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Splendid Experience.

Just completed the Ambition cruise to Iceland. The attitude and helpfulness of staff was exemplary throughout. Cuisine was a high standard. Value for money was a pleasing aspect. The entertainment in the Palladium by the song and dance group was excellent and the star of the entire trip. Had a really good time. Thanks to all involved.

Date of experience : March 15, 2024

Terrible...heavily controlled entertainment and inadequate staff

I have written to the guest relations team at Ambassador, and they did not bother to reply. Waste of time. Terrible. Heavily controlled, no discussions or talks provided by passengers allowed. Reasons for this were pathetic. Other cruises are far better at letting passengers mix in and relate their experiences. Would not go with them again. Staff in some areas completely inexpereienced and trained.

Date of experience : June 06, 2023

Reply from Ambassador Cruise Line

Good Afternoon Iain, I am sorry to hear that you faced some issues whilst onboard with us. If we could ask for you to send your comments into our Guest Relations Team, they would be happy to investigate and respond further. [email protected] Kind Regards Guest Services Team

Should be called "Tight Fist Cruises"

The time our ship has cut our time on shore then travelled at near zero knots to save money. In Shetland we had our day cut by an hour or so, only to find that the wind was stopping us leaving the cruise dock. We were onboard at about 5.0pm so that they could avoid cruise docking charges, but it took until 10.00pm for them to work out that it would be cheaper to employ a tug to tow is out than to sit on the dock. Then we headed for Stornoway at a very slow speed to save fuel. We could have had longer ashore or another stop! No, that costs money. 🤑 Ambassador, it's called a cruise because it's supposed to be luxury... Bring back CMV please. I already know the reply. " l am sorry to hear that you faced some issues whilst onboard with us. If we could ask for you to send your comments into our Guest Relations Team, they would be happy to investigate and respond further. guestrelations at ambassadorcruiseline.com Kind Regards Guest Services Team." It would be nice to get a reply for once!

Date of experience : April 03, 2024

Bad customer relations

Bad customer relations. Having been treated rudely and aggressively by a senior member of staff we made a complaint to "guest relations". Their response was a generic email with the addition of one paragraph which had no bearing on the serious complaint we had made. We responded to this and had another email - again not addressing our complaint. We are, after more than a week, still awaiting a reply to our third email. It seems guest relations are not interested in our complaint and the rude and aggressive behaviour is being condoned by the company. Incidentally, we are not the only fare paying passengers who have had reason to complain about this particular manager. Who wants to travel with a company who allows staff to treat people badly and get away with it

Date of experience : February 27, 2024

changed my mind about Ambassador…

I was one of the people thrown of of the Christmas cruise 2023 i was so upset as I didnt know until I turned up to the terminal and I have left some bad reviews about this matter especially since I received no compensation. but I saw a northern lights cruise that I liked the look of and decided to give them another chance, I had never cruised with them before and due to the debacle at Christmas new I was taking a chance . well I was really suprised my junior suite which was all they had left for a single person was great very large and comfortable the food in both the resturants and the buffet was good I have had better but I have also had worse the entertainment was not to my taste but that is just me every body else seemed to enjoy it.the ports were good but the ship had its heating on full and it was much to hot, the only big critiscisms were the prices in the ship shop much to expensive and the WFY that was rubbish and expensive also. so I would recomend this company and the Ambiton even though they didnt compensate me for the christmas cruise

Date of experience : February 29, 2024

Getting an answer to a phone call is impossible

Tried to phone for a reservation. Not possible to get an answer. The advertising jingle is so annoying that waiting for an answer is painful. The website 'call back' request function doesn't work.

Date of experience : March 24, 2024

Good Afternoon Charles, I am sorry to hear that you are facing some difficulty getting through to us. As we have launched our new 2025/2026 programme in the past week, our phone lines have been extremely busy. If you have already booked and are travelling within the next 4 weeks, please do contact our Guest Services Team on 0808 102 8031. If you are travelling outside of 4 weeks, we ask that you email your query into the Guest Services Team, [email protected] We look forward to welcoming you onboard soon. Kind Regards ​Guest Services Team

A wonderful 42 night adventure! Thank you Ambassador Cruise Line!

Having never cruised before we embarked on 42 nights away travelling to Brasil and The Caribbean on The Ambition. Our suite was wonderful, the staff a joy and the food fabulous! The on board entertainment staff put on imaginative shows in an excellent theatre and the whole ship was kept scrupulously clean. My only negative observation is a small amount of passengers who's behaviour towards staff was shameful. Manners and appreciation cost nothing. Well done Ambassador Cruise line and staff and many thanks for an unforgettable holiday!

Date of experience : January 18, 2024

Good Afternoon Debbie,  Thank you for the great review. We are so pleased to hear that you had a great time onboard with us! If you would like to put your great feedback into writing to us, we would greatly appreciate it. [email protected] We hope to welcome you back onboard in the near future. Kind Regards Guest Services Team

Budget cruise line with very poor customer relations.

Embarkation: Excellent. Public rooms: In good condition, service slow. Buffet restaurant. Chaos. Food just ok. Restaurants: All excellent, Food cooked well, service excellent, food quality just average. Drinks prices: Outstanding. Passenger demographic: older passenger age group, Cabin: Junior suite was excellent. Guest relations: Onboard, some language problems. Email HOPELESS. I now have THREE unanswered emails in the system dating from December 2023 to first week of March 2024. In summary. Ambassador are a budget cruise line that punches above its weight, the old ships are in excellent condition, Crew/Passenger ratio's are poor resulting in sometimes slow service and I Will never sail with them again until they show some respect for their customers by replying to Emails.

Been on 6 cruises with the company and due to go again for my 70th birthday in May 2024 which must say something! Just a suggestion for the benefit of waiting staff and passengers in the restaurants....please replace the current stainless steel tea and coffee pots with insulated replacements. This will ensure drinks are served much hotter to passengers and the lids to such pots will not allow for any spillages to occur.

