Ambassador’s Ambience Kicks Off 40-Day Cruise to the Caribbean

Ambassador’s Ambience Kicks Off 40-Day Cruise to the Caribbean

Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambience recently kicked off one of the company’s longest cruises this year, a 40-day voyage to the Caribbean.

Sailing roundtrip from Tilbury, the “Jewels of the Caribbean Sea” itinerary is highlighted by visits to a wide range of destinations in the region.

As part of the voyage, the Ambience will become the only mainstream cruise ship to sail to Cuba in 2026, with a 13-hour visit to Havana scheduled for Feb. 16, 2026.

The cruise started with a visit to Ponta Delgada in the Azores after departing from the United Kingdom on Jan. 30, 2026.

The Ambience then crossed the Atlantic for destinations in Antigua and the British Virgin Islands, such as Antigua and Tortola.

Following its visit to Cuba, the ship is also scheduled to sail to George Town in the Cayman Islands, Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic and Fort-de-France in Martinique.

Other ports of call include Montego Bay and Ocho Rios in Jamaica, as well as Bridgetown in Barbados and Castries in St. Lucia.

Before arriving back in Tilbury in early March, the Ambience also sails to Basseterre in St. Kitts and St. Vincent.

Upon returning to the United Kingdom, the Ambience embarks on a series of spring cruises to Northern Europe, visiting Scandinavia, the Baltic, the British Isles and more.

For the summer, the 1,578-passenger ship adds visits to more destinations, including Portugal, Spain, Madeira, the Canaries and Iceland.

The vessel’s deployment is also highlighted by a 31-night cruise to the Mediterranean scheduled for early November, which sails roundtrip from Tilbury and features ports of call across North Africa, the Adriatic, Sicily and more.

In related news, Ambassador’s Ambience recently underwent a three-week drydock refurbishment in the United Kingdom.

The multi-million-dollar refurbishment included technical work, as well as improvements to public areas and staterooms.

Ambassador’s Ambience Resumes Service Ahead of World Cruise

Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambience is resuming service today at the Port of Tilbury, in the United Kingdom.

After seeing several of its cruises transferred to a different ship due to a delayed drydock stay, the 1991-built vessel is returning for a 120-night world cruise.

Sailing roundtrip from its British homeport, the “2024 Grand Around the World Cruise” features visits to a total of 34 destinations across the globe.

After sailing to ports of call in Europe, the global itinerary is set to cross the Atlantic before arriving in the Caribbean and Central America.

The Ambience then transits the Panama Canal before continuing its way to the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia.

The worldwide adventure also features a series of destinations in the Indian Ocean, Africa and South America on its way back to the UK.

Before resuming service, the Ambience underwent maintenance at a shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany.

Originally set to be completed in early December, the job was delayed due to metal damage on the ship’s propellor shaft and stern bearings.

According to Ambassador, the problem was found during a routine inspection and required essential repair work, which led to additional time in the German drydock.

The two propeller shafts, each 20 meters long and weighing over 30 tons, together with their bearings had to be transported by sea to a specialist metal repair shop in Denmark, the company explained.

As a result, several cruises previously scheduled to sail onboard the Ambience were transferred to the Ambition – which saw the cancellation of a 38-night cruise to the Caribbean.

SHC Renews Contract with Liverpool City Council

SCH announced an extension to its contract with Liverpool City Council to support all cruise ships calling at Liverpool Cruise Terminal (LCT), according to a press release.

 The cruise ship services provider has supported LCT for almost ten years. The company provides personnel for all stevedoring, including baggage handling, store loading and rope handling services. Meanwhile, the sister company Cruise and Passenger Services (CPS) provides parking services for travellers.

SCH Liverpool General Manager Karen Grogan said: “We have partnered with LCT for nearly ten years and have helped the city to become a leading destination for cruise ships calling in the UK. We are delighted that Liverpool City Council has chosen to extend this relationship and look forward to continuing to deliver a first-class service.”

LCT expects a total of 115 cruise calls this year with nearly 40 turnarounds, including Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, Ambassador Line and Noble Caledonia. Additionally, LCT supports regular operational calls from working ships, Royal and Foreign Navy visits and supporting maritime aspects of city events.

Head of Cruise Liverpool John Mawer said: “We welcome this continued relationship with Southampton Cargo Handling (SCH). Strong partnerships are a crucial element to the success of Cruise Liverpool and we look forward to a busy and successful three years ahead. With support from SCH for our stevedoring and rope handling requirements, I am assured we can continue the positive growth that has been seen in Liverpool over the last decade.”