dronnygirl

Mmm, can't really tell whether you enjoyed this cruise? Lots of changes but I guess they are trying to be a bit different from other cruise lines . Think we might give it a go for a week to see what we think. We are actually fancying a change and have been looking at Princess for 2024. We were going to the Baltic in May 2020 from Newcastle but, obviously, that never happened. Can't see Marella sailing from UK in the near future so may go with Princess. The price at the moment is less than we are paying for our Marella cruise this September. Might also consider Fred as they still do cruises from Newcastle.

We took a tour with Iceland Guided Tours and they were fantastic. They were waiting at the dock for us and the bus took 8 people . Various tours but we chose the golden circle and can really recommend it. They got back to Reykjavik in plenty of time and offered to give a quick tour of the town. We also booked a tour with them in Akureyri and can also recommend that. Excellent company

Hi groovechick, when we arrived at Naples there were lots if taxis and tours outside the dock so they could easily pick up a tour. However, we have visited Naples many times and love walking round the city itself. It's very busy but there are some lovely buildings and tiny streets to explore. Don't forget the pizza is great, we found a cafe in a small backstreet. Delicious pizza and drink for 6 euros!!

Have a fab cruise RR, please let us know all about it!

Your allowance is 20kgs per person plus hand luggage which can be up to 10kgs. I believe you can split the allowance over 2 cases if you need. Luggage labels will be available to print off shortly before your cruise

Mahon is a lovely city to just wander round. Nice shops, cafes etc and don't miss the gin factory! Olbia, just outside the port there is a double deck bus taking people to the Costa Smerelda beach. They drive along the peninsula with beautiful scenery. You can get off at the lovely beach and catch a later bus back or you can just do a round trip . Cost was approx 10 euros each.

Hi Nancy , have you read the comments on the P&O board? It's obviously not only Marella that has changed, many of the P&O clients are very disgruntled at the changes. I guess it's a sign of the times, everything in life seems to be changing at the moment and mostly not for the better.

Hi JTS, not sure when you are going but maybe try again at the last minute (depending on how many balcony cabins are left) The price could drop if the ship isn't full.

No it doesn't I'm afraid. Our other ports of call were Turkey, Rhodes etc which we were happy with. The only thing you can do is wait until last minute but you may not get your choice of cabin or flight.

We have only had a balcony cabin but love 6074 or nearby. It's very handy for the coffee port and the atrium but is quiet. We've also been in the same area on deck 7 if that helps.

Thanks for letting us know. Although we usually like to slip last minute bits in the case before leaving but won't be able to do this. Hope you enjoyed your cruise

Sorry I wasn't clear, all freedom dining except for speciality restaurants which you have to book. We prefer to eat around 7ish and it's not busy but I think it gets busy around 8pm. The MDR known as 47 is on one deck and the Italian known as Gallery 47 on the above deck . Menus are shown outside so we usually check before we decide. Otherwise the buffet is similar to other cruise lines. Lunch time the Snack Shack offers burgers, fish n chips, sandwiches and salads. For us the itinerary is the most important but Marella does suit our needs. Unfortunately they no longer sail from the UK so we may be tempted with Fred in the future as they have flexible departures. Good luck and enjoy your planning!

We sailed on D2 in October and had a lovely cruise. The ship was refurbished a few years ago so is not by any means new but it is well kept and we found everywhere clean. We love the layout of the ship with a nice atrium in the centre. The staff are fabulous and always friendly and courteous. The ship is similar to P&O ships (not tried Fred) but we always preferred the entertainment on Marella, however the show team has changed and we didn't find the shows so good this time, but there were some very good musicians on board. We find the atmosphere very good, I've read lots of bad reviews about Marella but we always travel away from school holidays when it's quieter and have never seen any trouble. You can choose a table for 2 or share a table in the MDR, we always share and have only a couple of times sat with people who have been disagreeable. Almost always we have sat with very interesting people. The food is good, always find something we like but we are not fussy eaters. Dress is not as strict as P&O but smart casual in the evenings and most people onboard make an effort. There are occasional 'dress to impress' evenings but these days only the minority wear tux, the ladies dress up though. Drinks and tips are included and, as we aren't big drinkers, we always find the drink selection perfectly ok without upgrading . We did find service slow in a couple of bars but that doesn't worry us. We do however tip the steward and anyone who goes the extra mile but that is our choice. Speciality dining is extra and I've been told it's very good but we've never felt the need to try it. Your itinerary sounds wonderful, I'm turning a shade of green! I'm sure you would have a lovely time but, of course, you would need to go with an open mind. Please let us know what you decide.