Date of experience : January 05, 2024

Good Afternoon Brian, Thank you for your feedback. Could we ask that your suggestion is sent into our Guest Relations Team in order for us to put forward. Their email address is [email protected]. We hope to welcome you onboard in the near future. Many Thanks Guest Services Team

Just returned from the land of the…

Just returned from the land of the Nothern Lights on Ambition and wanted to share my feedback. This was my first cruise, but I have thoroughly enjoyed myself. The ship is lovely, I had a junior suite and I was very comfortable there with everything I needed, the breakfast in bed was a real treat. What made my experience so special was the staff, they have been amazing, so friendly and attentive nothing was too much trouble. The shows in the evening were fantastic and every bit at good as the west end. After the shows I would often visit the Pendenis bar and listen to Jamie on the piano. The food was faultless and the drinks package offered me everything I needed. My only slight issue was how hot the ship was and I was uncomfortable at times, I know that is a contentious subject, but that was my experience. On the whole I cannot fault Ambassador Cruise Line and I would definitely book again. Thank you for a wonderful time, and thanks to everyone in the group for the fantastic information. I have added some images on my room 1056 as I know some people like to see what they are getting.

Good Afternoon Lee, We are so pleased to hear that you had a great time onboard with us. Thank you for the great feedback. We look forward to welcoming you onboard again in the near future. Kind Regards Guest Services Team.

Happy days. My wife and I, had a wonderful 6 weeks on board Ambition, food 10 out of 10, staff 10/10 so helpful to everyone, cabin 10/10 clean and tidy at all times. We will be sailing with you again. Our second time with you and given us a lot of memories. Thank you so much. Andrew and Jane

Good Afternoon Andrew, Thank you for the great review. We are so pleased to hear that you had a great time onboard with us! We hope to welcome you back onboard in the near future. Kind Regards Guest Services Team

The care given to passengers by all the…

The care given to passengers by all the officers and crew and for the amazing ports of call on this cruise.

Good Afternoon, Thank you for the review. We are pleased to hear that you had a great time whilst onboard with us. Our officers and crew onboard both of our ships are a credit to us. We look forward to welcoming you back onboard in the near future. Kind Regards Guest Services Team

Disappointing cabins

I recently did a Norwegian fjords cruise on Ambassador's ship Ambition. The ship itself was great, but there were a few issues with the cabins. They are much smaller than other ships, particularly the bathrooms. The toilets are squeezed into a corner, and you need to open the shower door if you want to use them in comfort. The showers are also small, so don't drop anything while you're in there as you won't be able to bend over to pick it up without opening the shower door! I was also disappointed to find there was no fridge - a minor point, but it's the first time I've been on a ship without one. More importantly, the life jackets were stored on a shelf above the hanging space in the wardrobe, and there was no way I would have been able to reach up that high to get one down in an emergency. For this particular cruise, a minor niggle was that I wasn't advised in advance of the book that the reading group onboard was going to be reading so didn't have an opportunity to buy it ahead of the trip. I also discovered at the end of the cruise that there had been a knit and natter group that I could have joined had it been added to the list of activities. Finally, it would have been helpful if the shop had stocked ice grips for walking boots. Not something that would need to be sold all year round, but it would be good if some thought to what items are sold in relation to the journeys being undertaken.

Good Afternoon Sarah, I am sorry to read that you were unhappy with some elements of your recent cruise with us. Please do put you comments into writing to our Guest Relations Team, who would be happy to advise further. [email protected] Kind Regards Guest Services Team

GREAT VALUE FOR MONEY

For the length of the cruise i found it great value for money. Thoroughly enjoyed the Bingo and prize money was good. Entertainment good to excellent with only 2 shows didn't work for me and that was Rock and Elton John. The mix up of the songs didn't gel, Rock was mostly Queen mash up and with Elton John i thought it would be Jamie Lee's singing with the piano, the variety act didn't gel. The act that gets my excellent votes are Frankie Valli by Kyle - Pitch Perfect and Gianluca with Frank and Dean... but nothing is perfect and i agree with some comments on another review... sunbeds being hogged especially the pods, i also found people smoking outside the designated area hence the foggy air in the theatre and the cavern...nobody sticks to the rules ? and just small things like air conditioning and the lifts not working making it hard for wheelchair users like my son as they were always full + on a large boat why are there only 3 washing machines on hand ? Having said that we have booked our next one !!

Good Afternoon Joanna, I am sorry to hear that you experienced some issues whilst onboard with us, however I am also pleased to hear that you had an enjoyable time overall and have booked again. If you would like to provide your feedback, please do email the Guest Relations Team, who would be happy to investigate the points raised. [email protected] Kind Regards Guest Services Team

THE STAFF ARE SO FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL.

THE STAFF ARE SO FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL. The entertainment is amazing and the food is delicious. I had no problem with the air conditioning and have just booked two more cruises with Amdassador. The company can't be beaten on value for money. This was my second cruise with them.

Good Afternoon Sue, Thank you for the great review and we are so pleased to hear that you had another fantastic cruise with us! We look forward to welcoming you onboard again in the near future. Kind Regards Guest Services Team

Woeful lack of a duty of care

I have left the Ambition on 29th March after self isolating with covid for 4 days. On the day of departure I was found to wandering the ship in my underwear in a delusional state, talking gibberish and hallucinating, according to two passengers I had met on ship. After a visit to A&E on the next day I returned ,it was found that I had been suffering from an acute urinary infection. Nevertheless I was allowed to leave the ship without my wallet, monies or any form of identification to travel back to my home by train and tube. I have no recollection of the journey whatsoever, but I manged to get to my son's home, still having hallucinations at around 5.30pm. I am now only able to send this message after 3 separate days spent at the George EIliot Hospital. I am an 80 year old widower who has been let down totally by a woeful lack of duty of care from the all the staff of the Ambition. I believe their only priority was to get the outgoing passengers of the ship and the new ones as quick as possible and damn the individual. I think the saying "when you reach 80 years, you become invisible" definitely applies here. Richard Reynolds. Cabin 8154. I have just had reply from Ambassador cruise lines and all they have said is submit my complaints to guestservicem I have been doing that by phone, text,and email since March 1st and that is where they stay. I don't think anyone is listening or reading them. I think they think the problem will just go away. I have several times asked to be put through to a senior executive or ask a senior executive to call me. The standard reply is no we cannot do that, put it in an email to guestservices and that is as far as it goes. Shocking customer service especially after the way I have been treated. Richard Reynolds, Cabin 8154 Ambition.

