Why you should book a Cruise & Stay escape with Marella Cruises

Sophie Chichester

If you love all the fun of a cruise but hate leaving a destination just as you've found your favourite beach bar, a Cruise & Stay holiday might be the sweet spot.

The central hub of Mitropolis Square, Corfu Old Town © Skostep - Adobe Stock Image

British cruise line Marella Cruises^* has leaned into this hybrid style of travel in a big way, marrying its all-inclusive sailings with hotel stays in some of its most popular destinations.

The result? A trip that feels both packed and unhurried. Instead of squeezing everything into cruise shore excursions, you can linger, like a spicy margarita on the palate. Think sunset cocktails in Palma after disembarkation or a few lazy beach days in Barbados before boarding.

Or how about extra time to roam Corfu's old town? Stroll beneath the main square's blue jacaranda trees or wander down the apricot, russet and dark rose building-lined streets, without the clock (tower) ticking. The shopping here is excellent; you'll want the extra time to browse! It's the perfect way to put off returning to real life.

What are Cruise & Stay holidays?

A Cruise & Stay holiday teams a Marella sailing with time in a hotel either before or after your cruise. Typically, you will spend seven nights onboard and then add three, four or seven nights on land, though some itineraries flip this and start with a hotel stay before you set sail.

Either way, the logistics are simple. Flights, transfers between airport, hotel and ship and the cruise itself are bundled into one booking, so you're not juggling separate reservations; let's leave the spinning plates to the entertainment team, shall we?

The appeal is in the flexibility. Fancy exploring more of a destination you already love? Stay a few nights longer. Keen to shake off jet lag before boarding in the Caribbean? Kick off with a beach stay. Everything is designed to be easy-peasy, limoncello-squeezy.

Marella's all-inclusive cruise model means the holiday is all in hand (not the postcards and holiday memorabilia, alas), and many of the partner hotels are all-inclusive too. With meals, drinks, tips and transfers included, cruise and stay packages are a gloriously faff-free way to travel.

Where can you stay?

Marella's Cruise & Stay options are tied to its homeports, which means you can extend your holiday in destinations that already serve as embarkation points. There are nine main bases across the Caribbean, Canary Islands and Mediterranean, each offering a slightly different flavour of post-cruise downtime. Let's (scuba) dive into them.

Caribbean

Bridgetown, Barbados^*
La Romana, Dominican Republic^*

For far-flung winter sun, Marella's Cruise & Stay Caribbean^* options centre on Bridgetown in Barbados and La Romana in the Dominican Republic. Both are great for a pre-cruise unwind after the flight from the UK.

Idyllic Saona Island © Valentin Valkov - Adobe Stock Image

Bridgetown^* offers access to powder-soft beaches and a sociable south coast scene, while La Romana^* is a gateway to palm-lined resorts and excursions to impossibly pretty Saona Island. Twinning a Caribbean sailing with a few extra days here turns a cruise into a full tropical escape rather than a fly-in, fly-out trip.

Canaries

Las Palmas, Gran Canaria
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife

The Canary Islands^* are a popular year-round option and an easy choice for UK travellers wanting winter warmth without the long-haul slog.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife^* in Tenerife and Las Palmas^* in Gran Canaria both serve as homeports, making them natural places to extend your holiday.

Take in lava-carved coastlines, black-sand beaches and walking trails that wind through pine forests and volcanic ridges.

Mediterranean

Corfu Town, Corfu, Greece^*
Dubrovnik, Croatia^*
Limassol, Cyprus^*
Malaga, Costa del Sol, Spain^*
Palma, Majorca, Balearic Islands

In the Med, the range is buffet-broad. Palma^* in Majorca is a classic starting point and a natural place for a city-and-beach stay. We're thinking of its mix of nightlife, old-town charm, and sandy shores.

Corfu^* offers Venetian architecture and green hillsides, while Dubrovnik^* brings historic drama and Dolce-and-Gabbana-blue Adriatic views *hums Game of Thrones soundtrack*.

The old walled city of Dubrovnik, Croatia - photo courtesy of Croatian National Tourist Board

Don't forget to try oysters while you're there; when we were there, seafood restaurant Kamenice (by the baroque Jesuit Stairs AKA Cersei's Walk of Shame) is selling them at a mere €3 a pop!

Limassol^* in Cyprus delivers sunshine and ancient ruins, Malaga^* mixes culture with Costa del Sol beaches (oh, and bars; you're never more than 10ft away from one here).

Staying on for a few days in any of these ports means you can explore beyond the cruise highlights and see a destination at a slower, let's-stop-for-a-snack pace.

Which Marella ships offer Cruise & Stay?

All five Marella ships feature cruise and stay options, with homeports spread across the Caribbean, Canary Islands and Mediterranean. Choosing the right ship often comes down to where you want to stay and whether you're travelling as a couple, solo or with family.

Marella Explorer 2 is currently the line's adults-only ship and typically sails from homeports including Palma, Dubrovnik, Barbados and the Canary Islands, making it a strong pick for couples wanting a child-free onboard vibe. However, from summer 2026, Marella Discovery will also operate as an 18+ ship, giving grown-up travellers another option across Mediterranean, Canaries and Caribbean routes.

Meanwhile, Marella Explorer and Marella Voyager offer family-friendly sailings from Palma, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Corfu and Barbados, with Voyager the newest in the fleet (complete with Marella's largest gym, an immersive 1930s speakeasy and e-bikes to take ashore).

Marella Voyager at sea © TUI UK & Ireland

Marella Discovery 2 continues to cover a mix of Mediterranean, Canary Islands and Caribbean itineraries, including sailings from Limassol, Malaga, Palma and La Romana. All vessels are mid-sized, all-inclusive (beer tap at breakfast, anyone?) and easy to navigate, making them sociable onboard.

Popular hotels with Cruise & Stay

Marella partners with a range of hotels across its homeports, from larger TUI BLUE resorts to boutique Small & Friendly properties and higher-end Platinum picks. That means you can tailor the land portion of your trip to match your travel style, from adults-only luxury to a relaxed beachfront base.