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We Tried Marella Explorer 2… Here’s Why It Didn’t Work for Us

Travels with David and Mark
Travels with David and Mark
🥉Knowledgeable
👁️ 11K views📅 2 months ago⏱️ 11:46
What This Creator Said
Creator Had Mixed FeelingsFull Ship Review🥉Knowledgeable Creator
❤️ Best for CoupleMediterranean · Fall · 4 nightsFirst-Time Cruiser

Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.

Creator's Key Takeaways

Outside Virgin, it's the best included cruise food we've had.

The cocktails were often on the weaker fruit juice heavy side.

It felt very straight, middle-aged focused.

It works out at £182 per person per night.

Creator's Tips & Advice

Book if you want a budget-friendly, all-inclusive experience focused on ports.
Avoid if you want a ship that is the destination with high-energy entertainment.

🆕New to Cruising? This Creator Addresses:

Is it too basic?It is designed to feel familiar and easy, similar to land-based all-inclusive holidays.
Is it worth the money?Yes, the value is objectively good when including flights, drinks, and food.

Questions This Creator Answers

QIs Marella Explorer 2 right for me?
QWho is this ship actually for?

Topics Covered

Ship Condition2 Happy BaconEntertainment Shows1 Sad BaconEntertainment Activities2 Sad BaconPool Deck1 Sad BaconValue Pricing3 Happy BaconDrink Package2½ Happy BaconService Crew2 Happy BaconKids Family2½ Happy Bacon

Port Highlights

Lanzerati2½ Happy Bacon
Top: wine tasting excursion (£33 each)
Vistas2½ Happy Bacon
How to read the Trip Bacon Score
Happy Bacon — creators loved this aspect
Sad Bacon — creators took issue with this
Meh — no strong opinion either way

Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = “meh”, 5 = “bacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.

About our Bacon Score methodology
YouTube Video Description

We really wanted to love Marella Explorer 2 — Marella Cruises’ adults-only, all-inclusive cruise ship — but after sailing, we’re not sure it was the right fit for us. In this honest Marella Explorer 2 review, we break down the food, entertainment, Dress to Impress night, onboard atmosphere, and Marella’s fly-cruise experience to help you decide if this adults-only cruise is right for you. Marella Explorer 2 promises a relaxed, laid-back vibe with no formal nights, generous all-inclusive drinks, and simple, stress-free travel. In many ways, it absolutely delivers. Embarkation was smooth, excursions felt well organised and good value, and disembarkation was refreshingly easy. But while there’s a lot to like about Marella Cruises, we found ourselves asking an important question: who is Marella Explorer 2 really for? From the atmosphere onboard to the entertainment style and the “Dress to Impress” evening, we’ll explain what worked, what didn’t quite land for us, and why this cruise might be perfect for some travellers — just not quite our style. Have you sailed on Marella Explorer 2 or any of the other Marella ships? Let us know how your experience compares in the comments — we’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts. This Marella Explorer 2 review covers the adults-only experience, Marella Cruises’ all-inclusive offering, the fly-cruise process, onboard food and entertainment, and whether Marella Explorer 2 is the right cruise ship for your next holiday. If you’re new here — we’re Travels with David and Mark, and we share weekly cruise and travel vlogs, taking you along with us from embarkation days to sea days and everything in between. ▶️ New to this series? Watch the full Marella Explorer 2 series here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKJ8xOS4Ah4YMC39g3zRSdSK5uJ4jjZpg 👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more travel and cruise vlogs. Thanks for joining us! 👉 Subscribe for more travel adventures: https://youtube.com/@travelswithdavidandmark?si=-ccD87wc6VEsf2ES 👉Why not check out our Instagram to see more of what we get up to in life: https://www.instagram.com/travelswithdavidandmark/ 👉Send your appreciation: https://buymeacoffee.com/travelswithdavidandmark 👉Music from: https://www.epidemicsound.com/