adriatic affair cruise

Marella Adriatic Affair Cruise – Ports of Call Review

We have wanted to visit Croatia for a few years now and when we found the Marella Cruises Adriatic Affair Itinerary it was perfect. It was a seven day cruise on the Marella Celebration Cruise Ship .

It would take us to 3 different ports of call in Croatia, firstly Dubrovnik, then Rijeka, and Korcula. In addition to Croatia, we would also be visiting Koper in Slovenia, Durres in Albania and Venice in Italy. In this post we show you what these ports of call have to offer and whether this itinerary is for you!

Dubrovnik – our first port of call on the Marella Adriatic Affair Cruise 

Our first port of call on the Marella Adriatic Affair Cruise was Dubrovnik. We left England at 0900 and arrived at the port of Dubrovnik at 1300. The drive to the port only took 30 minutes and the views were superb. Make sure you sit on the left side of your transport to enjoy this view.

Looking down onto Dubrovnik

We were not due to sail away from Dubrovnik until 2200 so had time to explore. We were informed that Muster drill was at 1730, this was a bit frustrating as it was smack bang in the middle of the time we had in port. Instead of getting straight off the ship to explore, we decided to get to know the ship and get off after the drill. The Old town of Dubrovnik is not within walking distance but easily accessible by taxi. Taxis were readily available at the terminal and we paid 13 euros, which seemed a set fee talking to other passengers. After a 10 minute journey we arrived at the walls of Dubrovnik.

The walls of the old town in Dubrovnik

The old town of Dubrovnik was spectacular. A large walled city with tiny alley ways shooting off in all directions from the main streets. If you want to walk the wall there its an additional cost of 120 Kuna (£13.50), however, as the last entrance to the wall was at 7pm we didn’t have time to do it. If you want to walk the wall make sure you come earlier in the day.

Cooling off in Dubrovnik

It was a very hot day when we visited, around the narrow streets there is some shade and drinking fountains to be found. However we would advise taking a bottle of water off the ship when you go.

Game of Thrones Steps

Paul being a huge Game of Thrones fan, wanted to find the famous steps where Cersei does the Walk of Shame, and we found them quite easily. A very popular spot and it is impossible to get any photo’s that are not full of other tourists!

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Beautiful Dubrovnik

It certainly is a beautiful port of call, one of the nicest we have visited and within easy reach from the port of Dubrovnik. I am sure that we will return here again one day.

Rijeka, Croatia – our second port of call on our  Marella Adriatic Affair Cruise 

After a day at sea, our second port of call on the Marella Cruises Adriatic Affair was Rijeka, Croatia. A free shuttle bus to the centre of Rijeka was provided for the journey into town and within 10 minutes we arrived at a little marina and some market stalls.

Shuttle bus drop off in Rijeka

Rijeka is a pleasant town, however, not as picturesque as Dubrovnik. There was a pedestrian area with lots of cafes and restaurants and it was reasonably priced to eat and drink. Shopping was very cheap and our friend Pelican Pete who we met on the ship bought a pair of swimming shorts for only £2!

Market in Rjeka

We walked around for a couple of hours, there was interesting architecture if you looked up but fairly bland at eye level. We found a busy fruit market which was entertaining. We enjoyed our day, it was a pleasant port of call but not somewhere we feel the need to return.

Square in Rjeka

Koper Slovenia – our third port of call  Marella Adriatic Affair Cruise 

Only a few minutes walk from the ship you will find some steps and a lift that takes you up to the town. We really liked our wander through the town of Koper, it had a very chilled vibe with a cafe culture and a really relaxed atmosphere.

Koper, Slovenia

Walking back to the ship we came across a man made pebble beach where families were enjoying a swim. So don’t forget to take your swimmers if you fancy a dip.

Walking around the town we also found a pretty harbour with an area where there were mist showers to cool you down, they were very welcome in the heat.

Cooling down!

This was our first experience of Slovenia and we loved it! Koper was a lovely port of call, with everything within walking distance. Our taster of Slovenia has made us want to see more!

Sailing away from Koper

Venice, Italy – our fourth  port of call on the  Marella Adriatic Affair Cruise 

We decided to get up early and watch the sail to Venice, we are so glad we did.

After leaving the ship, walk for approximately 5 minutes and you will see the water taxi booths. It cost 15 euros each for a return ticket, or 8 euros for a single journey. The journey only takes 20 minutes, and the water taxi drops you literally 5 minutes walk from St Mark’s square. Coming back we had to queue, so make sure you give yourselves plenty of time to get back to the ship, you do not want to see the ship sailing off into the distance!

