Marella Cruises Unveils Summer 2028 Sailings

British cruise line Marella Cruises has officially unveiled its expanded Summer 2028 deployment schedule, featuring a maiden port call in Patras, Greece. Operating out of four primary European homeports—Corfu, Malaga, Palma, and Dubrovnik—the upcoming season introduces new Mediterranean itineraries, extended transatlantic repositioning voyages, and a substantially enlarged hotel portfolio supporting 119 cruise-and-stay vacation combinations.

Summer 2028 Booking Launch and Fleet Deployment Matrix

[LONDON, October 4, 2026] — Official bookings for Marella Cruises' Summer 2028 collection will open to the public on October 15, 2026. Anchored by five distinct vessels, the deployment provides UK and international travelers with all-inclusive cruise packages that cover onboard gratuities, service charges, daily meals, selected alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and entertainment as standard.

Ship Name	Summer 2028 Homeport	Key Itinerary Highlight	Special Operational & Demographic Feature
Marella Explorer	Corfu, Greece	New "Grecian Gems" (Features Patras debut)	Lead-in pricing from £1,966 per person; Family-friendly.
Marella Explorer 2	Malaga, Spain	New "Spanish Shores" (Adults-Only)	7-night western Med circuit via Ibiza & Mahon.
Marella Discovery	Palma, Majorca	Western Mediterranean Circuits	Family-friendly itineraries covering classic Med ports.
Marella Voyager	Palma, Majorca	Balearic & Spanish Coast Voyages	Features 13-night "Atlantic Horizons" from Barbados.
Marella Discovery 2	Dubrovnik, Croatia	Adriatic & Ionian Sea Routes	Adults-Only homeport deployment in Croatia.

Patras Debut: Opening Mainland Greece via Corfu-Based "Grecian Gems"

The inclusion of Patras marks a major strategic addition to Marella’s Eastern Mediterranean footprint. Situated along the Gulf of Patras on the western coast of the Peloponnese peninsula, the historic port city will make its debut in July 2028 aboard Marella Explorer.

"Grecian Gems" Itinerary & Shore Excursion Profile:
• Seasonal Homeport: Corfu, Greece
• Maiden Port Call: Patras (Peloponnese region, mainland Greece)
• Lead-in Fare: Starting from £1,966 per person (All-inclusive basis)
• Key Historic Sites: Church of St. Andrew, Roman Odeon, and Patras Castle
• Regional Excursions: Day tours to Ancient Olympia and the Rio-Antirrio Suspension Bridge

By adding Patras to its "Grecian Gems" itinerary, Marella offers passengers an authentic taste of mainland Greek culture beyond the heavily visited island ports of Santorini and Mykonos. Travelers can explore archaeological monuments, waterfront promenades, and regional vineyards in western Greece while enjoying seamless maritime transit from Corfu.

Malaga Homeport: Adults-Only "Spanish Shores" Program

In the Western Mediterranean, Marella Explorer 2 will return to Malaga as its seasonal base, launching a new seven-night adults-only itinerary titled "Spanish Shores" starting in June 2028.

"Spanish Shores" Port Sequence (7 Nights from Malaga):
1. Day 1: Departure from Malaga, Spain
2. Day 2: Port call in British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar
3. Day 3: At Sea (Relaxing Mediterranean transit day)
4. Day 4: Ibiza Town, Ibiza (Balearic Islands)
5. Day 5: Mahon, Menorca (Balearic Islands)
6. Day 6: Palma, Majorca (Balearic Islands)
7. Day 7: Port call in Cartagena, Mainland Spain
8. Day 8: Return & disembarkation in Malaga, Spain

This adults-only route combines island escapes in the Balearics with historic coastal cities in mainland Spain and Gibraltar, offering mature cruisers a tailored experience free of school-holiday crowds.

Extended Repositioning Voyages: Transatlantic Crossings and "Sail into Spring"

To transition ships between winter Caribbean/Canary Islands itineraries and summer European bases, Marella has scheduled a series of extended repositioning routes in April 2028:

Transatlantic Crossing 1 ("Transatlantic Treasures"): Marella Explorer 2 operates a 13-night transatlantic voyage from Barbados to Malaga.
Transatlantic Crossing 2 ("Atlantic Horizons"): Marella Voyager operates a 13-night ocean crossing from Barbados to Palma.
"Sail into Spring" (Canaries to Corfu): Marella Explorer operates a 10-night voyage from Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) and an 11-night voyage from Santa Cruz de Tenerife to Corfu.
Adriatic Relocation ("Flavours of the Mediterranean"): Marella Discovery 2 operates a 5-night passage between Palma and Dubrovnik.

Onboard Entertainment Upgrades for Repositioning Sailings:
• Guest Speaker Series: Maritime historians, oceanographers, and guest lecturers.
• West End Style Shows: Enhanced evening theatrical productions and live tribute acts.
• Culinary Masterclasses: Specialized wine-tasting sessions and regional cooking workshops.

Expanded Cruise-and-Stay Options: 119 Hotel Partners Across 4 European Bases

Marella’s Summer 2028 strategy features a major scale-up of its popular cruise-and-stay holiday program, allowing passengers to combine 7-night sea voyages with 3, 4, or 7 nights of land-based hotel stay before or after their cruise.

Marella Summer 2028 Cruise-and-Stay Logistics:
• Hotel Partner Inventory: 119 Selected Hotels & Resorts
• Primary Resort Destinations: Majorca, Corfu, Dubrovnik, and Malaga
• UK/Irish Airport Gateways: Direct flights from 22 Regional Airports
• Transport Logistics: All resort transfers and flight connections included

Supported by flight departures from 22 regional airports across the UK and Republic of Ireland, travelers can easily construct custom multi-week European vacations without purchasing separate flight or hotel tickets.

Regional Fly-Cruise Aviation Networks and Customer Booking Timelines

The launch of the Summer 2028 collection highlights Marella's integrated fly-cruise operational model. Departing from 22 regional airports across Great Britain and Ireland—including London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Belfast, and Dublin—travelers receive direct charter and scheduled flight connections synchronized with ship arrival and departure schedules.

Booking early during the October 15, 2026 launch window enables customers to lock in preferred cabin categories, including executive balcony suites and single-occupancy staterooms, while securing choice flight slots and resort pairings across the 119 cruise-and-stay hotel network.