7 Ways to Upgrade Your Marella Cruises Holiday: How to Treat Yourself at Sea
By Tom and Dom Travel | Updated: 22 October 2026
Tom and Dom Travel at the Sail & Shine party on Marella Discovery
🚢 Sponsored by Marella Cruises
Marella Cruises already offers fantastic value, all-inclusive cruise holidays. With return flights, overseas airport transfers, tips and service charges, meals, drinks and snacks all included in your fare, you can step aboard and have a truly memorable holiday without ever spending an extra penny.
However, if you want to make your sailing feel like a real celebration, Marella has introduced a wonderful selection of optional extras across the fleet. We have spent plenty of time at sea aboard Marella ships, and we love how easily you can tailor your cruise, whether that means indulging in barista-made coffees at The Coffee Port, enjoying a romantic dinner or booking an unforgettable afternoon tea.
Can you upgrade your experience on a Marella cruise?
While Marella’s standard all-inclusive package covers everything you need for a brilliant holiday, you can easily upgrade individual elements of your trip.
If you fancy treating yourself on your next voyage, here are 7 fantastic ways to upgrade a Marella cruise.
1. Upgrade Your Drinks Package to Premium All-Inclusive
Marella’s standard all-inclusive drinks package gives you a great choice of draught beers, house wines and a range of cocktails from day one.
Upgrading to the Premium All-Inclusive drinks package takes your beverage experience to the next level (typically around £12 per person, per day). You unlock a menu of premium branded spirits and gins, upgraded cocktails and a wider choice of whiskies and brandies across the ship's venues.
Even better for coffee lovers, the upgrade includes most drinks from The Coffee Port, Marella’s onboard coffee shop where drinks are made by baristas using Lavazza coffee. It also includes our new premium non-alcoholic spirits. And, if you prefer your soft drinks served from the can or by the bottle, this upgrade has you covered.
Starting your day with a proper morning latte and rounding off the evening with a premium gin and tonic makes this one of the most popular packages to add to your booking.
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Tom checking the menu at Surf & Turf Steakhouse on Marella Discovery
2. Upgrade Your Evening Meals with Speciality Dining
Marella includes fantastic dining as standard, featuring multi-course meals in the main restaurants (such as Latitude 53 or 47°) alongside casual options at Snack Shack and the buffet.
If you fancy making an evening feel extra special, booking a table in advance at one of Marella's speciality restaurants is a brilliant choice. Available for an additional charge, these venues offer fantastic dining concepts across the fleet:
Surf & Turf Steakhouse: Premium cuts of steak, succulent seafood and grill classics available fleetwide.
Kora La: Pan-Asian cuisine, curries and flavourful dim sum available on every ship.
The Dining Club: Contemporary French fine dining exclusive to Marella Explorer and Marella Explorer 2 (Deck 5).
Silver Fork: Elegant British fine dining with modern twists, exclusive to Marella Voyager (Deck 5).
Sushi: Freshly prepared sushi, sashimi and poke, available fleet-wide under different names: Umi Sushi on Marella Explorer and Marella Voyager, the Sushi Bar on Marella Discovery and Marella Discovery 2, and sushi is also available within Kora La on Marella Explorer 2.
These venues provide an intimate, sophisticated atmosphere, making them ideal for an anniversary or special date night at sea.
3. Upgrade Your Relaxation at Oceans Spa
A cruise holiday is all about unwinding and there is no better way to recharge than treating yourself to some pampering at Oceans Spa & Beauty Salon.
Marella's onboard spa and salon offer a great selection of treatments, including massages, facials, wraps and hair styling. On Marella Voyager, Marella Explorer and Marella Explorer 2, you can also pick up day or cruise-long thermal suite passes, with steam rooms and saunas, giving you a quiet sanctuary away from the livelier decks. Marella Discovery and Marella Discovery 2, on the other hand, offer steam rooms free of charge in the changing rooms.
Tom and Dom Top Tip: Keep an eye on the Cruise News daily planner delivered to your cabin each evening and ask the spa team about package deals if you plan to book several treatments across your sailing.
Tom on deck beside the iconic funnel of Marella Discovery while at sea
4. Upgrade Your Cabin
Choosing the right cabin grade can significantly shape your time on board.
Marella offers a range of accommodation across the fleet, from inside cabins through to suites. While an inside cabin works well as a practical base, moving to a higher grade can provide extra living space and outdoor access.
Balcony cabins give you private outdoor space to relax and take in sea views without having to head up to the open decks.
Upgrading to a suite also unlocks extra perks. Junior Suites come with Suite Service (bathrobes, slippers and breakfast in bed), while top-tier cabins receive Suite Service Max, adding priority boarding, free Wi-Fi and champagne on arrival.
