Marella Explorer

{{Short description|Century-class cruise ship built in 1996}} {{other ships|Galaxy (disambiguation)|Mein Schiff 1}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}

{{Infobox ship | display_title = ital |section1={{Infobox ship/image | image = Marella Explorer, Stockholm, 2019 (01).jpg | image_caption = ''Marella Explorer'' in Stockholm, 2019 }}

|section2={{Infobox ship/career | hide_header = | name = *1996–2007: ''Galaxy'' *2007–2009: ''Celebrity Galaxy'' *2009–2010: ''Mein Schiff''<ref name="CBR 2009-02-11">{{cite web |url=http://cruisebusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=213:tui-cruises-to-name-first-vessel-mein-schiff&catid=48:top-headlines-category&Itemid=111 |title=TUI Cruises to name first vessel ''Mein Schiff'' |access-date=11 February 2009 |last=Niemelä |first=Teijo |date=11 February 2009 |work=Cruise Business Online |publisher=Cruise Media Oy Ltd}}</ref> *2010–2018: ''Mein Schiff 1'' *2018 onwards: '''''Marella Explorer''''' | owner = *1996–1997: Celebrity Cruises *1997–2018: Royal Caribbean Group *2018-Present: TUI Group | operator = *1996–2009: Celebrity Cruises *2009–2018: TUI Cruises *2018-Present: Marella Cruises | registry = *1996–2002: Monrovia, {{flag|Liberia|civil}}<ref name=FoF>{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/galaxy_1996.htm |title=M/S ''Galaxy'' (1996) |access-date=29 April 2008 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg }}</ref> *2002–2008: Nassau, {{flag|Bahamas|civil}}<ref name=Ward>{{cite book |title=Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships |last=Ward |first=Douglas |year=2006 |publisher=Berlitz |location=Singapore |isbn=981-246-739-4 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/berlitz2006compl00doug/page/323 323–324] |url=https://archive.org/details/berlitz2006compl00doug/page/323 }}</ref> *2008 onwards: Valletta, {{flag|Malta|civil}}<ref name=FoF /> | route = | ordered = | builder = Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany | original_cost = $320 million<ref name=Ward /> | yard_number = 638<ref name=FoF /> | way_number = | laid_down = 25 May 1995<ref name=Plowman>{{cite book |title=The Chandris Liners and Celebrity Cruises |last=Plowman |first=Peter |year=2006 |publisher=Rosenberg Publishing |isbn=1-877058-47-5 |pages=215–218 }}</ref> | launched = May 1996<ref name=Plowman /> | completed = | christened = | acquired = 10 October 1996<ref name=Plowman /> | maiden_voyage = | in_service = 21 December 1996<ref name=FoF /> | out_of_service = | identification = *Call sign: 9HJH9 *{{IMO|9106297}} *{{MMSI|249051000}} | fate = | status = In service | notes = }}

|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics | hide_header = | header_caption = | class = ''Century''-class cruise ship | tonnage = *{{GT|76,998}} *{{DWT|6,500}}<ref name=CruiseCommunity>{{cite web|url=http://www.cruise-community.com/Search/FL_detail.asp?itemnav=ship_ship_0078 |title=''Galaxy'' |access-date=29 April 2008 |work=cruise-community.com |publisher=Seatrade Communications Limited |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080108065437/http://www.cruise-community.com/Search/FL_detail.asp?itemnav=ship_ship_0078 |archive-date=8 January 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | displacement = | length = {{convert|259.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}}<ref name=FoF /> | beam = {{convert|32.20|m|ftin|abbr=on}}<ref name=FoF /> | height = | draught = {{convert|7.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}}<ref name=FoF /> | depth = | decks = 10 (passenger accessible)<ref name=Ward /> | deck_clearance = | ramps = | ice_class = | power = *2{{nbsp}}×{{nbsp}}MAN B&W 9L48/60 *2{{nbsp}}×{{nbsp}}MAN B&W 6L48/60 diesels *29,250{{nbsp}}kW (combined)<ref name=FoF /> | propulsion = Twin propellers<ref name=Ward /> | speed = | capacity = *1,924 passengers | crew = 909<ref name=Ward /> | notes = }} }} '''''Marella Explorer''''' is a ''Century''-class cruise ship owned and operated by Marella Cruises. Before joining TUI she cruised as '''MV ''Galaxy''''' with Celebrity Cruises, and later as '''''Mein Schiff''''' with TUI Cruises. She was laid down at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, on 25{{nbsp}}May 1995, was launched in May 1996, and was delivered to Celebrity Cruises on 10{{nbsp}}October 1996. She entered service on 21{{nbsp}}December 1996.

