Marella Discovery Cabins – Honest Reviews and Cabins to Avoid

In this post, I will be discussing all cabin grades available onboard the Marella Discovery and sharing a review of the balcony cabin that I enjoyed during my two-week Baltic cruise. In this post we will cover:

• Inside cabins
• Solo inside cabins
• Inside plus cabins
• Deluxe cabins
• Outside cabins
• Balcony cabins
• Balcony solo cabins
• Suites

We also look at some cabins to avoid based on guest experiences.

NOTE: All information below is based on the Marella Discovery, however, the Marella Discovery 2 has exactly the same cabins. 

Inside cabins

Sleeps up to: 4

Anybody who knows me knows that I am a lover of inside cabins. I love the price, of course, but also love the amazing night’s sleep that it provides. When I stay in an inside cabin I am more likely to get out and about to explore the ship which is an added bonus.

How big are the inside cabins on the Marella Discovery (Tui Discovery)?

The inside cabins are 12 meters squared. This is a pretty standard size. The bed is two single beds which push together to make a queen. It is totally up to you how you have this. On a couple of occasions, I have been cruising with my brother and arrived to find the beds pushed together. If this happens to you, don’t worry! Just let your room steward know and they’ll be happy to change it for you.

How many people can fit in the inside cabins on Marella Discovery?

Some inside cabins only fit two but others can take four adults although I would urge you to think before booking this. It may be the best option but can be very cramped. I have done it in the past but wouldn’t recommend it for a long period of time. The below video was filmed onboard Royal Caribbeans Independence of the Seas and should give you an idea of how 3/4 adults can share a cabin.

What is included in the cabin? (Included in all cabin grades)

All cabins come with the following as standard:

• Air conditioning
• Hairdryer
• Flatscreen TV
• Tea and Coffee making facilities
• Safe

Solo inside cabin

Sleeps up to: 1

Marella do offer solo inside cabins. These allow solo cruisers to have their own space and it is USUALLY cheaper than paying the dreaded ‘solo supplement’.

Outside cabins

I’ve only stayed in one outside cabin and would rarely choose it. I would choose an outside cabin if it wasn’t much more than an inside cabin but if I was going to upgrade I probably would upgrade to a balcony. Nevertheless, outside cabins are loved by many! Including Paul and Carole who cruised on Discovery two weeks after me! You can find their review of their cabin below:

Solo outside cabins

These are on deck 3, and accommodate solo travellers. A picture window or porthole offers sea views, and the cabin is kitted out with twin beds that convert to a queen-size double bed, a sitting area with a sofa, and an en suite with a WC and a shower. These cabins measure 14 m².

It’s very rare for a ship to have solo outside cabins! Usually, solo travellers are confined to inside cabins. A few ships do have solo balconies, however, such as Britannia. Britannia cabin guide.

Top 7 Reasons to Take a Cruise With Marella Cruises

Balcony cabins

Sleeps up to: 4

I am usually an inside cabin cruiser but was lucky enough to have a balcony cabin onboard the Marella Discovery. I am so glad that we did. We spent a lot of time here despite it being pretty chilly.

The styling inside the cabin is exactly the same as the inside cabin and other cabins.

How big is the standard balcony on Marella Discovery?

This was one of the biggest balconies I’ve had in a standard room on a cruise ship. There was enough room for a ‘proper’ table and two chairs. Much bigger than the balconies on ships like Britannia or the Royal Princess. I appreciated the extra space and we spent a lot of time on the balcony watching sail aways.

What is in the Balcony cabins onboard the Marella Discovery?

• Twin/Queen beds
• A desk with mirror + chair
• Another chair
• Bedside tables
• Tea + Coffee making facilities
• Mini bar (no fridge so this is on the desk)
• Hairdryer

My review of the Balcony cabin 6534.

Below are some pictures of our balcony cabin 6534.

What I loved:

• The cabin was so clean and didn’t look dated at all.
• We had a lot of space.
• The bed was SO comfortable.
• The TV played Disney films!!

What I didn’t love

• The balcony cabins don’t have a fridge so the mini bar contents are sat on the side of the table. Not really a problem but I was staring at a dairy milk for two weeks without being able to eat it!! (I’m sure they’d take it away if I asked them
• There isn’t really much storage space in terms of drawers, only a few by the chair a little ones by the side of the mirror. It wasn’t a problem for me because I travel really light, I see how some other people might struggle.

Deluxe Balcony Cabin

Another option is a deluxe balcony cabin. These are basically slightly bigger versions of the standard balcony cabin with a few extras.

These cabins are on decks 6 and 7, and have twin beds that convert to a queen-size double bed, a sitting area, an en suite with a WC and a shower, and a balcony. They cover around 15 to 16 m² and if there are 4 of you, you’ll also get a sofa-bed.

