Marella Dream

The 1986-built Marella Dream cruise ship (formerly "Thomson Dream") was a leased vessel operated under charter, with her last owner being Costa Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation. Originally launched as "MS Homeric" for the defunct Home Lines, she was chartered from 2010 to 2020 (charter expired in 2021) by Marella Cruises UK (formerly Thomson Cruises).

For Marella, the vessel (IMO number 8407735) was Malta-flagged (MMSI 248481000) and registered in Valletta.

History - construction and ownership

Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson Cruises UK) is a British cruise brand owned by TUI Group. The company first entered the cruise market in 1973 under Thomson Holidays (now TUI UK), but rising fuel costs led to a suspension in 1976. Operations resumed in 1995, and in 2018 the Thomson brand was officially renamed Marella Cruises. TUI Group, Marella’s parent company, also owns hotels, the sister cruise lines TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, the travel brands International Expeditions and Zegrahm Expeditions, and several airlines including Corsair International (France), TUI Airways (UK), TUI fly Nordic (Sweden), TUI fly Belgium, TUI fly Deutschland, and TUI fly Netherlands.

On October 1, 2020, Marella Cruises announced the retirement (end of charter) of Marella Dream. The 34-year-old vessel left the fleet after 10 years of service (2010–2020).

• A total of 37 Marella Dream cruises (mainly in the Mediterranean and Canary Islands) scheduled between May 4 and December 30, 2021, were cancelled.
• Marella Dream’s Mediterranean voyages were transferred to Marella Discovery 1, which was redeployed to homeport in Palma de Mallorca, Spain (instead of Port Canaveral, USA). As a result, Marella Discovery’s 2021 Caribbean program was cancelled.
• Cancelled itineraries included a 14-night Transatlantic repositioning voyage (Malaga–Barbados, Dec 9–23, 2021) and two 7-night Caribbean roundtrips from Barbados (Dec 23 and Dec 30).

The vessel was last refurbished in February 2020. Following her withdrawal, the ship’s new owner and future remained uncertain. Initially docked at Port Zadar, Croatia, she was later laid up at anchor in Elefsina Gulf (Athens Metro, Greece). Reports suggested she was sold for scrap, with demolition planned at Aliaga Ship Breaking Yard (near Izmir, Turkey). Rumors circulated after November 16, 2020, when Anchor Shipbroking Inc (Greece) listed Marella Dream for demolition, alongside Grand Celebration.

On July 2, 2022, it was confirmed that after nearly two years laid up in Greece, the 36-year-old Marella Dream was beached for scrapping at Aliaga, Turkey. Renamed ELLA and reflagged to Comoros (shipowner ROTA SHIPPING INC, Turkey), her AIS last transmitted on November 3, 2020, while en route to Elefsina, Greece.

The 1,500-passenger Marella Dream was launched in 1986 as "MS Homeric." In 1988, Holland America Line acquired Home Lines, stretched the ship by 39 m in 1989, and operated her as "MS Westerdam" until 2002, when she was transferred to Costa, refurbished, and renamed "Costa Europa." Built for Home Lines’ New York–Bermuda service, the ship retained the characteristics of a classic transatlantic liner, including a traditional hull design and tiered aft decks overlooking the adults-only pool.

Decks and Cabins

Marella Dream staterooms (753 total, across 12 grades) included 11 Suites, 501 Oceanviews, 252 Inside, and 19 Single cabins. Most measured 130–160 ft² (12–15 m²). Only four cabins were wheelchair-accessible. The largest accommodations were the Grand Suites (430 ft² / 40 m²) with private step-out balconies.

The ship had 12 decks, nine of them passenger-accessible and eight with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

The Deck 4 restaurant was positioned low in the ship for stability in swells, while the wrap-around promenade deck featured well-maintained teak wood. A reminder of the vessel’s heritage was her inherited Holland America art collection, including oil paintings, ship models, and naval memorabilia, such as a real cannon with cannonballs.

Marella Dream offered a variety of dining options:

• Orion Restaurant – open-seating main dining room with buffet breakfast, waiter-served lunch, and multi-course dinners; hosted the Captain’s Gala Reception and Gala Dinner once per week.
• Kora La Restaurant – Asian cuisine, à la carte, complimentary for lunch and dinner (reservations recommended).
• Mistrals Restaurant – specialty à la carte dinner venue (cover charge, reservations required).
• Sirens Restaurant – buffet-style for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea; transformed into The Grill (specialty restaurant) in the evenings.
• Lido Restaurant – 24-hour self-service buffet with al fresco dining area; themed international nights twice weekly.
• Terrace Grill – outdoor venue serving BBQs, salads, and pizzas at lunch; 24-hour room service available (extra charge).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Marella Dream featured elegant interiors with spacious bars, lounges, and classic design details. Entertainment venues included the Medusa Lounge (live bands, cabarets, game shows), Argo Lounge (classical music), and Atlante Theatre (two-story show lounge with West End-style productions).

The ship had five bars: Medusa Bar (panoramic views), Delo Bar (cocktails), Ocean Bar (midship, pre-dinner drinks), Lido Bar (al fresco), and Tides Bar.

Other onboard facilities included two swimming pools (one with a retractable roof), two whirlpools, the Ladonte Disco nightclub, casino (blackjack, roulette, slot machines), card room, beauty salon, Nereidi Fitness Centre, and a sports deck offering basketball, volleyball, football, and tennis.

Complete list of Marella Dream lounges, clubs, and venues:

• Broadway Show Lounge – grand productions with music, acrobatics, and comedy
• Medusa Lounge – live music, game shows, cabaret
• Medusa Bar – panoramic bar with large windows
• Browsers’ Corner – 24-hour library and internet café
• Broad Street Shops – duty-free shopping arcade
• Boutique – spa cosmetics and beauty products
• Photo Gallery and Shop
• Explorers’ Lounge – piano music, afternoon tea, Coffee Port bar, Wi-Fi hotspot
• Casino & Delo Bar – card tables, slots, specialty cocktails
• Lido Bar – poolside drinks
• The Water’s Edge – nightclub and disco
• Main Pool area – bar service, sunbathing, two Jacuzzis, kids’ pool
• Marella Kids’ Club – supervised activities for ages 3–11
• Video Games Arcade and Graffiti’s Teen Area
• Oceans Spa & Gym – spa treatments, saunas, beauty salon, gym
• The Sun Lounge – sunbathing area with daybeds and bar
• Sports Deck – table tennis and multi-sports courts

Itineraries

Marella Dream’s program was based on Mediterranean roundtrips from Palma de Mallorca. During the winter season, she operated Caribbean roundtrips from Montego Bay, Jamaica. Transatlantic repositioning cruises were scheduled between the summer and winter seasons.

For detailed Marella Dream itineraries (ports and times), see the ship’s Wiki page.