Yes we were really lucky to get 2 says in Ashdod to visit Jerusalem , Bethlehem etc. A week after we were there trouble broke out and they cancelled Israel for quite a while. The one thing we've found with Marella is that they usually quickly find alternative ports of call whereas I've read about a competitor cruise line that seems to be cancelling ports with no alternative.

So pleased you had a good time, thanks for letting us know.

Yes we did Ancient Wonders and loved it. But does anyone remember the Red Sea cruise on Celebration? That was our first Thomson cruise in 2009. Fabulous to see Petra and also the Pyramids but I must admit we never want to go to Egypt again. But that's why cruising is so good, you can love a place or it can totally put you off a place .

The Eastern Med is our favourite. Look for Istanbul, Athens, Israel - all amazing!

Look at Ottoman Odyssey on Discovery between May and September 2024. Istanbul is amazing, really loved it. Very interesting sailing through the Dardanelles on the way there

Fabulous itinerary, you'll have a great time! I believe Marella are going to sail from Marmaris again next year which means some lovely cruises coming up!

Yes, Greek Mystique followed by Adriatic Affair. We're very lucky to have done many cruises so we usually have some ports we have been to before but absolutely love Greece.

Your first week will be our second week in September, we are doing the Greek Isles the first week so will be a contrast. We've already done the Greek ports but they are all lovely so quite happy to visit again.

I'd be very interested to hear how you find MSC, it's always good to hear other people's views. I know you enjoy both Marella and P&O cruises.

For us it's mainly about the itinerary. Out of interest how many ports of call are there on the P&O 2 week cruise? Usually they don't compare with 12 ports of call on Marella and this should be taken into account when making comparisons . It's not just about the overall cost.

If you want to do a gondola trip the best time is in the morning. It gets busier later so they charge less in a morning. Also, unless you want to be ripped off, don't get a gondola on the grand canal. You can walk into the back streets and negotiate with the gondoliers. Enjoy just wandering around Venice, it's beautiful!

Hi BB, Well done - I think this is your first cruise? This is a great itinerary and it's very easy to book trips all over the place but many of the ports are very nice so you don't always need to go further (unless there's somewhere you really want to see) When you arrive you can go into Corfu town, it's quite a walk so I would get on the bus that will be waiting just outside the port. Corfu is a lovely town to walk around, have a drink etc Koper we haven't been to yet and will visit in September. We absolutely love Slovenia and will have a look round the town, however if you feel confident you can take the bus half an hour down the coast to Piran/Portoroz. Both lovely but very different, Piran is a small place with lots of fish restaurants and lovely whereas Portoroz is bigger and more modern with a lovely walk along the front. Trieste - if you've not been to Venice then that's the place to see. Fabulous? but if you don't want to go there Trieste is lovely to wander around with lots of shops and cafes Split - not been here yet but will just have a wander round - let us know how you find it please Dubrovnik - beautiful city. Catch the bus to the city gate and just wander around the town and the walls or you can take the cable car to the top of the mountain for beautiful views. If you walk around the town and follow the walls, you will find an opening in the wall by the sea. Go through this and it brings you out to Buza Bar, it's basically a bar built on the rocks. Lovely place for a drink and watch the locals jumping off into the sea. Kotor - again one we are looking forward to seeing in September The main thing to remember is the time you need to be back on board. Never, ever be late as the ship won't wait. Always leave plenty of time, and if you do get into difficulties the ship's phone number is on the back of your cruise card. Good luck and let us know how you go on!