Cunard vs Marella Cruises
A detailed side-by-side comparison of Cunard and Marella Cruises covering ratings, fleet size, food quality, entertainment, value for money, and available sailings from UK ports. Updated for 2026.
The head-to-head
Ratings are based on aggregated passenger reviews, editorial analysis, and expert scoring. The cobalt outline marks the stronger line for each attribute.
Who should choose which?
Every cruise line has its strengths and weaknesses. Here is an honest look at who each line is best suited for, based on passenger feedback and our editorial assessment.
Choose Cunard if you want…
- Luxury and sophistication
- Transatlantic crossings
- Formal dining
- History and tradition
Cunard may not suit you if…
- Budget travellers
- Families with young children
- Those who dislike formal dress codes
Choose Marella Cruises if you want…
- All-inclusive simplicity
- First-time cruisers
- Budget-conscious families
- Regional UK airport departures
Marella Cruises may not suit you if…
- Luxury seekers
- Food enthusiasts
- Those wanting UK port departures (fly-cruise only)
Ships at a glance
A quick comparison of each line's fleet including passenger capacity, tonnage, and year of launch.
Cunard Fleet (4 ships)
Queen Mary 2
Built 2004 · 2,691 guests
Queen Victoria
Built 2007 · 2,081 guests
Queen Anne
Built 2024 · 2,996 guests
Marella Cruises Fleet (5 ships)
Marella Explorer
Built 2018 · 1,924 guests
Marella Explorer 2
Built 2019 · 1,814 guests
Available cruises
Current sailings from both cruise lines. Prices shown are per person based on two sharing the lowest-grade cabin available.
Cunard Sailings
7 NIGHTSItaly, France and Spain
Save 1%9 NIGHTSAlaska
Ports: Seattle
Save 1%7 NIGHTSTransatlantic
Ports: Southampton · New York
Save 4%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Ports: Barcelona · Civitavecchia (Rome)
Save 4%8 NIGHTS8 Night Cruise to Not Specified
Ports: Sitka · Glacier Bay National Park · Icy Strait Point · Ketchikan · Victoria · + 1 more port
Save 4%8 NIGHTS8 Night Cruise to Multiple Ports
Ports: Sitka · Glacier Bay National Park · Icy Strait Point · Ketchikan · Victoria
Save 4%8 NIGHTS8 Night Cruise to Sitka
Ports: Sitka · Glacier Bay National Park · Icy Strait Point · Ketchikan · Victoria
11 NIGHTS2-night Venice & 7-night Croatian Gems & Med Delights & 2-night Rome
Ports: Trieste · Zadar · Dubrovnik · Valletta · Naples · Civitavecchia
Save 3%7 NIGHTSWellness At Sea
Ports: Southampton · Stavanger · Olden · Innvikfjorden · Nordfjord · Ålesund
Save 1%7 NIGHTSTransatlantic
Ports: Southampton · New York
10 NIGHTS3-night Rome & 7-night Luxury France And Italy
14 NIGHTSScandinavia and Northern Europe cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Hamburg · Copenhagen · Visby · Helsinki · Tallinn
7 NIGHTSFrance and Italy
Save 3%2 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
Save 1%7 NIGHTSTransatlantic
Ports: Southampton · New York
Save 1%7 NIGHTSTransatlantic
Ports: Southampton · New York
14 NIGHTSIceland and British Isles Michelin-star Chef Michel Roux cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Belfast · Akureyri · Isafjordur · Reykjavik · Stornoway, Isle of Lewis
Save 3%9 NIGHTS2-night Rome & 7-night Luxury Western Mediterranean
Ports: Civitavecchia · Tarragona · Palma de Mallorca · Villefranche · Marseille · Barcelona
11 NIGHTS2-night Rome & 7-night Luxury Greece & Adriatic & 2-night Venice
Save 13%7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords Michelin-star Chef Michel Roux cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Kristiansand · Oslo · Skagen
Save 4%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Ports: Barcelona · Civitavecchia (Rome)
Hot deal7 NIGHTS7 Night Transatlantic Crossing
Ports: New York
10 NIGHTSVoyage of the Ancients: A Journey from Istanbul to Rome with Cunard
18 NIGHTSNo-fly Grand European Rail & Sail Adventure: Including 4* Hotel stays, Upgraded Rail & Queen Victoria Cruise
7 NIGHTS7 Night Transatlantic Crossing
Ports: New York
4 NIGHTS4-night Rotterdam And Zeebrugge Short Break
Save 3%7 NIGHTSSpain and France cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Bilbao (Getxo) · Santander · Gijon · Cherbourg · Southampton
Save 6%12 NIGHTSAzores, Portugal and Spain cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Ponta Delgada, Azores · Funchal, Madeira · Lisbon · Vigo · Southampton