Good Afternoon Richard, I am sorry to read that you are dissatisfied with the service. I can advise that all correspondence post cruise will need to be in writing, in order for us to investigate further. I have liaised with the Guest Relations Team and they have confirmed that they have now received your feedback and will respond within the 28 day time frame. We thank you for your patience. Kind Regards Guest Services Team

Poor cabin not up to standard.

Poor cabin not up to standard. Cold lunch buffet same each day.no variety. Canapes in cabin ....chocolate every other day. Chocolate is not a canape Meals adequate but not outstanding. Customer service adequate. I tripped over a loose paving slab on board. No one seemed interested. The entertainment shows was excelent

Date of experience : January 06, 2024

Good Afternoon Beverley, I understand that our Guest Relations Team are addressing the issues raised, directly with yourself. Kind Regards Guest Services Team.

Ambassador cancelled our 5wk cruise…

Ambassador cancelled our 5wk cruise over Christmas & New Year via email with 1 & a half days notice!! After many email & conversations we have a satisfactory solution. They are now mindful of the distress they caused us & have been sympathetic & fairly generous with their offer of a further cruise.

Date of experience : December 08, 2023

Good Afternoon Kerry, I understand that the matter has now been resolved by our Guest Relations Team. Kind Regards Guest Services Team

Shorter cruises

We went last September on a 17 night cruise to Med from Bristol I notice that nearly all cruises are 10 or 11 nights. I wouldn't go on a no fly cruise for less than 14 nights and have to travel to a port some distance away. Why the change?

Good Afternoon David. Thank you for the review. If you would like to discuss the itineraries further, please do send your query to our Reservations Team, who would be happy to help. [email protected]. Kind Regards Guest Services Team

NO reply back

I had the worse cruise that i ever been on with this company and indeed i have left two write ups on how bad it was .I reported this to ROL who i booked it through and also went to Ambassador cruise line direct to there complaints department this was reported the day after i returned from the cruise from hell .Was told i would get a reply and answers ,from ROL and Ambassador ,iv even rung them direct only to have the phone put down on me which i would have understood if i had been rude ,However the person i got through to said to me ,(YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS COMPLAINED) Than they put the phone down on me ...Nice thats the way to improve this so called cruise line .This cruise line does ,,,,what Jack the Ripper done to the East end of London Rips you from your hard earnt money and gives you nothing in return .

Date of experience : December 21, 2023

Ambassador Cruise Line: In With the New

• July 23, 2021

A new cruise line with a host of familiar faces in management is what Ambassador Cruise Line brings to the British cruise market.

Former executives of Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV), a cruise line that went into administration nearly a year ago, have teamed up to launch a new brand with a ship that was once meant to start sailing for CMV.

The ship was the former Pacific Dawn and was set to move to CMV in 2021 before it ceased operations. Originally launched as the Regal Princess, the ship moved to P&O Australia and enjoyed a short time as the “crypto cruise ship” in late 2020. Now renamed the Ambience, the ship will start sailing for Ambassador in spring 2022.

“We do have the benefit that we have experience in this area and have managed to build something that unfortunately didn’t make it through COVID,” CEO Christian Verhounig told Cruise Industry News . “But (Ambassador Cruise Line) is very new; we set a new vision behind it with new values. And I think it’s extremely exciting.”

Verhounig said that the concrete idea to start the cruise line was born in autumn 2020, some months after the demise of CMV.

“We’d seen a niche which was vacated. We’d seen a massive pent-up demand on the market. While the cruise industry has faced some negative press, frequent cruisers or past cruisers especially recognize how safe cruises are and what great value for money it is. Therefore, we have decided to open up a premium-value product, which is very self-centric around the future, sustainability and ethics,” he noted.

Bringing the 1,590-passenger vessel back into the fleet was not a question of taking what was going to be CMV’s ship in 2020, Verhounig said.

“It’s about the ship herself. The ship has a perfect size for the market entry we are planning. She has a massive space ratio, nearly incomparable to anything in the mainstream market today. She has very spacious cabins, which are a good fit for the cruises we are planning, which are generally longer itineraries,” he explained.

Ambitious Ambassador

While the first 33 cruises put out by Ambassador are relatively short cruises, Ambassador’s goal for the future is to offer longer itineraries. This would ultimately include world cruises. But for now the initial deployment package includes the Baltic, Greenland, the Arctic and Iceland, as well as a range of expedition-style voyages to the Canaries, Cuba, the Caribbean, Cape Verde and Scandinavia in the winter months.

Making the Ambience environmentally friendly has been one of the biggest tasks in the lead-up to Ambassador’s launch.

“She has come at the right price for us, which allows us to invest heavily into all environmental aspects. We’ve decided that before she enters the market, we will upgrade the vessel on the engine side, to make her fully IMO Tier III compliant to be able to go into environmental protected areas that have already ratified the IMO requirements,” Verhounig said.

Verhounig did not reveal which or how many other cruise ships Ambassador is looking at, but said that they would be of a similar size to the Ambience.

“A project as such is not about how many ships we have; I don’t think we have a target for that. We do want to become the leading provider of premium-value cruises for the silver market. We want to have this in the UK, but also other national markets,” he said, clarifying that adding homeports in other countries is on the agenda.

Excerpt from Cruise Industry News Quarterly Magazine :Summer 2021 

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Everything you need to know about Britain's newest cruise line - Ambassador Cruise Line

Author: Lucy Abbott

Published on: 24 July 2022

Updated on: 01 September 2022

Ambassador Cruise Line offers a new era of no-fly British cruising for you to dive into - from the West End style entertainment to fresh and delicious food, you'll be impressed.

Calling all cruise lovers – Ambassador Cruise Line is the newest British cruise line on the block.

This British cruise line is sparkling new and ready to impress. Don't you worry – there are plenty of opportunities to get onboard, with the first ship, Ambience , having embarked on her inaugural season in April 2022 and sailings on sale until spring 2024.

