Marella Cruises Summer 2028: What’s New?
Marella Summer 2028: New Greek Port, Itineraries and More
Marella Summer 2028
What’s New?
There is a new Greek port to put on your Marella wish list.
Marella Cruises has announced its Summer 2028 programme, and Patras is the headline addition. Marella Explorer will visit the Greek city for the first time from July 2028, while Marella Explorer 2 returns to Malaga with a brand-new adults-only itinerary.
That’s not all. Four new repositioning cruises will take place from April 2028, including two 13-night sailings from Barbados to Europe, and Marella is expanding its cruise and stay programme to 119 hotels.
With Summer 2028 cruises going on sale on 15 October 2026, here’s our first look at what’s new across the Marella fleet.
For those who like to book early, here is what you need to know.
Marella Summer 2028 at a glance
Patras, Greece
Grecian Gems
Spanish Shores from Malaga
Four new sailings
119 hotels
15 October 2026
At a glance
New port: Patras, Greece
New ship itinerary: Marella Explorer’s Grecian Gems
New adults-only itinerary: Marella Explorer 2’s Spanish Shores
New homeport: Malaga returns for Marella Explorer 2
Four new repositioning cruises: From April 2028
Cruise and stay: 119 hotels across four destinations
Departure airports: 22 airports across the UK and Republic of Ireland
On sale: 15 October 2026
Prices: From £1,966 for Grecian Gems
Patras is the big new addition for Summer 2028
Patras, Greece
Marella Cruises will visit Patras for the first time from July 2028, giving passengers another opportunity to explore mainland Greece rather than one of the country’s better-known island destinations.
Patras is Greece’s third-largest city and sits on the Gulf of Patras in the northern Peloponnese. It has a very different feel from the traditional Greek island ports that feature heavily on cruise itineraries.
Marella describes the destination as offering a more authentic and less crowded Greek experience, with history, archaeology, art and notable landmarks to explore.
One of the city’s most recognisable sights is the Church of St Andrew, while the surrounding area provides views across the Gulf of Patras.
For cruise passengers, that combination could make Patras an interesting alternative to the familiar Greek ports. It also opens up the possibility of excursions further into the Peloponnese for those wanting to see more of the region.
Marella Explorer’s new Grecian Gems itinerary
Patras will feature on Marella Explorer during its Summer 2028 programme as part of the new Grecian Gems itinerary.
The cruises will sail from Corfu, which becomes the starting point for an itinerary combining some of the Mediterranean’s more familiar destinations with the new Patras call.
For Marella regulars who have already ticked off some of the Greek islands, the addition of Patras gives this itinerary a new point of difference.
Prices for the Summer 2028 Grecian Gems cruises currently start from £1,966, although, as always with cruise pricing, fares will vary according to sailing date, cabin and availability.
Marella Explorer 2 returns to Malaga
There is also a change of scenery for Marella Explorer 2, Marella’s adults-only ship.
Marella Explorer will home port in Malaga in Summer 2028
The ship will return to Malaga for Summer 2028, following the success of previous seasons operating from the Spanish port.
A new seven-night itinerary called Spanish Shores will begin in June 2028.
The itinerary includes:
Malaga → Gibraltar → day at sea → Ibiza Town → Mahon, Menorca → Palma, Majorca → Cartagena → Malaga
That is a particularly varied week, combining mainland Spain with Gibraltar, the Balearic Islands and a relaxing day at sea.
For anyone who likes the idea of an adults-only Marella cruise with a strong Spanish flavour, this itinerary is likely to be one to look out for when the programme goes on sale.
Four new repositioning cruises
Summer isn’t the only part of the 2028 programme getting new itineraries.
Marella is also introducing four new repositioning cruises from April 2028, giving passengers the chance to turn the journey between seasonal homeports into part of the holiday.
These longer cruises are:
Marella Explorer - Sail into Spring
There will be two Sail into Spring cruises on Marella Explorer:
10 nights: Las Palmas, Gran Canaria to Corfu
11 nights: Santa Cruz, Tenerife to Corfu
These are particularly interesting for passengers who enjoy longer cruises and want to combine several days at sea with the transition from the Canary Islands into the Mediterranean.
