The Marella Discovery 2 has introduced new adult-only venues, including a karaoke bar and a secret speakeasy, catering to a more mature crowd.
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Four new venues are set to be added to Marella Discovery 2 this month as the cruise line transforms it into an adult-only cruise ship.
As of November, Marella Discovery 2 has joined Marella Explorer 2 as a dedicated adult-only vessel.
The former kids' spaces on the ship are now being transformed into new venues for adult passengers to enjoy and will be open on board from the new year.
Marella Discovery 2's climbing wall will remain on the ship but will be modernised with a wider variety of hold sizes, and will reflect the style of modern climbing centres and Olympic-standard walls.
Chris Hackney, chief executive of Marella Cruises, said the move to a second adult-only ship was based on guest feedback.
It follows research by Marella Cruises which found that 80 per cent of guests who sailed on Marella Explorer 2, the line's other adult-only ship, said its adult-only status was the reason for booking.
He told The Independent: “Our core demographic is age 45-plus.
“A lot of these guests are at the life stage where their kids have grown up.
“There is a real market for a like-minded adult-only experience on our ships and we needed a second to keep up with demand.”
Marella Discovery, Marella Voyager and Marella Explorer will remain available for family-focused sailings.
Here are the venues that guests can expect on Marella Discovery 2’s adult-only sailings.
Marella Cruises is opening it first dedicated karaoke venue on Discovery 2.
A private lounge can be booked for up to seven guests, with mood lighting and modern technology offering thousands of songs.
Groups will be able to book the room from £14.95 per hour and choose their own songs.
Guests can discover a secret speakeasy aboard Discovery 2, building on the success of Marella Voyager's The Exchange bar.
The new speakeasy venue, The Lost Luggage Bureau, is inspired by the glamour of the Golden Age of Travel.
Customers enter through what looks like a forgotten lost property office, then discover a secret speakeasy hidden behind it.
During 90 minutes, live music, live actors and immersive storytelling unfold around the mysterious contents of luggage that was never claimed.
It costs £19.95 per person to visit and passengers will get three signature cocktails included, each with a non-alcoholic version, served from vintage brass trolleys with finishing touches added at the table.
Guests can choose between two stories, The Case in Question and Smugglers Society.
Each show welcomes up to 42 guests and can be booked on the Marella app before sailing.
Marella Discovery 2 will have its own escape room set backstage at the fictional Cabaret Rouge in the 1920s.
Teams of up to six guests have 60 minutes to steal Lady Ruby Bardot's diamond necklace before they're caught red-handed.
Players will work through seven logic puzzles across two themed dressing rooms, one of them a secret room they have to find. If they get stuck, an in-character host can give them clues over a vintage telephone.
The experience will cost £16.95 per person
There will also be a calm and quiet screen-free space called The Loft, which combines a library and board games, and will host arts and crafts sessions, including jewellery making, macramé, watercolour painting, sketching, button art and quilling.
Mr Hackney added: "Our customers have told us how much they value adults-only cruising and our investment in Marella Discovery 2 shows how we're continuing to modernise our fleet. We've looked closely at what guests love across our ships, as well as wider consumer trends around relaxation, social connection, immersive entertainment and creative wellbeing, to create four distinctive new venues that will appeal to our loyal customers and those new to cruise alike.
“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."
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