Marella Explorer, the latest addition to the Marella Cruises fleet, is now on the blocks in Cadiz, Spain as the refurbishment process begins. The ship is due to depart from Cadiz on 13th May before embarking on her first customer sailing around the Mediterranean, leaving from Palma, Majorca on 19 May.

Marella Cruises is part of TUI UK & Ireland, a fully owned subsidiary of TUI AG, the Hannover based and London listed travel company. As Mein Schiff 1, it belonged to TUI Cruises, a German company jointly owned by TUI AG and  Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd (RCCL). The 76,998 gross ton ship was built as Galaxy for Celebrity Cruises, part of RCCL, in 1996.

With just a four-week stint in dry dock before she takes to the seas, around 1,600 people, from partners, contractors and the Marella Cruises team, will provide over 200,000 man hours to deliver a dramatic multi-million pound makeover. A total of 45 square kilometres of carpet will be laid, along with over 60km of data cabling and 650 Wi-Fi access points.

Ten tonnes of Marella-branded items, including uniform and 1,000 show team costumes are already enroute to Spain. Not to mention the tens of thousands of litres of paint, 3km of bathroom trims and mile-upon-mile of fabric that go into giving the ship a facelift.

At 265.5 meters long and 32.2 meters wide Marella Explorer is the biggest ship to be welcomed into the Marella Cruises fleet. The 1,924 capacity ship (double occupancy) boasts 962 cabins, nearly 40 per cent with balconies, and spans 13 decks.

Entering the fleet as Marella Cruises’ biggest ship yet, Marella Explorer is getting the full top-to-bottom treatment. Two of the biggest new features will be Indigo – the ship’s new flagship bar, club and casino – and the first Champneys Spa at sea. Indigo will be home to the longest bar on the ship – making the most of its top-of-the-ship spot and wraparound sea views.

Champneys Spa, will offer a full-service thermal suite, treatment suites with their own showers and mini saunas, a Finnish sauna with floor-to-ceiling windows, and spa cabanas on the adults-only Veranda that come complete with thermal suite access.

Marella Cruises have also announced their chosen Godmothers today, recognising two outstanding employees who have contributed significantly to Marella Cruises. Hotel Operations Manager Sue Stewart and TUI retail agent Mandy Galloway have been chosen for their commitment to and passion for cruise, particularly around their focus and dedication to customer experience. It’s tradition for Marella Cruises to invite team members to become Godmothers, which illustrates how integral their staff and crew are to the service excellence they continue to demonstrate.