Marella Explorer 2 - Weekend Escape from Newcastle review

[Pensioncruiser]

Hi Dave totally agree with most of your feelings, we have only ever cruised with Thomson/Marella and I think our favourite was Destiny, Calypso, Emerald and lately Discovery or Celebration or Dream. Don't think we will be cruising any time soon but we will certainly miss it🙄

[Jim The Scot]

We first started  cruising on Ocean Village(excellent) but  they then moved down under  way back so we had to look at an alternative and that was Thomson/Marella and we have cruised solely with them since and enjoyed every single cruise

 

Dream is/was our favourite and actually lost count on our cruises with her

 

We have also enjoyed the Majesty twice as well as the Discovery

 

Missing our cruises and our next one is not until July 2022,a previous cruise that we have moved 3 times

[peteukmcr]

Here’s our vlog of day 1

 

 

[AlanCruise]

For those who cant read the attachement on the original post, I think the issue is that you have to be logged in to Cruise Critic. I couldn' read initially, then logged in and it was OK.

[Brummijam]

20 minutes ago, AlanCruise said:

For those who cant read the attachement on the original post, I think the issue is that you have to be logged in to Cruise Critic. I couldn' read initially, then logged in and it was OK.

Thanks Alan, Same here… every days a school day. 🤦‍♂️😉

[Jayneykul]

Thank you all for your comments! I will certainly complete the feedback forms to let Marella know but they might be a bit sick of hearing from me about the food in the restaurant! After our cruise on Discovery 2 in 2019 we complained about the food and the drinks service and received a voucher which we used to pay for the seacation so it was very cheap for us. If i had paid full price or been on for longer i would have demanded a different cabin. Also Pete, on the other ships we have always had upgraded wines on the premier package this was the first time we have been told there are no other wines available? 

Pensioncruiser the bands were The Collective (lead singer Zoe) and Demboyz. The singer was Dave Almond? piano player Ryan Green and the music director I cant think of his name sorry. They were all very very good. 

IMO those balcony cabins should be charged at much lower rates or made into solo cabins, the bed configuration is not acceptable.

Having only been on 1 P&O cruise (Britannia) i would say IMHO Marella wins hands down. Didnt like Britannia at all. 

Does Marella compare to Celebrity or NCL (The lines we travel on regularly) entertainment wise yes. A definite no for everything else and before everyones starts saying its not comparable the prices certainly are. Im paying much less for a celebrity/ncl cruise  i have booked when everything is taken into consideration and better perks from them. There is also the question of the lack of loyalty programme which stinks that Marella dont have 1 

[peteukmcr]

4 hours ago, Jayneykul said:

Thank you all for your comments! I will certainly complete the feedback forms to let Marella know but they might be a bit sick of hearing from me about the food in the restaurant! After our cruise on Discovery 2 in 2019 we complained about the food and the drinks service and received a voucher which we used to pay for the seacation so it was very cheap for us. If i had paid full price or been on for longer i would have demanded a different cabin. Also Pete, on the other ships we have always had upgraded wines on the premier package this was the first time we have been told there are no other wines available? 

Pensioncruiser the bands were The Collective (lead singer Zoe) and Demboyz. The singer was Dave Almond? piano player Ryan Green and the music director I cant think of his name sorry. They were all very very good. 

IMO those balcony cabins should be charged at much lower rates or made into solo cabins, the bed configuration is not acceptable.

Having only been on 1 P&O cruise (Britannia) i would say IMHO Marella wins hands down. Didnt like Britannia at all. 

Does Marella compare to Celebrity or NCL (The lines we travel on regularly) entertainment wise yes. A definite no for everything else and before everyones starts saying its not comparable the prices certainly are. Im paying much less for a celebrity/ncl cruise  i have booked when everything is taken into consideration and better perks from them. There is also the question of the lack of loyalty programme which stinks that Marella dont have 1 

That’s my view re other lines, we started back in 2004 on RCI and stayed with them for many years and then went Celebrity and were wowed. Then onto NCL and again fantastic for the price. Cunard definitely a no from us, P&O, the jury is out but we are due to try Iona in 2022. Even Carnival gets a bigger thumbs up than Marella and as this was only 11 days after MSC Virtuosa, no comparison. To be honest quite relieved that our Muscat to Cyprus on Discovery 2 has been cancelled because it wasn’t cheap and if the food and drink options were similar we’d be very disappointed. 

