Marella Dream
Marella Dream was a cruise ship operated by Marella Cruises from 2017 until its retirement in 2020 and demolition in 2022.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Marella Dream was the final operating name of a cruise ship built in 1986 at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, West Germany. Originally commissioned as Homeric by Home Lines, the vessel was conceived as a replacement for the company's aging SS Oceanic and was named after an earlier Home Lines ship. Its sideways launch on 28 September 1985 made it, at the time, the largest cruise liner to be launched in that manner. After sea trials in December 1985, the ship was delivered to Home Lines on 6 May 1986. During its first period of service, Homeric operated seasonal cruises from New York to Bermuda and Caribbean itineraries. Although the ship developed a loyal repeat-passenger base, it entered service at a time when the cruise industry was changing rapidly and Home Lines was approaching the end of its independent existence. Holland America Line acquired Home Lines in 1988 and renamed the ship Westerdam. Holland America generally used it on Alaska cruises in summer and Caribbean cruises in winter. The vessel underwent a major rebuilding at Meyer Werft between October 1989 and March 1990. The approximately $84 million project lengthened the ship by 36.9 metres and substantially rebuilt its public interiors. The work was unusually extensive for a passenger ship of its era. Later, in preparation for service with Costa Cruises, the ship received another refurbishment reported at approximately £5 million. This project redecorated public rooms and added six balcony suites. In 2002, after newer ships had entered Holland America's fleet, Westerdam was transferred to Costa Cruises and renamed Costa Europa. It began Costa service from Genoa on 27 April 2002 and primarily operated European cruises. In April 2010, Costa Europa left the Costa fleet under a ten-year bareboat charter to the United Kingdom-based Thomson Cruises. The ship was renamed Thomson Dream and received a further refurbishment at the end of 2012, after which it was marketed as part of Thomson's Platinum collection. Thomson Cruises was rebranded as Marella Cruises in 2017, and the vessel consequently became Marella Dream. It continued cruising under that name until the COVID-19-era contraction of cruise operations. Marella announced in October 2020 that the ship would be retired and that scheduled summer voyages would be transferred to Marella Discovery. The vessel was subsequently sold and laid up at Perama, Greece. It was renamed Ella in 2021 and arrived under tow at Aliaga, Turkey, on 18 June 2022 for demolition. The ship was notable for combining an ocean-liner-influenced layout with cruise-oriented amenities. It had a large promenade deck, a lower-deck dining room, a one-deck theatre, two swimming pools, and a covered pool with a magrodome. Its long career also gave it several distinct visual identities: Home Lines' white-and-blue livery, Holland America's dark-blue hull, Costa's white-and-yellow scheme, and Thomson/Marella's white hull with a blue funnel. The vessel appeared in the 1997 film Out to Sea and was also featured in a BBC Watchdog report concerning passenger complaints during its early Thomson service.
History
Home Lines developed Homeric during the first half of the 1980s as a successor to SS Oceanic. Meyer Werft in Papenburg was selected as builder, and the new ship took its name from an earlier Home Lines vessel that had been destroyed by fire in 1973. Homeric was launched sideways on 28 September 1985, completed sea trials from 26 to 30 December, and was delivered on 6 May 1986. It entered service with New York–Bermuda cruises in the northern summer and Caribbean cruises during the rest of the year. Home Lines was acquired by Holland America Line in 1988, and Homeric became Westerdam. Holland America used the ship for Alaska itineraries in summer and Caribbean itineraries in winter. After Carnival Corporation acquired Holland America, the new ownership invested heavily in the vessel. Westerdam returned to Meyer Werft from October 1989 through March 1990 for one of the most comprehensive passenger-ship refits of its period. The project lengthened the hull by 36.9 metres, rebuilt many public spaces, and changed the ship's internal configuration. The vessel was initially registered in the Bahamas and was later registered in the Netherlands in 1996. In 2002, Holland America's delivery of newer ships led to Westerdam's transfer to Costa Cruises. Renamed Costa Europa, it was registered in Italy and began its new service with a Genoa departure on 27 April 2002. Costa used the ship mainly on European routes. Before the transfer, or in connection with entering Costa service, the vessel underwent a refurbishment costing approximately £5 million, including redesigned public rooms and the addition of six balcony suites. Costa Europa left Costa Cruises in April 2010 under a ten-year bareboat charter to Thomson Cruises. It was renamed Thomson Dream and later refurbished in 2012 for inclusion in Thomson's Platinum collection. In 2017, Thomson Cruises adopted the Marella Cruises name, resulting in the ship's final major commercial identity, Marella Dream. Marella Dream remained in service until 2020. On 1 October that year, Marella announced that the ship would be withdrawn and that planned summer departures would be reassigned to Marella Discovery. After retirement, the vessel was sold and laid up at Perama, Greece, while awaiting space at a Turkish recycling yard. It was renamed Ella in 2021 and reached Aliaga under tow on 18 June 2022, where it was dismantled. The ship's design reflected a transitional period between traditional ocean liners and modern cruise ships. Its original arrangement included a lower-deck dining room, a broad promenade deck, a one-deck theatre, two swimming pools, and a covered pool with a retractable magrodome. The 1989–1990 reconstruction created a larger two-level theatre, while the later Costa refurbishment added balcony accommodation and replaced or redecorated several public rooms. In different ownerships, the vessel's appearance changed from Home Lines' blue-and-yellow details to Holland America's dark-blue hull, Costa's white-and-yellow scheme, and Thomson/Marella's white hull and blue funnel. Beyond its operational history, the vessel had a modest media presence. As Westerdam, it appeared in the 1997 comedy film Out to Sea. Its long service life also exposed it to several operational controversies and incidents, including an engine-related passenger protest in 2009, a fatal dock collision in 2010, passenger complaints about ship systems during early Thomson voyages, and the handling of a crew death during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2022
Arrived at Aliaga for demolition
[1]After being renamed Ella and laid up in Greece, the ship reached Aliaga under tow on 18 June 2022 for recycling.
