Marella Discovery 2 - a ship with a trip that ticked all the boxes

We've just embarked at Limassol, Cyprus, on the Discovery 2's Aegean Delights itinerary, and I've just struck up a conversation with my Aberdonian pool deck sunbed neighbour, gauging his opinion of this 70,000 tonner.

Later at the pool bar, a chat with Coventry cruiser Peter, a five-time Discovery 2 stalwart, goes along similar lines, and it doesn't take me too long to see what they're getting at.

I've been on quite a few cruise ships in my time, some wondrous in size, and each with their own areas of excellence, but this particular vessel seems to tick all the boxes for me.

For a start, while still no minnow among the world's ocean cruisers, it's no massive bewildering behemoth either. With 918 cabins it's big enough to encompass many different bars, places and restaurants, yet still easy to find your bearings very quickly. And then there's the gorgeous gastrogrub, exquisite entertainment and exciting excursions that just synergise to make for a week of fun, frolics and fulfilment.

Marella cleverly taps into what many British cruisers look for - an all inclusive experience. So the price you pay back in the UK covers everything, including food, alcoholic drinks, entertainment and, quite importantly for many Brits, all tips! Of course there are extras you can add while on board, but we'll come to that.

The ship has just had a recent makeover and oozes opulence, with an Atrium resplendent in marble, gleaming metal and glass, meticulously polished timbers, and contemporary furniture and fittings that seem incongruous to the flip-flopping of your footwear as you explore this 11-deck vessel. Some of the staterooms have been upgraded too, with our balcony cabin offering a fresh and modern look with a new bathroom, balcony and more storage and clothes space.

So, feeling peckish? There are so many options to eat while on board, and always somewhere you can eat from 7am until 1am the following day. If you want to stay on the pool deck, the Snack Shack offers fish and chips, chicken wings, sandwiches and salads, all washed down with whatever you've got yourself from the bar or via the attentive and ever-smiling, courteous waiters, 'on the prowl' almost to take orders from guests without drinks!

Islands is the ship's buffet restaurant - just off the pool deck - and is open for breakfast, lunch afternoon tea and dinner, and The Glass House - the ship's indoor pool area, complete with couple-sized Balinese beds - provides the same and a late-night snacks offering.

Included in your price is entry to the ship's more formal waiter-service eateries. 47° offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, and no reservations are required. This being the biggest of the ship's restaurants, we were always seated immediately, though depending on your time of arrival, you might be offered a pager to notify you to return when your table is ready.

Gallery 47° offers the delights of an Italian trattoria, with a changing myriad menu of amazing Tuscan, Milanese and Roman dishes to tempt your tastebuds. Meanwhile, Piccadilly's offers a regularly rotating menu of reimagined British classics - so expect the likes of fish and chips with a modern twist. We really enjoyed the indulgent ‘Arthur Duke Pasty Duo’ (Sharing Plate) - a pork, apple and apricot wellington and a pulled beef and mushroom puff pastry served with vegetables.

If you want to push the boat out (sorry, couldn't resist) the menus in all the above three formal restaurants include additional payable dishes, such as ‘Seafood Thermidor Frites’ (£11.95), ‘Rack of Lamb’ (£11.95), ‘Pan Seared Sirloin Steak’ (£11.95) and a decadent ‘Belgian Chocolate Dome’ (£4.45).

And if you want to make it even more special, there are three a la carte eateries which incur extra charges. The Sushi Bar entices you with spicy tuna rolls, salmon sashimi and seabass nigiri to name but a few fishy feasts, while Kora La offers a selection of pan-Asian dishes from gyozas and dumplings to curries and bespoke dishes including a Thali option - an Indian-style meal made up of a selection of dishes served on a platter. Expect some amazing amuse-bouches and ‘pre-puddings’ thrown in for good measure!

This time we decided on a steak-par-excellence at the Surf and Turf restaurant, with my opting for a plumptious jumbo scallops starter, an umami-unctuous onion soup then followed by a marvellously-marbled juicy ribeye with all the trimmings (elasticated trousers recommended).

Bars include those on the pool deck and the upper deck, Bar Eleven on Deck 11, the Atrium bar and in two of the main entertainment venues, the Live Room and The Squid and Anchor. Both offer live music from the ship's resident solo acts, bands and guest artistes, with the latter larger venue also hosting karaoke, quizzes, TV show-themed games, and the popular-for-all, Silent Disco experience - a set of headphones for each person, a choice of two tracks, with dancers seemingly dancing out of time with one another in silence for those wandering in!

There is always something to do on the ship for all ages, be they ship games, quizzes, and of course the amazing clubs for tots, youngsters and hangout spaces for older teens, all supervised by professionally-accredited staff.

Last but not least on the entertainment front is the Broadway Show Lounge - and this is no misnomer as the ship's entertainment team put on amazing Broadway/West End-quality shows, their pinpoint harmonies often inducing tears and raising hairs on the back of the neck with amazing vocal performances. There was even an 'elephant' on stage at one time! A talented team of professionals, headed by the Duracell battery-charged Cruise Director Cree, whose non-stop effervescence, humour and charm deserve a special mention.