[Jayneykul]

hi Pete
We loved the food on Cunard (especially the grill suites) but the entertainment was so dire we don’t want to go back to them. Got a Saga cruise booked for next year, an ncl n celebrity for this year doubt the ncl will sail though. Marella is very expensive for what they offer unless you wait till the last minute for a bargain. We booked  a suite on discovery 2 in 2019 it was a terrible cruise for the food and service I think you have had a lucky escape!!!

[Pensioncruiser]

14 hours ago, Jayneykul said:

Pensioncruiser the bands were The Collective (lead singer Zoe) and Demboyz. The singer was Dave Almond? piano player Ryan Green and the music director I cant

Thanks for that. They are all new to us. 

[peteukmcr]

10 hours ago, Jayneykul said:

hi Pete
We loved the food on Cunard (especially the grill suites) but the entertainment was so dire we don’t want to go back to them. Got a Saga cruise booked for next year, an ncl n celebrity for this year doubt the ncl will sail though. Marella is very expensive for what they offer unless you wait till the last minute for a bargain. We booked  a suite on discovery 2 in 2019 it was a terrible cruise for the food and service I think you have had a lucky escape!!!

We liked the food on Cunard, but it's the strict dress code that puts us off (although we do dress for dinner but not a jacket every night) and to price of drinks, really high these days.

[peteukmcr]

Apologies folks we've experienced a technical hitch with our vlogs, so will repost them asap.

[peteukmcr]

Here’s the vlog for day 1 - again!
 

 

[peteukmcr]

Here’s day 2 (final day)

 

 

[Pensioncruiser]

On 7/15/2021 at 2:43 AM, Brummijam said:

Hope your ongoing dispute gets sorted soon.

Stay safe.😷

Hi BJ

Sad faces all round  I lost my case. Its been a long journey since March 2020 but its kept me busy. 

Think that's the last cruise with Marella but be have good memories. 🤗

[Jayneykul]

Pensioncruiser, is there a link for me to read about your case? The courts are so defendant minded I sometimes wonder why I bother turning up 

[Pensioncruiser]

14 hours ago, Jayneykul said:

Pensioncruiser, is there a link for me to read about your case? The courts are so defendant minded I sometimes wonder why I bother turning up 

Unfortunately not and our solicitor informed us it would not be cost effective to pursue further. 

[peteukmcr]

And the last vlog, is a tour of cabin 9064

 

 

[Jayneykul]

I’m so sorry to hear that Pensioncruiser. I hope you do decide to cruise again 😩

[Brummijam]

On 7/20/2021 at 8:28 PM, Pensioncruiser said:

Hi BJ

Sad faces all round  I lost my case. Its been a long journey since March 2020 but its kept me busy. 

Think that's the last cruise with Marella but be have good memories. 🤗

Hi PC.

sorry to hear that you have lost your case, You shouldn’t be too downhearted though it’s quite refreshing to hear that people will still have a go against the multi million pound companies and I for one applaude your grit.👏👏

When you say that’s the last cruise with Marella is it because of the outcome of your case or are you giving up the cruise holidays altogether?

Chin up mate and stay well.😉

[Pensioncruiser]

2 hours ago, Brummijam said:

When you say that’s the last cruise with Marella is it because of the outcome of your case or are you giving up the cruise holidays altogether?

Chin up mate and stay well.😉

Thanks BJ & Janey for your concerns it's much appreciated. I will gather my thoughts and try to respond, just a little worried how our actions have affected others, I will explain 

[Brummijam]

50 minutes ago, Pensioncruiser said:

Thanks BJ & Janey for your concerns it's much appreciated. I will gather my thoughts and try to respond, just a little worried how our actions have affected others, I will explain 

👍

[peteukmcr]

One more vlog

 

 

[grapau27]

We watched Explorer 2 sailing from Newcastle tonight from South Shields beach where we had been all day.

 

[Britboys]

On 7/20/2021 at 5:50 PM, peteukmcr said:

Here’s day 2 (final day)

 

 

It sounds like your feelings are very similar to mine with the one cruise I have had with Marella so far. I found the included food very disappointing and bar service pretty awful with the exception of the 'premium' bar. That was for a week in 2018.

Explorer 2 certainly looks to be a step up from Discovery 2 though.

[peteukmcr]

Final vlog, a full ships tour