Marella Discovery docked at the Frederiksted Pier in St. Croix today

Today, Sunday, January 4, 2026, the cruise ship docked at the Ann E. Abramson Marine Facility in Frederiksted, St. Croix, is the Marella Discovery.

The ship arrived at approximately 8:00 AM and is scheduled to remain in port until 6:00 PM this evening.

Port Call Details

• Vessel: Marella Discovery (Marella Cruises)
• Arrival Time: 8:00 AM
• Departure Time: 6:00 PM
• Route: Arrived from St. Thomas and is scheduled to depart for Puerto Rico.
• Estimated Passengers: ~1,800–2,000 guests.

Local Impact in Frederiksted

Because the Marella Discovery is the only large ship in port today, you can expect:

• High Activity in Frederiksted: Most shops and restaurants along Strand Street and near the Frederiksted Custom House are open to accommodate the passengers.
• Transportation: Increased taxi and tour bus traffic between Frederiksted and popular island spots like Cane Bay or Christiansted.

If you are planning to visit the Frederiksted beach or pier area, it will likely remain busy until the ship’s “all-aboard” call shortly before its 6:00 PM departure.

It is a relatively quiet week for cruise traffic in St. Croix following the busy Crucian Christmas Festival parades. After today’s visit from the Marella Discovery, there is only one other scheduled cruise call for the remainder of this week.

St. Croix Cruise Schedule: Jan 4 – Jan 10, 2026

Important Notes for the Week

• Three Kings Day (Jan 6): The visit of the Jewel of the Seas coincides with Three Kings Day, a major public holiday in the U.S. Virgin Islands. While the ship will bring activity to Frederiksted, some local government offices and smaller businesses outside of the main tourist zones may be closed or operating with holiday hours.
• Post-Festival Cleanup: You may notice teardown activity in Frederiksted this week as the “Festival Village” structures from the Crucian Christmas Festival (which ended yesterday, Jan 3rd) are removed.
• Pier Availability: Since there are no ships scheduled from Wednesday through Saturday, the Ann E. Abramson Pier is typically open to the public for walking, fishing, and sunset viewing during those days (unless a military or fuel vessel makes an unannounced stop).

The Marella Discovery is part of the fleet of Marella Cruises, a British cruise line.

While it is a British brand primarily marketed to travelers in the UK, its ownership and history involve some of the biggest names in the global travel industry:

1. Ownership: TUI Group

Marella Cruises is owned by the TUI Group (TUI AG), a German-based multinational travel and tourism company. TUI is the largest leisure and travel company in the world, owning travel agencies, hotels, airlines, and several other cruise brands including TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.

2. Previous Life: Royal Caribbean

The Marella Discovery has a notable history before joining the Marella fleet:

• Original Name: It was originally built in 1996 as the Splendour of the Seas for Royal Caribbean International.
• Vision-Class Ship: It is a “Vision-class” vessel, known for having massive amounts of glass and skylights to provide expansive ocean views.
• The Transfer: In 2016, Royal Caribbean sold the ship to TUI. It was briefly renamed the TUI Discovery before being rebranded as the Marella Discovery in 2017 when the cruise line changed its name from Thomson Cruises to Marella.

3. Brand Style

Marella is positioned as a “British-style” cruise line. This means you will find UK-standard three-pin electrical sockets in the cabins, British currency (GBP) used for onboard pricing, and entertainment/dining menus tailored specifically to British tastes (such as afternoon tea).

Note: Because it is a UK-centric line, many of the passengers currently visiting Frederiksted today likely arrived on “fly-cruise” packages, having flown into a Caribbean hub like Barbados or Montego Bay from the UK to start their voyage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marella_Discovery_2