Ambassador Cruise Line

Ambassador Cruise Line is a new cruise travel brand (2020-established/2021-inaugurated) and a UK-based company headquartered in Purfleet-on-Thames (Essex England). The company targets the British source market exclusively (50+ age travelers), trying to take the place of the popular Cruise And Maritime Voyages/CMV (2009-2020).

The company's Founder, President and CEO is Christian Verhounig, who is also the Owner and CEO of CVI Group Ltd (shipowner).

The shipowner CVI Group Ltd is a London City-based company incorporated on August 18, 2020, with first statement date August 17, 2021.

Ambassador's current executive managers include Phil Gardner (CCO-Chief Commercial Officer), Matthias Seeger (CFO-Chief Financial Officer), Nick Hughes (COO-Chief Operating Officer), Gordon Wilson (Board of Directors' Chair), Gordon Nardini (CMO-Chief Marketing Officer), Simon Weeks (CAO-Chief Administrative Officer), Mo Parvez (Finance's Director), Michelle Lupino (Destination Management's Director), Glynn Perkin (CTO-Chief Technology Officer), Chris Coates (Ambassador-at-Large), Dave Eastwood (Reservations' Director), Bob McGowan (Guest Experience's Director), Nicola Harper (Head of Distribution), Ian Benjafield (Head of Communications).

Ambassador's principal homeport is Tilbury-London, and all itineraries are roundtrips. The company doesn't offer fly-cruise deals. In April 2022 was announced the Ambition ship's UK homeports - Tilbury, Newcastle Port Tyne, Liverpool, Avonmouth-Bristol, Falmouth, Dundee Scotland, Belfast.

Company history/changes

In late-August 2020 was announced that CVI Group acquired/purchased most of the CMV's assets, including websites, intellectual property, and customer databases.

In May 2021 was announced that Ambassador is the new operator of the "Crypto Cruise Ship" Satoshi/now Ambience.

In September 2021 Ambassador announced the "premium coach service" providing nationwide/UK access to Port Tilbury from 80 bus pick-up points in England and Wales. All buses are air-conditioned, with restrooms, media/TV, executive seats.

On January 27, 2022, was announced that Carnival Corporation/shipowner (via Costa Crociere SpA) sold AIDAmira to Ambassador Cruise Line. The ship (renamed Ambition) starts services for Ambassador in 2023.

In May 2022, Ambassador launched the partnership with Readly AB (2012-founded Swedish digital subscription service with 6000+ newspapers and magazines/UK and global/ available via a mobile app for a monthly fee). The partnership deal was signed by Bob McGowan (Ambassador's Head of Guest Experience) and Ranj Begley (Readly's UK Managing Director and CCO/Chief Content Officer).

In June 2022, Ambassador signed a deal with Telenor Maritime to design, install and support the shipboard Internet and WiFi connectivity networks fleetwide. The system combines Ku-band VSAT antennas (12-18GHz) and Mobile Backhaul broadband technology (wireless communication systems transporting data between the shipboard network and the Internet).

For summer 2022 (on MS Ambience) Ambassador launched a kids-sail-free promotion (offering prices as low as GBP 1 per child). The promo was for the 14-night "Hidden Nordic Treasures Multi-Generational Cruise" roundtrip from London-Tilbury (first departure July 23rd) visiting Denmark (Copenhagen, Ronne/Bornholm Island, Skagen), Estonia (Tallinn), Finland (Helsinki), and Sweden Stockholm, Visby/Gotland). The kids sailings also featured circus-themed activities and workshops.

In February 2023, Ambassador Cruise Line signed a multi-year partnership deal with London Stadium 185 Ltd the operator of the 2012-opened, 66000-seat London Stadium owned by E20Stadium LLP). By the deal, the cruise brand is promoted across the stadium’s events calendar - including Premier League Football, Major League Baseball, Athletics and Concerts. The deal was signed by Gordon Nardini (Ambassador's CMO) and Graham Gilmore (London Stadium's CEO).

In mid-October 2023 was launched the Ambassador Cruise Line App (mobile application). The App is for devices with iOS and Android systems, and is available for download at Apple's App Store and Google Play's Android Apps.

Ambassador Cruise Line UK currently owns and operates two ships - Ambience (1991-built, fka MS Satoshi, CMV Amy Johnson, P&O Pacific Dawn, Regal Princess) and Ambition (1999-built, fka AIDAmira, Costa neoRiviera, Grand Mistral, MS Mistral).

Ambassador's principal homeport is Tilbury-London, and all itineraries are roundtrips. The company doesn't offer fly-cruise deals.

Ambition ship's itinerary program (the inaugural 2023 season) started with the Maiden Voyage from Tilbury on March 4th (2023). The liner's UK homeports are London-Tilbury, Newcastle Port Tyne, Liverpool, Avonmouth-Bristol (Royal Portbury Dock), Falmouth, Dundee Scotland, Belfast Northern Ireland. In May 2022 was announced Ambience ship's "Grand Round the World Cruise" (120-night itinerary roundtrip from Tilbury) as well as the 6x UK homeports for the boat (Newcastle, Liverpool, Avonmouth-Bristol, Falmouth, Dundee, Belfast).

Ambassador's 2024-2025 itinerary program groups Ambience's and Ambition's voyages visiting a total of 127 call ports in 34 countries (6 continents). The itineraries visit popular European destinations like the Mediterranean and the Norwegian Fjords, as well as the Caribbean. The program includes two multigenerational voyages as well as themed cruises attended by celebrity guests (experts, lecturers, entertainers) and short breaks popular among the British as weekend getaways and for visiting Europe's largest Christmas Markets.