Exciting reveal from Marella Cruises: what’s in store for Marella Discovery 2?

Marella Discovery 2 is about to receive a refresh ahead of an exciting winter season and beyond. The almost 2,000-passenger ship will be taken out of the water for a refit and spruce up as part of Marella Cruises’ rolling dry dock schedule for its ships.

When she relaunches in November, Marella Discovery 2 will first sail from Malaga before repositioning south to the Canary Islands – with home-ports in Gran Canaria and Tenerife. As winter shifts to spring 2025, the ship will head through the Mediterranean to Cyprus.

The range of cruises teased for the refurbished ship includes four new itineraries, with ports in Spain, Portugal and Cyprus. Her upcoming voyages also focus on destinations that are proven to guest favourites year-in, year-out. For a reliably sunny and relaxing winter escape, Marella Discovery 2 has got your back.

What is a dry dock like?
After saying a sweet farewell to all guests at the end of the final cruise of the season, Marella Discovery 2 will sail into a specially designed dock, which will close like the locks of a canal. The water will be pumped out of the sealed chamber, lowering the ship onto perfectly aligned wooden blocks.

With no water, huge teams of engineers and carpenters can work on all aspects of the ship. From repainting the hull and polishing the propellers, to fully refurbishing all of Marella Discovery 2’s balcony cabins and suites.

And then, swift as a thought, the protective wraps are whipped off, water charges back into the dock chamber, the gates swing open and Marella Discovery 2 – refreshed and rejuvenated – heads straight back to what she does best… all inclusive cruises to our favourite sunny spots.

Where does Marella Discover 2 go in her next season?
Immediately after the dry dock upgrades – in November – Marella Discovery 2 will sail from Malaga. With two itineraries on offer, you could visit Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona, Valencia, Cartagena, and Gibraltar on the ‘Spanish Flavours’ sailing, or head around to Europe’s Atlantic Coast on the ‘Sights and Delights’ voyage, which visits Lisbon, Cadiz, Casablanca, Gibraltar, and Motril. You could even enjoy both cruises back-to-back, given they only share one port in common.

November 28, 2024, marks the start of Marella Discovery 2’s ‘Winter Escape’ repositional cruise from Malaga to Tenerife. Getting ready for a crowd-pleasing winter-sun season, this voyage makes calls in Gibraltar, Cadiz, and Gran Canaria, before arriving in Tenerife.

Once in the Canary Islands, Marella Discovery 2’s selection of four favourite itineraries covers all the highlights of the region, from big tourist hotspots like Las Palmas, Fuerteventura, and Gran Canaria, to colourful and charming Funchal, Madeira, and dramatically volcanic Lanzarote.

A special ‘Canarian Christmas’ sailing includes an overnight stay in Funchal, in addition to day visits to Lanzarote, La Palma, and Gran Canaria. This round trip cruise from Tenerife offers Cruise and Stay options giving you the opportunity to extend your holiday a little longer.

And as we emerge from winter, Marella Discovery 2 will complete her second repositional cruise following her refit, departing Gran Canaria on March 24, 2025, and heading to Limassol, Cyprus, which will be her new homeport for the spring.

Cruises where the ships move from one homeport to another tend to include more days at sea, so if you love relaxing by the pool or making the most of the onboard entertainment, then this voyage could be for you with five blissful days season the open ocean.