Ambassador’s Ambience Celebrates 35 Years

Posted on 7 September, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Ambassador’s Ambience Celebrates 35 Years

Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambience recently completed 35 years of service, having been delivered as the Regal Princess on July 20, 1991.

First ordered for Sitmar Cruises, the 70,000-ton vessel was acquired by the P&O Group while still under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.

Along with a sister ship, the Crown Princess, the vessel was transferred to the Princess Cruises brand, undergoing project changes before being completed.

After leaving Italy, the Regal Princess was christened by former United Kingdom Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The naming ceremony was held in New York City and took place on August 8, 1991.

The 1,578-passenger ship continued to sail for Princess on worldwide itineraries through 2000, when it was transferred to the company’s resident Australia fleet.

In 2007, the Regal Princess was withdrawn from Princess’ fleet and transferred to P&O Cruises Australia.

Renamed the Pacific Dawn, the ship continued to sail for the Carnival Corporation-owned Australian brand through early 2020.

After spending a few months laid up, the vessel was acquired by Ambassador Cruise Line in early 2021.

Then a startup brand, the company invested in a major modernisation project for the ship before welcoming its first guests in early 2022.

In 2026, the Ambience is offering a series of cruises from ports in the United Kingdom, including itineraries to Northern Europe, the British Isles, Iceland, Scandinavia, the Iberian Peninsula and the Mediterranean.

The vessel will also offer a special 45-night cruise to the Caribbean in early 2027, sailing round-trip from Tilbury.

The itinerary is highlighted by overnight visits to a series of destinations, including Puerto Limón in Costa Rica, Cartagena in Colombia and Belize City in Belize.

Before kicking off its 2026 season, the Ambience underwent a three-week drydock refurbishment at a shipyard in the United Kingdom.

The multimillion-pound refurbishment included technical updates, as well as enhancements to public areas and staterooms.

Damen Replaces Engine on Regal Princess

Posted on 4 June, 2025 by Spacejunkie2

Damen Replaces Engine on Regal Princess

Regal Princess in the historic port of Liverpool, photo credit Spacejunkie2 Flickr Account.

The Regal Princess had an engine block replacement during its recent stay at Damen Shiprepair in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

According to an update shared by the facility, the project was part of a repair operation that took place in late April.

“The Regal Princess is a Royal-class cruise ship that has four diesel generators. The main reason it came into our drydock is that it had an engine failure and needed it replaced,” said Alexander Stijlaart, project manager at Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam.

“We facilitated this engine exchange together with our sister company, Damen Harbour & Voyage,” he added.

“They did all the preparation work before the ship came into drydock. They already went onboard a couple of weeks prior.”

One of three Princess ships that underwent drydocks earlier this year, the Regal Princess arrived at the Damen shipyard on April 25, 2025.

After undergoing the repairs, the 2014-built ship welcomed guests back on May 9, kicking off a summer program in Northern Europe.

“When the ship came into drydock, we had to execute the scope, which meant we had to pump water out of the dock, cut the shell plate out, cut the internal bulkhead out, then put the skidding tracks in, jack the engine up and out,” Stijlaart explained.

The shipyard then reversed the process to install the new engines before painting the hull, he continued.

According to Damen, the engine replacement is a rare event that only happens once or twice in a decade.

“We had to make sure that everything that was obstructing the path of the engine was cleared, so we removed all piping, pumps and walkways,” added Remco Trouerbach, project manager at Damen Shiprepair Harbour & Voyage.

“The unique part of the work that we did onboard before and after the drydock is that the vessel was still in operation and therefore passengers were onboard enjoying their lovely cruises around the world.”

Trouerbach also highlighted the collaboration with Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam, noting that the companies have an “easy cooperation.”

“We are basically colleagues with each other; therefore, issues you’re facing during the project can be easily worked out.”

Three Princess Ships to Undergo Drydocks in April

Posted on 21 April, 2025 by Spacejunkie2

Three Princess Cruises ships are set to undergo drydocks in April: the Emerald Princess, the Grand Princess and the Regal Princess.

The first ship to enter dry dock was the Emerald Princess, which recently arrived at the Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo, Italy.

After repositioning to Europe earlier this month, the 2007-built vessel arrived at the facility for scheduled maintenance, in addition to class inspections and technical work.

Set to spend the upcoming summer season sailing from Southampton, the Emerald Princess will resume service on April 29, 2025.

Before kicking off a summer deployment in Alaska and Canada, the Grand Princess is also undergoing a dry dock.

The 1998-built ship arrived at the Vigor Shipyard in Portland in mid-April and is now going through regular maintenance.

Before welcoming guests back in early May, the Grand Princess is also scheduled to undergo class inspections, as well as upkeep and minor updates to public areas and staterooms.

A third Princess ship is undergoing a dry dock later this month, the Regal Princess.

Currently sailing in Northern Europe, the vessel is set to arrive at the Damen Shiprepair Yard in Rotterdam on April 25, 2025.

The 3,600-guest ship is expected to undergo technical work and general maintenance before resuming service in early May.

Sailing from Southampton, the Regal Princess is set to offer 12-night cruises to the British Isles during the summer of 2025.

Earlier this year, the Majestic Princess also visited a shipyard in Europe, emerging from dry dock with new venues and reimagined spaces.

According to Princess, the 2017-built vessel saw the addition of new bars and restaurants, including O’Malley’s Irish Pub, Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria and Good Spirits at Sea.

Sailing in Europe for the first time in eight years, the ship is currently offering itineraries in the Mediterranean.