Marella Discovery 2 - Flavours of the Mediterranean
Marella Discovery 2 will offer a five-night repositioning cruise from Palma to Dubrovnik.
It is a shorter option than some of the other repositioning sailings, but gives passengers the opportunity to make the journey between two Mediterranean bases part of their holiday rather than simply flying between them.
Marella Explorer 2 - Transatlantic Treasures
The adults-only Marella Explorer 2 will make the journey from Barbados to Malaga on a 13-night transatlantic cruise.
For cruisers who enjoy sea days, this is likely to feel very different from a conventional seven-night Mediterranean itinerary.
Marella Voyager - Atlantic Horizons
Marella Voyager will also make a transatlantic crossing, sailing for 13 nights from Barbados to Palma on Atlantic Horizons.
The longer repositioning cruises will have some additional entertainment and enrichment, including special guest speakers, extra shows, new showcases and more tribute acts.
That is worth noting because repositioning cruises can have a slightly different character from Marella’s standard seven-night itineraries. With more sea days, entertainment becomes an important part of the holiday rather than simply something to fill an evening after a day ashore.
Where will the Marella ships be based?
Where are Marella's ships based in Summer 2028?
Marella is continuing to use a selection of established European homeports for Summer 2028.
The planned bases include:
Marella Explorer: Corfu
Marella Explorer 2: Malaga
Marella Discovery: Palma, Majorca
Marella Voyager: Palma, Majorca
Marella Discovery 2: Dubrovnik, Croatia
This gives Marella customers a mixture of Greek, Spanish and Croatian departure options.
It also means that the choice of UK airport can become an important part of the booking decision, particularly for customers who live outside London or prefer to fly from their nearest regional airport.
More choice with Marella cruise and stay
Marella is also expanding its cruise and stay offering for Summer 2028.
There will be 119 hotels available across four destinations:
Majorca
Corfu
Dubrovnik
Malaga
The cruises and hotels will be available from 22 airports across the UK and Republic of Ireland.
This is particularly useful for anyone who prefers to add a few nights on land before or after their cruise rather than simply flying in and boarding the ship.
It can also make a cruise holiday feel less rushed. Instead of arriving at the airport and travelling straight to the ship, a cruise and stay gives you the opportunity to spend time exploring the departure destination before sailing.
What does Summer 2028 mean for Marella cruisers?
The Summer 2028 programme doesn’t represent a complete change of direction for Marella. Instead, it builds on some of the destinations and homeports that have proved popular while adding a few new options.
The most significant change is undoubtedly Patras, because this is a genuinely new destination for Marella Cruises.
The return to Malaga is also significant, particularly for Marella Explorer 2 passengers looking for an adults-only cruise from Spain.
Then there are the longer repositioning cruises, which give experienced cruisers something different to consider. A 10-, 11- or 13-night itinerary is a very different proposition from Marella’s traditional seven-night cruise and could appeal to passengers who have already worked their way through many of the shorter itineraries.
The expanded cruise and stay programme also gives customers more flexibility when putting together their holiday.
When can you book Marella Summer 2028?
The Summer 2028 programme goes on sale on 15 October 2026.
That gives Marella customers plenty of time to look at the different itineraries, compare departure airports and decide whether a straightforward cruise or cruise and stay works best.
As with any popular cruise programme, booking early can be particularly useful if you have specific requirements around cabin type, departure airport or travel dates.
The Lowdown
Marella’s Summer 2028 programme is an interesting mix of the familiar and the new.
Patras is the standout addition, giving Marella Explorer passengers somewhere completely new to explore, while Marella Explorer 2’s return to Malaga provides another option for adults-only cruising in the Mediterranean.
The new repositioning cruises are perhaps the most intriguing part of the programme for experienced cruisers. With longer itineraries, more sea days and additional entertainment, they offer a very different experience from a standard week in the Mediterranean.
And with 119 cruise and stay hotels across four destinations, Marella is continuing to build its holidays around more than just the cruise itself.
The Summer 2028 programme goes on sale 15 October 2026, so if you are already thinking about your next Marella cruise, this is one programme worth putting on the calendar.
Marella Cruises Summer 2028 FAQ
More Marella Guides can be found on my Marella Cruises Hub