Don't book with Marella - unless you have very low standards

[dwhe]

Staff were friendly but had no idea on manners and providing good service (exception was Joseph - our cabin attendant)

 

 

 

Guests that frequented the Lido Buffet and pool and Liberties bar at the rear of the ship were generally not up to the standards you would expect on a cruise.

 

 

 

Reports of stealing and fighting were common.

 

 

 

Gastro illness broke out - possibly due to people not washing their hands or using the many hand sanitizers present. At the end of the cruise staff were positioned at each sanitisation point to stop people that were walking past without sanitising their hands. I heard a lot of abuse from those people stopped.

 

 

 

I also overheard one "lady" saying that she used the pool rather than walk the 50 yards to the toilets.

My recommendation is that if you like the "working mans club" environment, go ahead and book but if you are in any way a more discerning customer book with a different cruise line

 

 

I've highlighted the points I want to address:

 

 

What kind of manners were the staff displaying? "Staff were friendly but had no idea on manners and providing good service" what were they doing wrong?

 

 

In my experience the buffet section on many cruise ships can be like a pig trough, and certain bars more raucous than others, that's not unusual on many lines.

 

Remember there are fights and thefts on other lines as well.

 

Here is a link to a website that documents gastrointestinal (GI) illness cases.

https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/gilist.htm

Nothing recorded about Thompson/TUI/Marella, although I'm sure a few people get sick on every sailing.

 

 

The positioning of staff with alcohol handrub dispensers at different parts of the ship is also very very common on cruise ships, and I've seen many many people dance round them shouting they are allergic to the hand rub. All on different lines.

 

 

If you think peeing in the pool is just a Marella thing.... well I dont know what to say.

 

 

The comment about "working mans club" environment is just pure snobbery. There are good clubs and bad clubs.

 

 

I've cruised with RC, Princess and Celebrity many times and have sometimes seen the behaviour and things you describe. I've never sailed with Marella but I am looking forward to my first cruise with them in July.

 

[Vitalsign]

The website you provided only lists ships entering US ports and I can assure you that norovirus has been on Dream and Celebration ships Over the years I've watched many passengers not using the sanitisers even before they get on the ship at the gangway Unfortunately sanitisng is not enforced until norovirus is found to be on the ship and then the poor staff have to wear gloves in the buffet and self service is stopped and they have to serve everyone causing queues. Norovirus only has to be reported once a certain percentage of passengers are affected. More usually during the winter cruises

[Pensioncruiser]

Daveth10 - The title of the review "Don't book with Marella - unless you have very low standards" Indicates that people that have booked, have low standards. Its not an accurate statement unless you have very low standards. Maybe for future reviews you should consider the people you are disrespecting with your comments. I'm sure it was not intentional, but it was very rude telling people they have "low standards" and comparing them with people in a working mans club. Have you ever been in a working mans club. I doubt it, they are very fussy and may not let you in......

I second that

 

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[dwhe]

The website you provided only lists ships entering US ports...

 

 

 

My apologies, I assumed as the OP said it was a Caribbean cruise that It was from Florida, looking at TUI cruises that probably was not the case.

[davecttr]

I have just returned from my 20th P&O cruise and have completed 19 with Thomson. I must have been lucky because I have experienced nastier passengers and worse behaviour on my P&O cruises. The lack of a drinks package does not seem to stop P&O cruisers getting obnoxiously drunk either!. I do wonder if an 'unlimited' drinks package is a good idea but my experience with Thomson is the boozers were more dedicated heavy drinkers than trouble makers. I try to avoid the 'butlins' venues on any ship and the buffet at bun fight times is best avoided on all ships.

 

Next cruise on P&O followed by three on Marella.

[godsrecognisegods]

I was impressed with my 1st cruise on the TUI Discovery in December. Staff couldn't do enough for you and food, drink and entertainment were all excellent. I don't recall any bad manners and lots of guests were very well dressed in the evenings. As a comparison, if you took the guests on our ship and put them into a John Lewis store for the day they would fit in quite nicely

[muffinman1]

Davidth10,I always go thomson/ Marella, and think they are great ships with great people, you probably get drunks on every ship, and people falling out, it doesn’t mean we are all scum ( well that’s what you are really calling us) maybe you should sail with the royal yacht Britannia, or Cunard, I have been in fancy hotels and ( so called )gentleman leaving the toilets don’t even wash their hands never mind sanitize , ok it was a cheap affordable cruise for some, but now they are charging prices similar to other cruise companies, maybe the working men won’t be able to afford it, well sorry I’m a HARD working man and I am still going to use Marella ,because their the friendliest ships in the world and not full of toffee nose ( pretend) snobs , if their that snobby why they on the so called working mans ship, anyway enjoy your next cruise whoever you go with

[liverpoollad]

. I try to avoid the 'butlins' venues on any ship and the buffet at bun fight times is best avoided on all ships.

