Marella Cruises has revealed its Marella Explorer UK cruise itineraries for summer 2021, after previously confirming that it would be sailing a British cruise season.

The Marella Explorer UK cruise itineraries will feature Southampton as a homeport, with cruises to new ports of call including, Belfast, Dublin and Liverpool.

Marella Explorer will homeport in Southampton

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“After pausing our operations for more than year, we are delighted to announce our UK summer program and welcome our wonderful customers back onboard our ships,” said Chris Hackney, Managing Director of Cruise, TUI UK & Ireland.

“The safety and well-being of both our crew and passengers remains our priority which is why we have vaccination and testing protocols for all sailings from UK ports this summer,” he added.

The Marella Explorer UK cruise itineraries will commence on June 25th, 2021, while her sister ship Marella Explorer 2, the cruise line’s adult-only ship, will also offer UK sailings from Newcastle from July 10th, 2021.

The new casino bar aboard Marella Explorer 2, which will also sail a UK cruise season for 2021

“Domestic sailings are a great step for the cruise industry and has given us the opportunity to take our customers to new destinations full of culture and history whilst still being close to home,” said Hackney.

“We’re looking forward to this new adventure on the British seas and are dedicated to making sure our customers have the most memorable and exciting cruise with us,” he added.

The Marella Explorer UK cruise itineraries will feature seven new UK cruises during the summer 2021 season, with recommended excursions from the onboard destination services team to offer guests options to make the most of their time ashore.

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The Sail the South Coast itinerary is a three-night itinerary from Southampton, visiting Dover for Canterbury Cathedral and Portland for the Abbotsbury Swannery & Gardens.

The Sail the Irish Sea itinerary departs in August from Southampton, and visits popular cities including Liverpool, Dublin and Cobh in the Republic of Ireland.

Marella is also offering a number of Scottish itineraries, including ‘British Sights and Seas’, which will visit five Scottish hotspots.

The history rich itinerary has a day at sea before exploring Invergordon, the old historic town of Kirkwall and the rich culture of Leith and a visit to Edinburgh Castle before heading to Newcastle and then back down to Southampton.

A Taste of the West Coast will also see Marella Explorer sail to Greenock, the capital of Northern Ireland – Belfast and Holyhead before finishing the itinerary in Portland.

Anyone aged 18 years and older will be required to be fully vaccinated at least seven days before travelling. All under 18 year-olds will be required to have a lateral flow test, while guests younger than two years of age will not be allowed to sail.

Marella’s Newcastle sailings are expected to go on sale by the end of April, while all other itineraries will go on sail on April 16th.

UK sailings are available only for UK residents with a permanent UK address and a valid passport. Prices start at 450 pounds for the three-night itineraries.