As I referred to, there are other things you can add to your experience. The Premium Drinks package (an extra £12 pp per day) allows you to add more premium brands of spirits and wines to your tipple portfolio, plus an even greater choice of cocktails and your favourite latte or cappuccino Lavazza coffee at The Coffee Port, the ship's dedicated Java lounge. And, you're on holiday, so why not pamper yourself at The Oceans Spa. We enjoyed some 75 minutes of thoroughly-relaxing Deep Tissue Muscle Massage indulgence for £149pp under the expert and dextrous fingers of therapists Shan and Ghie.

Wifi internet is an optional extra, but you can log onto the ship's own wi-fi via the Navigate 'app' and access everything shipwise from restaurants to entertainment, your room bill to cocktail lists and much more, all at the push of a button. It's also recommended before your journey to visit TUI's Cruise Control 'app' where you can complete the online check-in process to access your travel documents, print your luggage labels and boarding passes for your cruise and book your excursions and onboard experiences.

So much to see and do on this ship it's very difficult to cover everything. One thing I did wish to mention is that cruising with Marella is not just for couples and families, but solo travellers are welcomed with activities on board included for individuals to meet up.

And the final accolade must go to the staff. Tireless, ever polite and smiling, their entire ethos is to ensure you have the time of your life.

Oh, and the asterisk at the beginning of this review? It's to finish what Alan was saying to me. "That's why this is our ship," he concluded. Sums it all up really.

So where did we go?

Our seven-day Aegean Delights cruise began and ended in Limassol with a day at sea (chance to dress up here in your formal clobber) and then stop-offs in Izmir, Alanya and Marmaris in Turkey, and Patmos and Rhodes in Greece.

We really enjoyed the Patmos Highlights excursion, packing in some of this picturesque Greek island's historic places including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Cave of Jesus' disciple St John. It’s here where he lived for two years back in 95 to 97 AD. You’ll visit a monastery dedicated to him, too. It’s an impressive place with huge 15th century walls that tower over Patmos Town with breathtaking views.

A stroll around the nearby maze of winding streets lined with sugar cube houses saw us end up at 300-year-old Simandris House, to browse a fascinating collection of antiques including beautiful gilded mirrors and silverware. The last stop was a lovely little taverna to sample homemade meze dishes, local wine and traditional Greek dancing. (Adult £64 & child £32)

While in Marmaris we enjoyed the Dalyan Riverboat Tour and Iztuzu Beach, which saw us visit one of Turkey's most pristine beaches via a gentle cruise down the River Dalyan, with stops at 'anti-ageing' mud baths to get covered in skin-softening mud, a relaxing dip in the thermal pool and a riverside restaurant for lunch.

Endangered loggerhead turtles nest here and, while glimpses are not guaranteed, we were lucky enough to see quite a few of them. As we continued on the riverboat we sailed past the Lycian Rock Tombs – dating back to 400BC – carved into the cliffs and an amazing sight to behold. Prices were adult £46 and child £28, which I thought was great value when you consider there's a lunch included.

Marella Cruises offers a seven-night Aegean Delights round trip from Limassol, Cyprus on Marella Discovery 2 from £921 per person. Price based on 2 adults and 2 children (aged 10 and aged 10) sharing a Deck 2/3 inside cabin on an all-inclusive basis. Calling at Limassol, Cyprus, day at sea, Izmir, Turkiye, Thira, Santorini, Bodrum, Turkiye, Rhodes Town, Rhodes, Alanya, Turkiye and Limassol, Cyprus. Includes flights from Bristol Airport to Paphos, Cyprus on 29 October 2025, luggage per person, transfers, tips, and service charges.

For more information and to book, visit www.tui.co.uk/cruises

All prices quoted are correct to the particular product package at the time of issuing the price package/packages to the publication. Price was quoted on 26/06/2025. Prices provided are subject to change and have limited availability. Terms and conditions apply.

Holiday Extras

With an early flight from East Midlands Airport, we got our break off to a relaxing start with a hotel stay the night before and parking for the duration with Holiday Extras, the market leader in UK airport parking, hotels, lounges, and transfers. According to HX, last year's customers saved an average of £196 per trip by booking their airport parking in advance.

Booking an airport hotel means you can enjoy more holiday with less hassle. Plus with Flextras, if you need to cancel or amend you can without charge.

One night’s accommodation in a Standard Room at Leonardo Hotel, East Midlands Airport with eight days’ parking with JetParks 2 is available for £230.00 based on arrival on 12th August 2025.

Holiday Extras were also able to arrange entry to the Premium Lounge at Paphos International Airport Lounge. This costs £73.30 for two adults for entry three hours before the flight, based on entry on 20th August 2025.

For more information and to book, visit HolidayExtras.com or call 0800 316 5678.

*All costs supplied are the cheapest available rates for the product specified and therefore availability may be limited at this price. Prices are correct as at 26/06/2025.

Escape Lounge

We eased ourself into our trip with a relaxing visit to East Midlands Airport’s Escape Lounge which offers guests a relaxing space to unwind before their flight. Conveniently located just past the main food, drink and retail area, the lounge includes all-inclusive access to freshly prepared dishes from a curated menu, a wide selection of hot, cold and alcoholic drinks, and a locally inspired setting designed for every kind of traveller - making it the perfect way to start your journey.

Have an Escape to remember from just £35.99 when booked in advance. For more information or to book, please visit Escape Lounge