The best Marella ships and Tui cruise deals for 2025 and 2026

Tui's Marella Cruises are a popular all-inclusive sailing option - (Getty Images)

Tui may be best-known for package holidays but its Marella Cruises, its ocean cruise line, has become popular among passengers.

Previously known as Thomson Cruises, Marella offers five ships that sail to more than 100 destinations, including stops in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.

A major selling point of Marella is that passengers get an all inclusive experience. Everything from flights, transfers, food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and even tips are included in the cruise fare. The sailings are geared towards Brits but tend to depart from the continent, with flights and transfers included.

Many of the ships are focused on family holidays and you will find activities such as escape rooms, pools, cinemas and rock climbing walls onboard as well as evening entertainment. There are also kids’ clubs and teen hangout areas on the ships.

The capacity of each ship is around 2,000, meaning it can be a quieter experience compared with other family-focused lines such as Royal Caribbean.

You can escape the kids on an adult-only cruise with Marella Explorer 2, plus Marella Discovery will be child-free for summer 2026 sailings.

Tui also offers river cruises that are adult-only. Its fleet covers itineraries across Europe, such as on the Rhine and the Danube as well as on the River Nile. Similar to Marella, Tui River Cruises are all-inclusive and some trips even include wifi and selected excursions.

Here is our pick of the best Tui cruises.

Read more: The best river cruises around the world

Marella Voyager: Island Explorer

Gran Canaria – Lanzarote – Madeira – La Palma – Tenerife – Gran Canaria

Marella Voyager is island hopping across the Canary Islands in December (Getty Images)

This week-long cruise aboard Marella Voyager – the newest ship in the fleet – will give some much-needed winter sun, with destinations providing varied backdrops and places to visit, such as the volcanic landscapes of Arrecife in Lanzarote, the black sand of La Palma and the botanical gardens of Funchal in Madeira, where passengers can enjoy an overnight stop.

It has more bars and restaurants on board than any of its sister ships at 17, including the British-food themed Silver Fork. There is an indoor cinema plus outdoor activities such as mini-golf and two swimming pools. You can also show off your moves on the LED dance floor inside The Electric Rooms bar.

Departs 13 December 2025; From £941pp

Marella Discovery: Exotic Islands

Barbados – Curacao – Aruba – Grenada – St Lucia – Barbados

Sail the Caribbean aboard Marella Discovery (Getty Images)

Take in the sunny sights and duty-free shopping of Bridgetown, Barbados, before a seven-night Caribbean cruise aboard Marella Discovery.

You will visit the region’s hotspots such as Aruba and Grenada as well as emerging destinations including the little Dutch island of Willemstad, Curacao. When not exploring the colourful Caribbean beaches and houses or taking in the different scents or sipping rum, Marella Discovery will keep you entertained with its two pools, outdoor cinema and rock climbing wall.

Other highlights include a choice of seven bars and eight restaurants as well as its highly-regarded show lounge that puts on West End standard performances and there is even an escape room onboard.

Departs 13 April 2025; from £1,963pp

Read more: The best European cruise holiday destinations

Marella Discovery 2: Aegean Wonders

Limassol – Crete – Valletta – Palma – Malaga

Light up your holiday with Marella Discovery 2 (Getty Images)

Explore the Aegean sea aboard Marella Discovery 2. Embarking in Cyprus, this eight-night cruise will give you different cultural and scenic experiences on each stop. Passengers can explore the sand and historical landmarks of Chania on Crete as well as the narrow streets of Valletta in Malta and tasting Tapas in Majorca.

Marella Discovery 2 is the sister ship to Discovery, so passengers can expect similar features but it is often described as having more modern décor after it was refurbished last year.

Departs 5 November 2025; from £1,116pp

Marella Explorer: Adriatic Explorer

Corfu – Dubrovnik – Split – Zadar – Koper – Corfu

Despite its size, Marella Explorer can still get you close to top destinations (Getty Images)

Setting off from Corfu, this seven-night cruise sails to Adriatic hotspots including the castles of Slovenia and historic Dubrovnik in Croatia – a must-see destination for Game of Thrones fans.

Marella Explorer offers passengers a bumper choice of 10 restaurants and 10 bars. Unique features include its high-end restaurant and entertainment in The Lounge around its distinctive pink piano. Passengers can also enjoy the indoor cinema, a sports and family deck as well as an onboard Champneys Spa.

Departs 18 July; from £1,444.84pp

Marella Explorer 2: Greek Mystique

Dubrovnik – Chania – Piraeus (for Athens) – Katakolon (for Olympia) – Corfu Town – Kotor – Dubrovnik

Marella Explorer 2 is the only adults-only ship in the fleet (Getty Images)

Avoid the kids on an adult-only cruise aboard Marella Explorer 2, which gives passengers a more laidback and sophisticated vibe. Cruising without your own kids or other younger passengers in the background can also be a more calm way to explore ancient Greece on stops in Athens and Olympia during this seven-night cruise. The itinerary is packed with visits to other countries such as Croatia and Montenegro.

Back on board, there are nine bars and nine restaurants to choose from including the Surf & Turf Steakhouse and Italian-themed Nonna's. You can even sit back in a swing seat and dine at the Beach Cove barbecue restaurant. Passengers can also enjoy the large Champneys Spa and sunbathing area, The Veranda as well as a golf-themed bar and simulator called the 19th Hole. You can also toast the quieter time onboard with a glass of champagne in Flutes.

Departs 12 June 2025; from £1,351pp

Read more: The best European river cruises

TUI Ria: Rhine Gems

Frankfurt – Koblenz – Mannheim – Kehl – Basel – Breisach – Speyer – Frankfurt

Enjoy the Rhine river views with Tui (Getty Images)

Sail the famous Rhine aboard TUI Ria. This seven-night river cruise starts in Frankfurt where you can explore the Palm Gardens before cruising on the Unesco-listed stretch of the Rhine. The packed-itinerary takes you to interesting destinations in both Germany and Switzerland.

You could be exploring Basel’s Swiss medieval town one day before sipping the famous red wines of Breisach in the German town of Breisach. Onboard, you can dine in the choice of two restaurants and relax across two bars, plus the pool has a retractable roof so passengers can swim all year round without worrying about the weather.

Departs 4 April 2026; from £1,499pp

TUI Bahareya

Luxor – Aswan – Kom Ombo – Aswan – Edfu – Luxor

A river cruise on the Nile offers great views on and off the ship (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Discover the rich history of Egypt while sailing on the River Nile. Embarking in Luxor, you will wake up each morning ready to discover a new temple, tomb or part of Egyptian culture on this seven-night river cruise. Some days will include two different stops.

There are excursions included in your fare such as a visit to the 2,000 year-old Kom Ombo temple as well as to the Temple of Horus, which dates back to 3,000 BC. TUI Bahareya is built specifically for this iconic river and passengers will find Arabic-inspired decor and regional dishes in the restaurant. It has even been refurbished for winter 2025.

When not visiting the sites, you can relax in the top deck pool and build your knowledge with onboard Egyptologists.

Departs 4 November 2025; from £1,668pp

Read more: The best Caribbean cruises