‘Great food and a virtual Anton Du Beke!’
Jo Kessel is impressed by new British cruise line Ambassador
They say you get what you pay for, but that certainly wasn’t the case when I sailed with new British cruise line Ambassador. The full-board fare for my seven-night cruise to Norway was such a bargain (at under £87pp a night) that initially my expectations were low – but I can honestly say I enjoyed every minute.
Cabins were comfortable, there was a large pool and hot tubs on deck and the four-course waiter-served dinners were delicious. Better still, beverages were a bargain – just £3.20 for a glass of bubbly and £5 for a large cocktail with drinks packages (which include gratuities) starting at just £38pp a day. That said, this was no booze cruise and all my fellow passengers were friendly and more interested in exploring Norway’s beautiful fjords than drinking the bars dry. There was also a good range of excursions available in each port – from iconic train rides to scenic hikes and climbing peaks via cable car – with some costing as little as £29. I also loved the West End musical-style shows in the theatre, including one on the history of dance featuring a virtual Anton Du Beke.
Ambassador’s aim is to provide quality, premium-value no-fly cruises from eight regional ports across the UK: London Tilbury, Newcastle, Belfast, Bristol, Edinburgh, Falmouth, Liverpool and Dundee. Ambience (previously owned by Princess Cruises) is the first mid-sized ship they’ve rebranded and, with 1,400 passengers on board, it’s big enough to feel spacious, but not so large that it’s overwhelming to navigate. Its second ship, the 1,200-passenger Ambition, is newer, with Junior Suites worth the (still affordable) splurge at around £200pp a night. And thanks to its oversized gym, impressive spa and craft workshop, there’s an emphasis on wellness and crafting on board.
Ambassador predominantly cruises to destinations such as Scandinavia, the Baltics and Northern Europe, as well as around the British Isles, but its first 120-night Grand Round the World Cruise sets sail in January 2024, visiting Australia, Singapore, South Africa, Brazil and more, and starts from just £12,839pp (or under £107pp a night).
SAIL AWAY
Ambassador Cruise Line (ambassador cruiseline.com) offers a 14-night full-board Norway’s Land of the Northern Lights cruise on Ambition from £2,009pp (departs Newcastle, 7 November 2024) or a five-night German Christmas Markets cruise on Ambition from £459pp (departs London Tilbury, 3 December 2023).
BEST FOR SPAS AND MORE AT SEA
Health and fitness hasn’t always gone hand in hand with the concept of cruising, yet, as Andy Harmer, managing director of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), says, ‘A holiday at sea can be a wellness break as much as any other, with more ships offering healthy dining options, fitness centres, spas, classes, swimming pools and walking or running tracks on deck.’ Here are some of the latest offerings…
Princess Cruises (princess.com) has an exclusive partnership with Xponential Fitness and offers Club Pilates, Pure Barre, Row House, Yogasix, Cyclebar, AKT Dance and Stretchlab classes on board.
Norwegian Cruise Line (ncl.com) has the cruise industry’s first charcoal sauna at sea on its two Prima-class ships. Used in Japanese and Korean wellness practices, this unique sauna helps boost circulation and metabolism while removing toxins from the body and treating muscle stiffness and tension.
Seabourn (seabourn.com) offers a Dr Andrew Weil Mindful Living programme in its spas, including crystal sound baths and detoxifying therapies. There’s also a Mindful Living coach on every ship.
Celestyal Cruises (celestyal.com) newest ship, Celestyal Journey, has an entire deck dedicated to wellness. The Sozo Experience is inspired by the Greek custom of Sozo – an ancient tradition that encourages healing and ‘wholeness’ for mind, body and spirit.