We tried out TUI ship Marella Voyager – what’s onboard?

Words by Harriet Mallinson

Marella Cruises – the popular cruise arm of holiday brand TUI – launched its newest ship Marella Voyager in summer 2023. The vessel is the fifth ship in the Marella fleet and boasts 10 dining venues, 10 bars, brand-new entertainment, upgraded wellness facilities and a fresh selection of European itineraries. It’s all-inclusive as standard and family-friendly, with cruises currently operating around the Mediterranean and Canary Islands.

But what’s it really like onboard? We stepped aboard to find out – and were greeted by immersive bars, smoky margaritas and a silent disco that raged well into the night…

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

I’m being serenaded by a posh, intoxicated man sporting white tie and a pencil moustache. “Darling!” he yelps ecstatically, brandishing a bottle of Chianti as a brass drinks trolley of lurid cocktails squeaks its way across the room to us.

Yes, it’s akin to a Bertie Wooster-esque knees-up but the Chianti is more likely to be dyed water – although the cocktails are certainly real.

I’ve found myself in one of Marella Voyager’s immersive experiences, The Lock-in [above, left], held at new Marella Cruises venue The Exchange – accessed via a red telephone box (but only if you give the right password over the rotary dial phone). All very high jinks and very on-trend.

The themed shin-dig (which costs £15 and comes with three cocktails plus plenty of jovial singing and dancing) is just one of the many ways guests sailing on new Marella Voyager can keep thoroughly entertained of an evening.

Marella’s commitment to this was evidenced by Voyager’s exclusive christening ceremony in Malaga when Sailawaze sailed onboard – at which two-time Brit Awards winner, singer and songwriter, Becky Hill, performed before a display of fireworks illuminated the sky in a riot of colours as a grand finale [below].

So if your sailaway party is anything like mine – gold gyrating dancers, pyrotechnics and free-flowing drinks, all bathed in the glow of a sunset before the watchful eye of the full moon begins its shift – you’re in for a wild ride. Let’s find out how…

– READ MORE: Complete guide to Malaga cruise port –

No matter where in the world you cruise with Marella Voyager you’ll be getting your music fix. After I’m plunged into the 1920s world of red velvet sofas, martini glasses and ostrich feathers at The Exchange, I head to The Electric Rooms [below, right] where I’m whisked forward 100 years.

The ultra-modern nightclub bejazzled with an LED dancefloor and neon signs, hosts late-night dance parties and silent discos and, when I visit, is packed with sweaty revellers throwing shapes into the wee hours.

One such merrymaker, I boogie with abandon to classic hits and inhale my smoky margarita – literally, it’s presented in a glass case which bellows forth smoke like a (very delicious) science experiment gone awry.

Elsewhere, there’s the Broadway Theatre – the largest in the Marella fleet with room for 900 people – which hosts 12 production shows with two performances a night. You can also swing by Flutes, a glitzy pre- or post-dinner bar with a gold piano and ‘press for bubbles’ buttons, or try your luck at the Bar, Club and Casino.

For something more low key there’s a cinema [below, left] screening classic films and new releases throughout the day.

– READ MORE: Would you try out a mystery cruise? –

The Marella cruise ship has three new bars onboard. Perhaps most exciting is the speakeasy-style bar The Exchange, offering immersive entertainment and cocktails you won’t find elsewhere on the floating hotel. This intimate venue holds only 40 people.

For a pre-dinner drink head to The Summer House – it’s home to an open-air area with brilliant views as well as an indoor space with a retractable roof.

Also with more than one string to its bow is The Arts House, which replaces the Lounge Bar featured on other Marella ships. By day in The Arts House, there’s an arts and crafts zone, by night live musical entertainment comes to the fore.

Other Marella classics include traditional British pub Squid & Anchor plus an array of bars, Bar 53 for pre-dinner drinks, Atrium Bar for peaceful tipples with a live pianist, The Shack by the pool and Aperitif which has a specialist gin and whiskey menu.

Want to focus on less, well, boozy indulgence? Marella Voyager’s Oceans Spa is the biggest in the fleet where for £15 you can pamper yourself for two hours.

