Marella Discovery 2 Adds Four Adults-Only Venues for 2027

By Elena Vasquez

Marella Cruises expects four venues to open in early 2027 on its 1,836-guest Marella Discovery 2; three charge separately, while one remains included in the cruise fare.

Discovery 2 is set to join Marella Explorer 2, which already operates as an adults-only vessel. Marella says each concept will be exclusive to Discovery 2 and replace former children’s spaces. The announcement names no sailing dates or destination markets and provides no reservation or occupancy figures for the refit.

Three paid concepts create potential onboard ancillary revenue (spending beyond the base fare). Marella has not forecast revenue or attach rate (share of guests buying an add-on), so the commercial effect remains unquantified.

What changes onboard?

• Amplify Karaoke: Marella Cruises’ first dedicated karaoke venue (a room for singing songs) offers thousands of songs in a private lounge for up to seven friends or family members. Because guests reserve the room, they can sing without strangers watching.
• The Lost Luggage Bureau: A speakeasy (a concealed, themed bar) sits behind the fictional front of a lost-property office. Live music, acting and immersive storytelling revolve around mysterious luggage, while three signature cocktails, including nonalcoholic versions, form part of the experience. Two 90-minute productions, “The Case in Question” and “Smugglers Society,” will each host up to 42 guests.
• Red Handed: This escape room (a timed puzzle game) takes the backstage of the fictional Cabaret Rouge lounge in the 1920s. Teams of up to six have one hour to “steal” Lady Ruby Bardot’s diamond necklace.
• The Loft: A calming, screen-free, home-like retreat operates 24 hours a day with a library, board games, craft space and quiet relaxation. The Crafts Ahoy program will host sessions in jewelry making, macrame, sketching, quilling, button art, watercolor painting and other crafts.

What does Marella expect the venues to deliver?

Chris Hackney, Marella Cruises CEO, said: “We’ve looked closely at what guests love across our ships ... to create four distinctive new venues that will appeal to our loyal customers and those new to cruise alike.” He cited relaxation, social connection, immersive entertainment and creative wellbeing as consumer inputs.

“Whether that’s sipping cocktails in a secret speakeasy, belting out a favourite song with friends or picking up a paintbrush on a sea day, these venues give guests more ways to make their holiday their own,” Hackney added.

The company announcement cites no attendance, reservation, customer-research or filing data, and offers no market-size comparison to test Hackney’s claim about attracting loyal and new cruisers. The opening plan remains a projection, not a measured sales result.

What will guests pay, and how do they book?

Three venues require both a reservation and an extra fee; The Loft requires neither.

• Amplify Karaoke: £14.95 ($20 USD) per room per hour, covering up to seven guests at once.
• Red Handed: £16.95 ($23 USD) per person for each one-hour escape event.
• The Lost Luggage Bureau: £19.95 ($27 USD) per person per show, including the three signature cocktails with each performance.
• The Loft: No extra fee and no reservation.

All listed prices are subject to change.

Guests can book onboard at the reception desk or through the Navigate app. They can prebook The Lost Luggage Bureau through Cruise Control on Marella’s website.

The announcement routes these add-ons through Marella-controlled direct channels (the line’s own app, website and reception desk), keeping distribution with the cruise line. It gives no adviser commissions, third-party allotments or partner-booking details, so travel sellers cannot assess how to package the experiences or earn a margin.

Three paid concepts give Marella three onboard upsell mechanisms (add-on sales after the cruise booking); The Loft remains an included amenity rather than a paid add-on. Actual paid-venue take-up, rather than the count of four openings, will determine ancillary yield (revenue per available guest from add-ons).

Discovery 2’s permanent adults-only conversion removes children from its eligible guest mix, potentially affecting family-market sellers. Marella disclosed no sailing-level bookings, occupancy or departure pricing, so neither demand nor market-share effects can be quantified.

Opening timing, paid-venue take-up and the app-web-reception booking mix will show whether the concepts gain traction; Marella has not yet supplied those results.