Everything You Need To Know About Marella Explorer 2

This is a sponsored post for Marella Cruises.

Marella Explorer 2 is unique amongst the Marella Cruises fleet, as she is the only ship to offer adults-only cruising year-round. If you’re looking to escape for a quiet cruise without kids onboard, then this could be the perfect ship.

She has some great features too, including comfortable accommodation, fantastic dining venues and plenty to keep you entertained while you’re sailing between ports.

In this guide, I’ll give you all the info about the ship so that you can enjoy your Marella Explorer 2 cruise to the maximum.

Marella Explorer 2 – Facts & Stats

Marella Explorer 2, despite her name, is not a twin sister of Marella Explorer. She’s smaller, though not the smallest ship in the fleet – that’s an honour shared by Marella Discovery and Marella Discovery 2.

However, she does have the smallest passenger capacity in the fleet, since she has no family rooms – making for a very relaxed ambience onboard.

Here’s how Marella Explorer 2 compares with the other ships in the Marella Cruises fleet:

Ship	Year Built	Year Joined Marella	Size (gross tons)	Passenger capacity	Length	Beam/width	Total Decks
Marella Discovery 2	1995	2017	69,130	1,836	264m / 866ft	32m / 105ft	11
Marella Discovery	1996	2016	69,130	1,830	264m / 866ft	32m / 105ft	11
Marella Explorer	1996	2018	76,522	1,924	260m / 852ft	32m / 106ft	13
Marella Explorer 2	1995	2019	71,545	1,814	248m / 814ft	32m / 105ft	14
Marella Voyager	1997	2023	77,303	1,912	264m / 866ft	32m / 106ft	13

Marella Explorer 2 History

None of the ships sailing for Marella Cruises began life for the fleet – they are all ships that have been purchased from other cruise lines or transferred from sister brands, but they only enter service with Marella following a thorough and caring refurbishment.

Marella Explorer 2 debuted for Celebrity Cruises in 1995, originally sailing as the MV Century before the cruise line rechristened all ships in 2007, and she became the Celebrity Century.

She served Celebrity Cruises for 20 years in total, before she was transferred to SkySea Cruises, a joint venture between parent company Royal Caribbean Group and Ctrip. From 2015 to 2019 she sailed as the SkySea Golden Era.

Then, in 2018 the announcement was made that SkySea would close the following year, and negotiations began which saw the ship sold to Marella Cruises, becoming the Marella Explorer 2 from 2019 onwards.

And with her full refurbishment, she feels like a brand new ship again, perfect for welcoming guests to explore the world on an all-inclusive cruise.

Marella Explorer 2 Cabins

There are 907 cabins on Marella Explorer 2, including the normal range of Inside, Outside and Balcony Cabins and some larger suites which have a few additional perks as well. All cabin choices have been well maintained and are furnished in a modern style.

All cabins and suites include the ‘basics’, which includes a flatscreen TV, air conditioning, a safe and a hairdryer. And because Marella Cruises is aimed at the British market, you also get tea and coffee making facilities in the room. A lot of cruise lines don’t offer that!

Here is the full list of cabins available on Marella Explorer 2:

Cabin	Sleeps	Deck Locations	Size (square feet)
Inside Cabin	2-4	4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12	172
Single Inside Cabin	1	4, 5	172
Outside Cabin	2-4	4, 5, 8, 9, 12	172
Single Outside Cabin	1	4, 5	172
Balcony Cabin	2-3	8, 9, 10, 12	172 (not including balcony)
Deluxe Cabin With Balcony	2	9, 10	205(not including balcony)
Balcony Junior Suite	3	10, 12	248 (not including balcony)
Executive Suite	4	10	527 (not including balcony)
Royal Suite	4	10	1,012 (not including balcony)

Premier Service with Marella Cruises

If you choose to stay in one of the suites on Marella Explorer 2, you’ll enjoy Marella’s Premier Service. This is a selection of additional perks to make your stay more enjoyable, and it includes:

• A free pressing service – up to 3 items pressed in your first 24 hours on the ship
• Free continental breakfast in bed – one per week

Marella Explorer 2 – Bars & Restaurants

You’ve got plenty of places onboard the ship to grab a drink, a snack or a meal during your Marella Explorer 2 cruise. You have 9 dining options and 10 bars to pick from – you can try somewhere new every day!

