In this post, we will look at all cabin grades available onboard the Marella Explorer and share a review of the inside cabin that I cruised in.

The Marella Explorer and Marella Explorer 2 have almost identical cabins so this post is relevant to both.

I recently stayed in an inside cabin on the Marella Explorer during a 90s-themed cruise. It was one of the nicest inside cabins I’ve ever had, and it had an incredible amount of storage.

The cabin had 16 drawers, 16!

In this post, we explore:

• Inside Cabins
• Outside Cabins
• Balcony Cabins
• Cabins with Premier Service (Suites)
• Solo Cabins

We will also look at cabins to avoid.

All cabins were refurbished when the ship was taken over by Marella in 2018. The Marella Explorer was previously Mein Schiff and before that was Celebrity Galaxy.

Inside cabins:

Sleeps up to: 4

We stayed in an inside cabin on deck 4. The inside cabins on decks 4/5 only sleep two, but the inside cabins on 8/9 either sleep 2 or 4. If the cabin sleeps 4 these will be pull down beds from the ceiling.

It can be quite a squeeze to share a cabin with 2 or 3 other people, but it is doable.

The drop-down beds are most commonly used for children, although they do accommodate adults, too.

If you’re particularly tall, your feet may hang off the end, though! I have shared a cabin with 3 other adults before, it isn’t ideal but for a short cruise it isn’t a problem.

Size: 16m²

The cabin was a good size. It is pretty standard size by cruise ship standards measuring around 16m2 but because of the number of mirrors and the light decor in the cabin, it felt much bigger.

We only stayed in the cabin for three nights so didn’t have very much luggage- as a result, we only filled up about 4 of the 16 drawers!

What I loved:

• The light decor and mirrors
• The storage space
• The bed was comfy

What I didn’t love: 

• The cabin vibrated a lot when we pulled into port

In ALMOST all cabins the beds can either be arranged as a twin or as a double bed. If you arrive and the beds aren’t set up how you’d like, just let your cabin steward know and they’ll change these for you.

Storage

In addition to the 16 drawers, there were also TWO wardrobes/closets in the cabin.

The cabin had more storage space than I’ve ever had in any cabin. The same goes for the bathroom. There was lots of room to clear store your toiletries.

Our cabin was 4187 which is right at the aft of the ship. We only had one cabin between us and the back of the ship, which did mean that we had a long walk from the other end.

That wasn’t a problem for me, though, and a few extra steps on a cruise is usually for the best with all of the food available!

Trying to hit 10,000 steps a day is just one of the ways that I prevent weight gain when I cruise. If you’d like to find out how you can avoid cruise weight gain while still treating yourself, start by reading this post:

 Avoid Cruise Ship Weight Gain, 7 Easy Things You Can Do.

Do The Cabins on The Marella Explorer have TVs?

Yep. All cabins on the Marella Explorer come with tvs. I have to admit I never turned mine on during my cruise on the Marella Explorer. It was SO busy.

Do The Cabins on The Marella Explorer have Kettles?

Yes. All cabins on the Marella Explorer come with a kettle and some tea/coffee-making facilities.

Do The Cabins on The Marella Explorer have Safes?

Yep, all cabins have safes. In our inside cabin, the safe was behind the mirror which was above the desk. It would be very easy to go the full cruise without knowing it was there!

Do The Cabins Have Fridges/Mini Bars?

Marella has started taking fridges out of their cabins, much to the annoyance of some passengers.

Some of the higher cabin grades might have fridges, but most don’t.

Outside Cabins

Sleeps up to: 4

The outside cabins on the Marella Explorer are almost identical to the inside cabins. The style is the same but the size is slightly bigger.

Outside cabins come with either a porthole window or a bigger square window like the one shown below. The size of the window depends on which deck you are on.

Standard Balcony Cabins

Sleeps up to: 3

What is in the Balcony cabins on board the Marella Explorer?

• Twin/Queen beds
• A desk with mirror + chair
• Sofabed/chair
• Bedside tables
• Minibar
• Hairdryer
• Safe
• TV

The balcony cabins onboard are very similar in style to the inside and outside cabins. There is an extra chair/sofa and a desk on the far side of the room.

The balcony cabins are actually the same size as the outside cabins, measuring in at 17m2.

The size of the balcony is pretty standard. It isn’t the biggest in the industry – but isn’t the smallest by a long way.

Sofa Bed

The sofa pulls out, as is a sofa bed for the 3rd passenger. This might not be suitable if you are a particularly tall adult, but these are usually fine for children or smallish adults.

Unusually, the cabins don’t have room for a 4th guest, but there are some family cabins available for those that need an extra bed.

Large Balcony Cabins

Cabin sleeps: 3

The large balcony is exactly the same as the regular balcony but the balcony itself is bigger. The large balcony is HUGE. It has room for two chairs, a table, and a hammock.