Cruising should be easy, and Ambassador delivers exactly this with all of its year-round sailings departing from London Tilbury, and from 2023 Newcastle, Dundee, Liverpool, Belfast, Bristol and Falmouth.

From glitzy entertainment, with choreography by the one and only, Strictly Come Dancing's Anton Du Beke to indulgent locally inspired cuisine in the Borough Market restaurant and the main Buckingham restaurant, Ambassador is a must-cruise.

If you want to try something new, with British quality infused throughout, read on to find out more about this fresh cruise line...

Ambassador Cruise Line launches ‘Refer a friend’ scheme

Special guests at sea: ambassador cruise line invites keynote speakers for special events, newly launched: take the whole family to the balearics with ambassador cruise line, the world awaits: ambassador cruise line launches its first ever world cruise, olympic gold medallist named godmother of ambassador cruise line's ambition, star on board: tim vine, competition: win an ambassador cruise line cruise for two worth £3,000 - competition now closed, save hundreds in ambassador cruise line's latest sale - cheap drinks, cabins and cruises, most popular cruise destinations for 2022 and beyond, ambassador cruise line unveils amazing savings of 25% off - but you have to be quick, the ambassador difference, no-fly, no stress.

Look, we all know the stress of flying. The early mornings, the passport panic, the waiting around and, not even to mention, the airport delays - well imagine if your holiday could start straight away.

With Ambassador, this is a reality. Hop on your plush mid-sized ship and enjoy the classic joy that cruising brings.

- READ MORE: Discover new itineraries and ship released by Ambassador -

You could even take advantage of departing from the bustling city of London and enjoy an overnight stay beforehand to start your holiday earlier.

What's more, after finishing its spring 2023 season, Ambassador will be expanding its departure ports to six new regional ports (Newcastle, Dundee, Liverpool, Belfast and Falmouth) the line will be welcoming its second ship to the fleet in March 2023, Ambition - lucky you.

Not only do you not have to worry about flying and any additional cost, but you can also sit back and relax as every cruise with Ambassador include all three meals, afternoon teas and complimentary tea and coffee stations 24 hours a day (Brits rejoice).

Find your ideal cruise

Search for the best cruises with Ambassador Cruise Line

Adults-only galore

Enjoy the peace and quiet that an adults-only cruise line brings. No more worrying about where the children or grandchildren have run off to - just worry about what cocktail you'll order next!

Although the cruise line primarily caters for over 50s cruises, all ages over 18 are welcome onboard.

- READ MORE: First look at Ambassador's Ambience -

Ambassador also is the perfect base for singles , dedicating 89 cabins onboard Ambience to solo cruisers across five varying suite/balcony categories.

Couples and larger groups are welcome onboard too. The line also lifts its adults-only rule for two multi-generational cruises over the summer holidays, so you can enjoy valuable time with children and grandchildren while exploring the world.

Let me entertain you

If you are the first one to be seated for a night of entertainment onboard, then you'll thoroughly enjoy the thought and glamour that is put into the onboard entertainment.

Ambassador offers an entertainment and enrichment programme where you can delve into a multitude of new skills - from crafting to salsa classes.

Have a drink (or two) at Raffles Bar before heading over to the tiered theatre and admire impressive performances that take you away to countless imaginary lands or opt to learn about an intriguing new subject from a selected guest speaker.

If you want to learn more, then take advantage of the programme 'In Conversation with...' where you can drink up the knowledge of a celebrity performer or speaker talk about their life, with a chance to ask them all your burning questions.

You can also look at the lighter side of life in the Laughter Lounge, which puts on both evening and late-night shows, and laugh your socks off.

Whip out your dancing shoes and get swept up in the whirlwind of a world tour of the top dances throughout the decades - keep an eye out for a virtual guest appearance from none other than Anton Du Beke.

Foodie galore

Let's all admit that food is one of the main reasons why we cruise - okay, now we have that in the open, Ambassador has got a range of impressive dining options that are already proving popular with guests.

Onboard their flagship Ambience you will find Borough Market with its variety of food stalls that cater for most tastes; The Oven offering carvery options, Points East for Asian delights and Graze ‘n’ Grains for Vegan specialities to name but a few.

The traditional Buckingham Restaurant is the ship's main restaurant and brings the glamour of dining on board a cruise ship; gala nights, baked Alaska parades and more courses than you can shake a stick at, need we say more?

- READ MORE: Six of the best no-fly cruises -

An increased amount of speciality restaurants onboard result in plenty of choices for those special occasions - the supplementary charge is totally worth it as you devour a slice of sumptuous steak at Sea & Grass or tuck into crafted Asian cuisine in Saffron.

For those of you who are looking for something extra special, opt for the Chef's Table and get treated like a true VIP.

Here, you'll indulge in multiple courses that have been hand-selected by the Executive Chef - it's only right that you try out every dining venue onboard, right?

Peace of mind

Sailing nowadays, we want to feel safer than ever, which is why Ambassador's peace of mind guarantee is so great.

Enjoy a heightened level of commitment from the line, with a refund guarantee and the opportunity to book with just a deposit and only having to pay up to 90 days before embarking.

To protect your booking further, be reassured by the financial insurance cover that is in place to financially protect your booking as well as the fact that your money will be held in a trust account until you sail. Peace of mind also counts when thinking about the way we travel, and Ambassador has reduced Ambience's emissions by 95% from her first sailing in April 2022 after modifications – impressive stuff.

So if good food and entertainment backed by British excellence sounds like your kind of cruise, Ambassador is the cruise line for you.

Competition: Win a river cruise with Riviera Travel

First cruise ship docks at new stornoway deep water port, a poor silly fad middle-earth cruise promises 38 per cent survival rate, riviera travel celebrates 40 years, regent seven seas cruises reveals world cruise costing a record-breaking £1.3 million, royal caribbean announces new beach club in mexico, competition: win a two-night stay with chewton glen, disney announces new heroes and villains-themed cruise ship, holland america line marks 151st anniversary with 35 per cent off, celestyal adds more 2025 departures due to demand, about lucy abbott.

