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7 nights
Inside Marella’s 30th birthday celebrations onboard
Here’s how the Marella Cruises team planned their big birthday bash across our fleet.
It’s not every day you get to celebrate turning 30, so when our Marella Cruises team approached the big 3-0 – that’s three decades of sailing the high seas – they knew they’d need to plan something extra-special.
Cue months of preparation that saw events come together across all our 7-night sailings, from 90s themed nights onboard, to quayside celebrations for the ships in port – not to mention surprising our guests with celebrity appearances from Fleur East, Boyzlife and more.
Of course, celebrating on such a grand (and watery) scale takes some serious planning – and that’s where our behind-the-scenes team comes in. We caught up with Luke Murphy, Senior Product Development Manager at Marella Cruises, to find out *exactly* what it took to deliver such a brilliant birthday bash for everyone onboard.
Ready for your own celebration on the high seas? Check out all our cruise holidays.
Cue months of preparation that saw events come together across all our 7-night sailings, from 90s themed nights onboard, to quayside celebrations for the ships in port – not to mention surprising our guests with celebrity appearances from Fleur East, Boyzlife and more.
Of course, celebrating on such a grand (and watery) scale takes some serious planning – and that’s where our behind-the-scenes team comes in. We caught up with Luke Murphy, Senior Product Development Manager at Marella Cruises, to find out *exactly* what it took to deliver such a brilliant birthday bash for everyone onboard.
Ready for your own celebration on the high seas? Check out all our cruise holidays.
Where did you start with planning Marella’s 30th birthday celebrations?
From the word go, we knew we wanted to create a genuine sense of celebration onboard – something that guests could really get involved in. We wanted it to feel like a proper milestone moment, like being part of one big birthday party at sea. So, we made that happen with standout entertainment, themed experiences, port activities and plenty of nods to celebration across food and drink.
Planning started around 18 months beforehand, and we were fortunate enough to have two ships docked together in both Ajaccio and Dubrovnik, which gave us a brilliant opportunity to really maximise the celebrations and bring that shared birthday atmosphere to life across ships.
Planning started around 18 months beforehand, and we were fortunate enough to have two ships docked together in both Ajaccio and Dubrovnik, which gave us a brilliant opportunity to really maximise the celebrations and bring that shared birthday atmosphere to life across ships.
How did you decide on the main events?
It all started with the entertainment and port celebrations. I worked closely with the team and our suppliers to bring to life the idea of a real “birthday bash” evening deck party. The key thing was making that happen across the entire fleet on the same day – the 7th May, our official birthday – so wherever our customers were sailing, they were all part of the same moment.
Once we had that anchor point, I started thinking about the full experience of the day and how it would feel from a customer’s perspective. We introduced little touches along the way, from birthday invitations arriving in cabins the night before, through to gala meals and special acts.
Once we had that anchor point, I started thinking about the full experience of the day and how it would feel from a customer’s perspective. We introduced little touches along the way, from birthday invitations arriving in cabins the night before, through to gala meals and special acts.
How did you choose the celebrity guest acts?
Choosing the guest acts was one of the most exciting parts of the planning, and something I started thinking about really early on! A lot of the thinking centred around nostalgia and recognisable names including tribute artists that tied back to the 90s era, when it all began.
There were also some great opportunities to link back to our history. I was keen for us to bring Fleur East onboard for Marella Discovery 2, for example, as she helped launch the ship back in 2017. It felt like a nice full-circle moment.
There were also some great opportunities to link back to our history. I was keen for us to bring Fleur East onboard for Marella Discovery 2, for example, as she helped launch the ship back in 2017. It felt like a nice full-circle moment.
Any challenges along the way?
One of the biggest challenges was the sheer scale of delivering the celebrations across the entire fleet, all at the same time, while making sure the experience felt consistent for our customers, wherever they were sailing.
Logistics played a big part in that. From planning guest acts and meet and greets, to working through things like security, timings and how events would fit into the normal onboard operation, there were a lot of moving parts to bring together. There was also the added complication of deliveries to the ships, especially as some had just come back from their winter sailings in the Caribbean.
Logistics played a big part in that. From planning guest acts and meet and greets, to working through things like security, timings and how events would fit into the normal onboard operation, there were a lot of moving parts to bring together. There was also the added complication of deliveries to the ships, especially as some had just come back from their winter sailings in the Caribbean.
What were your favourite moments from the celebrations?
The evening deck parties across the fleet were a real highlight. Seeing guests and crew all together, the energy, the music, and that shared sense of celebration, it felt like the vision we’d had from the start had really come to life.
Another big one was the port celebrations in Ajaccio and Dubrovnik where we had two ships docked together. That gave us a unique opportunity to bring people together on a bigger scale, and it really amplified that “one big birthday” feeling we were aiming for.
Another big one was the port celebrations in Ajaccio and Dubrovnik where we had two ships docked together. That gave us a unique opportunity to bring people together on a bigger scale, and it really amplified that “one big birthday” feeling we were aiming for.
Did the crew get a chance to party?
Yes! Celebrating our crew was really important, as they’re such a big part of what makes a Marella holiday feel special. We made sure there were dedicated moments just for them – including their own 30th birthday celebrations onboard and a special crew dinner – as well as getting them involved in things like the deck parties alongside our guests. It was definitely a shared celebration and one that we’ll all remember. In fact, it was such a hit that there’s already talk of our next milestone celebration… so watch this space!
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Pssst. Head to the Discover homepage for our latest articles.
Author: Katie Gregory
Last updated: 30.06.2026
Browse all our Marella Cruise holidays.
Or, for more inspo, take a look at what to pack for a cruise, meet the Marella Cruises fleet or read a first-time cruiser’s top tips.
Pssst. Head to the Discover homepage for our latest articles.
Author: Katie Gregory
Last updated: 30.06.2026