‘Guilty’ pleasures, ‘shock’ balcony sights & Turkish bathhouses: I sailed on Marella Discovery

Words by Jo Kessel

For years I’ve been watching bloggers rave about Marella Cruises – a British line that’s the UK cruise arm of the German tour operator TUI. The major appeal of Marella is that it offers a properly all-inclusive holiday. Sail with them and literally everything is covered in your fare: flights, transfers, tips and even drinks. Sound appealing? You bet it does and so I booked myself onto one of their five ships – Marella Discovery – to check it out.

Marella Discovery ship: First impressions and layout

The TUI flight and transfer were smooth and in no time I was stepping on board the Marella Cruises ship in Marmaris for my seven-night Greece and Turkey cruise. Despite being nearly 30 years old (it was built in 1995) the 1830-passenger capacity Marella Discovery doesn’t show its age. Its six-deck dome-topped atrium is classical and elegant and the beauty about the deck plan of a ship this size is that nowhere is too far and it’s simple to navigate.

– READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Marella Cruises –

Marella Discovery cabins: Comfort and modern amenities

My balcony cabin turned out to be fortuitously located on deck six next to the ship’s café Coffee Port. This made it easy to grab a cappuccino or pot of tea to take back to the room, a pastime which became a frequent, guilty pleasure.

In 2022 the majority of Marella Discovery cabins (including mine) saw a refurbishment that introduced USB and British plug sockets – the ship had originally been built for Royal Caribbean and the American market.

Décor was spruced up then too and my cabin was bright, modern and comfortable, though only basic toiletries are provided – think shower gel and a couple of bars of soap. Pack your own if you need anything else.

My cabin was #6004, right at the front of the ship and, if you’re a sucker for a uniform, then you might want to consider this stateroom for yourself. I ventured onto the balcony the next morning to watch us sail into Limassol and, while looking up, got the shock of my life.

I knew my cabin was forward, but THIS forward? Not only did I have an excellent view of the bridge, but also of the Captain steering the ship. He waved when he saw me and even engaged in some chitchat! Obviously I thanked him for doing such a great job.

– READ MORE: How to choose the best cruise ship cabins for you –

Marella Discovery cruise ship: Facilities and entertainment

The next day was at sea and the perfect opportunity to get to know the ship, from its two pools (one indoors, one out) and sun decks to its hot tubs. What struck me is how happy a ship it was: everyone, everywhere, both passengers and crew, was always smiling. And considering Marella Discovery’s relatively petite size, it was impressive to find a climbing wall [below, left] and mini-golf at the back of it too. There was always plenty of other entertainment going on as well, from live music to quizzes and dance classes.

Marella Discovery drinks: All-inclusive board

Was everyone so smiley because drinks were free? Probably, yes. Being able to order a coke or a Pina Colada any time you fancy is enough to cheer anyone up! I’m more a wine kind of girl so in the name of research, I sampled all the house tipples. The white vino was light and smooth; the rose was full-bodied; the red was very drinkable. All were Spanish and none were posh vintages, but they slipped down nicely, no complaints.

For £90pp a week you can upgrade to the Premium Package which entitles you to unlimited higher end brands, cuvées and cocktails, but most passengers don’t bother and instead just purchase the occasional non-included drink, all of which are reasonably priced. Take the ‘Five O’ Clock Tea’ cocktail – only £3.95 – a delicious blend of Earl Grey-infused gin, lemon curd and sparkling wine which really hit the spot.

– READ MORE: Marella Discovery 2 to get a new look – what we know –

Marella Discovery value: Shore excursions and low costs

The bonus of sailing with Marella is that you don’t have to pay a penny more than the cruise fare if you don’t want to and you won’t be missing out. However it is worth considering purchasing the odd shore excursion. I normally prefer to explore independently, but Marella’s excursions were such good value that I couldn’t resist.

One was a spa day at an authentic Turkish Bathhouse in Alanya, a two-hour circuit which included a sauna, steam room, a 30-minute oil massage, plus a scrubbing and cleaning session. This involved being body-brushed, lathered, doused in foam and sloshed with buckets of warm water, all while lying on a marble slab. It ended up being a massive cruise highlight and only cost £25. Bargain!

And that pretty much sums up Marella. It never feels like they’re trying to fleece you for every last penny. Its shops are always selling reduced-price items – I bought a dress for £7.50 and playing cards for £1 a pack.

Marella Discovery Restaurants: Dining options and quality

Even speciality dining is inexpensive. I enjoyed one dinner (£20pp extra) at its Asian eatery Kora La [above, right]. The crispy duck and watermelon starter followed by plum-glazed sea bass wrapped in a bamboo leaf were so superb that the dishes lingered on my taste buds for days.

Equally the food in Marella Discovery’s free restaurants, including the buffet and main dining room, is good and varied enough to not feel compelled to eat elsewhere.

– READ MORE: We sailed on newest ship Marella Voyager – what happened –

Marella Discovery itinerary and location

Mine was the last of Marella Discovery’s European sailings for the year, so where is the ship’s location now? It’s in the Caribbean for winter before it returns to the Med in the spring of 2025. However, my itinerary – called ‘Ancient Icons’ – will be sailed by Marella Discovery’s identical sister ship Marella Discovery 2. And it’s swapping Marmaris for Limassol as the homeport.

Marella Discovery cruises: Final verdict

Marella Discovery is a distinctive cruise ship which is hard to forget. Its nightly theatre shows are a cut above, performed by a passionate cast. And it has a playful sense of humour, as demonstrated by a trio of eye-catching llama statues – the giant pink one resides permanently in the atrium, but the blue and yellow ones are constantly being moved around the ship to keep guests guessing. And it has standards too: while there’s no formal dress code, they do prefer men to wear a top with a collar.

Most of my fellow passengers were serial cruisers who know a good thing when they’ve found one. And what they’ve found is a winning formula – a good value, good quality all-inclusive cruise package. As for all those bloggers who’d been raving about it? Well, their reviews were spot on.

– READ MORE: Where does Marella sail in the Caribbean? –