Save 3%4 NIGHTS4-night Short Break To Rotterdam
4 NIGHTS4-night Zeebrugge And Cherbourg fr Southampton
12 NIGHTSWestern Caribbean with Miami Beach Stay
Ports: Miami · George Town, Grand Cayman · Montego Bay · Roatan Island · Puerto Costa Maya · Cozumel
4 NIGHTS4-night Short Break to Rotterdam
7 NIGHTS7-night Zeebrugge, Amsterdam And Cherbourg fr Southampton
7 NIGHTS7-night Le Havre & Amsterdam
30 NIGHTSTransatlantic crossing and Caribbean Celebration cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · New York · Tortola · Philipsburg, St. Maarten · Bridgetown, Barbados · Castries, St. Lucia
7 NIGHTS7-night Spain And Portugal fr Southampton
5 NIGHTS2-night Hamburg & 5-night Rotterdam And Zeebrugge Short Break
Ports: Rotterdam · Zeebrugge
5 NIGHTSRotterdam and Zeebrugge Short Break
7 NIGHTS7-night Portugal & Spain fr Southampton
5 NIGHTS5-night Rotterdam and Zeebrugge
Save 1%21 NIGHTSSpain, Portugal & Cape Verde
7 NIGHTSSpain and France
4 NIGHTS4-night Short Break To Rotterdam fr Southampton
5 NIGHTS5-night Northern Europe fr Southampton
Save 3%18 NIGHTSItaly, Spain and Portugal cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Lisbon · Alicante · Barcelona · Civitavecchia · Naples
7 NIGHTSNorway and Denmark cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Skagen · Copenhagen · Aarhus · Kristiansand
7 NIGHTSFrance
7 NIGHTS7-night Spain and France in Luxury
Save 4%7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Ports: Southampton · Stavanger · Olden · Innvikfjorden · Nordfjord · Ålesund
Save 3%7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Ports: Southampton · Stavanger · Olden · Innvikfjorden · Nordfjord · Ålesund
Marella Cruises Sailings
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Ports: Palma de Mallorca
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Ports: Limassol
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Ports: Dubrovnik
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Ports: Palma de Mallorca
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Ports: Limassol
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Ports: Dubrovnik
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 3%7 NIGHTSGrecian Discovery from Cyprus
Ports: Limassol · Piraeus (tours to Athens) · Thira, Santorini · Bodrum · Heraklion, Crete · Rhodes Town, Rhodes
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Ports: Dubrovnik
Save 2%7 NIGHTSAegean Gems from Cyprus
Ports: Limassol · Souda Bay · Piraeus · Izmir · Mykonos · Rhodes
Save 10%11 NIGHTSTransatlantic Passage to Paradise from Malaga to Barbados
Ports: Malaga · St. John's, Antigua · Roseau · Bridgetown, Barbados
14 NIGHTSA Taste of the Tropics & Paradise Islands from Barbados
Ports: Bridgetown, Barbados · Castries, St. Lucia · Pointe-à-Pitre · St. George's, Grenada · Scarborough, Tobago · Kingstown, St. Vincent & Grenadines
Cunard vs Marella Cruises: the bottom line
Choosing between Cunard and Marella Cruises ultimately comes down to what kind of holiday you are looking for. Both are well-established cruise lines with loyal followings, but they cater to different preferences and budgets.
Cunard, founded in 1840 and headquartered in Southampton, UK, operates a fleet of 4 ships. It is categorised as a luxury cruise line and scores 4.8/5 overall based on 8,900 reviews. The line is particularly strong for luxury and sophistication and transatlantic crossings, making it a natural choice for cruisers who value those attributes.
Marella Cruises, established in 1995 from Luton, UK, has a fleet of 5 ships. As a value line rated 4.1/5 from 7,800 reviews, it excels at all-inclusive simplicity and first-time cruisers. If those are your priorities, Marella Cruises deserves serious consideration.
On food, Cunard scores 9/10 compared to Marella Cruises's 5/10. For entertainment, Cunard comes in at 7/10 versus Marella Cruises's 6/10. Value for money favours Marella Cruises with a score of 9/10.
Our recommendation: browse the available sailings above and compare itineraries, dates, and total cost including what is bundled in the fare. The best cruise line is the one that matches your specific needs, budget, and travel dates. Use the scores as a guide, but remember that individual ship and itinerary matter just as much as the cruise line brand.