October 29, 2026
Zip lines, land yachts and steelpan lessons: Marella Cruises adds 70 new Caribbean excursions for Winter 2026
Marella Cruises
Marella Cruises, TUI's UK cruise line, is adding 70 new excursions to its Caribbean programme. Customers can ride one of the world's steepest zip lines in St Maarten, sail a wind powered land yacht in Bonaire and learn the steelpan in its birthplace, Tobago. Customers can book these excursions for their winter 2026 sailings from now.
With many Marella Cruises fly cruise sailings designed to maximise time in port, these new excursions give customers even more ways to make the most of their day ashore and explore the places they love. These excursions will be available across the cruise line's three Caribbean ships this winter: Marella Discovery from La Romana, Dominican Republic and Marella Explorer 2 & Marella Voyager from Bridgetown, Barbados.
Chris Hackney, CEO at Marella Cruises:"Our itineraries are designed to make the most of time in port so customers can really get under the skin of each destination on each sailing. We're already seeing strong early demand for these new experiences, with the Flying Dutchman zip line in St Maarten proving particularly popular and over 60% of places already sold.
We've chosen experiences that go beyond the usual sightseeing and connect customers with the culture of each island, whether that's learning salsa in Ponce, where the music has shaped salsa around the world or playing steelpan with local musicians in Tobago.
"These additions give customers even more ways to try something new ashore, while still enjoying the ease and value of our all-inclusive fly cruise holidays.”
New excursions include:
Flying Dutchman, St Maarten: This trip is for thrill seekers, starting at a Rockland Estate, built in the 1700s. Customers then take the Sky Explorer chairlift to the top of Sentry Hill, the island's highest point, before speeding down the Flying Dutchman, one of the world's steepest zip lines, at up to 56mph. Afterwards customers ride a gentler zip line along the mountain ridge, the day ends on the Schooner Ride, where customers ride an inflatable ring down a winding track back to ground level. (Pre-booked price: £98 per adult).
Sugar City Trolley Train, St Kitts: Hop aboard the colourful Sugar City Trolley Train for a relaxed journey through Basseterre, discovering the history and culture of St Kitts along the way. Customers will stop at National Heroes Park and the Cenotaph, pass the historic sugar factory that gave the island its “Sugar City” nickname and drive through the grounds of Government House. It’s an easy paced way to take in some of the island’s key sights and learn more about its past and present. (Pre booked price: £38 per adult and £38 per child).
Sounds of Ponce and Salsa Experience, Puerto Rico: Ponce is known for its rich musical heritage and its influence on salsa around the world. A scenic drive through the city's colourful streets comes with its own soundtrack, as the guide shares stories of the artists, neighbourhoods and rhythms behind Puerto Rico's cultural identity. Customers then join a beginner friendly music and dance workshop to try traditional instruments and learn the basics of salsa. (Pre-booked price: £79 per adult and £69 per child).
The Home of Steelpan, Trinidad and Tobago: Customers can discover the steelpan, widely celebrated as the only acoustic instrument invented in the 20th century in Scarborough, Tobago. Skilled players show how each pan is crafted and tuned. Then customers can try it themselves, learning simple melodies with local musicians, with rum punch included. The experience ends with a live steelpan band performance, followed by a stop at the historic Fort King George for panoramic views over Scarborough and the coastline. (Pre-booked price: £59 per adult).
Expedition to the Window Cave, Puerto Rico: Cueva Ventana or "Window Cave", sits high above the lush Arecibo River Valley offering sweeping views across the landscape. Led by an experienced guide in San Juan, customers explore the cave's chambers to find ancient rock carvings, learn about the area's pre-Columbian heritage and hear local myths and legends. Customers can also look out for wildlife that lives in this unique ecosystem. (Pre-booked price: £88 per adult and £79 per child).
For those keen to explore a Caribbean cruise, Marella Cruises offers a seven-night, Tropical Isles round trip cruise on an all inclusive basis with TUI Airways from London Gatwick to La Romana, Dominican Republic on Marella Discovery. It calls at San Juan and Ponce in Puerto Rico, Charlotte Amalie and Frederiksted in the US Virgin Islands and Isla Catalina in the Dominican Republic. Prices start from £1541* per person, departing 12 January 2027.
The new Marella Cruises excursions are available to buy onboard at the Destination Services desk or on Cruise Control before customers board.
About Marella Cruises
Marella Cruises is part of TUI Group with more than 30 years of cruising experience sailing across the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Canary Islands. The fleet consists of five ships: Marella Discovery, Marella Explorer and Marella Voyager, alongside two adult only ships, Marella Discovery 2 and Marella Explorer 2. Marella Cruises offers all inclusive as standard, with tips, flights, food and drinks, accommodation and service charges included. Customers can enjoy award winning West End style entertainment and a high standard of onboard service. The cruise line offers a wide range of Cruise & Stay holidays, giving customers the flexibility to combine their cruise with a hotel stay in destinations across the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Canary Islands. Supported by TUI Airways' network of regional airports across the UK and Ireland. Marella Cruises has also been recognised for its onboard service, receiving Good Housekeeping Reader Recommended accreditation every year since 2019.
*All prices quoted are correct to the particular product package at the time of TUI issuing the price package/packages to the publication. Price was quoted on 29/10/2026. Prices provided are subject to change and have limited availability. Terms and conditions apply.