Gondola’s of Venice

We knew that when we visited Venice we wanted to have a gondola ride so we decided to see what deals were available. There were varying prices for up to €100. Make sure you head away from St Mark’s Square area and you can pick one up for €80. This was the cheapest price that we found. We shared our gondola with a couple Pete and Lesley who we had met on the ship so that cut the cost too. It was a fun thing to do and we are glad we did it. Also another experience ticked off the bucket list!

Stunning canals of Venice

A trip to Italy would not be complete without sampling some Gelato. At 2 euros each it was actually not too expensive and it was delicious! Pizza was also on our agenda and we found a lovely little restaurant with a covered garden and had the most excellent Pizza. It was also good value, the total bill was 21 euros per couple which included a fanta and a beer, and a limoncello shot to finish!

St Marks Square

We enjoyed St Mark’s square and stood at a distance to listen to the music outside the Florian Hotel, and watched the waiters busily serving the customers. Interestingly we met a Mum and her daughter at dinner on the ship that night, they explained they had sat down by the music and ordered two coffees and two fairy type cakes, when their bill came it was 55 euros. The breakdown of the bill showed that they had been charged 6 euros each for the pleasure of listening to the music! Venice is expensive but if you move away from the main tourists spots you can find reasonably priced food and drink.

The Florian

We had a fantastic day in Venice it is truly a beautiful port of call. We walked miles, got lost a lot, but thoroughly enjoyed it. Venice is certainly a photographers paradise, and we will definitely be returning!

Grand Canal

Korcula, Croatia – our fifth  port of call on the  Marella Adriatic Affair Cruise

Beautiful Korcula

This was the only port of call where we had to be tendered to shore. The tendering system was efficient and within 10 minutes we had arrived at the shore. A few minutes walk and we were within the walls of the Old town in Korcula.

The walls of Korcula

Best described as a miniature Dubrovnik, Korcula is surrounded by crystal clear waters. It was delightful, we walked the cobbled streets and alleys, and had a great afternoon. There were plenty of restaurants and bars available, where you could just sit and watch the world go by.

Stunning coastline

We really liked Korcula, it was stunning in all directions. A superb port of call and a place where we would love to spend more time.

Wandering beautiful Korcula

Durres, Albania – our sixth  port of call on the  Marella Adriatic Affair Cruise 

We were not sure what to expect with our visit to Albania. Our first views of the port was not very picturesque, it was very industrial.

Port of Durres

We walked out of the port, wandered straight ahead, and found the town of Durres within a few minutes. We passed a few empty squares, some cafes and there were some opportunities to shop. The prices advertised were extremely cheap.

If you turn left out of the port, you will find the beach. It was deserted but not the nicest. We spent a few hours walking around Durres but must admit we did not really enjoy our time here. If Durres is one of your ports of call on your cruise, then we would advise on booking an excursion, so you can explore a different part of Albania.

Beach in Durres

We thoroughly enjoyed our Marella Adriatic Affair Cruise. The diverse ports of call made it a very interesting holiday. We enjoyed the various experiences and I am sure we will be back to this part of the world in the not so distant future.

Further Reading/Videos –

Marella Cruises Page

Our YOU TUBE CHANNEL has lots of Marella cruise ship tours and reviews so do check it out too.

Thanks for reading!

Have you been to these ports of call? Is there any other useful information that you would add? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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Thomson Celebration docked in Koper, Slovenia

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Marella Cruises – formerly Thomson Cruises - is to add a fifth ship to its fleet in 2023. Having parted with Marella Celebration and Marella Dream during the pandemic, the line is to acquire Mein Schiff Herz from the parent TUI Group and convert it into Marella Voyager.

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Nothing can prepare you for your first sight of Dubrovnik. Lying 216 km (135 miles) southeast of Split and commanding a jaw-dropping coastal location, it is one of the world's most beautiful fortified cities. Its massive stone ramparts and fortress towers curve around a tiny harbor, enclosing graduated ridges of sun-bleached orange-tiled roofs, copper domes, and elegant bell towers. Your imagination will run wild picturing what it looked like seven centuries ago when the walls were built, without any suburbs or highways around it, just this magnificent stone city rising out of the sea.In the 7th century AD, residents of the Roman city Epidaurum (now Cavtat) fled the Avars and Slavs of the north and founded a new settlement on a small rocky island, which they named Laus, and later Ragusa. On the mainland hillside opposite the island, the Slav settlement called Dubrovnik grew up. In the 12th century the narrow channel separating the two settlements was filled in (now the main street through the Old Town, called Stradun), and Ragusa and Dubrovnik became one. The city was surrounded by defensive walls during the 13th century, and these were reinforced with towers and bastions in the late 15th century.From 1358 to 1808 the city thrived as a powerful and remarkably sophisticated independent republic, reaching its golden age during the 16th century. In 1667 many of its splendid Gothic and Renaissance buildings were destroyed by an earthquake. The defensive walls survived the disaster, and the city was rebuilt in baroque style.Dubrovnik lost its independence to Napoléon in 1808, and in 1815 passed to Austria-Hungary. During the 20th century, as part of Yugoslavia, the city became a popular tourist destination, and in 1979 it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During the war for independence, it came under heavy siege. Thanks to careful restoration, few traces of damage remain; however, there are maps inside the Pile and Ploče Gates illustrating the points around the city where damage was done. It’s only when you experience Dubrovnik yourself that you can understand what a treasure the world nearly lost

