Nomadic dani

There’s nothing quite like a Caribbean cruise—crystal-clear waters, sun-soaked beaches, and the thrill of waking up in a new paradise each day. If you’re looking for the perfect itinerary, a Marella Cruises Caribbean adventure is a fantastic choice. With stops in Grand Turk, Amber Cove, and Nassau, this journey offers a mix of history, adventure, and pure relaxation.

Whether you’re a first-time cruiser or a seasoned traveler, here’s everything you need to know about this unforgettable Marella cruise experience!

Life Aboard Marella Cruises

I have been on a few cruises myself with various cruiseliners but I had never tried Marella Cruises (part of TUI). Marella are known known for their all-inclusive experience, meaning food, drinks, entertainment, and tips are covered. Their ships offer a relaxed, friendly atmosphere, perfect for couples, families, and solo travellers. Out of all of the cruises I have been on this is the most budget friendly. I decided to chance it and book my cruise during Hurricane season – crazy I know but it was worth it! During this time cruises are much cheaper as you really don’t know what you are going to get, saying that my entire week was calm and clear with no sign of any hurricanes.

What is great, is like any TUI holiday, everything is sorted for you, from the flights to transfers from the airport to the port.

The ship is docked at Port Canaveral and upon arrival you leave you suitcase, which will be brought onto the ship for you. Everyone has to check in and then sit and watch a safety briefing for the ship.

Once complete you are free to go onto the ship and explore everything that it has to offer. I opted to the plus drinks package, which gives you as many cocktails and much better alcohol options, alongside this all drinks from the coffee shop.

The ship itself has various swimming pools, shops, entertainment both day and night (mini golf, a spa, gym etc) and lots of food options (some you have to pre book). Everything you need whilst cruising the high seas! There are also many options to book onto day excursions when you visit each location.

The cabins are a good size and there are many upgrade options (done when you book your holiday)

On this cruise the itinerary as below. I opted for 2 excursions on this cruise.

Day 1: Leave port

Day 2: Day at Sea

Day 3: Arrive at Amber Cove, Dominican Republic

Day 4: Arrive Grand Turk, Turk and Caicos

Day 5: Day at sea

Day 6: Nassau

Day 7: Arrive back at port.

Now, let’s dive into the Caribbean dream destinations on this itinerary!

The locations

Amber Cove – Dominican Republic’s Hidden Gem

Amber Cove is Marella’s private cruise port in the Dominican Republic, offering a mix of relaxation and adventure. The port itself is a resort-style retreat, with pools, swim-up bars, and private cabanas. But for the real magic, head out and explore! I wanted a day trip to remember and as I am a lover of all things Rum, this had to be included. I booked a day trip that included a visit to Puerto Plata to learn all about the history of the area and the Museum of General Gregorio Luperón, who was a key figure of this area. The city itself is very pretty with lovely streets and shops.

Next Visit the Macorix House of Rum in Puerto Plata for a tasting tour. This was a very small run place but the tour itself was great, where the group tried all of the different rums and they were strong! and I definately came out feeling a little tipsy.

Grand Turk – Turk and Caicos island of paradise.

When the ship arrived at this place, I already knew I was in paradise. I had never in my life seen such white sand beaches. For this location I opted for a snorkelling and meet the sting ray tour, which was half day. This day was a hot one, the hottest so far, so lots of water was needed. The group was relatively small and we were driven to our boat which then took us out into the ocean to take a dip with the schools of fish. We were provided withlife jackets and all the snorkel gear, along with this a safety briefing.

I was excited to get into the water! This experience was around 30-45 mins with the fish but it was a little underwhelming as a lot of the coral was dead/bleached (which is quite common around reefs today due to ocean heating). Next onto a small island where we met the stingrays. They see people every day and are used to the tourists. Our guide was very knowledgeable and we all got to have a photo with a ray. The small island itself was paradise and it was nice to sit and relax and also just let my mind rest a little.

Nassau – Pirate capital of the Bahamas

Nassau, the vibrant capital of the Bahamas, has a fascinating history filled with pirates, colonial battles, and thriving trade. Located on New Providence Island, Nassau has grown from a small settlement into one of the Caribbean’s most popular destinations.

There were no excursions booked at this location, as I wanted to explore the city itself. The main aim was to explore the architecture and visit the pirate museum. The Pirate museum itself was pretty interesting and I am glad that I did it as you did learn a little about the history but I wouldn’t do it again. After this I set off to the public beach area where you could rent a sun lounger and umbrella.

Overall the day in Nassau was ok, I think if you had more time there is probably more to do and ofcourse you have the rest of the Bahamas but when you come from Grand Turk to Nassau, I personally would give it a miss.

Overall the cruise with Marella was everything I was looking for and at a great price. If you are a first time cruiser, 7 days with Marella gives you enough time to explore some of the Caribbeans highlights. You can choose to take the easy and chill life or take a deep dive into some extreme excursions. And if you really want to why not add another days and stay on the ship as it takes you further afield!

All information on cruises can be found at Marella Cruise TUI