Marella Discovery 2 Cabins To Avoid

Choosing the right cabin for your Marella Discovery 2 cruise is important – you don’t want to overpay for a cabin you barely use, or end up spending a week of your holiday struggling to sleep because of noise.

Most cabins on Marella Discovery 2 are great but they aren’t all equal, especially when you consider that everyone is looking for something different from their cruise. You might be someone who likes to be awake early, or someone who prefers to be close to the bars or the pool deck.

I’ve spent time looking over the deck plans for Marella Discovery 2 and joining forums and Facebook groups to learn more about the best and worst cabins on the ship. And I’ve also put together a comprehensive guide to all cabin types, so that you can make your own mind up in an informed way.

So let’s take a look at the options available for your Marella Discovery 2 cabin.

Cabin types on Marella Discovery 2

There are four main types of accommodation available on Marella Discovery 2.

• Inside – including Inside Plus and Single Inside
• Outside – including Deluxe and Single Outside
• Balcony – including Deluxe Balcony
• Suites – Junior Suites, Family Junior Suites, Family Suites, Grand Suites, Executive Suites and Royal Suites

Inside Cabins

Marella Discovery 2 has several different types of Inside Cabin that you can book:

Cabin	Size	Sleeps up to
Decks 2 & 3 Inside Cabin	12 square metres	2-4
Decks 6, 7 & 8 Inside Cabin	12-13 square metres	2
Inside Plus Cabin	15 square metres	2-4
Single Inside Cabin	12 square metres	1

If you’re looking for the cheapest cabin option on a cruise ship, go for an Inside Cabin. They don’t have windows, but you can always hit up an open deck if you want to catch a view.

This is especially true if you’re on a smaller ship like the Marella Discovery, since you never have far to walk.

Inside Cabins are the way to go if you’re on a budget or you don’t plan on spending much time in your room other than to catch some z’s or get ready for the day.

They’re the smallest rooms on the ship, but they’ll save you some cash that you can put towards your next cruise. You’ll usually find two twin beds in there that can be put together to make a queen-sized bed if you’d prefer.

Marella Discovery 2 categorises its Inside Cabins by decks. A few things to note:

• Some of the cabins on Decks 2 and 3 sleep two guests, while others sleep up to four
• Inside Cabins on Decks 7 and 8 have been recently refurbished, but those on Deck 6 in the same category haven’t been
• Inside Plus Cabins either sleep two guests, or up to four. Those that sleep up to four were refurbished in November 2022.
• Single Inside Cabins come with a queen-sized bed, which is pretty nifty – most single cabins on other ships have a single twin bed.

The cabins that sleep more than two guests have fold-down beds. These are Pullman beds which are hidden in the ceiling during the day, so that they don’t take up valuable space. They’re also better because you’re less likely to hit your head on them when you’re in a lower bed.

Suggested read: What is a Pullman bed on a cruise ship?

Outside Cabins

There are three main types of Outside Cabin on Marella Discovery 2:

Cabin	Size	Sleeps up to
Outside Cabin	14 square metres	2-4
Deluxe Cabin	20 square metres	4
Single Outside Cabin	14 square metres	1*

If you want to save some money but don’t like the idea of being cooped up without any natural light, Outside Cabins might be a good pick. They’re also a smart choice if you’re prone to getting seasick because staring at the horizon can help you feel better.

On the Marella Discovery 2, the regular Outside Cabins are all on Decks 2 and 3 and come with either a porthole or a picture window. Unfortunately, the categories aren’t separated, but I’ll go into more detail about that in the “cabins to avoid” section below if you’re not keen on a porthole.

If you’re willing to shell out a bit more, the Deluxe Cabins are situated higher up on Decks 7 and 8 and have been recently spruced up. They feature a floor-to-ceiling window that offers a much nicer view, but naturally, this luxury comes at a higher price.

Lastly, if you’re traveling solo, you can book a Single Outside Cabin on Deck 3. These rooms are basically just a standard Outside Cabin that’s sold at a discounted rate. The Marella Cruises website even claims they have “twin beds that convert into a queen-sized double bed,” but why anyone would want twin beds when cruising on their own is beyond me!

Balcony Cabins

There are two different options for Balcony Cabins on Marella Discovery 2:

Cabin	Size	Sleeps up to
Balcony Cabin	13-14 square metres	2
Deluxe Balcony Cabin	15-16 square metres	4

If you’re looking to kick it up a notch from an Outside Cabin, a Balcony Cabin might be perfect. These cabins come with a private balcony where you can chill and enjoy the beautiful views and fresh sea breeze. While Balcony Cabins on most cruise ships are usually larger than Outside Cabins, that’s actually not the case with Marella Discovery 2.

