Ambassador Cruises

I was recently given the opportunity to take a one-night sailing on board Ambassador Ambition. I travelled solo and was keen to experience this British cruise line first hand.

As a solo traveler, finding cruises that cater to individual adventurers , without costing the earth, can be a challenging. It's refreshing that Ambassador have 78 cabins onboard Ambition that are able to cater for solo travellers; some are double cabins that can be adapted. And a number are custom built single cabins. I stayed in one of these. It was a cozy yet relatively spacious retreat— with desk space, a comfy single bed, good wardrobe space, a safe and a shower room. I had requested a cabin with window. Unfortunately, there was a lifeboat right outside my deck 7 cabin - so I didn't enjoy much of a view.

Ambition enjoyed a significant refurbishment in 2023, and the ship now feels contemporary, clean and crisp. This renovation was clearly aimed at enhancing passenger comfort and experience, with upgraded cabins, refreshed public spaces, and modernized dining options. The Britishness of the line is evident across the ship with bars like The Angel (of the North), The Palladium (theatre) and restaurants Holyrood and Buckingham.

In total there are six restaurants and 7 bars onboard. I ate at the buffet Borough Market and at Buckingham restaurant. The food at both was good. There was a good choice including vegan and gluten free options. There were multiple options for breakfast, including an omlette station with a chef cooking delicious omlettes to order.

For UK-based travelers like myself, the appeal of no-fly cruises is a great draw. Being able to board at a UK port without the stress of airports and flights makes the journey far more relaxing from the outset. Voyages include the British Isles, northern Europe, the Canaries and Scandinavia. There are also options for round trip sailings to the Caribbean from London Tilbury. These really appeal to me, they are longer voyages - circa a month, and the ship stays in port for two or more days giving you a real opportunity to experience the country you're visiting.

One of the big highlights of my time on Ambition was the sense of warmth and community onboard the ship. Dubbed "the warmest welcome on the sea," the atmosphere onboard lives up to this reputation. Staff are friendly, chatty and keen to ensure you have the best time possible onboard. This level of service attracts a loyal and appreciative clientele, and many of the guests that I spoke with were repeat Ambassador sailors.

Ambassador Ambition is not exclusively for older generations, but it would be fair to say that the demographic on board was typically the over 50s. With the 2023 refurbishment, the ship has become a versatile option for multi-generational family groups, and Ambassador now welcome children - but solely during the school holidays. I'd also say that Ambitions wide corridors and spacious lounges and restaurants were well suited to passengers with disabilities. I chatted with one couple who praised the Line for this - they are frequent cruisers and loved that Ambassador's regional UK departures gave them options for no-fly voyages.

So, if you're looking for a premium-economy style cruise, on an elegant ship with no-fly options from the UK - then Ambassador just might be your perfect choice!

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