- 2020
Retired from Marella Cruises
[1]Marella withdrew the ship and reassigned its planned summer sailings to Marella Discovery.
- 2017
Renamed Marella Dream
[1]Thomson Cruises' rebranding as Marella Cruises led to the ship's final principal operating name.
- 2012
Thomson refurbishment
[1]The vessel was refurbished and placed in Thomson's Platinum collection.
- 2010
Entered Thomson Cruises service
[1]Costa Europa was bareboat-chartered to Thomson Cruises and renamed Thomson Dream.
- 2002
Transferred to Costa Cruises
[1]The ship became Costa Europa and began Costa service from Genoa on 27 April 2002.
- 1990
Major lengthening and reconstruction completed
[1]Meyer Werft completed a major refit that added 36.9 metres and rebuilt substantial portions of the ship.
- 1988
Renamed Westerdam
[1]Following Holland America Line's acquisition of Home Lines, the ship joined the Holland America fleet as Westerdam.
- 1986
Delivered to Home Lines
[1]The ship was delivered on 6 May 1986 and entered service as Homeric.
- 1985
Homeric launched
[1]Home Lines launched the vessel sideways at Meyer Werft on 28 September 1985.
Products and positioning
A mature, full-service cruise ship marketed under successive cruise-line brands, with an emphasis on conventional resort cruising, seasonal international itineraries, entertainment, dining, pools, and family facilities.
Cruise ship · 2017
Marella Dream
The ship's final operating identity, used by Marella Cruises from the 2017 rebranding of Thomson Cruises until its withdrawal in 2020. It offered conventional resort cruises with restaurants, bars, theatre entertainment, pools, a casino, shops, children's facilities, a fitness centre, and a mixture of inside, outside, and suite accommodation.
Cruise ship · 2010
Thomson Dream
The name used during Thomson Cruises' ten-year charter from Costa beginning in April 2010. The ship received a refurbishment in 2012 and was promoted within Thomson's Platinum collection. Its itineraries continued the vessel's established European and seasonal cruise role.
Cruise ship · 2002
Costa Europa
Costa Cruises operated the former Westerdam as Costa Europa from 2002 to 2010. The ship was refurbished for Costa service, including redesigned public areas and six balcony suites, and was used primarily for cruises around Europe.
Brand decisions
2020
Retirement from Marella's fleetStrategyBackground
Marella Cruises reduced or reorganized its fleet during the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Action taken
Marella announced that Marella Dream would be retired and moved its scheduled summer sailings to Marella Discovery.
Aftermath
The ship was sold, laid up in Greece, renamed Ella in 2021, and ultimately sent to Aliaga for demolition in 2022.
2010
Ten-year charter to Thomson CruisesStrategyBackground
Costa Europa left Costa Cruises after eight years of European service.
Action taken
The vessel was placed under a ten-year bareboat charter to Thomson Cruises and renamed Thomson Dream.
Aftermath
The ship remained in Thomson service until the company's 2017 rebrand as Marella Cruises.
2002
Transfer from Holland America Line to Costa CruisesM&ABackground
Holland America had received several newer ships and no longer required the vessel in its core fleet.
Action taken
The ship was transferred to Costa Cruises, renamed Costa Europa, and refurbished for European operations.
Aftermath
Costa operated the vessel until it left the fleet under charter to Thomson Cruises in 2010.
Refit cost. £5 million (2002)
1990
Major Westerdam rebuildingGeneration changeBackground
Holland America and its new corporate ownership chose to invest substantially in the relatively young vessel after acquiring Home Lines.
Action taken
Meyer Werft lengthened the ship by 36.9 metres and reconstructed numerous interiors, including the theatre and public rooms.
Aftermath
The rebuilt ship continued operating as Westerdam and remained commercially useful for more than three decades.
Refit cost. $84 million (1989-1990)
Recent events
- 2020
Crew member died aboard Marella Dream during the COVID-19 pandemic[1]
Other · Regulation
A 48-year-old Indonesian crew member died aboard the ship near Gibraltar on 27 March 2020 with symptoms reported as consistent with COVID-19. TUI said the crew member had underlying health conditions and had not tested positive. The body was later disembarked in Málaga after Gibraltar authorities declined permission for disembarkation in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.
- 2020
Marella Cruises retired Marella Dream[1]
Other · Product generation
Marella Cruises announced the vessel's retirement and transferred its planned summer sailings to Marella Discovery.
- 2010
Costa Europa collided with a dock at Sharm al-Sheikh[1]
Other · Regulation
On 26 February 2010, Costa Europa struck a dock while attempting to berth in bad weather at Sharm al-Sheikh, Egypt. Three crew members died and at least four other people were injured. The collision opened a hole approximately two metres wide in the hull.
- 2009
Costa Europa passengers mutinied after engine trouble disrupted an Indian Ocean cruise[1]
Other
Engine problems and the cancellation of scheduled port calls led passengers aboard Costa Europa to stage a protest described in contemporary reporting as a mutiny.
BBC Watchdog reported complaints about the ship's Thomson service[1]
Other · Campaign
A BBC One Watchdog investigation discussed passenger complaints involving air-conditioning failures and sewage or plumbing problems during the ship's early Thomson Cruises voyages. The report also criticized advertising that described the vessel as luxury, brand new, and five-star despite its age.
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