Treatments (I spot ocean-inspired wraps, coconut poultice massages and, intriguingly, a salon ‘Caviar Treatment’ on the menu) are an added extra. Massages start from £99 and a manicure will set you back at least £29.

Alternatively, relax in the array of saunas and steam rooms – variations include ‘herbal’ and ‘salt’ respectively, as though entrants are a tenderloin to be seasoned – and enjoy the ocean views as you cook; or head to the external relaxation area for more tranquil vistas (and fewer botanicals) at the front of the ship.

– READ MORE: All the most exciting things on ships right now –

There is a range of Marella cabins to choose from to match your needs and budget, and Brits will be thrilled to know they all come with turn-down service and a mini kettle plus tea and coffee. And yes, towel animals feature.

Inside cabins (the most affordable option onboard) look cosy and a bunk bed option lends the rooms a sleepover charm (although the lack of windows might eventually prove rather less enchanting) while an outside room offers a glimpse of the outside world without excessively depleting holiday funds.

Large balcony cabins come with the perk of a hammock outside, and, no spoilers, a larger balcony, but standard balcony cabins do provide better views from the inside, thanks to a wider door which is something to weigh up when picking your quarters.

New for Marella Voyager are two Voyager Suites – the biggest accommodations onboard. Marella themes these cabins on its most-loved ports and on this ship they take inspiration from St Lucia [below, right] and Santorini [below, left], with floral displays, artwork and colour schemes all intended to evoke the two destinations, no rum or donkeys required.

Other options include family suites sleeping up to five, plenty of outside cabins with picture windows or portholes, and a range of balcony configurations.

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

Abuela’s, a Mexican joint, is new to the fleet and is the only restaurant of its kind in the entire Marella line-up. Open for lunch and dinner, it’s included in the cruise fare and serves authentic Mexican favourites including tacos, burritos, nachos and fajitas.

Also new is food hall The Kitchens, made up of eight different eateries. I tuck into Greek food at Athena’s [below, left] here and wrestle with my waistline over the banoffee pie at Cherry on Top, but most unusual has to be the roast presented in a Yorkshire pudding wrap in The Gravy Boat. Genius or gone mad? To elevate either state, you can even help yourself to beer and wine on tap at breakfast in this venue. You might find yourself very clever by lunchtime…

Not to worry though, the new food hall is open for late-night snacks – exactly what one needs to soak up the booze after a heavy night bounding around the sticky dance floor of The Electric Rooms.

Other new restaurants include speciality spot The Platter, serving up charcuterie boards and wine pairings (I can vouch for the very good cheeses) while Silver Fork [below, right] plates up British favourites with a modern twist. I tuck into a decent beef Wellington here, a clever crumble made to resemble an entire green apple, and a marmite and chocolate fudge (surreal but nice).

Elsewhere Marella’s speciality staple Kora La has a new Thali option – an Indian-style meal made up of a selection of dishes served on a platter – and I’m told The Coffee Port is the best place for coffee cocktails and brownies but sadly I have no patience for the queue that has amassed when I visit so I can neither confirm nor deny.

Other speciality dining options onboard include Surf & Turf for steak and seafood, and Sushi Bar, which serves sushi, sashimi, dim sum and cooked Japanese dishes.

As part of the all-inclusive package, you’ve also got Nonna’s for made-to-order pizza and pasta, the poolside Snack Shack for grab ‘n’ go bites and Marella Voyager’s main restaurant, Latitude 53, serving British classics in a more traditional setting.

– READ MORE: Sailawaze’s 15 favourite foodie destinations around the world –

I can, however, confirm there is a gym onboard (the largest in the fleet no less and with great views) but similarly, I confess I have zero personal experience of the space (no mentioning the time I had two lunches please).

If you prefer to work out al fresco there is a sports court and jogging track as well as mini golf. But I’m not sure, if you do with it a drink in hand, the latter counts as a fitness attempt.

You can pair exercise with excursions, however. Marella Voyager is equipped with e-bikes and has its own guides so you can pedal around your port of call instead of pottering if that takes your fancy.

– READ MORE: How to stay in shape on a cruise –