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Marella Explorer Cruise Ship Information

Marella Explorer

Access Guide

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Getting To

  • If flights from the UK to departure destinations or from the final destination back to the UK have been booked through Marella Cruises, please speak to Marella Cruises about any access information or enquiries.
    If your transfers from the airport to the departures port or final destination back to the UK have been booked through Marella Cruises, please speak to Marella Cruises about any access information or enquiries.
  • Transfer vehicles will drop passengers at the port.
    The access and facilities at the departure port will vary depending on the location.
    It is necessary for passengers to check in, pass through security and have their cruise card scanned as they board.
    The order and location of this process will vary according to the port with regards to what is done in port and what is done onboard.
    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.

Ship Summary

  • Marella Explorer has 13 decks in total, with lift access to 12 decks.
    There is no lift access to Deck 14.
  • The Medical Centre is located on Deck 4.
  • Reception is located on Deck 5.
  • All cabins are located on Decks 4, 5, 8, 9, 10 and 12.
    Accessible cabins are located on Deck 5, there are 8 accessible cabins available.
  • For information about the type of cabins onboard the ship please click here (opens new tab).
  • The stairs and lift are located at the front (forward), middle (midship) and rear (aft) of the ship.
  • The accessible toilets are located in the Red Staircase area, midship on Deck 5 (male only) and Deck 11, as well as on Deck 6 by the entrance to The Lounge.
  • The standard toilets are on Decks 5, 6, 7, 11 and 12.
  • 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.

Cruise Ship Terminology

  • 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.

Start of Cruise

  • On Marella Explorer passengers at the majority of ports board using a ramped gangway which leads onto Deck 3.
  • 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.
  • The gangway is 119cm wide.
  • A member staff can provide assistance if required.
  • There are members of staff available at the bottom and top of the gangway.
  • There are hand sanitizers 112cm high located just before the gangway (photograph 3).
  • At a few ports passenger board via a gangway or footbridge which connects to Deck 5.
  • 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.
  • Before boarding the ship, hand luggage is put through an x-ray machine, and passengers pass through a security barrier 75cm wide (photograph 2).
  • A hand held scanner is also available for wheelchair users.
  • Once aboard on Deck 3, passengers will be directed to the Blue (forward) Staircase lifts and stairs to access the rest of the ship.
  • If any passengers need to wait for their cabin to be ready, the Indigo Bar on Deck 12 is used as a hand luggage storage area.
  • 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 Deck 6.

Day Trips and Excursions

  • Information and booking day trips and excursions are done at Destination Experiences which is located on Deck 5.
  • The Destination Experiences team will have access information about the trips.
  • Please speak to the team about any access issues before booking an excursion or tour.
  • Disembarking and embarking is done at the majority of ports on Deck 3 via the gangway.
  • At a few ports disembarking and embarking is done on Deck 5 via a footbridge or a gangway.
  • The gradient of the ramped gangway is usually steep with handrails on both sides.
  • The ramped gangway is 119cm wide.
  • The gradient of the gangway may vary depending on the arrival port or the tide.
  • A member staff can provide assistance if required.
  • There is a hand sanitiser located at the bottom of the gangway, which is 115cm high (shown in photograph 4).
  • When embarking, passengers will pass through a security gate, 75cm wide, located just inside the ship from the gangway.
  • Hand luggage will also be put through an x-ray machine.
  • At a few ports the ship will not be able 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 seating areas.
  • The seating areas are located at the front and rear of the boat.
  • The seating is fixed and in rows.
  • 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.

End of Cruise

  • 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 Deck 3.
  • At a few ports passengers disembark on Deck 5 via a footbridge or gangway.
  • Staff are available for assistance if required.
  • Depending on the disembarkation details, passengers with mobility impairments may be invited to disembark first.
  • Whilst waiting to disembark passengers can store hand luggage in the Indigo Bar on Deck 12.
  • On departure passengers collect their main luggage from the dock or the port terminal building.
  • Transport to the port terminal building can be provided for passengers with mobility impairments if required.

Deck Access Guide(s)