Lucy is a cruise journalist who has sailed on a variety of ships, from expedition to river – with her favourite being expedition cruising.

Lucy is interested in new sustainable ways to cruise as well as how cruising is becoming accessible for all.

She works together with Kaye Holland to keep the World of Cruising website up to date with all the latest cruise news.

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Spain, Morocco, and the Canary Islands

• 15 nights, departs on the 04 Feb 2026
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Ambassador Cruise Line

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Ambassador Cruise Line fleet

Review of ambassador cruise line.

Ambassador Cruise Line is a new cruise travel brand (2020-established/2021-inaugurated) and a UK-based company headquartered in Purfleet-on-Thames (Essex England). The company targets the British source market exclusively (50+ age travelers), trying to take the place of the popular Cruise And Maritime Voyages/CMV (2009-2020).

The company's Founder, President and CEO is Christian Verhounig, who is also the Owner and CEO of CVI Group Ltd (shipowner).

The shipowner CVI Group Ltd is a London City-based company incorporated on August 18, 2020, with first statement date August 17, 2021.

Ambassador's current executive managers include Phil Gardner (CCO-Chief Commercial Officer), Matthias Seeger (CFO-Chief Financial Officer), Nick Hughes (COO-Chief Operating Officer), Gordon Wilson (Board of Directors' Chair), Gordon Nardini (CMO-Chief Marketing Officer), Simon Weeks (CAO-Chief Administrative Officer), Mo Parvez (Finance's Director), Michelle Lupino (Destination Management's Director), Glynn Perkin (CTO-Chief Technology Officer), Chris Coates (Ambassador-at-Large), Dave Eastwood (Reservations' Director), Bob McGowan (Guest Experience's Director), Nicola Harper (Head of Distribution), Ian Benjafield (Head of Communications).

Ambassador's principal homeport is Tilbury-London , and all itineraries are roundtrips. The company doesn't offer fly-cruise deals. In April 2022 was announced the Ambition ship's UK homeports - Tilbury, Newcastle Port Tyne , Liverpool , Avonmouth-Bristol , Falmouth , Dundee Scotland , Belfast .

Company history/changes

In late-August 2020 was announced that CVI Group acquired/purchased most of the CMV 's assets, including websites, intellectual property, and customer databases.

In May 2021 was announced that Ambassador is the new operator of the "Crypto Cruise Ship" Satoshi/now Ambience .

In September 2021 Ambassador announced the "premium coach service" providing nationwide/UK access to Port Tilbury from 80 bus pick-up points in England and Wales. All buses are air-conditioned, with restrooms, media/TV, executive seats.

On January 27, 2022, was announced that Carnival Corporation/shipowner (via Costa Crociere SpA) sold AIDAmira to Ambassador Cruise Line. The ship (renamed Ambition ) starts services for Ambassador in 2023.

In May 2022, Ambassador launched the partnership with Readly AB (2012-founded Swedish digital subscription service with 6000+ newspapers and magazines/UK and global/ available via a mobile app for a monthly fee). The partnership deal was signed by Bob McGowan (Ambassador's Head of Guest Experience) and Ranj Begley (Readly's UK Managing Director and CCO/Chief Content Officer).

In June 2022, Ambassador signed a deal with Telenor Maritime to design, install and support the shipboard Internet and WiFi connectivity networks fleetwide. The system combines Ku-band VSAT antennas (12-18GHz) and Mobile Backhaul broadband technology (wireless communication systems transporting data between the shipboard network and the Internet).

For summer 2022 (on MS Ambience) Ambassador launched a kids-sail-free promotion (offering prices as low as GBP 1 per child). The promo was for the 14-night "Hidden Nordic Treasures Multi-Generational Cruise" roundtrip from London-Tilbury (first departure July 23rd) visiting Denmark (Copenhagen, Ronne/Bornholm Island, Skagen), Estonia (Tallinn), Finland (Helsinki), and Sweden Stockholm, Visby/Gotland). The kids sailings also featured circus-themed activities and workshops.

In February 2023, Ambassador Cruise Line signed a multi-year partnership deal with London Stadium 185 Ltd the operator of the 2012-opened, 66000-seat London Stadium owned by E20Stadium LLP). By the deal, the cruise brand is promoted across the stadium’s events calendar - including Premier League Football, Major League Baseball, Athletics and Concerts. The deal was signed by Gordon Nardini (Ambassador's CMO) and Graham Gilmore (London Stadium's CEO).

In mid-October 2023 was launched the Ambassador Cruise Line App (mobile application). The App is for devices with iOS and Android systems, and is available for download at Apple's App Store and Google Play's Android Apps.

In January 2024 was launched the "Ambassador Guarantee". The initiative targets first-time cruise customers booking a 4-night or longer itinerary. If the guest didn’t enjoy his/her first voaye, the company offers to cover all transportation costs for the return back home from the next available call port to the homeport, plus issuing a full refund for the fare paid.

In March 2024 was appointed Carly Bowkett as the company's BDM/Business Development Manager. Previously employed by Protected Travel Ship (Store Manager), she manages Ambassador's trade sales in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland, reporting directly to Karen Cameron (Divisional Sales Manager).

Itinerary of Ambassador Cruise Line

Ambassador Cruise Line UK currently owns and operates two ships - Ambience (1991-built, fka MS Satoshi, CMV Amy Johnson, P&O Pacific Dawn, Regal Princess) and Ambition (1999-built, fka AIDAmira, Costa neoRiviera, Grand Mistral, MS Mistral).

Ambassador's principal homeport is  Tilbury-London , and all itineraries are roundtrips. The company doesn't offer fly-cruise deals.

Ambition ship's itinerary program (the inaugural 2023 season) started with the Maiden Voyage from Tilbury on March 4th (2023). The liner's UK homeports are London-Tilbury , Newcastle Port Tyne , Liverpool , Avonmouth-Bristol (Royal Portbury Dock), Falmouth , Dundee Scotland , Belfast Northern Ireland . In May 2022 was announced Ambience ship's "Grand Round the World Cruise" (120-night itinerary roundtrip from Tilbury) as well as the 6x UK homeports for the boat (Newcastle, Liverpool, Avonmouth-Bristol, Falmouth, Dundee, Belfast).

