How to Book a Marella Cruise from Outside the UK – USA, Canada and Many More (Finally!)

For years and years, I have been talking about Marella Cruises and how much I enjoy them.

I appreciate this must have been a little frustrating for some of my audience, as only British people were able to easily book Marella cruises!

People from outside the UK were able to book years ago, but for the last few years it’s been near impossible with me getting emails most weeks from people in the USA unable to book on the website.

Finally, after a lot of hard work, my American partner travel agent Dan and his team can now book Marella Cruises for Americans, Canadians – and other nationalities too!

Just want the link? Here you go: Book a Cruise (USA/Canada)

Who Are Marella?

Marella is owned by TUI UK and Ireland, which is part of the larger TUI Group (TUI AG).

TUI Group also has a 50% stake in TUI Cruises, a separate German-based cruise line.

Before October 2017, Marella was known as Thomson Cruises and sold cruises to UK audiences.

They are a well-established cruise company, and most people in the UK have heard of them.

Why Weren’t Marella Cruises Available to Those Outside the UK Before?

Historically, Marella, a UK-based cruise line, hadn’t sold cruises to anyone outside the UK.

Cruises were sold with flights and transfers from a number of regional UK airports to a UK audience.

Cruises were never sold through U.S. travel agents or through online booking engines.

This was not because Marella didn’t want Americans onboard – just that their systems weren’t set up for making bookings for those outside the UK.

Most American or other non-British cruisers were not aware of Marella. Those who were, struggled to book.

They had to call the UK and try to book via phone. They would also have to pay in UK pounds rather than their own currency and not use a U.S. address (or any non-UK address) on their booking.

An Easy New Way to Book (Through Me!)

Click here to request a quote: Book a Cruise (USA/Canada)

My American partner travel agents can now book Marella cruises for people who aren’t British and don’t live in Great Britain.

Dan and his family run travel agency, Travel with Brigitte, are based in Texas.

It has taken months of work on their part to get to this point. I love Marella Cruises, and I wanted people from other parts of the world to be able to experience the great value cruises they offer.

Dan will take payment in US dollars, and will offer US-based customer support. This saves the need for confusing overseas phone calls or conversions!

Simply click on the link for book a cruise, fill in a short form and they will get back to you to help you find your perfect cruise.

Bookings with Marella will be cruise alone, but they can help you book your flights or transfers to get you to the port if you want them to.

Why Use This Method Instead of Booking Alone?

You usually can’t book Marella directly from the USA. Their website normally blocks US and some other non-UK cards and addresses.

You’d need to try international booking workarounds, like hiding the address with PayPal. This isn’t easy, and I wouldn’t recommend it!

Booking with Dan and his team gets you:

• A proper booking confirmation.
• Someone to help you with flights, transfers, insurance, etc.
• A team on hand to help with any questions you might have – and help sort out any problems, should you have any.
• U.S. based customer support, instead of having to ring the UK support team. (No middle-of-the-night phone calls necessary!)

What To Expect As A Non-Brit On A Marella Cruise

• All-inclusive pricing.
  • Cruises include gratuities, food, and drinks as standard. (If you are travelling from the UK, flights and transfers are included too.)
  • You can upgrade to a higher drinks package if you are not happy with the included options. This is at a fraction of the cost of an alcoholic drinks package on a big U.S. cruise line.
  • Some speciality restaurants cost extra. However, there are many included options and restaurants for food, so there is no need to pay extra unless you want to.

Find out about all the different included restaurants I ate at when I sailed on Marella Discovery below:

This Cruise Ship Has 6 Restaurants Included in the Cruise Fare (I Tried Them All)

• A British onboard experience.
  • Expect kettles in cabins for making tea, comedy nights, a pub and British-style entertainment
• A Friendly and relaxed vibe.
  • No need to dress up – unless you want to, of course!
• Great for exploring Europe.
  • They depart from places like Spain, Greece, and the Canaries
• Excellent value for money
  • You can get off a Marella cruise with £0 on your onboard account!
  • U.S. cruisers may find this a refreshing change. There are no daily service charges, and the crew onboard don’t expect to be tipped.
• Excursions come at an extra charge.
  • But I find they offer excellent value for money, compared to big U.S cruise lines.

Find out what you get extra if you do decide to upgrade to the premium drinks package. Mine cost £13 (under $18) a day on my last Marella cruise.

I Upgraded to Marella’s Premium Drinks Package – Here’s Why

Marella are a good option because everything is taken care of for you. This makes them great for first-time or nervous travellers.

What Makes Marella Different?

• Smaller ships, with a friendly atmosphere
  • No mega-ships with water slides or Go-Kart Tracks.
  • Many of Marella ships are ex-Royal Caribbean or Celebrity ships.

Find out more about their ships here:

Marella Cruises, Ships by Size – Photo Guide and Reviews

• No need to worry about tipping or drinks packages.
  • There is a range of soft and alcoholic drinks included
    • Beers, wines, prosecco, sodas, etc.
• Ideal for those who’ve “been there, done that” with big US cruise lines.
  • Smaller ships can visit interesting ports that larger ships can’t get to.
  • It offers a very different cruising experience from the large American cruise lines.
• If you are travelling from the UK, the fare includes flights and transfers.

Find out about the last cruise I took with Marella below. I’m still thinking about it now!

How to Get Started?

It is now easy to get a quote for a Marella cruise if you aren’t from the UK.

• Fill out my quick form here: Book a Cruise (USA/Canada)
• Dan and his team at “Travel with Brigitte” will get back to you.
• The team will talk you through everything you need to know.
• There’s no pressure to book – it’s just a great way to see your options

You’ll get to experience a unique cruise line that’s been hidden from travellers who aren’t British before now!

Remember, Dan and his team can book Marella Cruises for Americans, Canadians and other nationalities too!

Have a look at my Ocean View cabin on Marella Discovery here:

Before You Go

Find out why Marella cruises are different from traditional cruises below:

6 Ways Marella Cruises Are Different From Traditional Cruises

Find out what Marella did to ex-Celebrity and Royal Caribbean ships to ready them for the British cruise audience here:

How Marella Cruises Transformed Ex-Celebrity and Royal Caribbean Ships