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Marella Cruises reveals details of UK coastal itineraries

Tui’s Marella Cruises will start selling summer cruises around the British Isles on Friday (April 16).

The company confirmed last month that it planned to join the armada of cruise lines sailing around the UK this summer but did not reveal details of its itineraries.

Marella Explorer (pictured) will depart from Southampton from June 25, sailing to new ports of call including Belfast, Dublin and Liverpool.

Adults-only ship Marella Explorer 2 will offer Newcastle departures, from July 10. The Newcastle sailings will go on sale by the end of this month.

Marella Explorer will sail seven new UK itineraries, including a three-night Sail the South Coast cruise, visiting Dover for Canterbury Cathedral and Portland for the Abbotsbury Swannery & Gardens.

Prices for the three-night sailings start from under £450.

Sail the Irish Sea will depart in August from Southampton, to visit cities including Liverpool, Dublin and Cobh in the Republic of Ireland.

There are Scottish itineraries, including British Sights and Seas which will feature Invergordon, Kirkwall, Leith, Edinburgh and Newcastle before returning to Southampton.

A Taste of the West Coast will see Marella Explorer sail to Greenock, Belfast and Holyhead.

Anyone aged 18 and over will be required to have had both Covid-19 vaccination jabs at least seven days before travelling.

Under-18s will be asked to have a lateral flow test. Infants under the age of two will not be able to sail as they are exempt from testing.

All guests must also provide proof of a negative lateral flow test before boarding the ships at the start of the cruise.


More: Marella Cruises ‘looking at’ operating UK sailings this summer


Chris Hackney, managing director of Cruise Tui UK and Ireland, said: “After pausing our operations for more than year, we are delighted to announce our UK summer programme and welcome our wonderful customers back onboard our ships.

“The safety and well-being of both our crew and passengers remains our priority, which is why we have vaccination and testing protocols for all sailings from UK ports this summer.

“Domestic sailings are a great step for the cruise industry and has given us the opportunity to take our customers to new destinations full of culture and history whilst still being close to home. We’re looking forward to this new adventure on the British seas and are dedicated to making sure our customers have the most memorable and exciting cruise with us.”

Marella Cruises will continue the pause in operations for Marella Discovery and Marella Discovery 2 until July 31. These ships are due to homeport in Palma and Corfu this summer.

Those booked on Marella Explorer or Marella Explorer 2 international cruises will have their sailings cancelled. They will be offered the chance to rebook a UK sailing with an incentive or receive a full refund.

Marella Explorer and Marella Explorer 2 will be sailing their UK itineraries until September.

UK sailings are available only for UK residents with a permanent UK address and a valid passport.

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