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Sailaway487

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    Thomson Cruises to Rebrand to Marella Cruises and Asia Cruises Confirmed

    in Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

    Posted

    Very pleased to see the Far East finally being offered! I am really not too sure on this whole Marella Cruises thing though, particularly if it is going to be rebranded as soon as the end of this month when Thomson moves to TUI. I get that they need to distinguish it from the German TUI Cruises, but still think it is a bit of an odd move. Still, suppose it is just a name.

    Thomson Cruises to Rebrand to Marella Cruises and Asia Cruises Confirmed

    in Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

    Posted

    A bit more info on the new Asia cruises:

    To celebrate the launch of Marella Cruises, the company has unveiled exciting new itineraries across Asia as part of its winter 2018 programme. The newly renamed Marella Discovery will sail to 18 exotic new ports of call on 14 new adult-only itineraries, including Colours of the Far East, departing from Bangkok, Thailand and Enchanting Far East, setting sail from Langkawi in Malaysia. Marella Discovery’s South East Asian adventure will take it to vibrant destinations such as Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia and Kuala Lumpur. In addition to this lusted-after corner of the world, Marella Discovery will also sail to India, calling at fascinating ports including Mumbai, Mangalore, Mormugao (Goa), Cochin (Kerala) and Colombo (Sri Lanka), and to the Middle East, with highlights including Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Muscat.

    Thomson Cruises to Rebrand to Marella Cruises and Asia Cruises Confirmed

    in Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

    Posted

    http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/289189/thomson-cruises-to-be-rebranded-as-marella-cruises

     

    Thomson Cruises is to be rebranded as Marella Cruises, at the same time that Thomson changes to Tui later this month.

    Marella, meaning ‘shining sea’ in Celtic, was selected to give the cruise line ‘stand out in the cruise market’ and to give it its own identity from the company’s European cruise brand, Tui Cruises.

    Distribution and cruise director Helen Caron said: “We don’t want British guests to be confused with the group’s cruise business in Europe. Marella Cruises will still have the Tui smile logo, but a new Marella Cruises logo in a blue box, similar to the way we would market Sensatory as part of the world of Tui. The name was chosen to reflect the spirit of exploration and discovery across the seas.”

    Confirming Marella cruises would still offer its fully-integrated fly-cruise programme, from 22 regional UK airports, across its fleet of six ships once Marella Explorer enters service in May 2018, Caron added: “Marella Cruises takes us to a cruise brand from a tour operator brand. We expect the new name to open us up to a whole new market of customers who haven’t considered a Thomson cruise before. It’s very exciting and come at the perfect time as we modernise our fleet and add more and more destinations.”

    News of the rebrand came as Tui also announced a new homeport in Asia for winter 2018. The newly named Marella Discovery will sail from Lankawi to 18 new ports of call on 14 new adult-only itineraries, with customers also able to join from Bangkok. Ports of call include Ho Chi Minh City, Cambodia and Kuala Lumpur, and also to Mumbai, Mangalore, Cochin and Colombo.

    Caron said: “Asia is an incredibly diverse part of the world and I have no doubt that our customers are going to love their adventures across countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, India and Oman to name a few.”

    For the first time in the company’s history, Tui is also going to base two ships in Barbados in winter 2018. Marella Explorer will be joined by Marella Celebration.

    Legend of the Seas - Discovery 2

    in Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

    Posted

    Just looking at her winter cruise,s for 2018-19 i see she is back to Jamaica for her second year and discovery 1 home based Barbados again ,I wonder if we will see Tui Explorer far east or some where different for a change we should know November.

     

    Definitely seems to be going somewhere different (hopefully for the Far East!)

     

    Discovery Barbados, Discovery 2 Montego Bay, looks to be Celebration Canaries at first (then I would guess Caribbean?), and Dream in the Canaries. With Thomson now starting Vietnam as well as Thailand for packages, I would say the Far East would be quite likely.

    Summer 2018

    in Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

    Posted

    Summer 2018 now confirmed.

     

    http://press.thomson.co.uk/thomson-cruises-unveils-summer-2018-programme/

     

    6 March 2017 – Thomson Cruises has today unveiled its summer 2018 programme which sees TUI Discovery based out of the UK for the first time, as well as the addition of 15 new ports of call, including Monaco, Ancona and Skiathos Town, and 12 brand new itineraries.

    Award-winning ship* TUI Discovery, which joined the Thomson Cruises fleet in summer 2016, will be moving to new homeport Newcastle from May 2018 where it will visit the Norwegian fjords and a range of exciting cities including Stockholm, Sweden; Tallinn, Estonia and Reykjavik, Iceland. Passengers sailing on these Baltic cruises can also make use of their time in the region with an overnight onboard stay in St Petersburg, Russia.

    In September 2018 and in a first for Thomson Cruises, TUI Discovery moves to Southampton where it will finish its summer sailing four itineraries; Fantastic Fjords, Baltic Treasures, European Experience and Seeking the Northern Lights. The new European Experience itinerary visits Germany, Belgium and France, with an overnight onboard stay in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Seeking the Northern Lights will take customers to the northernmost city in Norway to spot the spectacular natural phenomenon for the first time.

