Marella Explorer 2 Balcony Cabin Tour

I’ve just returned from another incredible Marella Cruise holiday with friends on aboard the Marella Explorer 2, and while I’m still coming down from the post-holiday high of this ‘Sail 3 Seas’ cruise, I thought I’d share a little tour of our Marella Explorer 2 balcony cabin. This is the second time I’ve cruised with Marella on this particular ship, and again, the second time my friends and I have chosen a balcony cabin.

Here, I share what we absolutely loved about the Marella Explorer 2 cabins, to a few things that could be improved, and I’m hoping that this post will give you an idea as to what to expect if you’re thinking of booking one yourself.

Whether you’re a first-time cruiser or a Marella regular, I hope this gives you a useful peek behind the cabin door of our balcony cabin on deck 9!

First Impressions of our Marella Explorer 2 Balcony Cabin

On entering your balcony cabin, you walk down a narrow area that houses the wardrobes (more on these later!) and the bathroom on the other side, before entering the main cabin. In Marella Explorer 2 cabins you will find either beds pushed to be a double, or twin beds like we had. There are a good few mirrors located throughout the cabin, giving a great sense of space and light, with 2 being full length, meaning that you can always get a good view of yourself before venturing out for dinner on an evening!

Considering cruise cabins aren’t known for their size (unless you’re loaded and book some kind of suite!), the Marella balcony cabins feel spacious, helped by the aforementioned mirrors and also the lighter coloured furnishings and furniture. Whilst it might look a little dated now, the style of the cabins are inoffensive, super-clean and very functional, with little details thought about. 

Beyond the beds, there is a dressing table area and sofa bed, before heading out onto the balcony. Whilst you could in theory fit a third person in this room, in my opinion you wouldn’t really want to as I think then the whole room would feel very cramped.

The dressing table area has great lighting, and there is also plenty of storage in the form of mini shelves and 3 deep drawers, which was plenty of room for storing make up and other bits and bobs! In Marella Explorer 2 cabins there is also a hair dryer provided in the top drawer. My only gripe about this whole room, is that aside from USB ports in the bedside lights, the only plug socket in the room is on this dressing table, so you may want to consider bringing an extension lead. We didn’t bring one, but I’ve seen that other people have mentioned doing this on Marella Cruising Facebook groups. 

The beds in the cabin are comfy, although it’s worth noting that end of each bed is curved, so if you’re super-tall this may be an issue? Hopefully not though! The phone to call within the ship is located on one side of the bed, and there was another bedside table between the beds. As I mentioned previously, USB ports are located within the lights, which is useful for charging your phone at night.

On each cruise I’ve been on, I’ve been very impressed with the quality of the cabin servicing, with our Deck 9 team of Jordan and co doing a fabulous job of making beds, changing towels, and replenishing tea and coffee twice a day (once in the morning, and once in the evening when we were at dinner). They also left us some fabulous towel art each evening, something that I always appreciate! 

Here is a view of the balcony cabin facing the door…

As you can see in the photo below, there is some more shelving in the corner of the room, which largely houses glasses and a water jug, as well as the kettle and tea/ coffee station.

One of the things that I’ve been really pleased with in Marella Explorer 2 cabins is the amount of wardrobe space for two people, which I’ve found to be more than in most regular hotel rooms. There are two hanging wardrobe sections, one for each person, as well as decent-sized shelving and 3 drawers. Within this bit of the wardrobe is a small safe which can hold small electronics, passports and money, and is easy to use (one of my bug-bears when travelling is complicated safes!).

The bathrooms within the balcony cabin rooms are small but certainly don’t feel claustrophobic, something I thought might be the case in a room without windows. However, again, there is decent lighting, plenty of storage and shelves, and a good-sized shower. The shower looks more modern, and the units clean and functional. The shower was hot and powerful, but very early in the morning there seemed to be not as much hot water – I don’t know if this is a ‘thing’ or whether we were just unlucky using at the these times, but something to bear in mind if you’re wanting to be up and about early doors.

Below is the highlight of a Marella Explorer 2 balcony cabin and essentially what you’re paying extra for – the actual balcony! We loved, loved, loved having ours, and sailing into and out of Kotor in Montenegro, being able to view the mountains from the balcony whilst having a drink, was a real cruise highlight and made us feel that the cabin was worth the money. 

The balcony itself was a great size, although if I was being critical, then I would say that the table is a little big for the space. It would be better to have a slightly smaller one and more room to move around. This pic here was taken in Dubrovnik port. 