In 2008, after some twelve years of service as ''Galaxy'', she was renamed '''''Celebrity Galaxy'''''. In May 2009, she was transferred to the fleet of TUI Cruises, a joint venture between TUI AG and Celebrity Cruises' owner Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.<ref name="RCL Investor">{{cite web |url=http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1136131&highlight= |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911014812/http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1136131&highlight= |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 September 2012 |title=Celebrity Cruises' ''Celebrity Galaxy'' to Become First Ship in New TUI Cruises Fleet |access-date=29 April 2008 |date=29 April 2008 |work=Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. press release |publisher=Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. }}</ref> She was renamed '''''Mein Schiff''''' ({{langx|en|My Ship}}) on 15 May 2009,<ref name="CBR 2009-02-11" /><ref name="CBR 2008-11-13">{{cite web |url=http://www.cruisebusiness.com/cbr_old/news.php?u=20081113182758 |title=TUI Cruises commissions Lloyd Werft with conversion of ''Galaxy'' |access-date=13 November 2008 |date=13 November 2008 |work=Cruise Business Review |publisher=Cruise Media Oy Ltd |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708210922/http://www.cruisebusiness.com/cbr_old/news.php?u=20081113182758 |archive-date=8 July 2011 }}</ref> '''''Mein Schiff 1''''' in November 2010, and '''''Marella Explorer''''' in 2018.

==Service history== ===Concept and construction=== thumb|left|''Galaxy'' in the Meyer Werft shipyard in 1996 just prior to her christening. In March 1993 Celebrity Cruises had placed an order with the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany for a new ship that was eventually delivered as {{MV|Century}}. The contract also included an option for two additional vessels of the same design. Celebrity Cruises decided to utilize the option for additional vessels, but changes to the overall design were made to the subsequent ships compared to the ''Century''. Therefore, the second ship, MV ''Galaxy'', was given a {{convert|15.4|m|ftin|adj=on}} longer hull compared to the ''Century'', and the galley and pantry areas were completely redesigned.<ref name=Plowman /> In the passenger areas, this extra length allowed the addition of a small atrium-like space just ahead of the aft lifts, which was used for an extra bar (deck 5) extra lounge seating (deck 6) and a Sushi Bar (deck 7).

The keel of the ''Galaxy'' was laid on 25 May 1995, she was launched from drydock in May 1996 and delivered to Celebrity Cruises on 10 October 1996. Following a promotional visit to Southampton, the ship sailed across the Atlantic Ocean without passengers. Further promotional visits in Boston, Philadelphia and Port Canaveral followed, after which the ship sailed to Port Everglades to begin her commercial career with Celebrity Cruises.<ref name=Plowman />

''Galaxy'' entered service with Celebrity Cruises on 21 December 1996 on a week-long cruise from Port Everglades to the Caribbean. Alongside her near-sister ship ''Century'' she operated week-long alternating western and eastern Caribbean cruises. During the 1997 Northern Hemisphere summer season the ''Galaxy'' relocated to the west coast of North America to operate week-long cruises to Alaska from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.<ref name=Plowman /> This pattern was repeated from 1997 up until 2000.<ref name="Plowman 231">Plowman (2006). pp. 231–235</ref>

In 1998, ''Galaxy'' was the setting of BBC television's docusoap ''The Cruise'', which made Jane McDonald famous.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hydro.com/en/Our-business/Meet-our-customers/Cruise-Line-Star-shines-bright-with-aluminium/ |title=Cruise line star shines bright with aluminium |work=Norsk Hydro |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091225102302/http://www.hydro.com/en/Our-business/Meet-our-customers/Cruise-Line-Star-shines-bright-with-aluminium/ |archive-date = 25 December 2009}}</ref>