 

 

Can I ask were they Hot Cross Buns.:D:D

[SoniaA]

We have been on Spirit twice, once for a week, in 2016, two weeks in September, and loved every second of it. The crew were amazing, all of them, food was good, and entertainment excellent. We made fantastic friends both from before the cruise via Facebook Spirit group, and were delighted to meet them on board, plus a few others. We celebrated our 40th anniversary last year, That was more than brilliant. The crew could do no more for us. It was so special, and we were honoured to share it with 8 cruise friends! We are going on Celebration 29th April, and getting together with several from our last cruise. Can't wait. The OP sounds snobbish to me. Smokers smoke in the smoking area! What is wrong with that? I don't, hubby does but most of the people there, smokers or not are the fun people. We don't use the pool, but I am sure that lady was joking about urinating in the pool! Also remember, wherever you go there will always be one or two odd sods. Ignore them and move on...Happy cruising all!

[Vitalsign]

Well said

[Ship's Biscuit]

I have been on cruises with various cruise lines. Fellow cruisers tend to be a mixed bunch, but life is like that and you just have to make the most of it. A problem tends to be when a ship is not fully booked around 3 weeks before departure date and they sell off the remaining capacity at heavily discounted prices. Cheap and all-inclusive is certainly a recipe for booze-cruisers. In that respect, Marella tends to be no better and no worse than anyone else. Wash your hands frequently and use the sanitisers - then you can adopt a holier-than-thou attitude when those who don't go down with cruise belly.

[Gate54]

I must have low standards as I've just returned from a Discovery 2 cruise and really enjoyed it despite there being different types of people onboard.

[Britboys]

I am just back from a week on D2 - my first cruise with Marella/TUI/Thomson. I had no problem with other pax on board at all and did not witness any drunkenness, swearing or rude behaviour. Sadly however I felt the food and entertainment were pretty poor and heard many other pax expressing similar thoughts. The overall style on board was not for me either. I will do a review to post on Cruise Critic.

[Vitalsign]

Very unusual for anyone to be unimpressed with Marella entertainment as this usually receives 5 stars from Cruise Critic - the only 5 star they receive

I have just come back from 2 weeks on Celebration and the show team were the best I've seen in over 20 cruises with Marella However I've heard that the 2 Discoveries show teams are now provided by another company and not Peel who have provided them for years I'm on Discovery 2 in April and can therefore take the opportunity to compare

Gavin Carroll was the CD and Musik Unlimited the band and the ever popular Tom and Maris of 2 Intense the duo in Horizons - fabulous

[Pensioncruiser]

Very unusual for anyone to be unimpressed with Marella entertainment as this usually receives 5 stars from Cruise Critic - the only 5 star they receive

I have just come back from 2 weeks on Celebration and the show team were the best I've seen in over 20 cruises with Marella However I've heard that the 2 Discoveries show teams are now provided by another company and not Peel who have provided them for years I'm on Discovery 2 in April and can therefore take the opportunity to compare

Gavin Carroll was the CD and Musik Unlimited the band and the ever popular Tom and Maris of 2 Intense the duo in Horizons - fabulous

We are on Discovery in a couple of weeks but must admit that it will be great to see Tom & Maris again later in the year😀

 

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[Vitalsign]

They said they were hoping to get on one of the newer ships next year from Jan 2019 They are on Celebration until Oct this year

[Britboys]

I did a backstage tour provided by one of the show team and she confirmed that they all work for Peel Productions. The young team worked really hard but sadly did not excel in either song or dance. I felt the productions were a little too ambitious but I am quite hard to please :-). One show - Beatz Interactive - made no sense at all with background projections bearing no relation to the songs being sung. For me, their performances just lacked something.

There were some good musicians in some of the bars/lounges but most often in the Live Room and the amplification was too much. I had to leave on two nights because the noise levels were so high! The best act was a classical crossover duo named Braxi Music. The comedian got good reviews from fellow pax but I don't do comedians. Other musicians were Midtown Trio, Soundwave, Willian Lingoist, Guy Stoker and Laszlo Sziraki.

