Marella Cruises has unveiled two decadent new afternoon tea experiences — one centred around chocolate and the other celebrating fine cheeses — now available across its entire fleet. This marks the latest enhancement in the cruise line’s commitment to elevating its culinary offerings and delivering memorable onboard experiences for guests.
The new concepts, aptly named the Chocolate Lovers’ Afternoon Tea and the Cheese Connoisseur’s Afternoon Tea, were developed by Marella’s in-house culinary team in collaboration with renowned patissiers and cheesemongers. Each menu has been carefully crafted to showcase artisanal ingredients, creative pairings, and elegant presentation, ensuring a truly indulgent experience for passengers.
The Chocolate Lovers’ Afternoon Tea is a rich and luxurious affair featuring handcrafted pastries, truffles, and desserts made from sustainably sourced cocoa. Highlights include a dark chocolate ganache tart, milk chocolate praline choux, and a white chocolate and raspberry roulade, complemented by premium teas and optional sparkling wine pairings.
Meanwhile, the Cheese Connoisseur’s Afternoon Tea offers a savoury twist on the traditional British favourite. Guests can enjoy a curated selection of international and British cheeses served with artisan breads, chutneys, and accompaniments. The experience also includes cheese-infused pastries and a selection of teas designed to enhance each flavour profile.
Marella Cruises said the initiative is part of its wider strategy to diversify its onboard dining experiences and appeal to the evolving tastes of modern travellers. “We’re always looking for ways to innovate and surprise our guests,” said a Marella Cruises spokesperson. “Our new afternoon tea concepts offer both sweet and savoury indulgence, with a focus on quality ingredients and presentation that truly elevates the traditional tea experience.”
Both themed teas will be served in selected onboard venues during afternoon service, with passengers able to reserve their experience in advance or once on board. The offerings will be available across all Marella ships, including Marella Discovery, Marella Explorer, Marella Voyager, and Marella Explorer 2.
The launch follows a successful trial earlier this year, during which guests responded enthusiastically to the unique themes and variety of flavours. Marella Cruises noted that customer feedback from the pilot programme was instrumental in refining the menus for fleetwide rollout.
In addition to the new afternoon teas, Marella Cruises continues to expand its culinary partnerships and develop innovative dining experiences as part of its “Taste of Discovery” programme. The cruise line says it aims to make every meal an opportunity for cultural exploration and indulgence.
With these latest additions, Marella Cruises reinforces its reputation for offering not just destinations worth visiting, but experiences worth savouring — one cup of tea (or piece of choc
olate) at a time.
