Marella to integrate into TUI?

[rodndonna]

 

Not sure if this would be a positive thing or not? I would think a good thing overall (certainly less chance of going under)

 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/25130-will-marella-cruises-be-handed-over-to-tui-cruises.html

 

 

[Britboys]

According to the article, Hapag-Lloyd has already been integrated into TUI. It does however seem to operate independently as a luxury brand. On that basis, I suspect that there may be very little apparent change.

[nancyneptune]

Much preferred when it was Thomson. Don't like the way it's going. Used to know so many of the crew and entertainers on the smaller ships and they all remembered you and welcomed you back.

When I last cruised with Tui just before the pandemic the crew had all been split up and spread around different ships. Just wasn't the same atmosphere.

Now that the Spirit, Dream and Celebration are gone and Marella seem to be going for bigger ships with fewer and fewer regional departures,  I  may as well try a really big ship from a port nearer home.

 

Looking at MSC Virtuosa from Greenock. Premium AI, tips included, beautiful new ship and good prices.

 

 

[Britboys]

13 hours ago, nancyneptune said:

Much preferred when it was Thomson. Don't like the way it's going. Used to know so many of the crew and entertainers on the smaller ships and they all remembered you and welcomed you back.

When I last cruised with Tui just before the pandemic the crew had all been split up and spread around different ships. Just wasn't the same atmosphere.

Now that the Spirit, Dream and Celebration are gone and Marella seem to be going for bigger ships with fewer and fewer regional departures,  I  may as well try a really big ship from a port nearer home.

 

Looking at MSC Virtuosa from Greenock. Premium AI, tips included, beautiful new ship and good prices.

 

 

If you like the small-ship atmosphere, you could try Fred Olsen from Rosyth - but it will be more expensive.

[nancyneptune]

2 hours ago, Britboys said:

If you like the small-ship atmosphere, you could try Fred Olsen from Rosyth - but it will be more expensive.

 

Thank you. I have been on a couple of Fred's ships from Rosyth and Greenock. Yes more expensive but much better food and presentation. The entertainment was also good and the staff very professional and friendly.

 

Although I prefer the smaller ships I am quite willing to give the big ships a try especially at the moment with all that's going on. 

Virtuoso is sailing at a much reduced capacity and looks like a beautiful ship, but what really does it for me at the moment is that I can just go straight to the port from where I live and not have the added risk of travelling back and forward by train or coach to Newcastle or Southampton.

 

A few days on such a large ship would give me an idea of whether it's for me or not.

 

What kept me loyal to Thomson and  Marella for many years was being able to fly from my local airport but over the past few years they have reduced the departures from many regional airports with some cruises only going from Manchester, Birmingham and Gatwick. Not one of their better moves.

 

[Britboys]

8 minutes ago, nancyneptune said:

 

Thank you. I have been on a couple of Fred's ships from Rosyth and Greenock. Yes more expensive but much better food and presentation. The entertainment was also good and the staff very professional and friendly.

 

Although I prefer the smaller ships I am quite willing to give the big ships a try especially at the moment with all that's going on. 

Virtuoso is sailing at a much reduced capacity and looks like a beautiful ship, but what really does it for me at the moment is that I can just go straight to the port from where I live and not have the added risk of travelling back and forward by train or coach to Newcastle or Southampton.

 

A few days on such a large ship would give me an idea of whether it's for me or not.

 

What kept me loyal to Thomson and  Marella for many years was being able to fly from my local airport but over the past few years they have reduced the departures from many regional airports with some cruises only going from Manchester, Birmingham and Gatwick. Not one of their better moves.

 

Good for you - I hope you have a great time on Virtuosa. Of course, the experience of being on her with only 1000 passengers will be quite different to when she is fully loaded with 5000 - as I'm sure you have already thought.

I just prefer a smaller ship with a more traditional-style cruise. I have tried a larger ship a couple of times but didn't enjoy it. Fortunately, I'm happy with up to around 2000 pax but won't go beyond that. All being well, next year I will enjoy Fred Olsen's Balmoral with around 1300 others and P&O's Aurora with around 1800.

Bon Voyage for Virtuosa!

[Jim The Scot]

No inclination/interest in cruising on the larger ships,just doesnt float our boat

 

Been loyal to Thomson/Marella for years and as long as they  continue to fly from our local airports will stick with them

[Pensioncruiser]

4 hours ago, Jim The Scot said:

No inclination/interest in cruising on the larger ships,just doesnt float our boat

 

Been loyal to Thomson/Marella for years and as long as they  continue to fly from our local airports will stick with them

Totally agree with you Jim but would go further and say no inclination or interest in cruising or flying at the moment with all the restrictions and uncertainty. ☹️

[Jim The Scot]

Totally agree with you P......no inclination or interest in cruising or flying any time soon

 

Not only can we enter Spain pretty freely,no test,no proof of vaccination but not only that,cruise now being permitted from June 7th in Palma

 

Smacks of desperation

Edited June 3, 2021 by Jim The Scot

[nancyneptune]

On 6/3/2021 at 2:01 PM, Jim The Scot said:

No inclination/interest in cruising on the larger ships,just doesnt float our boat

 

Been loyal to Thomson/Marella for years and as long as they  continue to fly from our local airports will stick with them

 

 

Also been loyal to Thomson  / Marella for years. Three or four cruises a year since 2003.  All the itineraries then had flights from Glasgow and Edinburgh but before the pandemic struck some cruises only had flights from Glasgow OR Edinburgh and some with no Scottish flights at all.

 

I would be happy to stick with Marella if they can offer the itineraries I want with Scottish departures. The main reason I stuck with Thomson / Marella all these years was as they put it  " Fly from your doorstep "

 

I think it's great that MSC have been considerate enough to give customers the opportunity to do short UK cruises from Greenock and Liverpool as well as Southampton at this very difficult time without the added risks of travelling by public transport to join the ships down south.

 

I probably wouldn't consider such a big ship in normal times but see this as an opportunity give it a try with a much reduced capacity.  As Britboys says it would be a whole different experience when the ship is full. 

 

 

[Jim The Scot]

Get what your saying Nancy

 

Itineraries are not high on our list of priorities which makes it easier for us to stick with the likes of Marella subject to flying locally

 

Yeah its great to get the opportunity to try the bigger ships at the mo with reduced capacity but personally think it would give a false experience as it would be totally different when at capacity

[GOQ]

I've spent 3 weeks trying to log into my online account. The response from Marella is "Sorry they (the IT system) are doing lots of updates". So I can't pay my cruise balance, check the cruise details or enter my passport/covid information. I asked if I could have an extension on my final balance date , they said 2 weeks which they would confirm and then sent me the original booking confirmation with the same final payment date.

 

Perhaps the parent TUI are looking at Marella and coming to the conclusion that they had better take over the operation for its own good.    🙃