Access Guide

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Getting To

The immigration and boarding process may also vary depending on the country the cruise is departing from.
Please speak to Marella Cruises about any access information or enquiries.

Marella Discovery has 11 Decks in total, all accessible via lift.
There is only a Medical Centre on Deck 1, no other services or facilities for guests.
Reception is located on Deck 5.
All cabins are located on Decks 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8.
Accessible cabins are located on Decks 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8, there are 17 accessible cabins available.
For information about the type of cabins onboard the ship please click here (opens new tab).
The stairs and lifts are located in the Purple Staircase (forward), Atrium (midship) and Red Staircase (aft) areas.
All staircases have lobby areas, some of which have toilet facilities.
The accessible toilets are located in the Purple Staircase area, at the forward of the ship on Decks 5 and 9.
Standard and ambulant toilet facilities are located on Decks 3, 5, 6, 9 and 10.
For information about the toilet facilities onboard the ship please click here (opens new tab).
Cruise News is delivered to all cabins. This information about the latest destination, including port information, weather, local currency and arrival and departure times.
Cruise News details opening times for all onboard services and gives times and locations for onboard activities.

Please see below the cruise ship terminology used within the Marella Access Guides.
Disembarking: This is when you leave the ship at the end of your trip.
Embarking: This is when you board the ship at the beginning of your trip.
Tender Boat: Also called a lifeboat, a tender is a small boat that takes you from the ship to shore when the cruise ship anchors in a harbour.
Aft: This is the rear part of a ship.
Forward: This is the front of a ship.
Midship: This is the middle of a ship.
Port: This is the left side of the ship as it’s facing forward.
Starboard: This is the right side of the ship as it’s facing forward.
Lido: Lido is an often-used term used to describe the deck where you’ll find the outdoor pools.

On the Marella Discovery passengers at the majority of ports board using a ramped gangway, which leads onto either Deck 1 or Deck 4.
The gradient of the ramped gangway is usually steep with handrails on both sides.
The gradient of the gangway may vary depending on the port and the tide.
A member staff can provide assistance if required.
There are members of staff available at the bottom and top of the gangway.
There is a hand sanitiser located at the bottom of the gangway.
There is a security gate located just beyond the gangway.
On arrival passengers leave their main luggage at the port terminal building and the luggage will be taken to their room by a member of staff.
Please note some destinations have bonded luggage which means your luggage is taken straight from the plane to the ship, so there is no requirement to collect luggage from the luggage belt.
Passengers can find this information in their customer documentation.
On the first day of the cruise there is a safety briefing.
This takes 15-20 minutes to complete.
Emergency Muster Stations are located on the Promenade, outside on Deck 4.

A member staff can provide assistance if required.
At a few ports the ship will not be able to dock in the port.
In these situations access to the port is via a tender boat.
There is stepped access down to the pontoon.
There is one step from the pontoon onto the boat.
There is then stepped access to the fixed seating areas, located at the front and rear of the boat.
Passengers must be able to leave their wheelchair and use the stairs to access the tender boat.
Marella Cruises can provide information on whether tender boats are used for any excursions on each cruise.
At some ports passengers require their passports, whereas at times you will just need to take your Marella Cruises Ship Card to the security gate and have it scanned before disembarking and have it scanned when returning to the ship.

On the night before the last day of the cruise passengers will receive an information leaflet in their cabins advising them of the disembarking process on the day of departure.
On the day of departure information about disembarking times is displayed on the screens around the ship.
Passengers will depart in groups for cruises that disembark at Newcastle or Southampton.
For cruises disembarking with flights back to the UK, passengers will disembark according to flight times and transfers back to the airport.
Flight times will vary.
Please note some destinations have bonded luggage on the return journey which means your luggage is taken straight from the ship to the plane, so there is no requirement to take your luggage from the ship to the airport.
Passengers will be advised of this whilst on the ship.
Disembarking is via the ramped gangway on either Deck 1 or Deck 4.
Staff are available for assistance if required.