Cruising with kids can be a dream or a disaster — but with Marella Cruises, it’s definitely the first one!
From splash pools to kids’ clubs, rock climbing walls to family discos, they’ve got everything to keep little cruisers happy while giving parents a well-earned break.
Whether you’re sailing with toddlers, tweens or teens, Marella makes family holidays stress-free and seriously fun.
Here are what my kids and I love about Marella’s family offering…
1. M Club
The M Club is a place where you can drop off your 3- to 11-year-olds and they’ll enjoy fun activities in the care of qualified childcare professionals.
There are a few things that set Marella’s kids club apart from some of the others.
Firstly, let’s talk about the age groupings. Usually, cruise ships are super strict about which kids can go in each group, based on their age. This means that my 7-year-old and my 10-year-old are used to being split up. But of course, most kids will want to stay with their siblings, right?
On a Marella cruise, there are sessions where all ages can play together.
Some sessions are split by age (3-7 and 8-11). But they said that if our older child wants to join the younger group to be with her brother, then that’s not a problem.
Unlike on other cruises we’ve been on, the kids club doesn’t just stay in the one room. They go to other venues like the theatre or the nightclub (before it opens for adults) to enjoy certain activities.
The fun continues until 9.30pm. While our kids were expecting to just watch a movie in the evening, they were pleased to discover the fun and games continued all evening on most days.
2. The Hideout
12- to 17-year-olds have access to their own venue – The Hideout. Located well away from the kids’ club, teens can pop in here whenever they like.
There are organised activities at certain times, like arts and crafts or sports tournaments. Outside of these times, they can just chill out and use the facilities.
On Marella Explorer (the ship we sailed on), those included air hockey and table football tables. They’re free to play, so won’t have to worry about running up a bill for credits!
3. Mini M Club
Under-threes can attend Mini M Club with their parents. This is a dedicated room for babies with toys for them. At certain times of the day there will be activities, like Bubble Play Time.
Yes, this is listed as being for the babies, but really, it’s the perfect spot for mums and dads to meet and have a chat too.
4. Kids Pools
Of course, kids are welcome in the main pools, but some ships also have dedicated kids pools which are perfect for those who can’t swim yet or who want to splash around without worrying about splashing the adults.
On Marella Explorer, the kids pool even has a small slide. It’s under cover too, to keep little ones out of the hot sun.
5. Rock Climbing Walls
If you cruise on Marella Discovery or Marella Discovery 2, then your family can enjoy the rock climbing walls. Kids need to be six or over to take part.
These ships used to belong to Royal Caribbean, and when they were launched, rock climbing walls were the big new things. I love that Marella has kept them since acquiring the ships.
6. Mini Golf
Each Marella ship comes with its own mini golf course, which is the perfect family activity for kids of all ages. There’s no need to book or sign out the equipment, you can just turn up and play whenever the mood takes you.
7. Gamer Zone
The Gamer Zone is a special room on the ship with Xboxes that are available for use. You just borrow a controller from guest services and you can spend as long as you like playing all kinds of games.
Unlike on other ships where the games consoles are inside the kids club or teen club, on Marella cruises, families can all play together. This is great for families with younger kids too.
The Gamer Zone is particularly popular with teenagers, where it’s the go-to area to hang out after dinner. Because they can just turn up with a controller, they can play alone or with new friends on any machine.
Because, like all of these activities, the Gamer Zone is free of charge, it will save you a fortune compared to ships that have a pay-to-play arcade!
8. Cinema
Each Marella cruise ship has a cinema onboard. On some ships this is inside and on others it’s outside. There’s a variety of movies each day, many of which are suitable for families and you should have no problem getting a seat.
9. Sports Court
If you cruise on Marella Explorer, your kids can enjoy the sports court which is suitable for football and basketball.
On our most recent cruise, the sports court was constantly busy with children playing football. My son played football for five hours one day because he enjoyed the fun atmosphere with his new friends so much!
There’s also a table tennis table that you can use – just borrow the bats and balls from guest services.
10. Children’s Menus
Marella Cruises does a fantastic job of catering for children when it comes to mealtimes. In each restaurant there’s a kids menu with a variety of options to choose from, including plenty for vegetarians. If children would like a smaller portion of anything on the adult’s menu, that can be arranged too.
The buffet is also excellent with so many choices. Picky eaters will love the ‘Kids’ Corner’ which always has favourites like burgers, chips and pasta.