Here’s a look at all the dining options on the ship:

Latitude 53

Latitude 53 is the main dining room on the ship, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Expect traditional dishes with a contemporary twist, with something for every palette.

The Dining Club

The Dining Club is a fine dining restaurant that serves special, high-end cuisine. Reservations are recommended and there is an extra charge to dine here. This is also where you can enjoy The Great Musical Afternoon Tea, with dishes inspired by classical West End shows.

The Market Place

The Market Place is the ship’s buffet, with a variety of food stalls serving all kinds of delightful casual options. Enjoy a fresh pizza, a panini made to order, or design your own stir-fry.

Kora La

A favourite of the fleet, Kora La is a pan-Asian speciality restaurant serving an extensive selection of dishes from across the continent. An extra charge applies.

Snack Shack

Open throughout the day, the Snack Shack offers various snack dishes. It’s situated poolside so you don’t have to give up your lounger to get a bite to eat.

Surf & Turf Steakhouse

Surf & Turf is the ship’s main steak and seafood restaurant, also serving a selection of chicken and lamb dishes. Reservations are recommended, and an additional charge applies.

Nonna’s

Nonna’s is a relaxed pizza and pasta venue that’s open for lunch and dinner. It has a homely feel, ideal for a smaller bite or for loading up on your favourites. This is an included venue.

Vista

Vista is the second Italian restaurant onboard, though it’s actually part of the main Latitude 53 restaurant. For dinner, it transforms into a more contemporary and upmarket Italian. It is still included in your fare.

Beach Cove

Beach Cove is a popular BBQ-style venue that offers casual eats with big flavour. Large sliding doors give it that al fresco feel, too. It’s included for lunch, but a charge applies for dinner and reservations are recommended.

Marella Explorer 2 – On Board Activities

A typical cruise on Marella Explorer 2 doesn’t include many sea days, since you’ll fly out to meet the ship in its destination and your itinerary will be focussed on exploring as many ports as possible.

But still, there is plenty to keep you busy on the ship during quieter moments. During the day, you can look forward to:

• An outdoor pool with whirlpools
• Mini golf on the top deck
• Shopping, including jewellery, fashion and souvenirs
• Jogging track
• Spa and beauty salon treatments
• A fully-equipped gym
• A golf simulator

And then at night, you’ll be able to enjoy all these facilities:

• The Broadway Show Lounge, with two performances every evening
• Interactive games, quizzes and music performances at the Squid and Anchor British pub
• The Casino, with fruit machines and card tables
• An outdoor cinema, showing Hollywood classics and the latest releases
• Relaxing bars to enjoy a quiet drink

Marella Explorer 2 – Itineraries

Marella Explorer 2 offers some amazing cruise itineraries worthy of an adults-only ship, whether you want to unwind in peace or explore some of the wonderful culture and history of the world.

She sails across the Mediterranean, including several options on the Adriatic Sea. She also cruises to the Canary Islands for some winter sun.

But she also crosses the Atlantic for winter cruises around the Caribbean, if you want a true tropical beach holiday away from the cold and wet weather we’ll be having at home.

FAQs

To Conclude

Marella Explorer 2 is a great choice for a cruise if you want to enjoy the serenity of a child-free ship, but she’s so much more than that too. She has some fantastic bars and restaurants, some great leisure facilities, and exciting itineraries packed with adventure.

Plus you get all the benefits of sailing with Marella, with your drinks, tips and flights included, plus the wonderfully attentive service of the crew – what more could you want?

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