For the 2001 summer season, ''Galaxy'' was replaced by the brand-new {{GTS|Infinity}} in the Alaskan service. As a result, ''Galaxy'' was relocated into European waters, cruising the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas. On 2 June 2001, while departing Amsterdam in the Netherlands for a two-week cruise the ''Galaxy'' touched bottom on an outskirt of Forteiland at IJmuiden<ref name="Plowman 231" /> due to heavy northwesterly squalls,{{Citation needed|date=November 2008}} resulting in major damage to the port side propeller.<ref name="Plowman 231" /> The ship returned to the Port of Amsterdam for inspection and disembarkation of the passengers.{{Citation needed|date=November 2008}} The cruise had to be cancelled as the ''Galaxy'' went into drydock at Blohm + Voss in Hamburg, Germany. There it was discovered that all four blades of the port side propeller would have to be replaced; however the ship only carried two spare blades on board. To solve the problem two extra propeller blades carried on board ''Galaxy''{{'}}s sister ship MV ''Mercury'' were flown from the Caribbean to Hamburg and installed on the ''Galaxy''. Following repairs the ship re-entered service on 16 June 2001.<ref name="Plowman 231" />

For the 2002 and 2003 summer seasons the ''Galaxy'' was based in Baltimore, making 10- and 11-day cruises to the Caribbean.<ref name="Plowman 231" />

On 21 May 2004 the ''Galaxy'' berthed at Civitavecchia (Rome) and began its series of summer voyages in the Mediterranean.<ref name="Co.2004">{{cite journal|author=Lakeside Publishing Co.|title=Cruise Travel|journal=Cruise Travel Magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OzEDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA44|date=April 2004|publisher=Lakeside Publishing Co.|pages=51–52|issn=0199-5111}}</ref> The ''Galaxy'' made multiple transatlantic crossings during the fall and winter seasons to take advantage of the Caribbean's tropical climate.<ref name="Co.2005">{{cite journal|author=Lakeside Publishing Co.|title=Cruise Travel|journal=Cruise Travel Magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9jADAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA6|date=March 2005|publisher=Lakeside Publishing Co.|pages=3, 44, 49|issn=0199-5111}}</ref><ref name="Co.2006">{{cite journal|author=Lakeside Publishing Co.|title=Cruise Travel|journal=Cruise Travel Magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mDEDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA47|date=May 2006|publisher=Lakeside Publishing Co.|pages=51–52|issn=0199-5111}}</ref>

In February 2008 the ''Galaxy'' was renamed ''Celebrity Galaxy'' to comply with Celebrity Cruises' new naming scheme.<ref name=FoF /><ref>{{cite book |title=Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships |last=Ward |first=Douglas |year=2008 |publisher=Berlitz |location=Singapore |isbn=978-981-268-240-6 |page=[https://archive.org/details/berlitzcompleteg00ward/page/8 8] |url=https://archive.org/details/berlitzcompleteg00ward/page/8 }}</ref>

===TUI Cruises=== <div style="float:right; clear:right;">[[File:TUI Mein Schiff Hamburg 3881.jpg|thumb|''Mein Schiff'' at the Port of Hamburg prior to entering service with TUI Cruises.]] thumb|right|The ship's pool deck, 2009 [[File:MS Mein Schiff 1 R02.jpg|thumb|''Mein Schiff 1'' at Santa Cruz de La Palma]]</div> In April 2008 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., the parent company of Celebrity Cruises, announced that the ''Celebrity Galaxy'' would cease service with Celebrity in March 2009 and subsequently be transferred to the fleet of TUI Cruises, a joint subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Cruises and TUI AG aimed at the German cruise market.<ref name="RCL Investor" />

Following withdrawal from Celebrity Cruises' service, the ship sailed to the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany where she received a € 50 million refit to modernise her facilities and cabins to make her better suited for the needs of the German market. Additional balconies were also fitted on existing outside cabins. Following the 38-day refit the ship was renamed ''Mein Schiff'' in Hamburg on 15 May 2009, and she entered service with TUI Cruises on a Baltic Sea cruise starting from Kiel on 23 May 2009.<ref name="CBR 2009-02-11" /><ref name="CBR 2008-11-13" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://cruisebusiness.com/cbr_old/news.php?u=20090114165459 |title=Imtech Deutschland in TUI Cruises contract |access-date=14 January 2009 |date=14 January 2009 |work=Cruise Business Review |publisher=Cruise Media Oy Ltd |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091125141545/http://www.cruisebusiness.com/cbr_old/news.php?u=20090114165459 |archive-date=25 November 2009 }}</ref>

On 10 August 2014, the 76-meter-long service supply vessel Princess Marseilles struck the ''Mein Schiff 1'' in the port of Bergen, Norway.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tv2.no/2014/08/10/nyheter/5888006 |title=Se video: Her krasjer båten med cruiseskipet i Bergen [VIDEO] |access-date=25 August 2014 |date=10 August 2014}}</ref> The ''Mein Schiff 1'' sustained minimal damage.

