Port Canaveral to host Marella Cruises' first homeported cruise ship in U.S.

U.K. cruise line Marella Cruises’ Marella Discovery will begin sailings from Port Canaveral starting May 2, 2021, through Oct. 24, 2021. It’s the first time Marella Cruises will homeport a cruise ship in the United States.
 (Photo: Marella Cruises)

Port Canaveral, FL – British cruise line Marella Cruises has chosen Port Canaveral for its first cruise homeport in the United States. The cruise line’s Marella Discovery will sail from the Port beginning in Summer 2021, offering four new itineraries with 11 port-of-call visits.

 “We’re excited that Marella Cruises has selected Port Canaveral as the homeport for its first-ever cruises from the United States,” Port CEO Captain John Murray said. “Today’s announcement is another endorsement that our ongoing investments in state-of-the-art terminals and commitment to excellence in cruise operations continues to earn the confidence of some of the world’s most successful cruise brands.”
 
Cruise bookings go on sale Thursday, Nov. 7, for 26 seasonal voyages from May 2, 2021, through Oct. 24, 2021, aboard the 867-foot-long Marella Discovery, which has a guest capacity of 1,830 based on double occupancy and will sail from Port Canaveral’s Cruise Terminal 5.

“We’re really excited to be setting sail from the USA,” said Chris Hackney, Managing Director at Marella Cruises. “Expanding our program provides an opportunity for cruisers to sample the American Dream, and we’ve ensured there really is something for everyone, whether that’s a visit to Walt Disney World in Florida, an evening in New York, authentic jazz music in New Orleans or a rollercoaster in Busch Gardens. Offering our customers more choice and flexibility is at the heart of what we do.”

Customers sailing on Marella’s American Dream and Big Apple Adventure itineraries will enjoy an overnight stop in New York City. The Discovery will also visit Miami and Turks and Caicos on its Sunshine States and Sands itinerary. And customers can select seven- or 14-night options with an overnight stay in Tampa on the ship’s Floridian Favorites itinerary. Guests choosing one of the four itineraries also have the flexibility to extend their cruise ashore with available cruise-and-stay packages available in Orlando.
 
The Marella Discovery will make port-of-call visits to the Ports of Charleston, S.C., New York City, Freeport and Nassau, Bahamas, Norfolk, Va., Key West, Miami, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and New Orleans.

A division of TUI U.K. and Ireland and TUI World Group/World of TUI, Marella is the third-largest cruise line in the United Kingdom, with a fleet of six ships. TUI has designed the itineraries and is targeting cruise travelers from the U.K.  TUI is offering packaged flights from 5 regional airports in the U.K..to Orlando Sanford International Airport with transport to Port Canaveral included.

 

About Port Canaveral   
Led by the elected five-member Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners and Port Director and CEO, Captain John Murray, Port Canaveral is one of the world's most dynamic and exciting ports. A world-class gateway for cruises, cargo, recreation and logistics, as well as a gateway to new frontiers in space, Port Canaveral hosts nearly 5 million revenue cruise passengers through its state-of-the-art terminals and 6 million tons of cargo annually, including bulk, break-bulk, project, and containerized. The Port is strategically located to service all Florida markets, as well as the Southeastern United States. In addition to world class cruise facilities and diverse cargo operations, Port Canaveral offers more recreational opportunities than all other Florida deep-water seaports combined. For more information, visit www.PortCanaveral.com

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