Premier Service

The following cabins come with ‘premier service’.

Premier service includes:

• Express check-in
• 3 Items of laundry pressed within the first 24 hours
• Free breakfast in bed, one per week

Family Balcony Cabin

The family balcony cabins are new additions and they are massive! It’s 20m2 and sleeps up to five.

These are actually the biggest non-suite balconies that I’ve ever found on a cruise ship. The balcony has two chairs, a table, a hammock, and two loungers.

We had a family balcony cabin on deck 10 and it was fab! Didn’t feel any rolling or vibration any more than on the rest of the ship. And quiet too, despite being under the Mediterranean restaurant and bar. The cabins are a good size too with a sliding door to divide the room for privacy.

Gail

Junior Suite Balcony Cabin

Cabin sleeps: 3

The junior suite is a whopping 22m2! My favourite part about this cabin is the fact that the bed faces the window.

This probably doesn’t affect anybody apart from me but… It is worth noting that this means that you are sleeping sideways in the ship (similar to the inside cabins.)

If the weather is rough, you’ll feel yourself going up and down the bed, which I really don’t like. In standard balcony cabins, you end up going side to side, which is better for me.

I do get quite seasick though so if you are worried about seasickness at all check out this post:

13 Cruise Seasickness Tips – From Somebody Who Gets Seasick.

Executive Suite

Cabin sleeps: 4

The executive suite is the biggest cabin on the ship measuring in at 49m2. It sleeps 4, two people in a regular bed and two more on a sofa bed. The cabin has a separate living room with a dining table.

Absolutely fantastic room. Booked for a ‘big birthday’ and definitely made the experience unforgettable! Well positioned, not too close or far from lifts, only one flight of stairs to pool deck. A little noise from above when sun loungers were being put out or tidied away but nothing much at all.

Erin

Does The Marella Explorer Have Solo Cabins?

Technically speaking no, there aren’t any cabins created specifically for solo use.

That said Marella do have some inside and outside cabins set aside as ‘solo’ rooms. This means that if you cruised in one of these cabins you wouldn’t have to stay in a smaller cabin – which often happens to solo cruisers.

If you are considering cruising Solo start by reading this post, it details my personal favourite cruise lines for solo cruising. Marella is on the list, along with many others.

Best Cruise Lines For Solo Cruisers (Tried and Tested Pros and Cons). 

Do The Cabins on The Marella Explorer have Hairdryers?

Yes. All cabins on the Marella Explorer have hairdryers. There is no need to bring your own.

Interestingly some of the cabins still have an old-style hairdryer on the wall of the bathroom, they also have a newer style one in the main cabin.

Which plug sockets are on the Marella Explorer?

In the inside cabins, there is one EU and one US plug socket on the desk.

Under the TV there is another EU socket. I would recommend bringing some sort of plug which allows you to charge more than one thing at once.

Make sure you pack adapters! This is one of the most common things for first-time cruisers to forget. You can find my full list of cruise essentials on our resource page here:

Resources & Discounts.

Do The Cabins on The Marella Explorer have Irons?

No. None of the cabins on the Marella Explorer have irons.

There isn’t a self-service laundry so if you do need something ironed you would have to pay for this. An alternative is to buy a spray which drops the creases from clothes.

Marella Explorer – Cabins to Avoid

The following cabins to avoid were provided by guests who cruised on the ship. 

Marella Explorer, Cabins to Avoid – Deck 10

Cabins towards the aft of deck 10 onboard Marella Explorer are directly below the buffet. Some cruisers staying in these cabins have reported noises of things like chairs being moved.

This shouldn’t be a big problem as the buffet isn’t open late into the night but it may be worth bearing in mind.

Marella Explorer, Cabins to Avoid – Deck 8

The following cabins on board the Marella Discovery are under the Squid and Anchor.

The Squid and Anchor is a very popular venue that has live music which often goes on into the night.

If you have young children/like to sleep early, it may be worth avoiding these cabins, as some guests have reported hearing music in these cabins.

I stayed in an aft cabin on Marella Explorer 2, which was just over the Squid and Anchor and I found it very noisy! Find out more about that here:

Marella Explorer, Cabins to Avoid – Deck 5

The cabins at the front of deck 5 belong to the Broadway theatre.

Theatre shows usually end by 11pm, but if you like to go to sleep earlier than this, it may be worth avoiding these cabins.

Before You Go

Marella often offers extra discounts on cruises when you use discount codes. Find out more about that here:

How to Find Discounts on Marella Cruises (Coupon Codes, Always Available)

Find out the five things I love about cruising with Marella here:

5 Things I Love About Marella Cruises (Inclusions, Entertainment, Drinks and More)