 | |
| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality andtransportation |
| Founded | 2021 |
| Founder | christian verhounig  |
| Headquarters | Purfleet, England |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Christian Verhounig (CEO) |
| Products | Cruises |
| Parent | Njord Partners |
| Website | www.ambassadorcruiseline.com |
Ambassador Cruise Line is a British cruise line headquartered inPurfleet, England.[1] The company launched and announced the purchase of its flagshipAmbience in May 2021 and commenced sales to the public in the following month.
Ambassador Cruise Line tailors towards premium-value no fly cruises which target the adult market, including over 50s, with sailings for families during summer months. Ambassador Cruise Line operates from eight ports in the United Kingdom:London Tilbury,Newcastle,Dundee,Edinburgh Leith,Bristol Royal Portbury,Falmouth,Liverpool andBelfast with London Tilbury and Newcastle being the home ports ofAmbience andAmbition respectively.
The cruise liner offers cruises to destinations such as the British Isles, the Baltics, Scandinavia, Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands, as well as Cuba and the Caribbean.
Ambassador Cruise Line was established in 2021 by Christian Verhounig, who was the former CEO ofCruise & Maritime Voyages which went into administration in 2020.[2]
In 2023, Ambassador cruise line announced that their ships will have internet connections fromStarlink[3] and thatAmbience would sail the grand round-the-world cruise in 2024.[4] Ambassador sponsored the2025 World Indoor Bowls Championship in January 2025.[5]
Ambience set sail for the first time on 20 April 2022, with a short cruise toHamburg, Germany, followed by a cruise toNorway.Ambition launched on the 10 May 2023 after being named by British sailorShirley Robertson OBE and then set sail for the first time on the 12 May 2023 fromPort of Tyne toDundee, Robertson's birthplace, before heading down to France and Spain.[6][7]
On 9 January 2025, Ambassador Cruise Line andCompagnie Française de Croisières [fr] (CFC) announced that they would merge, forming the Ambassador Group, with completion by the end of that month. CFC'sRenaissance will join Ambassador's ships but will continue to serve the French market under the CFC brand.[8][9] To meet the same emission standards (IMO Tier III) as the Ambassador ships,Renaissance will receive engine upgrades in January 2025 which will then allow her visit sea areas where stricter controls are required.[8]
Ambassador plans to increase its fleet to five ships by 2028.[10]
| Ship | Built | In service for Ambassador | Tonnage | Flag | IMO | Notes | Can ColdIron | Home port | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ambience | 1991 | 2022 | 70,285 GT |  Bahamas | IMO number: 8521232 | Sold byP&O Cruises Australia to Ocean Builders and renamedSatoshi with plans to convert her into a floating hotel in Panama.[11] Sold to newly formed Ambassador Cruise Line and announced as the line's flagship in May 2021.[12] She sailed on her maiden cruise on 20 April 2022.[13] | from January 2026 | London Tilbury |  |
| Ambition | 1999 | 2023 | 48,123 GT | Bahamas | IMO number: 9172777 | Purchased fromAida Cruises. Sailed on her maiden cruise on 12 May 2023.[14] | Unknown |  | |
| Compagnie Française de Croisières (CFC) | |||||||||
| Renaissance | 1995 | 2025 (scheduled) | 55,575 GT |  Bermuda | IMO number: 8919257 | Will operate for CFC under Ambassador Group | from January 2025[15] | Le Havre andMarseille |  |