s all inclusive so no need to buy a drinks package.” FestivalFun

They were very generous with the all-inclusive drinks! It was such good value for money.” PinkPondQueen

The food is (I think) excellent and the drink choice good.” sproutsandparsnips

Cruise holiday pricing can be confusing. Figuring out if a quoted price includes flights and transfers and whether it’s worth investing in a drinks package is no easy task. And that’s before you even look into tips (which is a pricing minefield in itself). Thankfully, Marella Cruises has kept things simple as all packages are sold on an all-inclusive basis, which is a great way to manage family finances as you know exactly what you’re paying for in advance. The standard all-inclusive price includes the following:

• Return flights from the UK

• Transfers to/from the ship

• Cabin accommodation

• Daily breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks

• Selected beer, cider, spirits, house wine and a range of cocktails

• Onboard entertainment

• Use of kids’ clubs 

• Access to amenities like pools**, gyms, games rooms and minigolf 

• Tips

Or you can upgrade to a Premium All-Inclusive Package to take advantage of premium spirits, an upgraded wine list, premium coffees, cans of soft drink, fresh juices and a 1.5-litre bottle of water per cabin per day. 

Tips can be tricky to figure out, even for seasoned cruisers. Some cruise lines charge a daily service fee as well as adding gratuities to bar tabs and services, which can result in a hefty bill at the end of your trip. It’s reassuring to know that the all-inclusive price on a Marella cruise covers all tips so it’s one less thing to worry about. 

-Mumsnet user, Zipps 

Which Marella Cruises ships are best for families?

We took our DSs on a Marella med cruise when they were teenagers and it was a brilliant family holiday. Lots to do on board day and night. Days out in different places every day. Great food. It's a bit like a huge all inclusive hotel with a different city on the doorstep each day.” Tukto

There are five ships in the Marella Cruises fleet and while Marella Explorer 2 is an adults-only ship, the other ships are very family friendly and feature amenities like kids’ clubs, splash pools and game zones.  

Here’s a brief rundown of Marella’s family-friendly ships:

Marella Voyager: The fleet’s newest ship features 27 dining and drinking venues, a swimming pool with whirlpool baths, an indoor cinema and a huge Broadway Show Lounge for evening entertainment. There’s a kids’ club for children aged 3-11 as well as sessions for babies 6+ months and an area for teens. Families will love the mini golf course at the top of the ship. 

Marella Explorer: One of the fleet’s largest ships, Marella Explorer is perfect for active families. There’s a sports court for basketball and mini football, kids’ clubs for children of all ages, a jogging track and a table tennis area. There are plenty of opportunities to indulge though  — whether that’s at Scoops for gelatos; Snack Shack for beach-style dining; or at Indigo Bar for cocktails and silent discos. It’s also home to Marella’s largest spa.

Marella Discovery: With a striking five-storey atrium with glass lifts, Marella Discovery is a good looking ship with a great dining scene. The Glass House restaurant is styled like a hip beach club with a conservatory and Balinese beds, and the two-storey main restaurant features a grand double staircase. Families will love the rock climbing wall for thrills and views as well as the minigolf course. Kids’ clubs cater for children from three to 11 and there’s a gamer zone for interactive fun. The Broadway Show Lounge and outdoor cinema provide evening entertainment. 

Marella Discovery 2: The sister ship to Marella Discovery, this one is similar in design and shares many of its top-notch features including the impressive atrium, swanky Glass House and fun climbing wall. Don’t miss a West End-style show at the Broadway Show Lounge or a family quiz at the Squid & Anchor pub. Older kids will love the Virtual Reality Experience where they can sample new worlds via state-of-the-art headsets. 

-Mumsnet users, lateSeptember1964 

How can you save money on a Marella cruise?

As part of Marella’s ‘Adventure Awaits’ Cruise Promotion, you can currently save up to £300 per booking*. The discount applies to both short-haul and long-haul sailings so you can explore many of the destinations that the Marella Cruises’ ships sail to, from Santorini to St Lucia. If you’re considering booking a cruise for next year, it’s definitely worth snapping up a substantial saving now. The offer applies to selected sailings departing up until April 2026 so there are plenty of itineraries to choose from, with many departing in the school holidays. 