What is the difference between a standard balcony and a super deluxe balcony?

• Extra space. The main difference is that the deluxe balcony is bigger than the standard balcony.
• Seating area – Deluxe balconies have a seating area with sofa whereas the standard balcony cabin only has one chair.

Suites (Junior Suites, Grand Suites, Family Junior Suites, Royal Suites, Executive Suite, Family Suite, Penthouse Suite)

Sleeps up to: 3

There are a number of suites available onboard the Marella Discovery.

All suites include:

• Express check-in (subject to availability)
• Free pressing service – up to 3 items per person in the first 24 hours onboard
• Free continental breakfast in bed – 1 per person, per week

Types of suites

Junior Suite Cabin

Junior Suites sleep up 2. They’ve got twin beds that can convert to a queen-size double bed, and a sitting area, as well as a bathroom with a WC and shower over a bath, and a balcony. These cabins measure around 21m².

Grand Suite Cabin

The Grand Suites on Deck 8 have twin beds that can convert to a queen-size double bed, and a sitting area with a sofa-bed, and can sleep 4 people. You’ll get a bathroom with a WC and a shower over a bath. There’s a balcony for admiring the sea views, too. Grand Suites measure 32m².

Family Junior Suite

This cabin sits on deck 8 and sleeps 6. It’s got one bedroom with twin beds, and a living area with a double sofa-bed and twin beds that convert to a queen-size double bed if needed, as well as an en suite with a WC and a shower. A private balcony with double doors comes as standard. The cabin measures around 39 m².

Royal Suite Cabin

The most luxurious cabin measures up at a huge 92m², and sleeps up to 4. It comes with a separate living room with a sofa-bed, a bedroom with a king-size bed, and an en suite with a WC and a shower. Swish extras come in the form of a baby grand piano and a whirlpool bath. Expect plenty of light courtesy of glass doors that open onto a balcony.

Executive Suite

There are 5 Executive Suites, which sleep 4, and come with a separate living area with a queen-size sofa-bed, a queen- size bed, and an en suite with a WC, shower and bath. You can soak up the sea views from the comfort of your private balcony, it’s got glass doors, which let in plenty of light. Executive Suites are spacious, measuring in at 47m2.

Family Suite Cabin

The Family Suites sleep 7 people, and have 2 separate rooms – one with twin beds that convert to a queen-size double bed if needed and another with a fold-down bed. There are 2 bathrooms, one with a shower, and one with a bath. Plus, you’ve got a living area with a double sofa-bed. The cabin covers around 40m², and comes with a balcony.

Marella Discovery Cabins to Avoid

The Marella Discovery is a very well designed ship where the majority of cabins are very similar to one another. That said there are always some locations that are better than others. The following ‘cabins to avoid’ have been provided by cruisers who stayed in these cabins.

Marella Discovery, Cabins to Avoid – Deck 8

The aft cabins on deck 8 are directly below what is called the veranda on deck 9. Some passengers have reported hearing noise from the deck above such as sun loungers being moved at night.

Marella Discovery, Cabins to Avoid – Deck 6

The coffee port on deck 6 is a very popular place for guests to stop to grab a drink. I stayed on deck six in a balcony cabin and didn’t have any problems with it but some guests have reported an increase in foot traffic on this deck compared to others.

This does make sense as many people will walk along here to get to the coffee port. If you would prefer a quieter deck it may be worth moving up or down one deck.

The cabins are the front of deck 6 are underneath the squid and anchor and main theatre of the ship. Evening entertainment happens in both these venues and some guests have reported being able to head noise travelling from these venues in the cabins at the front of deck 6.

If you are likely to be out in the evenings this shouldn’t be a problem as most shows in the theatre end before 11pm but if you have kids or like to go to bed early this may be an area to avoid.

Marella Discovery, Cabins to Avoid – Deck 3

The cabins are the front of deck 3 are right below the main theatre of the ship. If you would like to go to bed early or have children it may be worth avoiding these cabins are the sound can sometimes travel.

It’s rare to notice sound travelling too much throughout a ship but if you are trying to get to sleep this may be more noticeable.

What plug sockets are on the Marella Discovery (Tui Discovery)?

All cabins have at least two US and two EU plug sockets.

Visit Marella’s website here: https://tui-uk.7cnq.net/4jPQM

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Marella Cruises, Ships by Size – Photo Guide and Reviews

If you’re taking a cruise on the Marella Discovery make sure you check out these posts:

8 free must do activities – Marella Discovery!

I filmed daily vlogs during my cruise which you can check out on my YouTube channel here: Emma Cruises.