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Forts and castles.

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Split, croatia.

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Sail from UK Sail from UK

Adriatic Affair

1st August 2024

Marella Explorer 2

Prices From £ 1,182 pp

You can expect the same great service, food and entertainment on every single one of our ships. They’re All Inclusive as standard, too. That said, each vessel has a personality of its own. There’s a suitably grown-up feel to this adults-only ship.

Take the hassle out of your holiday search and let our knowledgeable cruise agents find you the perfect cruise by phone! Call 02380 658 386

All Inclusive cruising as standard – food, drinks and tips at sea included

Your Itinerary

• Date   Port Arrive Depart
• 01/08/2024 Dubrovnik – 20:00
• 02/08/2024 At Sea – –
• 03/08/2024 Koper 08:00 18:00
• 04/08/2024 Rijeka 08:00 18:00
• 05/08/2024 Ancona 08:00 17:00
• 06/08/2024 Split 08:00 17:00
• 07/08/2024 Bar 09:00 18:00
• 08/08/2024 Dubrovnik 04:00 –

Cabins & Prices

Ship features.

Royal Suite

Our Royal Suite is the crème de la crème of cabins. Not only does it line up a bedroom with a king-size bed, but it also packs in a separate living area with a sofa bed, a dining area and a dressing area. You’ve also got an en suite bathroom with a shower, a WC and a tub, plus a big balcony with a whirlpool. And all this measures up at a sizeable 94m2. This cabin comes with Premier Service. Extras include:

• Breakfast in bed once a week and a free pressing service that means you’ll look your best for the Dress to Impress night.

Executive Suite

The Executive Suites live up to their name, with separate living and sleeping areas. The 46m2 suites come with twin beds in the bedroom, which you can convert to queen-size. There’s a double sofa bed in the separate lounge, too. In the en suite bathroom, meanwhile, there’s a shower over a bath, as well as a walk-in shower and a WC. And a furnished balcony rounds things off nicely. This cabin comes with Premier Service. Extras include:

Junior Suite

Book one of our Junior Suites and you’ll get to enjoy the views from your furnished balcony*. These 23m2 suites are found on Deck 10 and 12, near the top of the ship, which gives you a great vantage point. Inside, you’ve got twin beds that convert into a queen-size, a sitting area with a double sofa bed and an en suite bathroom with a WC and shower over a bath*. This cabin comes with Premier Service. Extras include:

*Please note, cabins 1200 and 1201 don’t have baths. Plus, cabins 1202 and 1203 have smaller balconies.

Deluxe Balcony Cabin

Our 19m² Deluxe Balcony Cabins do exactly what they say on the tin. You’ll get a furnished balcony, plus a queen-size bed, a double sofa bed and an en suite bathroom with a WC and shower. You’re nice and high up on Deck 9 or 10, and at the aft of the ship so the views are some of the best around.

Please note, the image is of a cabin on Deck 9. These have a different layout to those on Deck 10, and come with a fixed double bed against the wall and a cabin partition door – see our deck plan for the cabin numbers.

Balcony Cabin

You can admire the horizon from your own furnished balcony with these cabins. They make the most of the 16m2 of space with a queen-size bed or twin beds that convert to a queen-size. And the en suite bathroom packs in a shower and a WC. Our 3 and 4-berth cabins have a sofa bed or extra fold-down bed.

Please note, some of the cabins on Deck 8 have a different layout, with a fixed double bed against the wall – see our deck plan for the cabin numbers.

Outside Cabin

Our Outside Cabins feature either a porthole or picture window. They’re 16m2 in size, with twin beds that can be made into a queen-size. The four-berth cabins, meanwhile, have twin beds that convert into a queen-size, as well as extra fold-down beds. Plus, you’ll find a WC and shower in the en suite bathroom. Some cabins view may be obstructed. Reserve your cabin for a clear view.