However, the Deluxe Balcony Cabins on Marella Discovery are a bit more spacious and feel more indulgent. They can even accommodate up to four people, but instead of Pullman beds, there’s a comfy double sofa bed that’s perfect for little ones.

Suites

There are six different suite options on Marella Discovery 2:

Suite	Size	Sleeps up to
Junior Suites	21 square metres	2
Family Junior Suites	39 square metres	6
Family Suites	40 square metres	7
Grand Suites	32 square metres	4
Executive Suites	47 square metres	4
Royal Suites	92 square metres	4

Suites are considered the creme-de-la-creme of cruise ship accommodations, and Marella Discovery 2 has six different types to choose from.

Junior Suites

Junior Suites are the starting point, and they’re perfect for two people. They’re essentially just bigger Balcony Cabins, complete with twin beds that convert to a queen-sized bed, and of course, a private balcony.

Family Junior Suites

Family Junior Suites are much larger and designed to fit up to six guests. There’s a bedroom with twin beds, and in the living area, two more twin beds that can convert to a queen-sized bed, plus a comfy double sofa bed. And, yes, they come with a balcony too.

Family Suites

Family Suites are ideal for larger families, as they can accommodate up to seven guests. They feature two bedrooms, each with twin or queen beds, and one of which features a single fold-down bed. There’s a double sofa bed in the living area.

Grand Suites

Grand Suites are newly refurbished with a modern style, perfect for couples or small families of up to four people. There’s one bedroom, plus a double sofa bed in the living area.

Executive Suites

Executive Suites are the second-best option on board, and they’ve also been revamped to feel spacious and airy. They come with a bedroom, plus a queen-sized sofa bed in the living area.

Royal Suite

The Royal Suite is the ultimate in luxury, and it’s almost twice the size of an Executive Suite, with a king-sized bed in the master bedroom and a large sofa bed in the living area. It even has a whirlpool bath and a baby grand piano.

Premier Service

All suites on Marella Discovery come with Premier Service, which means you’ll enjoy a few extra perks:

• Free pressing service for up to 3 items of clothing per passenger in the first 24 hours onboard
• Free continental breakfast in bed per guest, once per week

It’s not much compared to the suite perks on other cruise lines, but they’re nice little bonuses to have.

Adapted Cabins on Marella Discovery 2

There are Marella Discovery 2 adapted cabins you can book, even though they are not mentioned on the cruise line’s own website where the cabins are listed.

They’re larger, since they’re designed to host wheelchairs, but because they aren’t listed in the cabin types I can’t confirm their exact measurements.

There are 17 adapted cabins available to book on Marella Discovery 2, including:

• 6 Inside Cabins (3 on Deck 2, 3 on Deck 7)
• 6 Outside Cabins (3 on Deck 2, 3 on Deck 3)
• 3 Balcony Cabins (Deck 6)
• 2 Junior Suites (Deck 8)

How to choose the best cabin

When you’re choosing your cabin on Marella Discovery 2, you need to weigh up a few different factors – budget, location and so on. It can be tricky to remember everything if you don’t have this guide open at the time.

So to help make things even easier, I’ve created a checklist that you can apply to Marella Discovery 2 and to every other cruise ship in the world. Simple. All you need to do is pop your name and email address into this form and I’ll send the checklist to your inbox, ready for you to use.

Cabins to avoid on Marella Discovery 2

Here’s a guide to the cabins you may want to avoid when booking your Marella Discovery 2 cruise.

Note that I say “may want” to avoid – it depends on what you want from your room. Some might be ideal for you!

1. Rooms that are not ideal if you get seasick

8000 to 8016, 8060 to 8086, 8500 to 8516, 8566 to 8590
Inside Cabins on Deck 8

Marella Discovery 2 offers a smaller ship experience which can have both advantages and disadvantages when it comes to seasickness. While larger, modern ships tend to have better stabilizing technology, they need it more, because guests stay on higher decks.

The higher the deck and the closer to the front or back of the ship, the more noticeable the ship’s movement, which can cause seasickness. Marella Discovery 2 only has cabins on Deck 8 and below, so you won’t be too high up. However, if you’re concerned about feeling sick, it’s best to avoid cabins on Deck 8 near the front or back of the ship.