Take advantage of TUI’s flexible payment options to split the cost over a number of months by paying in instalments and you can secure a reservation with deposits as low as £100 per person. 

For an extra saving, sign up for a myTUI account where you can manage all your bookings in one place and receive exclusive myTUI deals. By signing up you can get an additional £20 off per booking. 

-Mumsnet user, FestivalFun

Where do Marella Cruises sail to?

With 100+ destinations to explore, you’re bound to find an itinerary to suit the whole family ona date that works for everyone. The Mediterranean is a Marella Cruises mainstay and there are sunny sailings in the western Med (Spain, France, Italy) and the eastern Med (Greece, Turkey, Cyprus). The Canaries is popular with families and is a great choice if you’re seeking warm temperatures all year round. Further afield, you can discover gorgeous islands in the Caribbean including Aruba, Grand Turk and Barbados.

One of the perks of booking with Marella Cruisesis that there’s over 200TUI hotels to choose from if you’d like to extend your holiday with a Cruise & Stay package. 

What excursions are available on a Marella cruise?

There’s a huge range of shore excursions available on all cruise itineraries, from kayaking in Croatia to snorkelling in St Lucia, with a range of tours that are perfect for families. 

You can either book shore excursions in advance or when you’re onboard. Note that popular tours can sell out so it’s worth reserving a space ahead of time to secure your slot, particularly if it’s a trip that appeals to the whole family. 

There’s no obligation to book shore excursions though. You can disembark at any of the ports of call and explore each destination at your leisure. Or take advantage of some quiet time on the ship and spend the day onboard instead. 

What are the Marella Cruises kids’ clubs like?

Have been on a few before and love Marella as it’s so friendly, the food is plentiful and excellent and the ships and activities are very keyed up for children.” FudgeMcFlurry

On [Marella] Discovery my oldest then 9 loved the club along with two other friends she made.” Cruiseyoulose 

All four of Marella Cruises’ family-friendly ships have free kids’ clubs that cater to children from three to 11 years old. The M Club runs daily sessions including crafting, mini discos and quizzes, and there’s also parent-accompanied activities for kids aged 6+ months. 

There’s also a Hideout area for teens which is kitted out with games consoles and comfy chairs. On peak season sailings the Hideout may host events like gaming tournaments and silent discos.

Marella Cruises ‘Adventure Awaits’ Cruise Promotion T&Cs

*Use code WAVE300 to save £300 per Marella Cruise booking for long-haul sailings and code WAVE200 to save £200 per booking on short and mid-haul sailings departing between 1 November 2024 and 31 December 2025 and before any extras such as insurance & flight extras, are added. Minimum duration is 7 nights. Offer must be selected at time of booking and applies to new bookings only. Offer excludes cabin only. Repositional cruises are included in this offer. No minimum spend applies. The offer is subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice. Enter the code WAVE300 or WAVE200 in upper case when on the holiday payment page of our website. This promotional code is non-transferable and not valid in conjunction with any other discount code. Please see www.tui.co.uk/cruise or the relevant brochure for full booking terms and conditions that apply. Full T&Cs here.

**Note that only children that are toilet trained are able to use the pools. 

About TUI

When it comes to booking a holiday, we know everyone likes something different - from great value all inclusive deals with TUI MAGIC LIFE where kids can go free* at selected hotels to our action packed Holiday Village options and our TUI BLUE for families hotels which cater for everyone and are handpicked just for your family.

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About the author 

Rachel Erdos is an Editor at Mumsnet where she commissions, edits and writes content with a focus on family travel. She has written hotel reviews, features and destination guides for publications including the Guardian, Four Seasons Magazine, Travelzoo, Visit Britain and Visit London, and worked as an Editor at Cruise Critic where she cruised with Viking Cruises and Costa Cruises. She loves nothing more than researching and writing about fun things for families to do in destinations near and far.