Marella Voyager

Marella Voyager is a Century-class cruise ship operated by Marella Cruises, part of the TUI Group. The vessel was constructed for Celebrity Cruises at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, and launched on 11 July 1997. She entered commercial service on 27 October 1997 under the name MV Mercury. The ship is the second of two Century-class vessels and is closely related to the ship now known as Marella Explorer, formerly Celebrity Galaxy. During the first part of her career, the vessel sailed for Celebrity Cruises, a cruise line owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises. In 2008, after approximately eleven years as Mercury, she was renamed Celebrity Mercury. Her Celebrity Cruises period included itineraries in regions such as Alaska, the Caribbean and other cruise destinations. The ship's operating history also included several notable incidents. In May 2006, the captain was arrested by United States Coast Guard inspectors in Seattle for intoxication during a routine safety inspection shortly before a scheduled Alaska departure. Celebrity Cruises arranged a replacement captain and dismissed the original officer. A second widely reported event occurred in February 2010, when a major norovirus outbreak affected nearly 500 people during a voyage from Charleston, South Carolina, to the eastern Caribbean. The illness affected a substantial portion of the more than 1,800 people aboard. Celebrity Cruises reported that passengers were treated with over-the-counter medicine, while a doctor and two nurses joined the ship during the voyage to support the response. In 2011, the ship left Celebrity Cruises and was transferred to TUI Cruises, a joint venture associated with TUI AG and Royal Caribbean Cruises. Following renovation work by Imtech, the vessel entered the German-speaking TUI Cruises fleet as Mein Schiff 2. The name distinguished her from the newer ship that would later take the Mein Schiff 2 identity. TUI Group subsequently considered transferring the older Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2 to its Thomson Cruises business as part of a fleet-modernization strategy. In 2018, however, TUI Cruises announced that the vessel would remain in its fleet under a different name. She was renamed Mein Schiff Herz in January 2019. The ship's planned move to Marella Cruises was announced as part of the continuing renewal of the wider TUI cruise fleet. The handover, initially discussed for 2022, was delayed until 2023. After completing her final TUI Cruises voyage in April 2023, the vessel underwent a refit at Navantia in Cádiz, Spain. She was renamed Marella Voyager and joined the Marella Cruises fleet in June 2023. A christening ceremony took place in Málaga on 31 May 2023. As Marella Voyager, the ship represents an established, comparatively mature cruise product within Marella Cruises' portfolio. Its value is based on a combination of large-ship accommodation, onboard dining and entertainment, and packaged itineraries marketed through TUI's travel ecosystem. Unlike a standalone consumer-goods brand, Marella Voyager is principally a named vessel and service platform: the name identifies the ship, while the passenger experience is delivered through Marella Cruises' hospitality, itinerary and onboard-service operations.

Marella Voyager was built as the second vessel in Celebrity Cruises' Century class at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany. The ship was launched on 11 July 1997 and christened before entering service on 27 October 1997 as MV Mercury. Her design and operation were intended for the large-ship cruise market, combining passenger cabins, public areas, food and beverage facilities, entertainment venues and the operational systems required for multi-day international voyages. The ship spent roughly its first eleven years with Celebrity Cruises. In 2008, the operator changed her name to Celebrity Mercury. During this phase, the vessel operated itineraries including Alaska and the Caribbean. Her service history included two significant incidents. On 19 May 2006, Seattle-based United States Coast Guard inspectors arrested the captain for intoxication during a routine inspection before an Alaska sailing. Celebrity Cruises supplied a replacement captain and dismissed the original. In February 2010, a norovirus outbreak occurred during a voyage from Charleston, South Carolina, to the eastern Caribbean. Nearly 500 of the more than 1,800 people aboard were reported to have been affected. The cruise operator stated that ill passengers received over-the-counter treatment, and additional medical staff joined the ship during the voyage. In 2011, Celebrity Mercury moved from Celebrity Cruises to TUI Cruises, the cruise joint venture associated with TUI AG and Royal Caribbean Cruises. After renovation work by Imtech, the ship was renamed Mein Schiff 2. The transfer formed part of the development of TUI Cruises' own fleet and gave the vessel a new commercial identity for the German-speaking market. The ship operated alongside its sister vessel, formerly Celebrity Galaxy, which later became Marella Explorer. TUI Group announced in 2015 that its older Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2 ships would be transferred to the Thomson Cruises business over time as the group modernized its cruise assets. In March 2018, TUI Cruises announced that the vessel would instead remain in its fleet under a new name. The new identity, Mein Schiff Herz, was disclosed in October 2018, and the ship adopted that name in January 2019. At the same time, a newer vessel built in 2019 assumed the Mein Schiff 2 name. A transfer to Marella Cruises was announced for 2022, but the timetable was delayed. The ship completed its final voyage for TUI Cruises in April 2023 and then underwent a refit at Navantia in Cádiz, Spain. She was renamed Marella Voyager and joined the Marella Cruises fleet in June 2023. A christening ceremony was held in Málaga on 31 May 2023. The ship is now marketed as part of Marella Cruises' holiday-cruise offering, carrying passengers on international itineraries and providing accommodation, dining and entertainment as components of a packaged leisure experience.