It’s also recommended to avoid Inside Cabins on that deck since you won’t have a view of the horizon to focus on. Instead, choose a lower cabin in a mid-ship location with a view if you’re prone to seasickness. The best cabins to combat seasickness on Marella Discovery 2 are the Outside Cabins on Deck 3 with a picture window.

2. Connecting cabins (if you aren’t booking both)

Various on every deck

Connecting cabins can be found across the Marella Discovery 2, offering side-by-side rooms with a door in between. Typically, the door remains locked, but if your group books both cabins, you can have the door unlocked to create a larger space. 

However, if you are not booking two connecting cabins, it’s advisable to avoid them altogether. The doors that link these two rooms are thinner than the walls, meaning you’ll be more likely to hear your neighbours. If they tend to wake up early or watch TV late, it may be distracting.

Connecting cabins do have their uses though…

3. Family Suites if you’re on a budget

Although Marella Discovery 2 offers Family Suites that can accommodate up to seven guests, I would not always recommend them if you are travelling with a group. 

The cost difference for a Family Suite is not only due to the extra space, and it is often more cost-effective to book two separate connecting cabins rather than one Family Suite.

To give an example, I checked a typical 7-day itinerary that included flights, and booking two connecting cabins with two adults and one child in each would have cost approximately £7,700. In contrast, the cost of booking a single Family Suite for the same cruise with four adults and two children was over £11,000.

Family Suites offer more space, better ship location, and Premier Service benefits, making them a great option. However, if you are on a tight budget, I would suggest considering booking connecting rooms instead.

4. Cabins with a porthole

2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2500, 2502, 2504, 2506, 2600, 2602

When opting for an Outside Cabin, you’re paying a premium for the privilege of natural daylight and, hopefully, a view. Typically, an Outside Cabin comes with a picture window, but a few located towards the front and aft of Deck 2 only offer portholes, which provide no view and little natural light.

It’s advisable to secure a picture window cabin instead of settling for a porthole. Otherwise, you might as well save some money and choose an Inside Cabin.

5. Cabins directly under the pool deck

8012 to 8072, 8512 to 8572

One common issue that cruise ship guests have is when their cabin is located directly underneath the pool deck. This is because some guests still compete to secure a pool lounger, waking up extra early to do so. The noise caused by dragging the loungers across the deck can be quite disruptive for those staying in cabins directly below.

During my research for this guide, I found that this was a recurring complaint for cabins on Deck 8 of the Marella Discovery 2, particularly for rooms located beneath the indoor pool area (specifically rooms 8040 to 8072 and 8546 to 8572 on the starboard side), but it may also be a problem under the outdoor pool area.

If you are an early riser, this may not be an issue for you, but if you prefer to sleep in, it’s worth considering a room located away from the pool deck.

6. Cabins a long trek from the kids club

Any cabin where the second digit is 1 or 6, e.g. 7134, 2600 etc.

The Marella Discovery 2 offers a kids club area on Deck 10 towards the front of the ship, which includes a Baby Centre, a gaming zone, and clubs for younger kids and teens.

If you have young children or babies staying in these areas, it’s best to avoid cabins towards the aft of the ship, specifically those with either a 1 as the second digit (port side) or 6 as the second digit (starboard side), especially on lower decks. You’ll see what I mean if you look at the deck plans.

This is mainly for practical reasons – the farther away you are from the kids club, the longer the travel time. 

Although it’s not a big deal during the day, it can be challenging to pick up a napping child after dinner and walk a long distance with them in your arms. This won’t be an issue for teenagers, but it’s something to consider for families with young children.

7. Rooms above the Squid & Anchor if you like an early night

6000 to 6016, 6500 to 6516

If you prefer to get to bed early during your cruise, it’s worth avoiding the rooms located directly above the Squid & Anchor lounge on Deck 6’s forward section. The lounge’s speakers are installed on the ceiling, so the sound can carry through to your cabin. 

However, it’s not excessively loud, and the musical performances usually end no later than 11 pm, earlier than on other cruise lines. If you’re a light sleeper who prefers to go to bed by 9 pm, it might be advisable to choose a quieter cabin location on the ship.

8. Cabins adjacent to lifts

3055, 6061, 6561

Being located near the lifts on Marella Discovery 2 can have its advantages and disadvantages. It’s a positive thing since you won’t have to travel long distances to reach your cabin, but it can also be an annoyance due to the noise caused by people passing by your room in the morning or at night.