Ambassador's 2024-2025 itinerary program groups Ambience's and Ambition's voyages visiting a total of 127 call ports in 34 countries (6 continents). The itineraries visit popular European destinations like the Mediterranean and the Norwegian Fjords, as well as the Caribbean. The program includes two multigenerational voyages as well as themed cruises attended by celebrity guests (experts, lecturers, entertainers) and short breaks popular among the British as weekend getaways and for visiting Europe's largest Christmas Markets.

In March 2024, Ambassador Cruise Lines unveiled its 2025-2026 itineraries, featuring departures from 7 ports across the UK. The ships  Ambience  and her sistership  Ambition  are scheduled to visit a combined total of 130 ports across 3 continents starting 2025. Destinations include Western Europe, the Mediterranean, Scandinavia, and the Caribbean. Departures originate from 7 regional ports across the UK, spanning from  London Tilbury  to  Newcastle Tyne ,  Dundee ,  Liverpool ,  Belfast ,  Bristol Royal Portbury , and  Falmouth . Ambience is due to host 31 sailings and two festive events, while Ambition is expected to offer an additional 45 sailings and 2 festive events. The itineraries cater to the over 50s market, with 5 multi-generational sailings also available.

Ambassador Cruise Line related cruise news

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Ambassador's 2-ship fleet to boast SpaceX Starlink connectivity

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MSC Cruises chooses Bilbao (Spain) as embarkation/homeport for MSC Grand Voyages itinerary

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Ambassador Cruise Line's ship Ambition christened by double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson

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Ambassador Cruise Line's ship Ambition leaves drydock at Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven (Germany)

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2 crew members die on Holland America ship; fire breaks out on Carnival cruise

MIAMI — Two crew members died on board a Holland America cruise ship, and a fire broke out on a Carnival ship while both of the ships were in the Bahamas this weekend, officials said.

The two crew on the Florida-based Nieuw Amsterdam died Friday during an "accidental steam release" while it was calling at the private resort island Half Moon Cay, Holland America said in a statement on Sunday.

"There was an accidental steam release in an engineering space on board Nieuw Amsterdam, which sadly resulted in the death of two crew members," the cruise line said.

The Bahamas Maritime Authority and the Dutch Safety Board were investigating the exact cause of the release, Holland America said.

A representative of the Bahama’s Coroner’s Court did not immediately respond to a request for information, such as the crew members’ identities and the cause and manner of death.

The cruise line said the conclusions of any investigation would be taken seriously. "Safety is always our top priority, and we are working to understand what, if anything, can be learned from this tragic accident," it said.

Passenger Laine Doss said she was on board when the captain announced the deaths on the vessel's P.A. system.

"We were celebrating the last day of the cruise," she said, when the mood changed "to something extremely somber."

The captain's voice broke, she said.

"He broke down crying," Doss said. "There was a moment of silence that the captain requested. And that entire scenario did affect the entire cruise. Things were canceled, joyous events were canceled, and we really just thought about mortality — the people who perished on the ship."

Crew members were being offered counseling, Holland America said.

Dutch government inspectors determined the vessel to be "fully operable," and this was "confirmed" by the U.S. Coast Guard, the cruise line said.

A U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson said she was looking into the statement and was unable to immediately confirm it.

The Nieuw Amsterdam returned Saturday to its home port of Fort Lauderdale, guests disembarked, and the vessel has embarked on a cruise with a stop in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, on Monday, Holland America said.

"All of us at Holland America Line are deeply saddened by this event," the cruise line said. "We’ve been in contact with the families of both team members and are offering our support to them and to all of our crew at this difficult time."  

The ship set sail out of Fort Lauderdale on March 16 for a seven-night trip.

Fire on the port-side exhaust funnel of another Florida-based cruise ship in the Bahamas, the Carnival Freedom, rocked some passengers Saturday and took the ship out of commission for repairs, the cruise line said.

No injuries were reported.

In a statement Sunday, Carnival Cruises acknowledged witness reports of a lightning strike or the sound of thunder before the fire erupted.

Passenger Heath Barnes said the ship was on a detoured path, destined for an unscheduled stop in Freeport, as a result of stormy weather and high winds when fire started.

"I was shocked," he said. "I mean, I looked out there and you're not supposed to see black smoke and fire shooting out of the tail end of the cruise."

The blaze was preceded by "the loudest thunder-lightning clap that I've ever heard in my life," Barnes said.

Ship personnel extinguished the fire, Carnival Cruises said.

The cruise line said a technical team determined the ship sustained enough damage that it will need repairs before it can be returned to scheduled cruises. The funnel was stabilized, passengers were expected to be returned to Port Canaveral, and the ship will set off to Freeport for repairs, it said.

"The damage is more than we first thought and will require an immediate repair to stabilize the funnel, resulting in the cancellation of the March 25 and March 29 cruises from Port Canaveral," Carnival Cruises said.

Passengers scheduled for those late-March cruises are being offered full refunds and credit that can be used for a future cruise, it said.

It was the second funnel fire on the Carnival Freedom since 2022.

Marissa Parra is a national correspondent for NBC News based in Miami, Florida.

Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. 

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March 27, 2024 - Baltimore Key Bridge collapse

By Kathleen Magramo , Antoinette Radford, Alisha Ebrahimji , Maureen Chowdhury , Elise Hammond , Tori B. Powell and Aditi Sangal , CNN

Our live coverage of the Baltimore bridge collapse has moved here .

Here's what you should know about the Key Bridge collapse

From CNN staff

Officials recovered the bodies of two construction workers who were on Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge when it collapsed early Tuesday morning after a 984-foot-long cargo ship collided into a pillar.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore called the collapse Wednesday " a global crisis ."

"The national economy and the world's economy depends on the Port of Baltimore. The port handles more cars and more farm equipment than any other port in the country," Moore said.

