Cruise Ships Celebrate New Year in Funchal

Cruise Ships Celebrate New Year in Funchal

Various cruise ships were welcomed in 2023 in Funchal as guests were onboard dockside and in the harbour for the city’s spectacular fireworks display.

Ship Line Up

• Marella Cruises: Marella Explorer
• Nicko Cruises: Vasco Da Gama
• AIDA: AIDAsella
• Fred. Olsen: Borealis
• TUI: Mein Schiff Herz
• Cunard: Queen Victoria

The city’s New Years' eve celebration has quickly become a cruise tradition for European brands, which often time their itineraries with an overnight call to Funchal on New Year's Eve. It’s among a handful of ports around the world already in a key cruise region at the right time of the year where guests can stay on the ship and have a front-row seat to a fireworks show.

Will Marella Cruises Be Handed Over To TUI Cruises?

TUI Cruises is set to grow in size and reach, according to the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine.

The newspaper reported that British cruise line Marella Cruises, which is currently owned by TUI Group, will be integrated into TUI Cruises – a joint venture between TUI Group and Royal Caribbean Group.

The handover of Marella will grow TUI Cruises, which currently operates in the German market, into a European cruise line. Earlier, in 2020, another cruise line, Hapag Lloyd Cruises, was integrated into the TUI Cruises brand in a similar fashion.

Marella Cruises currently has a fleet of four ships – the Marella Explorer, Marella Explorer 2, Marella Discovery and Marella Discovery 2. The cruise line recently confirmed to Cruise Industry News that it would be growing its fleet to five ships in 2023 but did not disclose which ship those plans would involve.

Marella Announces UK Coastal Sailings From June 25

Marella Cruises has revealed details of its brand new itineraries sailing UK shores in summer 2021.

According to a press release, the Marella Explorer will set sail from Southampton on UK itineraries from June 25, 2021, sailing to new ports of call including, Belfast, Dublin and Liverpool.

The Marella Explorer 2, the cruise line's adult-only ship, will also offer UK sailings from Newcastle from July 10, 2021, with even more UK ports of call.

“After pausing our operations for more than a year, we are delighted to announce our UK summer program and welcome our wonderful customers back onboard our ships. The safety and well-being of both our crew and passengers remain our priority which is why we have vaccination and testing protocols for all sailings from UK ports this summer,” said the Managing Director of Cruise TUI UK & I, Chris Hackney.

“Domestic sailings are a great step for the cruise industry and has given us the opportunity to take our customers to new destinations full of culture and history whilst still being close to home. We’re looking forward to this new adventure on the British seas and are dedicated to making sure our customers have the most memorable and exciting cruise with us,” he added.

The Marella Explorer will sail seven new UK itineraries during the summer 2021 season, “perfect for those looking to explore via sea the history and culture of some amazing British cities and towns,” the cruise line said. All itineraries will have recommended excursions from our onboard destination services team to offer guests options to make the most of their time ashore.

Marella Discovery 2

According to Marella, Sail the South Coast itinerary is a “great taster and for those new to cruising with a three-night itinerary from Southampton, visiting Dover for Canterbury Cathedral and Portland for the beautiful Abbotsbury Swannery & Gardens.”

“Cruisers looking for a longer break can experience the new Sail the Irish Sea. Departing in August from Southampton, it will visit popular cities including Liverpool, Dublin and Cobh in the Republic of Ireland,” the cruise line wrote.

Marella is also offering a number of Scottish itineraries, including ‘British Sights and Seas’ which will visit five Scottish hotspots. The history-rich itinerary has a day at sea before exploring Invergordon, the old historic town of Kirkwall and the rich culture of Leith and a visit to Edinburgh Castle before heading to Newcastle and then back down to Southampton.

A Taste of the West Coast will also see Marella Explorer sail to Greenock, the capital of Northern Ireland - Belfast and Holyhead before finishing the itinerary in Portland.