You can choose your cabin category when booking, check for upgrade availability later via the Manage My Booking portal, or contact the reservations team directly.
5. Upgrade Your Onboard Connectivity with Wi-Fi
If your idea of the ultimate getaway is switching off completely, you can happily disconnect while at sea. Marella Cruises offers some great spaces on board to get away from it all.
However, if you want to stay in touch with loved ones back home, have a teenager who enjoys scrolling, want to keep up with work or share your holiday photos on social media, Marella offers packages suited to messaging, emails and browsing.
You can purchase a package via Navigate once on board, allowing you to pick an option that fits your needs for a single day or for the whole duration of the cruise.
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Tom and Dom Travel visiting the Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens.
6. Upgrade Your Port Days with Organised Shore Excursions
In many ports of call, it is very simple to step off the ship and wander into the local town or port at your own leisure.
However, booking an organised Marella Cruises shore excursion can turn a regular day ashore into an unforgettable experience. Guided tours are ideal for discovering new places, whether that is visiting iconic historic landmarks with local experts or enjoying curated food and wine tastings.
Best of all, booking an official tour brings peace of mind, as tour arrangements are coordinated directly with the ship's schedule. So, if you would like a stress-free way to explore a port, Marella’s excursions help you make the most of your time ashore without worrying about transport, tickets or timings.
You can browse and reserve excursions through Cruise Control before you sail to ensure you do not miss popular tours.
7. Upgrade Your Entertainment with Immersive Onboard Experiences
Marella Cruises is renowned for its outstanding onboard entertainment, from West End-style productions in the Broadway Show Lounge to deck parties and quizzes.
Alongside the inclusive schedule, the fleet offers some truly unique experiences that add an extra dimension to your holiday across both day and night:
The Great Musical Afternoon Tea: Available across the entire fleet, combining traditional afternoon tea with live piano music, singing waiters and show-stopping West End hits.
The Exchange: A 1920s-style speakeasy aboard Marella Voyager, featuring immersive entertainment and craft cocktails behind a secret entrance.
Siren's Spell Escape Room: A ticketed, pirate-themed escape room on Deck 3 of Marella Discovery, where you race against the clock to solve the clues.
Marella Discovery 2: This ship becomes permanently adults-only from November 2026 (winter 2026/27), with a new speakeasy, escape room, karaoke room and arts-and-crafts area planned (Marella has not yet released full details).
These special venues and ticketed events offer an exclusive atmosphere that makes your time on board feel truly memorable.
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Worth It?
The beauty of a Marella cruise is that you do not have to spend a single penny extra to have an exceptional holiday. The included flights, overseas airport transfers, meals, entertainment and drinks already offer remarkable quality and value.
However, treating yourself to a few upgrades is an exciting way to personalise your getaway. Whether it is enjoying your favourite barista brew in the morning with the Premium All-Inclusive drinks package or settling in for the fabulous Great Musical Afternoon Tea, these little touches elevate a fantastic Marella cruise into an unforgettable one.
Who Will Love These Upgrades?
Guests celebrating a special birthday, wedding anniversary or retirement.
Cruisers who love branded spirits, cocktails and speciality coffee.
Couples and families who want extra space, a private balcony or the added perks of Suite Service.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in the standard Marella cruise fare?
Because Marella operates fly-cruises, the standard fare includes return flights from the UK, overseas airport transfers, tips and service charges, meals in main dining venues, standard all-inclusive alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and all main stage entertainment.
Is the Premium All-Inclusive package worth the upgrade on a Marella cruise?
Yes, it is a fantastic upgrade if you enjoy branded spirits, premium cocktails, cans or bottles of soft drinks and most drinks from The Coffee Port. It typically costs around £12 per person, per day when purchased before your cruise, which is slightly cheaper than upgrading onboard.
Can I book speciality restaurants before my cruise?
You can reserve speciality dining venues like Surf & Turf Steakhouse, The Dining Club or Silver Fork. Most spa treatments and shore excursions are also able to be pre-booked. These can all be booked through Cruise Control before your cruise, or directly on board via Navigate, subject to availability.
How do official shore excursions work with the ship's schedule?
Booking an official Marella shore excursion provides peace of mind because timings are coordinated directly with the ship's schedule.
How do I book The Great Musical Afternoon Tea?
You can book this signature event through Cruise Control before you sail, or via Navigate once on board, subject to availability.
About the Authors
We’re Tom and Dom, the creators behind Tom and Dom Travel. Through our ship reviews, cabin tours, port guides, and cruise tips, we share honest, experience-led advice from our travels around the world. Everything we publish is designed to help you cruise with confidence.
Thanks for reading, and happy cruising.
