Cruise Line Focus: Ambassador Line

Ambassador Line is the newest cruise line to launch since the pandemic, and although its a new player in the cruise market, particularly for the 50-plus market, it’s also a kind of reincarnation of a much-loved but now defunct British cruise brand.

Ambassador Line is a value cruise brand that seeks to occupy the gap in the market left by Cruise & Maritime Voyages, which shutdown during the pandemic and never reopened. It offers affordable grand voyages and world cruising, with exciting itineraries around the British Isles, the Norwegian Fjords and the Nordic region.

As an example of the price-point Ambassador Line occupies, its ship Ambience will be sailing Down Under from 2024, operating a 49-night repositioning voyage from London to Sydney for just £4,029 (US $5,172).

Ambience is one of two second-hand cruise ships in the cruise line’s fleet, the other being Ambition. Ambiance  is the former Regal Princess and Ambition is the former Costa neoRiviera.

Both offer an onboard experience that is low-key, relaxed and focused on self-enrichment. The cruise line caters exclusively to the over-50 market and draws on traditional British icons for inspiration.

There is a Buckingham restaurant as the main dining room, as well as the Borough Market buffet, and guests can attend a range of lectures in the No.10 Conference Room or settle in with a good book in Bronte’s Library.

Although the cruise line primarily caters to the 50-plus set, it also offers multigenerational sailings for the whole family, but these are select cruises offering during school holidays.

Dining with Ambassador Line

Dining with Ambassador is tailored to the UK cruise market, with full English for breakfast, a sunny al fresco lunch, and a six-course gala dinner. The cruise line offers carefully crafted menus to blend traditional plates with locally inspired cuisine, so that key menu offerings are shaped by the itineraries themselves.

Ambience and Ambition have four restaurants on board – Sea & Grass, Saffron, Borough Market & Buckingham – each offering a unique and memorable dining experience.

Sea & Grass is a premium dining venue, offering an intimate and exclusive setting with a traditional British menu; Saffron offers Indian fusion cuisine in a fine dining setting; and Borough Market is where flavours from around the world come together in a relaxed setting, allowing guests to craft their own unique dining experience with flavours from Italy, India, China, and more.

The main dining room, Buckingham, provides a social dining experience with an ever-changing menu inspired by fresh, local ingredients.

The ships are also home to several bars, including the speakeasy-style Raffles Bar, the elegant Botanical Lounge, SW19, and the Purple Turtle Pub, complete with a décor and atmosphere designed to make you feel that you’re enjoying a tipple in a great British drinking establishment rather than on the high seas.

Entertainment aboard Ambassador Line

Ambassador Line provides a full program of entertainment, from dance classes and educational lectures by day to cabaret-style performances in the show lounges by night. There is also a Palladium theatre featuring song, dance, comedy and storytelling, courtesy of the Ambassador Theatre Company.

Additional activities include arts and crafts, conference rooms, card rooms and a library, with free use as well as structured events and activities during the cruise.

The ship’s also offer a shopping galleria; a fitness centre; an exterior jogging and walking track; a swimming pool, a splash pool and active pool; and the Green Sea Spa, complete with a sauna, steam room, hair salon and a range of spa treatments.