Here's what you should know:

• The victims: The six people who are presumed dead were from Mexico Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, according to Col. Roland L. Butler Jr, the superintendent of Maryland State Police. Two bodies were recovered and have been identified as Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes from Mexico and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera from Guatemala. The two workers were filling potholes on the bridge and were later found trapped in a red pickup truck in about 25 feet of water, Butler said. The FBI is handling notifying the victims' families, Butler said.
• Recovery efforts: Authorities are pausing search efforts for the four other workers who are presumed dead, because additional vehicles are encased in concrete and other debris, making it unsafe for divers, Butler said. Once salvage operations clear the debris, divers will search for more remains, he said.
• The investigation: The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the fatal incident, according to the agency's chair Jennifer Homendy. During a Wednesday news conference, Homendy said there were 21 crew members and two pilots on board the Dali cargo ship when it crashed into the bridge. She also said a senior NTSB hazmat investigator identified 56 containers of hazardous material, and that some containers are in the water. The agency received six hours of voyage data from the ship and the investigation could take 12 to 24 months to complete, Homendy said. She emphasized that NTSB will not analyze information collected or provide conclusions while on scene of the collapse.
• Looking forward: Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said rebuilding the bridge will not be "quick or easy" but that it will get done. He said there are four main focus points ahead: reopening the port, dealing with supply chain issues until its reopening, rebuilding the bridge and dealing with traffic issues until the bridge is rebuilt. Biden  pledged the full support  of the federal government in the response and recovery efforts. His administration has already conveyed a sense of urgency to open up federal funding to remove debris and ultimately rebuild the bridge. Maryland has submitted a request to the Biden administration for emergency relief funds "to assist in our work going forward," Moore said Wednesday.

It's almost impossible to place people on the bow of ship due to the unstable structure, fire official says

 From CNN's Sarah Engel

Baltimore City Fire Chief James Wallace said Wednesday that the cargo ship's bridge structure and containers at the bow remain unstable.

"It's going to be very difficult, if not impossible, and very dangerous, to place people on the bow of that boat right now," Wallace told CNN's Kaitlan Collins.

"Naturally, we're still very cognizant of the fact that there are hazardous materials on board the vessel itself," Wallace said, alluding to the National Transportation Safety Board saying earlier that 56 containers were carrying hazardous materials.

Wallace said his team is relying heavily on aerial recognizance, including drones. "That's the only way we're able to see in," he said.  

He added that the aerial surveillance has "been able to really assure us right now we have no [chemical] reactions on board." 

"It's just utter devastation," NTSB chief says of the bridge collapse site

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, called the site of the Key Bridge collapse "devastating."

"It's pretty devastating, certainly, seeing not just what's going on with the cargo containers, but just looking at what was a bridge span — three bridge spans that is pretty much gone. It's just utter devastation," she said at Wednesday evening's news briefing.

She added that she is thinking of families who lost loved ones and those who are waiting to reunite with their lived ones.

NTSB interviewed the Dali's captain and some other crew members today, agency chief says

The National Transportation Safety Board has interviewed the ship's captain, his mate, the chief engineer and one other engineer today, according to Chair Jennifer Homendy.

The two pilots on board the Dali at the time of collision will be interviewed tomorrow, she added.

Cargo ship's voyage data recorder is basic when compared to an airplane's, NTSB chair says

From CNN's Tori B. Powell

The voyage data recorder on the cargo ship Dali was a "newer model" but is considered basic when compared to that on an airplane, according to National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy.

"But it is very basic compared to say, a flight data recorder, where we would have 1,000 parameters," she said at a news conference on Wednesday.

The NTSB chief investigator Marcel Muise added:

"It's not a ship-wide system recorder, so most of the sensors that are being recorded are from the bridge. So things like GPS, the audio, rudder feedback, rudder commands are recorded on there. But not engineering, the temperature of each cylinder, power distribution sensors."

There were no tug boats with Dali at the time of the collision. That's normal, NTSB chief says

There were no tugs with Dali when the cargo vessel collided with Baltimore's Key Bridge, which is normal protocol, according to National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy.

Remember: At 01:26:39 on Tuesday, Dali's pilot made a general very high frequency (VHF) radio call for tugs in the vicinity to assist, the NTSB investigator Marcel Muise had said.

"The tugs help the vessel leave the dock, leave the port and get into the main ship channel. And then they leave. Once it's on its way, it's a straight shot through the channel. So there are no tugs with the vessel at the time. So they were calling for tugs," she said.

NTSB chair says she saw some containers that were carrying hazardous materials in the water

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said she did see some of the 56 containers that were carrying hazardous materials in the water.

When asked how many

When asked how many containers of hazardous materials were in the water, Homendy said:

"I did see some containers in the water, and some breached significantly on the vessel itself," she said. "I don't have an exact number, but it's something that we can provide in an update."

Homendy said that a preliminary report should be out in two to four weeks.

This post has been updated with more quotes from Homendy.

Bridge did not have any redundancy, unlike the preferred method for building bridges today, NTSB chair says

Baltimore's Key Bridge did not have any redundancy, which is included in the preferred method of building bridges in the present day, according to National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy.

"The bridge is a fracture critical," she explained. "What that means is if a member fails that would likely cause a portion of, or the entire bridge, to collapse, there's no redundancy. The preferred method for building bridges today is that there is redundancy built in, whether that's transmitting loads to another member or some sort of structural redundancy. This bridge did not have redundancy," Homendy said.

There are 17,468 fracture critical bridges in the United States out of 615,000 bridges total, she said, citing the Federal Highway Administration.

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8 passengers, including Garden City couple, rejoin cruise ship after being left

H ORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) - The eight guests who were left on an African island nation by their cruise ship are back on the ship on Tuesday.

In a statement, Norwegian Cruise Line said the eight were set to rejoin the ship in Dakar, Senegal.

The group was originally supposed to reboard on Monday in Banjul, Gambia, but the ship could not dock safely due to the weather.

Norwegian Cruise Line said their protocol means guests are typically responsible for any travel costs to rejoin the ship at the next port of call, but Norwegian will reimburse the group because of the weather issues.