Anyone aged 18 years and older will be required to have had both COVID-19 jabs at least seven days before travelling. All under 18 year-olds, excluding infants under the age of two who will not be able to sail as they are exempt from testing, will be asked to have a lateral flow test.

All itineraries, except for those with Newcastle as an embarkation point, go on sale on April 16, Marella said. Newcastle sailings are expected to go on sale by the end of April.

UK sailings are available only for UK residents with a permanent UK address and a valid passport.

Marella further extends cruise cancellations until September 30

Marella further extends cruise cancellations until September 30

Marella Cruises is further extending the cancellation of sailings until September 30.

The Tui UK & Ireland line’s only ship sailing this summer will be Marella Explorer from Corfu from October 2.

The extension of the cancellations was blamed on on-going travel restrictions in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

All cruises had previously been cancelled last month until at least August 27.

Passengers whose bookings are impacted by the changes will receive a refund credit and up to 10% incentive of the total value of their booking.

Alternatively, they can request a cash refund via an online form on the Tui website.

The company added: “Due to the on-going uncertainty customers with bookings due to depart in October can amend their cruise for free before the 31 July to any other holiday on sale until October 2021.”

Marella Cruises extends sailing cancellations

Marella Cruises extends sailing cancellations

Marella Cruises is extending the cancellation of all cruises until at least August 27.

The Tui brand blamed ongoing travel restrictions following the COVID 19 pandemic.

The line also confirmed that Marella Discovery will no longer sail the summer season with all itineraries from Palma cancelled until October 31.

A ‘90s v 00s Electric Sunsets’ themed cruise by Marella Explorer 2 from Newcastle on September 5 will also no longer go ahead.

Passengers affected by the extended cancellations will receive a refund credit and up to 10% incentive of the total value of their booking, or they can request a cash refund via an online form on the Tui website.

“All customers should have their refund credit and booking incentive within four weeks of receiving their cancellation email,” the company said.

The line is also extending its free amends policy so customers sailing in September and October on Marella Explorer or Marella Explorer 2 can amend their cruise free of charge before July 31.

This means they do not have to pay until closer to their new departure date.

Ship affected Homeport Dates affected
Explorer 2 Ex UK / Port of Tyne 31 Jul-27 Aug 2020
Explorer 2 Ex UK / Port of Tyne 05-Sep 2020
Explorer Corfu 31 Jul-27 Aug 2020
Discovery Palma 31 Jul-31 Oct 2020

Marella Cruises christens new Marella Explorer in Palma

Marella Cruises christens new Marella Explorer in Palma

Marella Explorer is the largest ship in Marella Cruises' fleet (Image: Marella Cruises)

Marella Cruises has officially welcomed Marella Explorer to its fleet during a christening ceremony at the Port of Palma in Majorca, Spain on 17 May.

Formerly sailing as Mein Schiff 1 for Marella Cruises’ sister brand TUI Cruises, Marella Explorer was named by two godmothers – Susan Stewart, the line’s hotel operations manager, and Mandy Galloway, a travel agent at one of TUI Group’s retail stores in Edinburgh, Scotland. They were joined on stage by Marella Explorer’s master Captain Peter Harris and 10 crew members, who each represented a different part of the ship and held a beam of light that released the champagne bottle to christen the ship.

“I will remember this special moment forever,” said Galloway.

During the ceremony, invited guests, Marella Cruises employees, suppliers, travel agents and media also enjoyed a performance by a Take That tribute band, a fireworks display and an hour-long live DJ set from multi-platinum selling and award-winning recording artist, songwriter and rapper Craig David. The DJ set was accompanied by a show of mappable versatube lights, floating pool lights and lasers that was masterminded by Black Skull Creative’s Dan Shipton, Ross Nicholson and Jay Revell. Guests also wore LED wristbands that changed colour to the beat of the music.

“It was great celebrating the launch and performing on Marella Explorer in Palma,” said David. “I loved surprising the crowd, the atmosphere was electric.”