Inside Cabin

These cabins measure in at 16m2, which means you get twin beds that can be made into a queen-size, plus an en suite bathroom with a WC and shower. If you go for a 4-berth cabin, you’ll get twin beds and extra fold-down beds.

Single Outside Cabin

A good option for solo travellers, these cabins feature a single bed and an en suite bathroom with a WC and shower. Plus, there’s the added bonus of a porthole or picture window.

Single Inside Cabin

Our Single Cabins were made for solo travellers. These ones come with a single bed and an en suite bathroom with a WC and shower.

Other Details

Adults Only: Adults only

Childrens Facilities: None

Nursery: None

Smoking: Some

Gratuities: All tips and service charges are included in the price of your Cruise. You’re not expected to tip any of our crew – unless you want to, of course.

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• Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

Adriatic Affair

By CRUISIN LINDA , July 9, 2015 in Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

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CRUISIN LINDA

Right you clever lot!

Looking for any advice on Koper, Venice, Sibenik, Korkula and Bari.

We have been to Venice and Koper before but not the other three.

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Hi Linda....heres my ten pence worth!

Sibenik...lovely old town but lots of steps up to fort/castle on top of hill...we made it as far as medieval monastery garden about half way up. Nice prom with couple of cafes with free wifi.......lovely shops behind seafront in old part....big cathedral.....or you can take a trip to Krka waterfalls which we have done in the past and is wonderful!

Korcula...tender port....lovely to wander old walled town and newer areas each side..very pretty compact old town ...nice cafes with free wifi.

Bari....we did a trip to the Trulli houses in Alberobello (36 pounds each) ...its a world heritage site....Fabulous with a brilliant guide....Bari is a large town/city with beach and promenade but you would (i think) need a taxi, it seemed a long way from where the ship berthed.

It's a lovely itinerary Linda and I'm sure you will love it...we did!!!:)

I went to Koper last year and did the tour to the Postojna Caves, which personally I really enjoyed.

Also went to Venice, I've been twice now and love just wandering around the back streets and exploring, not to mention the sail in and out.

A few years ago I went to Korcula, as Jenny says a nice small town to wander round. I did that after having a tour across the island to Vela Luka, with a wine tasting stop on the way back. The destination wasn't anything special, but it was a nice way to see the island and we had a great young guide who also explained about the impact of the war on the country and how they lived now.

Thanks Jenny & Gary. xx

I think I read somewhere (fb?) that there is a mini train in Bari. I wonder if anyone has been on it and how often it runs. I think there is a big ship in with us, so could be busy.

The trip Jenny mentioned looks good, but don't usually like doing a trip on the last day especially as we have an early flight home. But I have read mixed reviews of Bari, so wonder if it would be a good idea to do a trip

gillhalfpint

[We did Koper from Majesty in May 14 and just had a wander round ourselves. Started off at what appeared to be similar to one of our car boot sales, and I bought a bag which I am still using daily, and want another one. Found a couple of bars for a beer, but didn't get wifi. At a hotel bar I had an amazing pancake with ice cream. We went back on board for dinner, but I left Ray on board and I went off to find a beach for a paddle. That is all I have in my notes.

Thanks Gill, we have been to Koper before. We climbed that big church tower :eek: but I don't think we shall be doing that this time :rolleyes:

We might do a trip there.

Thanks Gill, we have been to Koper before. We climbed that big church tower :eek: but I don't think we shall be doing that this time :rolleyes:   We might do a trip there.

Piran is lovely and you can get the local bus there.

I think I read somewhere (fb?) that there is a mini train in Bari. I wonder if anyone has been on it and how often it runs. I think there is a big ship in with us, so could be busy.   The trip Jenny mentioned looks good, but don't usually like doing a trip on the last day especially as we have an early flight home. But I have read mixed reviews of Bari, so wonder if it would be a good idea to do a trip

We did a trip here as there were poor reviews from the first cruise of the season. It was to the Sassi of ???. I enjoyed it but I wouldn't recommended it for people with walking difficulties. There are lots of steep steps and it was very hot at the beginning of June, even for me. Perhaps the Trulli house trip would be better. Spoke to people who had been and really enjoyed it plus they came back via the coast road with good views.

There is a mini train in Bari but it is a long walk to the port entrance to catch it. I didn't see any taxis within the port but that's not to say there weren't any.

If you don't want to walk or take the shuttle bus around town, you'll find mini-train tours on offer right at the dock entrance. Trenino-Tour offers 1.5-hour Bari City Tour drives around Bari's harbour, Old Town and main sights. Eventieturismo offers one-hour tours.