However, there are three Inside Cabins that are not only located near the lifts but are actually directly adjacent to them. As a result, you may hear not only the footsteps of people walking to and from the lift, but also the lift mechanism itself.

While the noise levels are not particularly high, if you’re a light sleeper, it might not be worth the risk.

9. Inside Cabins if travelling with older kids/other adults

While I’m a fan of the range of cabins that sleep 3-4 guests on Marella Discovery 2, I’m not sure I’d recommend an Inside Cabin if you’re sailing with teenagers or other adults.

The rooms are just a bit small, as are the Pullman beds. At the same time, those fold-down beds aren’t great for kids that are too young either – a sofa bed is better since they can’t fall out.

Stick with Inside if you’re travelling with school-age kits but otherwise, I’d look at other room categories.

10 . Junior Suites

The extra space and the location of some of the suite options on Marella Discovery make them worth the added expense. However, upgrading from a Deluxe Balcony Cabin to a Marella Discovery 2 Junior Suite is a harder sell.

This isn’t to say that a Junior Suite is never worth booking. If the extra 5 square meters of space is important to you and you’re willing to pay for it, then go for it. But if you don’t spend a lot of time in your cabin, it may not be worth the cost.

Instead, consider sticking with a Deluxe Balcony Cabin or aiming higher for a Grand Suite. With double the space, a Grand Suite is a much more significant upgrade. To me, the Premier Service perks and the additional 5m2 of space in a Junior Suite don’t justify the price difference. I’d rather save the money by downgrading to a Marella Discovery 2 Balcony Cabin on Deck 6 and put it towards another cruise.

11. Tired cabins that haven’t been renovated

Various across the ship

Several of the cabins on Marella Discovery 2 have been renovated to a higher standard. Several, but not all.

Different categories across the ship have undergone a revamp so it’s worth asking about your chosen cabin when you book. It’s not essential – people reviewing older style cabins still think they’re extremely comfortable, they just don’t look as nice.

If you don’t care how your cabin looks then these could be a good choice.

The best cabins on the ship

Here’s a look at the best cabins you could book on Marella Discovery 2:

1. Single Cabins (Inside or Outside)

I love how the Single Cabins on Marella Discovery 2 are just standard cabins sold to single passengers. It’s great to have the option of sleeping in a queen-sized bed, instead of in a tiny room with just a single bed.

Solo passengers will get good rates – better than paying 100% single supplements – and they won’t be downgrading their bed compared to the one they have at home, in most cases. Why would you want to, when you’re on holiday?

2. Aft-view Balcony Cabins and Junior Suites

6122, 6124, 6126, 6128, 6130, 6626, 6628, 6630, 6632, 7126, 7128, 7130, 7132, 7626, 7628, 7630, 7632, 7634, 8080, 8082, 8084, 8086, 8580, 8582, 8584

Balcony Cabins and Junior Suites with an aft view are among the most popular and sought-after accommodations on a cruise ship due to their unique features. Apart from providing an unobstructed view of the ocean and the wake of the ship, they also offer shelter from the wind.

If you’re interested in booking one of these rooms on the Marella Discovery 2, you’ll want to act quickly. There are several aft-view rooms on Decks 6, 7, and 8, but they tend to fill up fast.

Ideally you should book 6130, 7634 or 8086. Due to the shape of the ship, these central cabins have slightly larger balconies.

3. Royal Suite (if you can afford it)

While it may seem obvious to choose the largest and most expensive suite as the best, there’s no denying that it truly is something special – as long as you can afford it, of course.

Although a whirlpool bath is a nice amenity, it’s not necessarily unique to this cruise line. However, it’s still a wonderful feature to have, especially on warmer cruises where you can soak and enjoy the amazing view.

But what really sets this suite apart from others is the fact that it includes a baby grand piano – a rarity on any cruise ship. Even if you’re not a skilled pianist, it’s a sophisticated and elegant addition to the suite.

Personally, I probably wouldn’t choose to book this suite as I’d prefer to save my money for multiple cruises. Nevertheless, there’s no denying that it’s a truly fantastic and luxurious option.

Final thoughts

That should be everything you need to make up your mind on the best cabins to book when sailing on Marella Discovery 2.

In researching this guide I’ve spent time studying the Marella Discovery 2 deck plans and checked forums and Facebook for feedback from past guests.

I’d recommend you check out the Facebook pages too – you’ll often find pictures of your exact cabin.