Marella Cruises Unveils Summer 2028 Programme With New Patras Port and Six New Itineraries

Marella Cruises, which is the cruise line of TUI UK, has unveiled its 2028 summer cruise schedule, which involves Patras in Greece as a new port call and six new itineraries, which include repatriation cruises. The cruise programme will provide passengers with additional opportunities in the Greek islands, Mediterranean, Atlantic, and Caribbean. The sale of the summer cruises will commence on 15 October 2026.

Moreover, the 2028 summer cruise schedule will also enhance the cruise and stay product, which will provide 119 hotels in Majorca, Corfu, Dubrovnik, and Malaga. Passengers will have access to the cruise programme from 22 airports in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Patras Joins Marella Cruises for the First Time in Summer 2028

The biggest destination addition is Patras, Greece’s third-largest city. Marella Explorer will visit the city during the new Grecian Gems itinerary from its summer 2028 homeport in Corfu. Marella Cruises will call at Patras for the first time from July 2028, giving passengers an opportunity to explore a destination that offers a different experience from Greece’s busiest tourist hotspots.

The city combines ancient history, archaeology, art and coastal scenery, with attractions including the Church of St Andrew and views across the Gulf of Patras. For travellers seeking a less crowded Greek experience, the addition provides another way to explore the country’s mainland heritage alongside the more established Mediterranean ports.

Grecian Gems Adds a New Greek Experience to Marella Explorer

The Grecian Gems itinerary will operate aboard Marella Explorer, with Corfu serving as the ship’s homeport. Their addition of Patras gives the itinerary a new cultural dimension. Passengers can explore the city’s historic landmarks and discover a different side of Greece away from the country’s most heavily visited islands. The route forms part of Marella’s wider expansion of its Eastern Mediterranean cruise programme, where demand remains strong.

Their company has highlighted continued interest in Eastern Mediterranean sailings as it prepares its 2028 programme. The new Patras call therefore adds variety while maintaining Greece as a major component of Marella’s summer cruise offering.

Marella Explorer 2 Introduces Spanish Shores From Malaga

Marella Explorer 2, the adults-only ship in the fleet, will introduce another new seven-night sailing called Spanish Shores from Malaga, Spain. The itinerary will begin in June 2028 and will combine destinations in Spain, Gibraltar and the Balearic Islands.

The route includes:

• Malaga
• Gibraltar
• A day at sea
• Ibiza Town
• Mahon, Menorca
• Palma, Majorca
• Cartagena
• Return to Malaga

The itinerary gives adult passengers the opportunity to combine Spanish cities, Mediterranean islands and a British overseas territory within one seven-night cruise.

Four New Repositioning Cruises Add Longer Voyages

Marella Cruises will also introduce four new repositioning cruises from April 2028. These voyages will provide longer sailing experiences as ships move between seasonal homeports. The Sail into Spring programme aboard Marella Explorer will include a 10-night voyage from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, to Corfu and an 11-night voyage from Santa Cruz, Tenerife, to Corfu. Flavours of the Mediterranean aboard Marella Discovery 2 will operate for five nights from Palma to Dubrovnik.

Meanwhile, Marella Explorer 2 will operate the 13-night Transatlantic Treasures voyage from Barbados to Malaga. Marella Voyager will operate the 13-night Atlantic Horizons sailing from Barbados to Palma.

Repositioning Cruises Add Entertainment and Special Events

The repositioning voyages will offer more than longer sailing distances. Passengers will have access to special guest speakers, additional shows, new showcases and tribute acts during these cruises. The entertainment programme adds a different dimension to the longer itineraries, giving passengers additional onboard activities while ships travel between regions. Repositioning cruises can also appeal to travellers seeking longer holidays and more extensive routes without booking a traditional round-trip cruise. The 2028 programme therefore expands Marella’s offering beyond standard seven-night Mediterranean holidays.

Marella Fleet Returns to Major European Homeports

The rest of the Marella fleet will operate from several established European ports during Summer 2028. Marella Discovery and Marella Voyager will be based in Palma, Majorca. Marella Discovery 2, the fleet’s second adults-only ship, will operate from Dubrovnik, Croatia.

These homeports give passengers access to several established Mediterranean travel markets and create opportunities to combine cruises with pre- or post-cruise stays. The combination of different homeports also gives travellers more flexibility when choosing their preferred destination and itinerary.

Cruise and Stay Programme Expands to 119 Hotels

Marella Cruises is also expanding its cruise-and-stay programme for Summer 2028. Customers will have a choice of 119 hotels in Majorca, Corfu, Dubrovnik and Malaga. Their programme allows travellers to combine their cruise with a hotel stay, providing additional time to explore the departure or arrival destination. The package is available through 22 airports across the UK and Republic of Ireland, giving customers more options when arranging their flights. The expanded hotel selection complements Marella’s wider strategy of offering more flexible holiday formats alongside its cruise itineraries.

Marella Cruises Builds on Strong Mediterranean Demand

The 2028 programme comes as Marella continues to see strong interest in Mediterranean cruising. The cruise line has highlighted continued demand for its Eastern Mediterranean itineraries, with Summer 2027 bookings already ahead of the previous year.

Marella also plans to return to Malaga for another summer season following the performance of previous cruises from the region. The combination of established homeports and new destinations allows the company to maintain popular routes while introducing fresh experiences for returning customers. Patras, in particular, gives the programme a new destination that can appeal to travellers looking for history and culture alongside traditional Mediterranean cruise stops.

All-Inclusive Cruising Remains Standard Across Marella

Marella Cruises continues to offer all-inclusive cruising as standard. The package includes tips and service charges, allowing passengers to account for these costs within the cruise price rather than paying them separately. Prices for the Grecian Gems Summer 2028 itineraries start from £1,966, with bookings opening on 15 October 2026. The combination of all-inclusive pricing, new destinations, additional itineraries and cruise-and-stay packages gives travellers a broader range of options for planning their 2028 holiday.

Summer 2028 Gives Travellers More Marella Cruise Choices

The Marella Cruises Summer 2028 cruise itinerary includes additions to the European cruise itinerary through the inclusion of both new ports, new routes, longer repositioning cruises and extra hotel choices. The most notable addition to the destination list is the addition of Patras which provides Marella Explorer passengers with an opportunity to explore Greece via Corfu.

However, the inclusion of the Spanish Shores route for the Marella Explorer 2 includes adults-only routes from Malaga, while four more repositioning cruises provide longer routes from Europe to the Atlantic. Marella’s 119 cruise and stay hotels, 22 UK and Ireland departure airports and the all inclusive cruising makes Summer 2028 Marella Cruise itinerary about more choices.