Taxis are also based at the dock gates. They are metered, but roundtrips to local places of interest can be negotiated separately with waitin g time.

I took the paragraphs in red from here:-

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/ports/newport.cfm?ID=497

They now do a guided sightseeing coach trip to Piran from the side of the ship. It was €20 each...more expensive than the local bus but a commentary nearly all the way to Piran about the geography, history and industries, etc in the area. The only downside was that we didn't have very long in Piran...about 2 hours.

Hi Linda....it was a morning trip to the Trulli village so we were back on board before 2 pm....cases didn't have to go out until 3 am at latest...the show was half an hour earlier that night....it all seemed to work well ....think the Gatwick passengers left at 0730 for their flight. :)

Sorry Linda....Gatwick transfer was 0800...manchester was 0730......

Thank goodness for that, half an hour more in bed :D:D

timid cruiser

We're cruising 10th Sept for 2 weeks. I've been reading all your posts with much interest. Has anyone done Bari on their own? If so what was it like?

Hi,   We're cruising 10th Sept for 2 weeks. I've been reading all your posts with much interest. Has anyone done Bari on their own? If so what was it like?

Hi timid cruiser,

Welcome to Cruise Critic :) Is it your first cruise?

I should like to hear about DIY in Bari too, before I decide about the trip.

joeholiday2

In Sibenik the mediaeval garden cafe takes Euros, and the best view is from the cemetery just before the castle entrance, as Jenny says it is quite a trek up there though. Don't miss the sailout.

I lifted this off the ports of call part of this site....it doesn't say how to get into town from ships berth though....it seemed quite a long way to walk.

"Bari was one of our ports of call on a 7 day Adriatic cruise, and we had an enjoyable day. We wandered around characterful old town - its centerpiece is St Nicholas cathedral, complete with some St Nicholas relics. Then there's an impressive castle with an interesting museum. And you'll find lots of small art galleries, shops and cafes. Next we walked along the lungomare (or promenade), then caught a (free) bus for a 5 minute ride along the coast to the Pane and Pomodo (bread and tomato?) beach, where we spent an enjoyable couple of hours. (Though if your cruise is late september, it might be a little chilly by then for the beach). Alternatively you can take a shore excursion to the quaint houses at Alberobello."

When you walked around Bari did you feel safe? We enjoy mooching around ports not just tourist areas.

This is our 4th cruise, the other 3 all being with Thomson.

Pensioncruiser

Looks to me like a lot of CC members will be walking round Bari on 23rd Sept:D for us it will be our last day so I hope its a nice sunny one:)

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4 replies to this topic

I agree with technoman - you won't get many Marella cruisers on here.

Tripadvisor staff removed this post because it did not meet Tripadvisor's forum guideline limiting each user to a single forums screen name.

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10 Night Greece & Adriatic Cruise

Your ship explorer of the seas.

ADVENTURE ON EVERY DECK

FlowRider ®

Typhoon℠ and Cyclone℠

Rock Climbing Wall

Flavorful faves.

Chops Grille℠

Giovanni's Table

Johnny Rockets®

Flashback fun & daring dance moves.

Fast Forward

Invitation to Dance

Pub Performances

Day 1: Ravenna, Italy

MAKE YOUR OWN MOSAICS

DANTE’S TOMB BATTLE

BE THERE. BE SQUARE

LOCAL CUISINE

Day 2: Bay of Kotor, Montenegro

Spot Marine Wildlife

Check Out an Artificial Island

Take in the Sights

Popular shore excursions, amazing experiences coming soon., day 2: kotor, montenegro.

Old-Town Exploration

Gain Another Perspective

Local Cuisine

Day 3: Dubrovnik, Croatia

WALK WITHIN THE WALLS

A WORLD AWAY

ACTION PACKED ADRIATIC

Day 4: Cruising

The Perfect Storm℠

Scuba Certification

Adventure Ocean ®

Spa & Fitness Center

Day 5: mykonos, greece.

COASTAL COSMOPOLITAN

INTO THE BLUE

DIG UP THE PAST

Day 6: Santorini, Greece

VOLCANIC WONDERS

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

THE GLASS HALF FULL

Day 7: Athens, Greece

Take Me to Church

Mediterranean Romance

Boats and the Bronze Age

Day 8: Ephesus, Turkey

Window Into Ancient Life

Set Your Sights on Selcuk

Haggle for a Turkish Carpet

Day 9: Cruising

Chef's Table

Main Dining Room

Room Service

Day 10: split, croatia.

Discover Diocletian's Palace

Aim for the Adriatic

Day 11: Ravenna, Italy