MSC Cruises vs Marella Cruises
A detailed side-by-side comparison of MSC Cruises 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 MSC Cruises if you want…
- Value for money
- All-inclusive packages
- Families (kids sail free)
- Mediterranean itineraries
MSC Cruises may not suit you if…
- Those wanting British-focused experience
- Small-ship intimacy seekers
- Adults-only preference
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.
MSC Cruises Fleet (22 ships)
MSC Virtuosa
Built 2021 · 6,334 guests
MSC World Europa
Built 2022 · 6,762 guests
MSC Euribia
Built 2023 · 6,334 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.
MSC Cruises Sailings
7 NIGHTSMarseille, Genoa, Livorno, Valencia
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona to Marseille, Genoa, Livorno
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSCruise only from Tarragona
Ports: Tarragona · Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca
Save 8%7 NIGHTSNot Specified
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona to Marseille, Genoa, Livorno and back
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTS7 Night MSC Sinfonia Cruise
Save 8%7 NIGHTSMediterranean Escape
Ports: Tarragona · Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona to Marseille and return
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona to Marseille, Genoa, Livorno, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona to Mediterranean
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSCruise only from inside
Save 8%7 NIGHTSCruise only from
Ports: Tarragona · Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona - Marseille - Genoa - Livorno - Valencia - Palma de Mallorca - Barcelona
Ports: Tarragona · Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona - Marseille - Genoa
Ports: Tarragona · Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca
Save 8%7 NIGHTSMediterranean Discovery
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSMediterranean Delight
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSDeparting Tarragona
Ports: Tarragona · Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona to Marseille, Genoa, Livorno, Valencia, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSMediterranean Cruise
Ports: Tarragona · Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca
Save 8%7 NIGHTSMarseille - Genoa - Livorno - Valencia
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona to Marseille and Barcelona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona - Marseille - Genoa - Barcelona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSMediterranean Magic
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona to Barcelona and others
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona to Marseille, Barcelona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSNot Available
Save 8%7 NIGHTSMarseille, Genoa, Livorno, Valencia, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSMediterranean Treasures
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona to Marseille, Genoa, Livorno, Valencia
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona to Marseille, Genoa, Livorno, Valencia, Palma de Mallorca, and Barcelona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSDeparture from Tarragona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSItinerary from Tarragona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSCruising from Tarragona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSGenoa - Livorno - Barcelona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona to Barcelona and more
Ports: Tarragona · Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca
Save 8%7 NIGHTSMarseille - Genoa - Livorno - etc.
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSMediterranean Wonders
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSMarseille - Genoa - Livorno
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona - Marseille - Genoa - Valencia - Palma de Mallorca - Barcelona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona - Marseille
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona to Marseille, Genoa, Livorno, Valencia, Palma, Barcelona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSDeparting Tarragona - Marseille - Genoa - Livorno - Valencia - Barcelona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona to Palma de Mallorca
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona to Marseille to Genoa to Livorno to Valencia to Palma de Mallorca to Barcelona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona to Marseille, Genoa, Livorno and Barcelona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSTarragona - Marseille - Genoa - Livorno - Valencia - Palma de Mallorca
Ports: Tarragona · Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca
Save 8%7 NIGHTSCruise only from Tarragona to Marseille - Genoa - Barcelona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia · Palma de Mallorca · Barcelona
Save 8%7 NIGHTSNot Provided
Save 8%7 NIGHTSCruise only
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Livorno · Valencia
Marella Cruises Sailings
Save 10%11 NIGHTSTransatlantic Passage to Paradise from Malaga to Barbados
Ports: Malaga · St. John's, Antigua · Roseau · Bridgetown, Barbados
14 NIGHTSEscape to the Caribbean from Malaga
Ports: Malaga · Tangier · St. John's · Basseterre · Roseau · Castries
Save 2%7 NIGHTSCanary Islands Explorer
Save 2%14 NIGHTSParadise Islands & A Christmas in the Tropics from Barbados
Ports: Bridgetown, Barbados · St. John's, Antigua · Road Town, Tortola · Philipsburg, St. Maarten · Basseterre, St. Kitts · Roseau
7 NIGHTSCanarian Flavours
Ports: Tenerife · Gran Canaria · Lanzarote · Agadir · Funchal · La Palma
7 NIGHTSAtlantic Islands from Tenerife
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
7 NIGHTSCanarian Flavours
Ports: Tenerife · Gran Canaria · Lanzarote · Agadir · Funchal · La Palma
14 NIGHTSParadise Islands & A Christmas in the Tropics from Barbados
MSC Cruises vs Marella Cruises: the bottom line
Choosing between MSC Cruises 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.
MSC Cruises, founded in 1970 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, operates a fleet of 22 ships. It is categorised as a contemporary cruise line and scores 4.3/5 overall based on 15,600 reviews. The line is particularly strong for value for money and all-inclusive packages, 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, MSC Cruises scores 7/10 compared to Marella Cruises's 5/10. For entertainment, MSC Cruises comes in at 7/10 versus Marella Cruises's 6/10. Value for money favours MSC 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.
MSC Cruises vs Marella Cruises — FAQ
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