Ship reference
Marella Explorer 2
Ship specifications and sources.
Quick facts
- Cruise line
- Marella Cruises
- Class
- Century
- Entered service
- 1995
- Status
- In service
About us Marella Explorer 2
Marella Explorer 2 is the original Century built by Meyer Werft in 1995. The shipbuilder identifies it as the first vessel of its Century series, followed by the longer Galaxy and Mercury. Its original passenger career dates from 1995. Later branding and conversion work should therefore be distinguished from the underlying age of the ship.
Subsequent names included Celebrity Century and SkySea Golden Era. TUI acquired the latter for the British cruise programme, introducing it as Marella Explorer 2 in April 2019. This was a transfer of an existing ship rather than delivery of a newbuild. IMO 9072446 links the names to one hull, with Malta as the current published registry.
Explorer 2 is an adults-only member of Marella's five-ship fleet. That positioning distinguishes it from family-friendly Explorer, despite the similar names. When comparing the two, consider the specific public spaces and itinerary rather than assuming that a shared naming pattern means an identical product or layout.
The current accommodation inventory comprises 907 cabins. Balcony categories vary by location and bed arrangement. Some rooms have a different fixed-bed layout, so examine the actual cabin number and plan when making a choice. The headline passenger number does not independently establish a certified maximum or a separately labelled double-occupancy figure.
Public venues include The 19th Hole, which combines a golf-themed bar with a simulator, and Flutes with piano entertainment. Beach Cove provides a barbecue-inspired dining setting. The Veranda offers an outdoor place to look out to sea, while a spa and the combined bar, club and casino area provide further choices between port visits.
Restaurant and bar counts alone cannot establish which purchases are included. Compare the booked fare and venue conditions, especially for specialty meals and premium drinks. Match the amount of time you want aboard with actual port hours. For independent transport, use the confirmed embarkation information and return deadlines. Explorer 2's original Century design explains its place in ship history; the current adult-focused programme, room and route determine the holiday available today.
Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Year built | 1995 |
| Entered service | 1995 |
| Gross tonnage (GT) | — |
| Guests at double occupancy | — |
| Maximum guests | — |
| Crew | — |
| Cabins | 907 |
| Decks (total) | — |
| Length (m) | — |
| Beam (m) | 32.2 |
| Last verified refurbishment year | — |
| Maximum speed (knots) | — |
| IMO | 9072446 |
| Shipyard | Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany |
| Flag | Malta |
| Propulsion / fuel description | — |
| Previous names | Century, Celebrity Century, SkySea Golden Era |
A dash means no independently verified value is available. Guest counts at double occupancy and maximum capacity are different measures. GT measures enclosed volume, not weight.
Other ships in the same recorded class
Shared class does not guarantee identical cabins, venues or deck layouts.
| Marella Explorer | Century | 1996 | 76,998 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marella Voyager | Century | 1997 | 77,302 |
Last checked:
Sources
- Marella — individual current accommodation and venues — Accessed
907rooms32.2mMaltaadultsonly;unqualified1814passengers.71545GTconflictscurrentDubrovnik72458/currentGibraltar70606.246mroundedlengthvs249builder/246.5otherrecords;14decksversus15builder. CrewTBC.
- Meyer Werft — original Century individual build and service — Accessed
OriginalCenturyvoyagingSINCE1995;firstCenturyclass;GalaxyMercury15mlonger. Historicaloriginaltechnicalfiguresnotcurrentafterconversions.
- Meyer Werft — Papenburg construction register — Accessed
HullS637Century1995PapenburgGermany.
- Royal Caribbean — original Century and SkySea transaction — Accessed
CelebrityCentury1995built;2014soldSkySea,chartereduntilApril2015, notsameasGalaxy.
- TUI — actual brand introduction history — Accessed
MarellaExplorer2joinedAPRIL2019,notoriginalservice1995.
- TUI — individual SkySea Golden Era acquisition — Accessed
SkySeaGoldenEratoExplorer2;originalMeinSchiff2retainedthenlaterbecameVoyager,notExplorer2.
- Port of Dubrovnik — October2026individual record — Accessed
October15/2026IMO9072446Malta;72458GTconflictsowner71545/currentGibraltar70606,unresolved.
- Gibraltar Port — February2026individual vessel record — Accessed
Feb6IMO9072446Malta70606GTversusowner71545/Dubrovnik72458;unqualified1814passengersnotbasisproof.
- VesselFinder — individual observed former-name history — Accessed
CelebrityCentury2008,SkySeaGoldenEra2015,Explorer2/2019sameIMO;currenttechnical246.5m72458GTnotuncriticallypreferredoveroperator.
- Marella — explicit current adults-only positioning — Accessed
- Marella — inclusions and separately charged extras — Accessed