My partner and I chose Marella Discovery 2 as I had previously been on a smaller cruise (formerly with Thomson) and as it was his first cruise. Also we wanted to do something special/memorable for my 50th birthday. The price was reasonable, and we split 2 cruises over 2 weeks which made the choice of locations more interesting. We also wanted to see different places rather than just spend 14 days on a sunbed, so this seemed ideal for us. We booked the Pride of Panama for the first week and Cuban Fusion for the second week, as suggested by a Tui Rep.

Having read varied reviews beforehand, we booked with an open mind, and are so glad we went with our instinct.

The Gatwick process with Marella was flawless and we received our cabin number tag in advance. It was fantastic that we didn't have to lug heavy luggage about and it arrived on the ship in good time. The flight was also excellent both ways and arrived in good time (can't beat the Tui Dreamliner wow!). Read more