Marella Explorer 2

Marella Explorer 2 was built in 1995 as Celebrity Century for Celebrity Cruises before being acquired by Marella Cruises in 2018. She belongs to the Century class and is a sister ship to Marella Explorer and Marella Voyager. Carrying around 1,814 passengers in 907 cabins, she falls into the mid sized category. After an extensive refurbishment at Navantia in Spain, she was christened in March 2019 and entered service with Marella the following month.

The refurbishment brought the ship in line with Marella's style for British holidaymakers, while she now operates exclusively for adults. Around 40 per cent of the cabins have private balconies, and there are also 30 cabins designed for solo travellers. Single guests receive a welcome letter from the ship's Social Hostess, highlighting themed events and activities taking place on board.

Dining covers a broad range of tastes. Kora La combines oriental inspired décor with a pan Asian menu, while other options include a pizza and pasta trattoria, a wine and champagne bar and a golf themed bar equipped with golf simulators. The ship also has a collection of lounges and bars, providing plenty of places for a drink or a quieter evening. The Topdeck Veranda offers a dedicated sunbathing area and was enlarged during the refurbishment.

All 907 staterooms have individually controlled air conditioning, en suite bathrooms, tea and coffee making facilities and storage space. Accommodation ranges from standard cabins to the Royal Suites, introduced during the refurbishment. These larger suites include separate bedrooms with king beds, living and dining areas, walk in wardrobes, spacious bathrooms and private balconies with outdoor hot tubs.

Outside, guests can choose between two swimming pools and four outdoor whirlpools, while the ship's 13 passenger decks include a mixture of dining, entertainment and relaxation spaces. The established design gives Marella Explorer 2 a more intimate feel than a much larger modern cruise ship, with plenty of places to settle down away from the busiest areas.

Marella Explorer 2 suits couples and solo travellers who prefer an adults only setting, a good selection of dining and bars, and the character of an established cruise ship. Her mixture of balcony cabins, speciality venues and quieter outdoor spaces makes her well suited to a relaxed holiday at sea.