So what are the pros and cons of a Marella Explorer 2 balcony cabin?

Pros

• Spacious balcony with comfy seating
  There is larger-than-average balcony space with chairs and a table.

• Light, airy cabin with plenty of storage
  Neutral decor, mirrors, two wardrobes, multiple drawers, and under-bed storage to store your suitcase made the cabin feel bright and uncluttered.

• Thoughtful amenities included
  Cabins feature USB charging ports, EU/US plugs (so if you’re a Brit, bring an adaptor!), kettles, tea & coffee provisions, TVs, safes, and even hairdryers, covering all must-haves.

• Comfortable beds and compact bathrooms
  The queen-size beds are comfortable in my opinion, and the ensuite bathrooms, despite being compact, are spacious enough with a power shower.

Cons

• Curved footboard can be awkward for tall guests
  A curved-once footboard design means tall passengers may find their feet dangling if not sleeping centrally, although hopefully this is generally not a problem unless you’re over 6’3″! I’m 5ft 5″ and was okay.

• Potential noise from public areas & plumbing
  Cabins under pool decks may hear early-morning chair shuffling; cabins above live venues (like the Broadway lounge) could face late-night noise. We loved deck 9 for various reasons (more on this in a bit!).

• Mini-fridge now removed
  Many balcony cabins no longer include a minibar fridge, which we were gutted about this time around, as we had one on our last cruise in Jan 24! It’s a shame as these were great for keeping drinks/ cans chilled, as well as chocolate treats purchased in ports.

Having had a balcony cabin now on Marella Explorer 2, I’m not sure I could have a different type of cabin, such as an inside one of window one (I know that sounds very spoilt!), but the balcony rooms are so large and the balcony just gives that extra sense of space. If I were to go on another cruise, I would certainly book one again.

This particular room is 9216, and we loved its location. It’s on the ‘aft’ end of the ship (so near the back), so handy for just walking up two floors in the morning for breakfast in ‘Market Place’ as that located at the same end. This room is also near the water filling station, but not so close that we were disturbed from any noise from this or the lifts next to it. Deck 9 is also great in my opinion, as you’re in the middle of deck 8 and 10 balcony cabins, and therefore have no noise from eateries/ public areas above or below. 

I really want to take the family on a Marella Cruise now and check out the Family Balcony cabins – if I do, I’ll certainly be reporting back with another blog post and tour!

I hope this mini tour and info has been useful, and I’ve also answered some more questions about balcony rooms below, but if you have any questions that I haven’t answered about Marella Explorer 2 cabins, please go ahead and ask in the comments below this blog post!

Which balcony cabin deck is best on Marella Explorer 2?

As I mentioned, we loved deck 9. It’s quieter than lower decks and avoids the pool/venue noise above, but is still close to facilities on the ship.

Are there noisy balcony cabins on Marella Explorer 2?

Yes, some can be noisier than others. Balcony cabins at the stern (rear) of the ship, especially near cabin numbers like 8200s, are notorious for noise and vibration apparently. HOWEVER, our cabin was fairly near the rear on deck 9, and we didn’t find this to be our personal experience. Some rear cabin balconies are directly above smoking zones on Deck 7, which isn’t ideal either! By choosing midship cabins on decks 9 or even 10 (forward or mid-ship), away from pool bins, buffets or entertainment spots you can hopefully avoid too much noise.

Do balcony cabins get enough natural light/storage space?

This is a resounding ‘yes’ from me! The cabins are designed visually with light fixtures and fittings, so this creates a sense of a lighter, brighter space. I’ve been impressed with the amount of wardrobe space and shelving and drawers available within the cabin, plus you can store suitcase under the beds, which is a big help when it comes to keeping your cabin clearer.

How easy is it to ask for a cabin change if there’s a problem?

We’ve been fortunate enough to be super-happy with our cabin each time, but from reading up on this, it seems that depending on cabin availability, then moving due to noise or air‑con issues mid-voyage can be an option. 

If you liked this, you can see more of my travel posts here!

Becky

Meet the award-nominated UK lifestyle blogger behind Spirited Puddle Jumper – a mum of three living in South East London! Becky shares the real ups and downs of family life, parenting tips, and lifestyle inspiration, proving that being a mum doesn’t mean you stop being fun or having other interests! Follow along for honest insights into UK family life and opinions on a whole range of topics, from travel and food, to beauty reviews, home and DIY, business and health and wellness.