Marella Explorer was inaugurated following a four-week, multi-million-pound dry dock in Cadiz, Spain, which involved a team of 1,600 partners, contractors and Marella Cruises’ employees. Together they transformed the 1,924-guest ship by adding Marella Cruises branding, multiple new onboard venues and amenities, 45 square kilometres of carpet, more than 60 kilometres of data cabling and 650 wi-fi access points. A total of 35 public spaces were renovated by UK-based marine interior outfitter Trimline, while Northern Ireland-based company MJM Group revitalised the shopping area and Finnish company Makinen worked on the cabins.

Many of the public spaces were developed in cooperation with UK-based design consultancy 20.20, including a new flagship bar, club and casino named Indigo, several restaurants, the Hideout children's area, the shimmer wall and the 962 cabins, nearly 40% of which have balconies. Other public spaces include the Broad Street Shops area and the first-ever Champneys Spa at sea. The spa will offer a full-service thermal suite, treatment suites with their own showers and mini saunas, a Finnish sauna with floor-to-ceiling windows, and spa cabanas on the adults-only Veranda Deck.

Guests will also be able to choose from 10 bars and 10 onboard restaurants. New venues include The Mediterranean, which has a retractable glass roof; The Dining Club, which offers French cuisine; Scoops vintage-style ice cream parlour; Umi Sushi; The Market Place buffet; Surf & Turf Steakhouse; pan-Asian restaurant Kora La; and Latitude 53 & Vista restaurants that serve Italian dishes.

“The launch of Marella Explorer marks an exciting time for us as she is the first ship to officially launch under the Marella Cruises name,” said Chris Hackney, managing director of Marella Cruises. “Marella Explorer marks the next step in the continued modernisation and growth of the Marella Cruises fleet. We pride ourselves on continuing to offer more ships, new destinations and fantastic service and the futuristic feel of this evening have given a real glimpse of how we are continuing to look to the ahead.”

Marella Explorer will embark on her first customer sailing around the Mediterranean, leaving from Palma on 19 May. The ship will then sail in the west Mediterranean this summer before moving to Barbados for winter.

Thomson Cruises to be renamed Marella Cruises

Thomson Cruises to be renamed Marella Cruises

Thomson Cruises is to be rebranded as Marella Cruises, at the same time that Thomson changes to Tui later this month.

Marella, meaning ‘shining sea’ in Celtic, was selected to give the cruise line ‘stand out in the cruise market’ and to give it its own identity from the company’s European cruise brand, Tui Cruises.

Distribution and cruise director Helen Caron said: “We don’t want British guests to be confused with the group’s cruise business in Europe. Marella Cruises will still have the Tui smile logo, but a new Marella Cruises logo in a blue box, similar to the way we would market Sensatori as part of the world of Tui.  The name was chosen to reflect the spirit of exploration and discovery across the seas.”

Confirming Marella cruises would still offer its fully-integrated fly-cruise programme, from 22 regional UK airports, across its fleet of six ships once Marella Explorer enters service in May 2018, Caron added: “Marella Cruises takes us to a cruise brand from a tour operator brand. We expect the new name to open us up to a whole new market of customers who haven’t considered a Thomson cruise before. It’s very exciting and come at the perfect time as we modernise our fleet and add more and more destinations.”

News of the rebrand came as Tui also announced a new homeport in Asia for winter 2018. The newly named Marella Discovery will sail from Lankawi to 18 new ports of call on 14 new adult-only itineraries, with customers also able to join from Bangkok. Ports of call include Ho Chi Minh City, Cambodia and Kuala Lumpur, and also to Mumbai, Mangalore, Cochin and Colombo.

Caron said: “Asia is an incredibly diverse part of the world and I have no doubt that our customers are going to love their adventures across countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, India and Oman to name a few.”

For the first time in the company’s history, Tui is also going to base two ships in Barbados in winter 2018. Marella Explorer will be joined by Marella Celebration.

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