The Marella Discovery recently completed its 30th year of service after debuting for Royal Caribbean International in the mid-1990s.
Originally built for the U.S.-based brand as the Splendour of the Seas, the ship was delivered by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard on March 15, 1996.
As a sister to the 1995-built Legend of the Seas, the 1,800-passenger vessel debuted as the second ship in Royal Caribbean’s Vision class.
After being christened at the British port of Southampton by godmother Lisa Wilhelmsen, the Splendour kicked off its maiden season on March 31, 1996.
The inaugural season included a series of itineraries to Northern Europe and the Mediterranean, marking the first time a Royal Caribbean ship debuted in Europe.
Following the summer season in the region, the vessel crossed the Atlantic for the first time for cruises to the Southern Caribbean in 1996-97.
Replacing the Song of America, the Splendour offered a series of seven-night cruises from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The ship continued to sail for Royal Caribbean for over 20 years, offering cruises from additional homeports and in other regions.
During most of its last decade in service for the brand, the vessel alternated between summer seasons in the Eastern Mediterranean and winter deployments in Brazil and South America.
Sold to Thomson Cruises in March 2015, the Splendour spent its farewell season for its original owners in the Middle East and the Arabian Gulf.
After undergoing a major refurbishment in Europe, the ship kicked off its inaugural itineraries for the British company as the TUI Discovery in April 2016.
With Thomson becoming Marella Cruises, the 70,000-ton vessel was renamed Marella Discovery in October 2017.
Currently sailing in the Eastern Mediterranean, the ship is offering a series of seven-night cruises departing from Limassol in Cyprus.
In November, the former Splendour of the Seas repositions to the Caribbean for fly-cruises aimed at the British market.
The seven-night itineraries sail from La Romana in the Dominican Republic and feature visits to destinations in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean.
