Marella Explorer Inaugural Cruise Sailaway

Saturday 19 May 2018. Having joined the Marella Explorer in Palma de Mallorca for her first ever cruise under that name, 10:00pm saw us on our cabin's balcony to watch the gap between ship and dock widen as we cast off.

As we slid away from the dockside and began to turn round in the dock there was a huge explosion and we jumped out of our skin. Luckily the reason was clear to us. Anyone on a balcony on the other side of the ship must have experienced a moment's nervous shock before they realised that fireworks from the dock were celebrating the ship's first cruise in style.

As the ship slowly swung about her length we got the full effect of the display.

It carried on until we had turned about 180 degrees meaning that the ship's bow was now pointing in the direction of the exit past the harbour wall.

Meanwhile Aida Prima, still moored opposite our recently vacated berth was in full party mode with Katy Perry's Firework song clearly coming across the water.

Her own light show was fairly spectacular!

It certainly showed up that of the tanker moored behind her! We were moving a bit more quickly here so a bit of blur crept into the photo. I'll try harder next time...

We leave the harbour with the coastline of Palma behind and an aeroplane climbing into the sky, having just taken off, in the centre of the photograph. We will spend Sunday at sea as we cross the Mediterranean to Sicily, docking at Palermo on Monday morning.

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Joining the Inaugural Cruise of Marella's New Ship, Marella Explorer

Saturday 19 May 2018. We take an early morning flight from Manchester Airport to Palma de Mallorca to join Marella Cruises latest ship acquisition, Marella Explorer.

The flight is only a short one and, as we cross France towards the Pyrenees and Spain, I spot another aeroplane flying slightly below us. There's a bit of fun as we realise that within the six seats of our row and the row behind there are no less than three Johns.

A coach transfer from the airport at Palma brings us to the port and our first glimpse of Marella Explorer. The next entry will be dedicated to looking over her, but for now this is our balcony. It came complete with two chairs, a table and a hammock. With thoughts of trying to squirm out of it and throwing myself over the side rail, I vowed to ignore the latter for the week! We are in Cabin 9108 on Deck 9.

We'll take a quick look over the rail to left and right. Having been regular cruisers for well over ten years now I've probably taken similar photos before, but then you wouldn't want me to use old photos on a blog entry about the present time, would you?

The Explorer is the largest ship we have been on in the Thomson/Tui-now-Marella fleet and is moored on a longer dock than the one overlooking the marina that we have come to associate with being in Palma.

Sunshine and lovely blue skies. We hope this is a sign that the week ahead will remain like this!

A Tui coach leaves the dock to return to the airport for another batch of eager cruisers. They have most of the day to arrive before we sail at ten o'clock tonight.

Also in port are another couple of cruise ships. Aida Prima has a strangely vertical bow of a sort I've not encountered before.

The Norwegian Epic - or as someone remarked when the name was partially obscured: "Oh look - the Norwegian Eric!" - I will always remember from our 2013 cruise with friends David and Jeannie, when Miss Jeannie saw her and in an astonished voice said "Look at the size of that!" upon which at least half a dozen ladies on sunbeds sat up and glared at her...

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