Ambassador Cruise Line shows Ambition as New Ship sails from Bristol Royal Portbury for the First Time

Ambassador Cruise Line, the UK’s leading premium value, no-fly cruise line, launched its second lady of the sea, Ambition, in May, and today, Tuesday 5 September, sees her arrive in Bristol ahead of her inaugural sailing from the West on the British Isles Discovery sailing.

The sailing will see Ambassador offer guests the region the chance to enjoy the convenience of a cruise holiday departing from a port that’s close to home for the very first time.

Ambition, which sailed her maiden voyage from Newcastle in May this year, sees Ambassador welcome guests onboard from eight different UK departure ports for the first time, enabling more of the population to enjoy the convenience of a no-fly cruise holiday. In addition to Bristol Port’s Royal Portbury Dock, guests from London Tilbury – Ambassador’s home port in Essex - Newcastle Tyne, Dundee, Edinburgh Leith, Falmouth, Liverpool and Belfast are now able enjoy a range of exciting itineraries from a port that’s close to home.

Specialising in no-fly itineraries and offering adult-only sailings combined with multigenerational cruises in school holidays for the whole family to enjoy together, Ambassador has six sailings departing from Bristol in the coming cruise season, with an expected 7,440 guests from the region to experience sailing the seas with the cruise line.

The Bristol Port Company owns and operates two docks: Avonmouth Docks and Royal Portbury Dock. Ambition will call into Royal Portbury Dock, which was officially opened in 1977 by the late HRH Queen Elizabeth II. In 2023, Bristol has 14 cruise calls, and as six are Ambition, the cruise line will facilitate almost half of the total calls. In 2024, Bristol is expecting 18 cruise calls, of which seven are Ambition.*

James Stangroom, Director at The Bristol Port Company, said: “We are excited to welcome Britain’s newest cruise line to Bristol Port, giving local residents of the West a quality range of no-fly cruises from the Port.”
 

Kathryn Davis, Managing Director, Visit West, said: “We are delighted to welcome Ambition to Bristol, and the new opportunities that it brings to the visitor economy in the region.  Not only does her schedule allow for those locally to enjoy exceptional experiences, but also benefits international visitors and those from within the UK who can combine their cruise with a stay in the Bristol and Bath area beforehand.”

Christian Verhounig, CEO of Ambassador, said: “Ambassador has, in the short time it has been in operation, firmly established a unique premium value offering and is now renowned within the cruise sector for offering the warmest welcome at sea. We have long been looking forward to celebrating the official launch of sailings from Bristol onboard our second lady of the sea, Ambition.

“Adding another ship to our fleet is evidence of the strength of both Ambassador and the wider cruise industry. Demand for sailings from the West has been very strong, indicating that holidaymakers see a holiday as a necessity, not a luxury, and are eager to get away. Given the current economic climate, our premium value, no-fly offering is proving very popular with new-to-cruise customers and seasoned cruisers alike, courtesy of our inflation-defying prices.

“We’re seeing significant demand for Bristol sailings on our small to mid-size ships with holidaymakers from the West eager to get away this year. Our no-fly holiday options have proved a real hit, with guests telling us that they love driving to a port, parking their car and boarding our ships with a minimum of hassle – and that’s without mentioning how they can avoid airport queues, flight cancellations, baggage limits or exchange rate fluctuations when sailing from the UK, where the currency onboard the Ambassador fleet is in pound sterling.

“Ambition setting off on her maiden voyage from Bristol marks a significant step in Ambassador’s regional departure programme. With nine out of ten guests recommending a sailing with us, we’re looking forward to offering guests from the region the warmest welcome at sea in the months and years to come.”

The inaugural sailing of Ambition from Bristol comes almost 18 months on from Ambassador’s first ship, Ambience, welcoming guests onboard her inaugural sailing in April 2022.  In her first season, Ambience sailed 18 cruises and welcomed almost 30,000 guests onboard, 9 out of 10 of whom said that they would recommend a sailing with Ambassador.

Over the course of her inaugural season, Ambition will visit 29 countries, call at 91 ports and travel more than 70,000 nautical miles. Together with her sister ship, the 2023/24 season will see Ambassador’s portfolio of breathtaking destinations grow to 60 countries, with ships visiting 166 ports and sailing more than 160,000 nautical miles. Cruise experiences will last from two to 120 days, and almost 70,000 guests will travel with Ambassador.

Sailings from Bristol Royal Portbury featuring prices good as at 17.00 on 24 August include:

Inaugural Sailing: British Isles Discovery – 11 nights

Departing Bristol on 5 September 2023, guests who like to leave the beaten track will love this cruise around Britain and its charming islands. After visiting the historic port of Falmouth, the quintessentially French town of Honfleur and vibrant Newcastle, the cruise will head north to Portree in Skye, set amid surreal craggy peaks, and Tobermory in Mull, famous for its pretty pastel houses, before taking in Belfast - a city with a proud maritime heritage. Prices start from £599 per person.

Canaries, Madeira & Morocco Winter Escape – 16 nights

Departing Bristol on 25 October 2023, sunseekers can enjoy a range of glorious destinations from all over the world known for their beautiful landscapes, wonderful coastlines and glorious weather. This cruise includes visits to Santa Cruz de Tenerife, a tropical oasis set amid a chain of paradise islands, and exotic Marrakesh in North Africa, where mazes of medieval alleyways rub shoulders with bustling souks and intimate bars. Prices start from £1,069 per person.

A Taste of Ambassador – 2 nights

Sailing from Bristol Royal Portbury to London Tilbury on Friday 10 November 2023, this all-new cruise concept offers guests the opportunity to enjoy the very best that Ambassador has to offer over the course of just one weekend. New to brand or new to cruise guests can look forward to savouring the amazing entertainment and outstanding cuisine that Ambassador has grown famous for across two nights onboard Ambition. The sailing will feature the very best daytime and nighttime entertainment on offer from the Ambassador Theatre Company as well as a Welcome Cocktail Party and Gala Dinner, which will offer guests the opportunity to dress to the nines and enjoy a specially-designed menu that features a crowd favourite maritime tradition: the Baked Alaska Parade. Bringing a hint of glamour to proceedings, the cruise will also see Linda Lusardi, one of Britain’s best-loved celebrities who shot to fame in the early ‘80s, headline as Ambassador’s very special guest in an ‘In Conversation With…’ session. Price start from just £209 per person.