Marella Cruises announces it’s first-ever musical theatre cruise – and one star of the show has already holidayed on the ship
Zoe Birkett is announced as one of the headline acts for Marella Cruises first ever musical themed mini cruise
Former Pop Idol star Zoe Birkett says a family holiday aboard a Marella ship ticked all the boxes – and now she’s returning as one of the headline performers on the cruise line’s first-ever musical-themed sailing.
Zoe will join fellow West End favourites Lee Mead, who shot to fame after winning BBC show Any Dream Will Do, and Jenna Lee-James, best known for playing Elsa in Frozen in London.
The five-night cruise aboard Marella Voyager will depart in October 2026, promising guests a programme packed with show-stopping musical theatre numbers and live entertainment inspired by hit musicals.
For Zoe, however, the trip will feel like something of a homecoming.
The singer and actress, 41, revealed she holidayed on the very same Marella ship last year with her family after her dad persuaded them to give cruising a try.
“My dad loves cruises, he’s a total buff,” she said. “I’d never been before and he said, ‘Look, this is great for families.’ So we booked it and honestly it ticked all the boxes.”
Travelling with her nine-year-old daughter, Zoe said she quickly understood why cruises have become so popular with families.
“The entertainment was brilliant, the food was fab and if you want everything in one place, I think it’s perfect.”
The holiday wasn’t entirely anonymous, though.
“There were whispers on the first night and then the next day there was an influx of people saying, ‘Oh my God, that’s Tina Turner,” joked Zoe, with a few holidaymakers recognising her from her musicals past.
“It was really lovely. The entertainment team on board were fantastic and everybody was so friendly.”
Now she’ll be swapping the audience for the stage with a show celebrating the roles and artists that have shaped her career.
“I’ve got some Tina songs in there,” she explained. “I’ve got some Whitney Houston songs, some Janet Jackson and some Michael Jackson. I also talk about Pop Idol because a lot of people know me from way back.
“I like to boogie, so I do expect everybody to be dancing with me.”
Away from the cruise, Zoe has enjoyed a career spanning more than two decades, appearing in productions including Moulin Rouge! The Musical, The Bodyguard and The Witches. But she says portraying the legendary Tina Turner remains the defining role of her West End career.
“It was a career highlight,” she explains. “I had to delve very, very deep into her personal life, her career and everything she faced from misogyny, ageism, racism and violence. Then you’ve got her vocals on top of that and the dancing. It was probably the toughest thing that I’ve done, but also the most rewarding.”
The role demanded more than simply recreating Tina’s famous songs. “The way she walked was so particular and even the way she held her microphone. People who are hardcore fans want to see those little nuances.”
Although audiences only see the finished performance, Zoe admits life in the West End is far more demanding than many people realise.
“It’s incredible, but it’s extremely hard because you’re doing eight shows a week with only one day off. The life of a West End lead, the ensemble, the crew and wardrobe is definitely a sacrifice. Getting a show off the ground takes an incredible team and hours and hours of work, but it’s always worth it in the end because of the response you get from audiences.”
The former Pop Idol contestant was just 16 when she was thrust into the spotlight on one of Britain’s biggest television shows.
“The general experience of Pop Idol was fab because I was really looked after. Because I was only 16, my mum was allowed to be with me a lot of the time, which was brilliant.
“And Simon Cowell loved me! Which helped. I got off quite lightly!” she jokes.
She also formed a close bond with fellow teenage contestant Gareth Gates: “We were only 16 and 17 together all the time. We got on really well because we were going through very similar experiences.
“We were doing our GCSE’s one minute and then performing in front of a panel the next.”
Since then, Zoe has continued to diversify her career, recently touring stadiums with Take That, appearing in BBC comedy Smoggie Queens, presenting television programmes and working as a DJ.
After finishing the run of Take That tour dates, Zoe said: “The response online has been unbelievable.
“I text Gary Barlow afterwards and said, ‘You know where I am if you ever need another northerner with a soul-rock voice.’
“He replied, ‘I really hope to see you soon.’
“The Take That boys are just incredible. They are so professional but also so down to earth and they love to have a laugh. That tour will be in my heart forever. They made me feel so welcome.”
When she’s not performing on board, Zoe already has a plan for making the most of her return to cruising.
Describing her ideal day, Zoe says: “I’m a gym-aholic, so I’m straight to the gym first, then a nice breakfast, then relaxing by the pool.
“I definitely want to watch the theatre shows in the evenings as well because I remember thinking they were absolutely brilliant.”
Zoe Birkett will be headlining on Marella Cruises’ ‘Musical Med-leys’ in October 2026. The five-night first ever musical themed mini cruise includes musical style performances onboard Marella Voyager. Find out more about Marella Cruises’ holidays at www.tui.co.uk/cruise/