Cruise Director was Paul Evans, a stand-in for 2 weeks in the absence of the usual CD - Ian someone I think?

Remember - entertainment is very subjective - what some like others hate. This is only my opinion but I think the entertainment on my 2 cruises with P&O last year was infinitely better than last week on D2.

[Britboys]

Very unusual for anyone to be unimpressed with Marella entertainment as this usually receives 5 stars from Cruise Critic - the only 5 star they receive...

 

Just had a quick look on the D2 page here on CC. For entertainment, the Editor has given a 4.0 out of 5 but the member reviews average comes out at 3.3. Just for interest.

[Pensioncruiser]

They said they were hoping to get on one of the newer ships next year from Jan 2019 They are on Celebration until Oct this year

They have, via FB, informed us they will see us in Sep on Celebration, hope t doesn't change[emoji41]

 

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[Vitalsign]

Pensioncruiser it won't change they will be on til the start of the winter season They want to do 2018/2019 Far East cruise if they can from Jan 2019

 

Britboys - the 5 star rating Thomson got last year that I was talking about is what cc gives, 2017 hasn't been announced yet, annually to the cruise lines, which takes into account the whole fleet

[Vitalsign]

Apologies I've just checked and found the 2017 awards for best entertainment on uk mid sized ships and the top five include Spirit Celebration and Dream

It will be interesting to see what 2018 brings

[Vitalsign]

Braximusic - Max and Brandy used to be part of the show team a few years ago and after failing to get through on X Factor have obviously formed a duo They are good but IMO not as good as they think they are

[Pensioncruiser]

Pensioncruiser it won't change they will be on til the start of the winter season They want to do 2018/2019 Far East cruise if they can from Jan 2019

 

Britboys - the 5 star rating Thomson got last year that I was talking about is what cc gives, 2017 hasn't been announced yet, annually to the cruise lines, which takes into account the whole fleet

You probably know, Vitalsign, that they have family in that area so it's understandable they looking for that and they deserve it😋

 

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[mika6617]

I am just back from a week on D2 - my first cruise with Marella/TUI/Thomson. I had no problem with other pax on board at all and did not witness any drunkenness, swearing or rude behaviour. Sadly however I felt the food and entertainment were pretty poor and heard many other pax expressing similar thoughts. The overall style on board was not for me either. I will do a review to post on Cruise Critic.

I too have recently experienced my first Marella cruise (the Dream) after sailing with a selection of other lines and can't agree with you more. Worst entertainment I've witnessed, theatre shows abysmal singers that can't actually sing (painful) food was at best edible but so plain. The ship very basic and nothing at all like anything else I've seen at sea, but each to their own I suppose. The problem you'll face though is the Marella fan club having a go at you for not thinking like them (and it'll happen) you know the ones who have only ever sailed with one company and as such can't make comparisons. I seen them on various posts on here.

 

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[davecttr]

I too have recently experienced my first Marella cruise (the Dream) after sailing with a selection of other lines and can't agree with you more. Worst entertainment I've witnessed, theatre shows abysmal singers that can't actually sing (painful) food was at best edible but so plain. The ship very basic and nothing at all like anything else I've seen at sea, but each to their own I suppose. The problem you'll face though is the Marella fan club having a go at you for not thinking like them (and it'll happen) you know the ones who have only ever sailed with one company and as such can't make comparisons. I seen them on various posts on here.

 

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The Marella fan club is nothing compared to the P&O one. I am a Marella fan and a P&O fan and know they both have strengths and weaknesses. Those theatre shows with abysmal singers IMO applies to P&O too. If I see a bad comment I check out the posters posting history, For example the original poster of this topic posting history shows a lot of Cunard comments so maybe the Dream came as a bit of a shock because it is old and needs replacing.

 

My worst (and most expensive) was with P&O, if that had been my first experience with the company I would have never cruised with them again. :mad:

 

Noisiest cabin? a tie between Thomson Spirit and P&O Ventura, I could go on a long time on this.

 

The title of the thread irritates me somewhat because it should really have been posted on the Cunard forum and implies that the OP knowns more about Marella than me.

 

Here is my cruising history, 18 Marella, 21 P&O, 1 NCL. My next cruise is P&O followed by 3 Marella and one of those is on Dream. :eek:

 

I like a good rant first thing ;p