In the evening of 12 October 2014, around 9 p.m. a fire broke out in the incinerator on deck 3 while the cruise ship was en route from Barcelona to Palma de Mallorca with more than 2000 passengers. The crew was able to extinguish the fire within short time, and the ship docked as scheduled at Palma in the morning of 13 October. The message "Bravo, Bravo, Bravo, Fire in the Garbage" could accidentally be heard from the PA system. Some minutes later the master Rolf Johannes Noack notified the passengers about the incident. The show in the Theater had been interrupted until the fire was out. The passengers had remained calm.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vesseltracker.com/de/Cockpit.html?lat=34.24127929392779&lon=132.54404399612247&zoom=12&myVessels=false& |title=Terrestrisch & Satelliten AIS Tracking Service in Realtime - vesseltracker.com |access-date=19 November 2014}}</ref>

== Marella Cruises == thumb|Marella Explorer In 2019

[[File:Marella_Explorer_at_Quay_in_Port_of_Rhodes_22_August_2023.jpg|thumb|Marella Explorer In Rhodes in 2023]]

In May 2015, TUI Group announced that as part of their modernization strategy, TUI Cruises' ''Mein Schiff 1'' and ''Mein Schiff 2'' would be transferred to Thomson Cruises over the next few years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shipbuilding-industry.eu/shipbuilding_v2/?p=2942|access-date=18 December 2010|title=2001-02-01|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720173011/http://www.shipbuilding-industry.eu/shipbuilding_v2/?p=2942|archive-date=20 July 2011}}</ref>

In March 2017, it was announced that the ship would join the Marella Fleet in May 2018 and would be renamed '''''TUI Explorer'''''

In October 2017, it was announced that the ship will start operating under the company's new brand name '''''Marella Explorer''''', after a Yard Refit in Cadiz.{{citation needed|date=May 2018}}

In 2018, ''Marella Explorer'' underwent a 4-week, multi-million-pound makeover.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.express.co.uk/travel/cruise/978330/macella-explorer-cruise-ship-review|title=Marella Explorer cruise ship reveals multi-million pound makeover|last=Stone|first=Deborah|date=22 June 2018|work=Express.co.uk|access-date=22 June 2018|language=en}}</ref> The ship was drydocked in Cadiz, Spain.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Marella Explorer enters drydock for refurbishment {{!}} News {{!}} Breaking Travel News | url=https://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/marella-explorer-enters-drydock-for-refurbishment/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420115129/http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/marella-explorer-enters-drydock-for-refurbishment/ | access-date=2025-06-29 | archive-date=2018-04-20}}</ref>

==Architecture and equipment==

The primary dining area on board the ''Marella Explorer'' can host 1,088 diners on a single seating, and is decorated in the art deco style utilized on ocean liners from the 1930s onwards.<ref name=Plowman /><ref name="Ward 2008">Ward (2008). pp. 282–283</ref>

==See also== {{Portal|Transport}} *List of cruise ships * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrYjrPKi9nA Promotional Video from the 1990s]

==References== {{reflist|2}}

==External links== {{Commons category|IMO 9106297}} * [https://www.tui.co.uk/cruise/ships/marella-explorer/ ''Marella Explorer'' Ship page] * [https://www.alamy.de/die-262-meter-super-kreuzfahrtschiff-galaxy-77000-tonnen-die-fast-wurde-auf-der-meyer-werft-in-papenburg-fertiggestellt-wird-von-mehreren-schleppern-zu-ausrustung-pier-der-werft-geschleppt-nachdem-am-1409-1996-das-galaxy-mit-platz-fur-1900-passagiere-ist-das-grosste-schiff-der-jemals-in-papenburg-gebaut-im-oktober-sie-ist-auf-die-engen-und-speziell-ausgebaggert-ems-nach-emden-von-dort-aus-die-super-cruiser-vor-der-auslieferung-an-die-griechisch-client-fur-fahrten-in-die-nordsee-zu-lecken-verwendung-weltweit-image181622928.html Picture of the ship at the Meyer Werft shipyard after the float out]

Category:1996 ships Category:Ships built in Papenburg Category:Ships of Celebrity Cruises