At the snack shack, kids can enjoy quick service options like hot dogs, fries, sandwiches and fruit pots.
Most ships also have an included Italian restaurant which is perfect for pizza and pasta lovers.
Read more: Marella Cruises Dining Options Explained
11. All-Inclusive Drinks
Who says that all-inclusive drinks are just for adults? On a Marella cruise, everyone gets drinks included, kids too. This means that parents don’t have to consider the cost when thirsty kids are constantly wanting refreshments.
There are so many drinks to choose from with fruit juices, fizzy drinks and mocktails. It was on a Marella cruise that my daughter developed her obsession with Shirley Temple mocktails!
Kids drinks are always served in red plastic cups so there’s no chance that they could pick up an adults drink by mistake thinking that it’s theirs. I love this idea and wish that more cruise lines would consider doing it.
Read more: Marella Drinks Package Guide
12. Reasonable Wifi Costs
Cruise ship wifi can sometimes be ridiculously expensive. But on Marella Cruises, the wifi packages are a fraction of the price, which is very helpful for parents traveling with teenagers who might want to stay connected.
With affordable internet access, teens can message their friends, stream content, or check social media without racking up huge costs. This means fewer complaints about boredom and more time for parents to relax, knowing their kids are happy.
Read more: Everything You Need To Know About Marella Cruises’ WiFi
13. Accommodation Options
Family accommodation options with Marella offer comfortable, spacious cabins so that you aren’t always getting under each other’s feet, particularly in those mornings when everyone wants to get ready.
Several cabin types have space for three or four people, with either a double or twin bed configuration and then a sofa bed or fold-down bed.
But bigger families needn’t worry – there are Family Cabins that can accommodate up to five guests, including a regular double bed separated by a partition, a double sofa bed and a fold down bed as well.
You can even opt for a Family Balcony Cabin with Suite Service if you want to splash out a little and treat yourselves. Not only do you get a spacious cabin with balcony, but you get all the perks of the Suite Service, including extra amenities in the room and a free continental breakfast in bed to enjoy on one day of your cruise (or more if you cruise for over a week).
14. Destinations & Excursions
Your cruise isn’t just about the time you’ll spend on the ship, but also the destinations you’ll visit – and many are absolutely perfect for families.
If your kids love the beach, then a Caribbean getaway could be ideal. You’ll have ample time to have fun on the sand, not just relaxing and building sandcastles with your youngest, but taking part in different sports or activities too. There are even some islands that offer white-water rafting for those thrill-seeking kids!
Or, if you are travelling with an adventurous group, why not head to the Mediterranean for a cruise packed with exciting destinations, including the chance to visit the incredible Portaventura Theme Parks from Tarragona.
In fact, in every destination Marella cruises to – be it the Canary Islands, Caribbean, Asia or Mediterranean – there are always plenty of excursion options to suit everyone in the family and provide memories to last a lifetime.
Read more: 12 Of The Best Destinations To Visit On A Marella Cruise
15. A Hassle-Free Holiday
The whole Marella cruise experience is perfectly suited to families – because less stress for mum and dad means happier kids too, right?
For a start, your flights are always packaged in with the cruise, with departures from airports all over the UK – no need to drive for hours upon hours just to start your journey.
And because the flights are managed by TUI, who owns Marella, the trip is seamless. No need to stress about whether the flights will land on time because, even in the very rare instances they don’t, the ship will wait for you. You won’t get that with other cruise lines.
Drinks and tips are already included too, including plenty of soft drink options for your kids.
And of course, Marella’s crew offer amazing service to every guest and will have each member of your family feeling truly spoiled. That’s perfect when you’ve had an adventure-filled day and you just want to spend the next morning having a lazy family start.
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The Bottom Line
In my opinion, Marella Cruises are excellent for families with children of all ages. Some families feel that they need to cruise on the big American megaships with children, but really, I don’t think that’s the case.
Sometimes it’s just as fun to spend time as a family playing Uno or Cluedo as it is to go ice skating or go-karting!
Marella Cruises’ mid-size ships have plenty of activities to keep kids entertained for a week, and their smaller size means that it’s easier to get around without getting lost.
The facilities do vary between the different ships. I have a guide to Marella ships that has a table showing exactly what each one has to do on board, so be sure to take a look at that before you book.
Whether you have babies, teenagers, or any age in between, Marella is definitely an option to consider for your next family holiday.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
