We Spent £2,500 on a Marella Cruise: Here's What We Actually Got!
We spent 7 days on the Marella Explorer 2, you can decide if it's worth your money. But first, here is the absolute best (and worst) parts of our balcony cabin. Welcome back to Marion And Me! In today's ultimate holiday cruise travel guide and cabin tour vlog, we are sharing our honest, transparent review of our Mediterranean Medley cruise onboard Marella Cruises. We are giving you an unfiltered walkthrough of our balcony cabin layout, breaking down onboard tech secrets, and reviewing every single port of call on our 7-night itinerary before revealing our exact total cruise holiday cost! We start our cabin tour right near the central staircase and lifts, taking you through the narrow entrance into our comfortable living quarters. We evaluate the extensive room storage, including three full-length wardrobes perfect for long evening frocks, shorts, and shoes, alongside a dedicated shoe cupboard that originally housed the cabin fridge. We inspect the bright room lighting and three full-length dressing mirrors, share an essential UK travel adapter tip for powering straighteners and cameras at the vanity desk, and review the convenient £19.75 onboard laundry wash-and-fold service. We also test out the remarkably firm and supportive double bed and examine the overall pristine condition and minor carpet wear of our stateroom. Stepping out onto the tinted balcony as we sail away, we tackle the heavy sliding door and enjoy glorious sea views. We also break down a brilliant cabin TV feature: navigating the daily port presentations on Destination Services, checking ship positions on the live navigation map, and catching the cruise director's daily morning announcements. Plus, we share a hilarious story about maritime law and "sea jail" when our ship captain had to get stern on the Tannoy system over mandatory muster station safety drills! We finish the room inspection inside the compact en-suite bathroom, highlighting the non-clingy glass shower door and a functional sink plug for shaving. For the second half of our video, we deliver an honest port-by-port ranking of the entire Mediterranean Medley itinerary. We review our organized coach excursion from Livorno to Pisa's Square of Miracles, examine flat coastal walking tips for the steep streets of Villefranche-sur-Mer on the French Riviera, and recount the energetic match-day atmosphere in Toulon where singing rugby supporters filled the streets. We also take you along on our Sunday morning DIY walking tour of Barcelona. Since the famous La Boqueria market was closed, we explored Antoni Gaudí’s atmospheric Palau Güell for just €30 before taking in views of the Sagrada Família crowds. Finally, we celebrate our absolute favorite hidden gem port of the cruise: Valencia, Spain! We detail walking through the historic castellated gates, sampling fresh food at the stunning Central Market, and enjoying its British-friendly atmosphere. Stick around until the very end where we reveal our full £2,500 cruise cost, including the premium drinks package! If our Marella cabin tour and Mediterranean Medley itinerary review helps you plan your next holiday, please like, drop a comment, and subscribe to Marion And Me! CHAPTERS: 0:00 Rapid Balcony Cabin Tour: Wardrobes & Storage 1:20 Hidden Shoe Cupboard & Vanity Desk Storage 1:52 Bright Cabin Lighting & Dressing Mirrors 3:06 British Plug Socket Warning & Amazon Tech Adapters 3:48 Cruise Laundry Service Prices (£19.75 Wash Bag) 4:10 Double Bed Comfort & Cabin Wear-and-Tear Review 5:22 Balcony Tour & Sailing Away from Port 6:07 Cabin TV Hacks, Destination Replays & "Sea Jail" Warning 7:10 En-Suite Bathroom: Glass Shower Door & Shaving Sink 11:05 Toulon Port Day & Singing Rugby Fans 11:43 Barcelona DIY Walk: Las Ramblas & Palau Güell Tour 12:45 Valencia: Our Favourite Port & Central Market Food Tasting 14:40 Full Cruise Cost Reveal: 7-Night Trip & Drinks Package Price About Marion And Me: Marion and Alan, a British couple sharing honest Marella cruise reviews, Benidorm travel tips and Mediterranean holidays, showing what travel over 50 is really like. The good, the bad and the awful. Subscribe FREE 👉 youtube.com/channel/UCjnzVGLjvjrj355JLNXBBuw?sub_confirmation=1 Watching on TV? Grab your phone and search "Marion and Me" to subscribe. #marella #marellacruises #marellaexplorer2 #mediterraneancruise