The guests, which include a Garden City couple, Jill and Jay Campbell, haven’t been back on the ship since March 27, while the ship was in São Tomé and Príncipe, an African island nation.

Norwegian Cruise Line said the guests were on a private tour and did not make it back in time.

“We were waiting for the tender boats to come back and get us because our boat was anchored off the harbor, but they didn’t come back to get us, so we’re stranded here,” said Jay Campbell.

The cruise line said all guests were told about 3 p.m. all aboard time, but the eight guests missed it by more than an hour. It added that their passports were left with the local port agents for retrieval.

Norwegian Cruise Line explained that it works closely with local tour operators to ensure excursions are planned to the cruise line’s schedule to guarantee timely arrivals back to port. The cruise line said since the group was on a private tour, it was not in communication with the tour operator.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Cruise line responds after Garden City couple among those left behind on African island

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The Campbells were eight days into the 21-day cruise, which started in South Africa, when they were left.

Norwegian Cruise Line claimed that once the guests did not make it back to the ship at the all aboard time, it worked with them and the local port agent to help with obtaining the necessary visas for them.

”Our team has been working closely with the local authorities to understand the requirements and necessary visas needed for the guests to rejoin the ship at the next available port of call,” the cruise line said.

The cruise line also said another guest was “medically disembarked” on March 27 while the ship was in São Tomé and Príncipe.

After leaving a hospital on the island, that guest was escorted on a flight to Portugal, “and then put in the care of airport staff to continue her journey to the United States,” Norwegian Cruise Line said.

Stay with WMBF News for updates.

Carnival Freedom's next two sailings canceled after funnel fire, second within 2 years

A fire in the exhaust funnel of the Carnival Freedom this weekend has disrupted a cruise for the second time in less than two years — and will mean that the Florida-based ship's next two sailings are canceled.

Damage to the funnel will require the cancellation of Carnival's next two cruises out of Port Canaveral, which were scheduled to depart Monday and Friday.

There were about 3,700 passengers onboard the ship when the fire occured. And the two upcoming sailings, which were canceled, likely would have had a similar passenger count amid the busy Spring Break season.

Carnival initially had said it expected no changes in its upcoming cruises, but on Sunday afternoon said the cancellations would be required.

"Regrettably, the damage is more than we first thought, and will require an immediate repair to stabilize the funnel, resulting in the cancellation of the March 25 and March 29 cruises from Port Canaveral," according to a statement issued by Matt Lupoli, Carnival Cruise Line's senior manager of public relations. "The funnel has been stabilized for the ship’s return to Port Canaveral overnight to disembark guests, and then it will go to the Freeport shipyard on Monday afternoon to begin the required repairs."

Carnival said it made the decision after "our technical team completed a thorough assessment" during the ship’s visit Sunday to Freeport in the Bahamas.

In the statement, Carnival said: "We sincerely regret the impact to our embarking guests, as we know they have been looking forward to their spring break vacation. We are providing all guests on both canceled cruises a full refund and a 100% future cruise credit, so they can come back and enjoy a future cruise with us. We also greatly appreciate the terrific guests who are currently sailing with us, for their outstanding cooperation and support."

In a Facebook post, Carnival's widely followed brand ambassador, John Heald, conceded that many people who booked one of the canceled cruises are "feeling very disappointed," and he apologized for the turn of events.

But, Heald added that he wanted to assure affected passengers that, "when you rebook, using your full refund and your 100% future cruise credit, that the crew will be standing by to give you all the fun you deserve."

More than 500 people responded to the post, with many saying they thought Carnival was generous with the compensation offer. But some people who said they were on the cruise that experienced the fire said they thought Carnival should have done more for the people who were on the ship.

Carnival said the fire was confined to the funnel area. The cruise line said there are no reports of injuries to passengers. Two firefighting crew members were treated for minor smoke inhalation.

Carnival said that, at about 3:15 p.m. Saturday, the Carnival Freedom reported a fire on the port side of the ship’s exhaust funnel. The ship was 20 miles off Eleuthera Island, Bahamas, heading to Freeport after a canceled call to the Carnival private island of Princess Cays due to adverse weather.

"The ship’s fire response team was quickly activated, and the ship’s captain also turned the vessel towards the heavy rain in the area to maximize the efforts to put out the flames," an earlier Carnival statement said. "Eyewitnesses reported the possibility of a lightning strike, and that is being investigated, but cannot yet be confirmed."

By 5:20 p.m. Saturday, the fire was extinguished. 

How safe are cruise stops? Travel advisories are only one marker for destinations

Carnival said the ship's captain made multiple announcements to passengers and crew, and advised all but essential safety personnel to stay away from balconies and all open decks. 

The port-side portion of the funnel had fallen onto Deck 10, and the firefighting response put out any flames. 

The U.S. Coast Guard has been notified of the fire, and Carnival activated its incident response team to support the ship’s crew. 

Carnival said there were no other operational issues with the ship’s systems, and the ship, which was on a four-night cruise, was visiting Freeport on Sunday.

A cruise ship funnel generally serves as a smokestack to lift emissions above the deck, thus away from passengers and crew.

On Saturday evening, "Carnival Freedom guests enjoyed the Elegant Night dinner as planned, and, with the exception of the open decks, all areas of the ship are fully functioning," Carnival said in its statement. 

The Carnival Freedom's next voyage was scheduled to depart from Port Canaveral on Monday afternoon on a five-night Eastern Caribbean cruise. That cruise had port-of-call stops scheduled at Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic and at Grand Turk Island in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

But that sailing and a Friday sailing both have been canceled. Friday's five-night sailing also was scheduled to stop at those two ports of call, but in reverse order.

In May 2022 , a fire broke out in the funnel area of the Carnival Freedom while it was docked in Grand Turk. Carnival then canceled three scheduled sailings of the Carnival Freedom out of Port Canaveral because of the need to repair the ship's fire damage at a shipyard in Grand Bahama.

More recently, in October 2023, the Carnival Freedom debuted a new iconic winged funnel after returning from a 16-day dry-dock refurbishment in Cadiz, Spain.

Dave Berman is business editor at  FLORIDA TODAY.  Contact Berman at  [email protected] .