A fantastic cruise on Marella Explorer
Marella Explorer Cruise Review
Contributor Level:
Purser
Cruises: 4-6 cruises
Reviews: 2
Helpful Votes: 15
Aegean Shores
Sail date: October 06, 2023
Ship: Marella Explorer
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 1 year ago
Review summary
Overall a fantastic cruise with amazing ports of call.Embarkation
Very smooth and quick. A quick transfer from Corfu airport to the cruise port!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Main dining room was beautiful with big windows as it was at the back of the ship. Food was always delicious.
The buffet was good too, could be busy at peak times but always managed to find a seat.
Didn't eat at any speciality restaurants
Onboard Activities
There was always plenty to do with quizzes and trivia. The pools were a decent size and always in use as we had amazing weather!
Entertainment
PHENOMENAL! The ship's show cast were amazing every night. Thoroughly enjoyed each show they performed.
The ship's band, The Beats, were good too, as was the pianist.
Service and Staff
Lovely friendly staff, always gave a smile and a hello when you walked by. The waiter's were friendly in the main dining, always asked how our day was.
Ship Quality
Marella Explorer is quite an old ship now but she remains very clean, with the odd scuff marks around and some wear and tear. The crew were always hoovering and wiping down the banisters on the stairs. There did always seem to be a slight smell of sewage in the lounge but it never bothered anyone as it was always packed!
The layout was very easy to master and I liked the colour coded carpets for the front, mid and aft of the ship.
Cabin / Stateroom
Cabin was clean and a good size for two people. Lovely big window to look out which was great for views of sail ins and outs when getting ready. We did have to deal with the sound of knocking pipes for a couple of nights but it was resolved. It seemed to affect the whole corridor on our side.
Ship tip
Just enjoy it and relax. Perfect ship for finding a quiet spot to relax!
Thumbs up
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Ports of call
The sail in to Kotor at sunrise is well worth it if you want to get up early. As we were tendering and we had an excursion, we had to meet in the theatre 40 minutes before our tour departure time. It was well organised as each excursion had a group number and we were led down to the tender once our number was called.
We did the panoramic Montenegro excursion and it was amazing. The views on the drive up the mountain were just stunning and we could see the whole bay. We stopped at a restaurant for a sandwich and a drink which was included in the excursion. From there were drove back down the mountain towards Budva with more amazing views. After driving through Budva we headed back to Kotor.
My mum and I had a quick look in the old town and had a coffee before heading back on the tender.
Loved Dubrovnik. Took a local bus from just outside the port to the main gate of the old town, it was €2 each way. Went up the cable car which was a €23 round trip for an adult. The views were spectacular and there's a cafe/restaurant up there as well was toilets and a gift shop. Came back down and went into the old town. The way we came in had lots of steps but the main way in by the bus stop was fairly flat. Lovely little streets and alleyways with cafes, restaurants and shops. Lots of Game of Throne tours going around.
Beautiful town. My mum and I wandered around on our own here. The ship provided a transfer from the port to the town, it was £5 each. Got dropped off at the Organ steps which sounded eerie and beautiful. Old town is quaint with lots of little streets. You can walk up the steps of the bell tower for €3. The views are worth the aching legs!
So easy to get to the little town from the port as there are some stairs not far from the ship or there is a lift, though this didn't seem to be working when we were there.
Did an excursion to Piran and Portoroz. Both beautiful little towns with a lot of history.
We didn't go to Trieste, we actually went to Ravenna (don't know why it's Trieste on here).
Went on an excursion to San Marino. My goodness the views are incredible. We had a couple of hours to explore on our own. Lots of winding streets and little shops.
Disembarkation
Fairly smooth with another quick transfer back to the airport.