I Booked The Same Cruise Ship Twice – Here’s Why

Note: This post is sponsored by Marella Cruises. All thoughts and opinions are my own based on my 8+ Cruises with Marella.

Lots of people like to cruise on the newest, flashiest cruise ships when they are first launched. Others think that every cruise they take should be on a different cruise line, as you should always try different things.

Whilst I do like to try new ships and different onboard experiences, I have recently chosen to book a cruise on a ship I travelled on only a few months ago.

When I first sailed on Marella Voyager, Marella’s newest ship, I took my mum along for the trip. She has taken many cruises herself and is always up for trying a ship she hasn’t sailed on before.

The cruise we took around the Western Mediterranean in August was exactly the break we both needed.

There was so much to love about the ship and the Marella cruising experience.

I knew I wanted to sail on Marella Voyager again, and I knew I wanted to bring some friends along with me. I was confident they would love her as much as I did.

These Are The Reasons I Rebooked This Ship

#1 – I Already Knew I Loved Her

Because I had spent a week on this ship, I was confident that Marella Voyager could provide a cruising experience everyone would love.

You can check out Marella Voyager on Marella’s website here (affiliate).

The itinerary for this second cruise, around the Canary Islands, is one I have taken before, on many occasions with various cruise lines.

It is a great place to cruise to – easy to explore, interesting ports – and far warmer than it would be at home!

Booking again meant removing the risk of disappointment by choosing something I knew would suit my friends and me well.

#2 – Bringing Friends To Share The Experience

The friends I am travelling with have only cruised with a much more traditional, formal cruise line.

I am excited to see what they make of Marella’s far more relaxed, informal way of cruising.

There are no strict dress codes, no fixed-time dining, and no large bar bills to worry about.

Marella offers an all-inclusive cruising experience, with drinks, flights and transfers all included in the cruise fare.

Going back will make me the unofficial guide onboard for my friends. It will be fun for me because I get to watch other people discover the things I loved the first time.

I am confident they will love it too!

#3 – To Try A Different Cabin

When I stayed onboard Marella Voyager with my Mum, we had an outside cabin with an ocean view on a lower deck.

This suited us perfectly and was far more affordable than a balcony cabin on our peak season sailing.

The cabin had everything we needed for a comfortable, enjoyable cruise.

This time I have booked myself a large balcony cabin, and the price was far cheaper. I will be sailing at the end of January, rather than August (which is in peak season and in the school holidays).

Staying in a new cabin type may give this cruise a totally different feel, even though I’m on the same ship.

I will be interested to see how the location, layout, views, size and amenities compare to my previous oceanview cabin.

Have a look at my oceanview cabin here:

Marella describes a large balcony cabin as:

These cabins give you everything you get from a balcony cabin, and throw a bigger balcony into the mix. They measure up at 16m2, while the balcony adds an extra 9m2 of space. This cabin type comes with two beds that can be put together to make a queen-sized option, alongside a sofa bed, while the en-suite sports a shower and a WC.

Large balcony cabin – Image Marella.

You can check out Marella Voyager’s cabins on Marella’s website here (affiliate).

#4 – The Food Was Good (With Lots of Options)

Food can make or break a cruise, and the food on Marella Voyager certainly didn’t disappoint.

There were so many restaurants to choose from, many included in the cruise fare.

My mum and I loved the Mexican restaurant, Abuela’s, so much that we went back a second time.

Latitude 53, Vista and Piccadilly’s can be found at the back of the ship on decks 5 & 6.

What was once a single main dining room when the ship was built now houses three different restaurants.

As well as Latitude 53, the main restaurant on deck 5, the upper levels on deck 6 are home to “Vista”, an Italian restaurant, and “Piccadilly’s”, which serves a range of British classics.

These restaurants are all included in the cruise fare. There is something to suit every taste.

Trio of Tiramisu – Vista restaurant on Marella Voyager

#5 – No Learning Curve This Time

It’s great when you already know the ship’s layout and how things work onboard.

There will be no getting lost, no not finding interesting venues until the last day.

I already know which venues I prefer, so the whole cruise should be easy, relaxed and enjoyable.

#6 – Doing The Things I Missed The First Time

When I cruised on Marella Voyager last time, the cruise was quite port-intensive.

I spent quite a lot of time exploring the different ports in the countries we visited.

I never managed to get around all the venues, bars, or restaurants onboard that I wanted to try. There simply weren’t enough days in the week.

I never got to visit the lovely onboard cinema, for example. Hopefully, I will get there next time.

I always try to get to as many theatre shows as possible when I cruise.

I particularly enjoy the performances by the Marella Show Cast.

The Marella Show Cast put on up to twelve unique shows. On a fortnight’s cruise, it is possible to see them all, but on a seven-day cruise like the one I took, there are lots that I never got to see.

Hopefully, when I go back the second time, I will get to enjoy some I didn’t see the first time.

Marella theatre show.

#7 – It Was Much Cheaper To Book Outside Peak Season

When I cruise on Marella Voyager for the second time, I will get a seven-day cruise at a much lower price than I paid for the first cruise.

This is simply because I am travelling out of season.

I actually booked this second cruise while onboard Marella Voyager last summer.

By doing this, I was able to take advantage of an offer they had onboard. I could pick my own cabin location at no extra cost (normally, there is an extra charge for this).

I also received onboard credit of £50 per person, so £100 in total for the cabin.

I can spend this onboard credit (which I essentially see as “free money”) in a speciality restaurant or on an excursion.

Cruising outside peak times can offer you huge value for the same ship, same itinerary and same onboard experience.

Rebooking let me book the cruise I already loved in an upgraded cabin at a significantly lower price.

To have a look at my first cruise onboard Marella Voyager and find out why I loved it so much, watch the video below:

Reading This Before January 30th 2026?

If you are and you fancy a great deal, why not take the same cruise as me? I’ll be cruising on Marella Voyager with my Cruise Globe co-founder Matt and we’d love to chat with you.

30th January 2026 – Marella Voyager – Canary Islands (affiliate link)

Marella Cruises | Cruise Holidays | TUI.co.uk

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Before You Go

Find out about important things to know before your first cruise with Marella here:

7 Important Things to Know Before Your First Marella Cruise

Find out why disembarkation day on Marella cruises is better than on other cruise lines here:

The Unexpected Disembarkation Day Perk of Marella Cruises