• 2023

  Refitted and introduced as Marella Voyager

  [1]Marella Voyageren.wikipedia.org

  After leaving TUI Cruises, the ship was refitted at Navantia, renamed Marella Voyager and transferred to Marella Cruises.

• 2019

  Renamed Mein Schiff Herz

  [1]Marella Voyageren.wikipedia.org

  TUI Cruises retained the ship and gave it the Mein Schiff Herz name.

• 2011

  Transferred to TUI Cruises as Mein Schiff 2

  [1]Marella Voyageren.wikipedia.org

  After renovation, the ship moved into the TUI Cruises fleet and was renamed Mein Schiff 2.

• 2008

  Renamed Celebrity Mercury

  [1]Marella Voyageren.wikipedia.org

  The vessel adopted the Celebrity Mercury name after approximately eleven years as Mercury.

• 2006

  Captain removed after intoxication arrest

  [1]Marella Voyageren.wikipedia.org

  The captain was arrested during a United States Coast Guard safety inspection before an Alaska cruise and was subsequently dismissed by Celebrity Cruises.

• 1997

  Launch and entry into service as MV Mercury

  [1]Marella Voyageren.wikipedia.org

  The Century-class ship was launched at Meyer Werft on 11 July and entered service for Celebrity Cruises on 27 October as MV Mercury.

An established, full-service cruise ship positioned within Marella Cruises' leisure-travel portfolio and TUI's vertically integrated holiday ecosystem.

• Cruise travel · 2023

  Marella Voyager cruise service

  The ship provides multi-day cruise holidays through Marella Cruises. The offering combines passenger cabins and suites with dining, entertainment, public spaces and shipboard services. It functions as a complete hospitality platform rather than a separate consumer product, with the itinerary, onboard program and holiday packaging supplied by Marella Cruises and the wider TUI travel network.

• Cruise travel · 2019

  Mein Schiff Herz

  From 2019 until the 2023 transfer, the vessel operated for TUI Cruises as Mein Schiff Herz. The identity represented the ship's later TUI Cruises phase after the company decided to retain it rather than immediately transfer it as part of an earlier fleet-modernization plan.

• 2010

  Norovirus outbreak aboard the ship

  A major norovirus outbreak affected nearly 500 passengers and other people aboard during a voyage from Charleston to the eastern Caribbean. Additional medical staff joined the ship to assist affected passengers.

  Source

• 2006

  Captain arrested for intoxication

  The captain was arrested by United States Coast Guard inspectors in Seattle during a routine safety inspection before a planned Alaska departure. Celebrity Cruises arranged a replacement and dismissed the captain.

  Source

Read more

• 2023

  Transfer and relaunch as Marella VoyagerStrategy

  Background

  The planned transfer from TUI Cruises to Marella Cruises was delayed from the initially announced 2022 timetable.

  Action taken

  After a refit at Navantia in Cádiz, the ship was renamed Marella Voyager and joined Marella Cruises.

  Aftermath

  The vessel became part of Marella Cruises' active cruise fleet and was christened in Málaga on 31 May 2023.

  Source

• 2018

  Retention and renaming as Mein Schiff HerzStrategy

  Background

  TUI Cruises had considered the ship's transfer in the context of TUI Group's fleet-modernization plans.

  Action taken

  TUI Cruises announced that the ship would remain in its fleet and later renamed it Mein Schiff Herz.

  Aftermath

  The vessel continued operating for TUI Cruises before its later move to Marella Cruises.

  Source

• 2011

  Transfer into the TUI Cruises fleetStrategy

  Background

  Celebrity Cruises transferred the ship to TUI Cruises as the latter developed its own branded fleet in partnership with TUI AG and Royal Caribbean Cruises.

  Action taken

  The vessel was renovated and renamed Mein Schiff 2.

  Aftermath

  It operated for TUI Cruises until completing its final voyage for the company in April 2023.

  Source

1. 1Marella Voyageren.wikipedia.org