    Firm favourite, Thomson Celebration, will move to Dubrovnik for summer 2018 where it will operate an adults-only programme, which includes no-sea day itinerary. Venetian Vistas now offers customers the chance to wake up in a new destination every day, spending full days in Bar, Montenegro; Korcula, Croatia; Zadar, Croatia; Venice, Italy; Trieste, Italy and Split, Croatia. Thomson Celebration will also sail two new itineraries, Sail Three Seas and Greek Mystique. Sail Three Seas will visit Valetta, Malta; Messina, Sicily; Kefalonia; Igoumenitsa, Greece and Kotor, Montenegro, while customers choosing Greek Mystique can explore Chania, Crete; Piraeus (for Athens), Greece; Kalamata, Greece; Corfu Town, Corfu and Kotor, Montenegro.

    Making its debut in Corfu Town in summer 2018, TUI Discovery 2 will sail four itineraries in the Eastern Mediterranean, and Thomson Dream will be based in Palma, Majorca. Thomson Cruises’ newest ship, which is currently sailing as Mein Schiff 1 for TUI Cruises will also homeport in Palma, Majorca. Customers choosing these ships, along with Thomson Celebration, will be able to team their holiday with a beach break as part of the extensive Cruise and Stay programme, offering further chance to explore the destinations.

    Managing Director of Thomson Cruises Richard Sofer said: “We’re really excited about our summer 2018 programme. We have a fantastic range of destinations on offer, with a real focus on hidden gems in the Mediterranean and a little closer to home in northern Europe.

    “The move to bring TUI Discovery to both the north and the south of the UK also shows our commitment to offering choice and flexibility to our customers, giving them the opportunity to sail from a region close to home, as well as offering flights to other destinations from local airports.”

    The summer 2018 programme will be on sale from 20thApril. TUI Discovery, TUI Discovery 2 and our newest ship, currently Mein Schiff 1, will offer all-inclusive packages as standard.

    Summer 2018

    in Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

    Posted

    I was going to book a P&O cruise to Greenland for 2018. If I can maybe go from Newcastle I'll hang on.

     

    That will be the May brochure, won't it?

     

    End of April/May yep. Quite surprised they have decided on Discovery for ex-UK as would have presumed they would have used Celebration, but maybe they cannot fill a larger ship from DBV with a more limited flight schedule.

     

    Discovery around Norway and Iceland would be brilliant to do!

    Summer 2018

    in Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

    Posted

    Happy New Year to you all too!

     

    Looks to be like the following...

     

    MEIN SCHIFF 1 (LISTED AS TUI DISCOVERY 3 ON VILLEFRANCHE)

    Looks to be Western Med, most likely Palma on Saturday.

     

    TUI DISCOVERY

    Ex-UK Departures

     

    TUI DISCOVERY 2

    Corfu itineraries on Friday departures including Adriatic every other week

     

    THOMSON DREAM

    Palma itineraries on Tuesday departures

     

    THOMSON CELEBRATION

    Dubrovnik on Thursday departures

     

    THOMSON SPIRIT???...

    Being listed doing western Med cruises under Celeystal/Louis. Seems to be going from Palma on Sunday departures, with a very, very similar pattern to Thomson itineraries. Perhaps the rumoured Thomas Cook operation or Celeystal/Louis continuing Spirit with their own itineraries. They have lately said they are looking at growing their UK customer base.

    Summer 2018

    in Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

    Posted · Edited by Sailaway487

    Hello everyone.

     

    Yesterday was a ship booked in a iceland port,the ship was named *D*. i took a closer look and the ship was 69130 brt and took 2000 + passengers. as i know from last time it was a little * secret* So maybe TUI Discovery is to be seen in N.Europe and UK 2018? ;)

     

    Thanks Galaxy! That would be amazing if that is true! And also quite surprised that they are putting one of their newest and largest doing ex-UK. :D

     

    If that is the case, I wonder if Malaga has been dropped or if there is going to be a further addition to the fleet we are yet to know about? Another RCL ship perhaps?

    Summer 2018

    in Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

    Posted

    they said the mein schieff ships aren't gonna be discovery 3 and 4

     

    They did say that originally but it's been listed as Discovery 3 on Villefranche's schedules. I did wonder if they're perhaps just using that as a provisional name for now until the official name is used.

    Winter 2017/18 Deployment

    in Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

    Posted

    It was going to be the Dream from Montego Bay, but looks like this might now have swapped to Discovery 2 as it has replaced Dream's Caymen stops.

     

    Discovery 2 would be then doing Canaries until end of October, then going over to Montego Bay for the rest of the season, with Dream taking over the Canaries. Matches Funchal's schedules also.

     

    Celebration does look to be doing similar to Discovery, so either it will join home porting in Barbados, or will go from Dom Rep possibly?

    Mein schiff

    in Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

    Posted

    Hi SAILAWAY is that set in stone TUI EXPLORER 1&2 have been on holidays and busy with the cruise ship,s have been away for afew week,s thank,s any way.

     

    No, I did try and write more on that post but it just kept logging me out.

     

    I'd expect them to have the same name like Discovery again, and Explorer would fit the current names.

     

    I think when we've done favourite names for new ships in the past, Explorer always polled well.

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