A cruise from the UK to Belgium, France and the Netherlands was unexpectedly disrupted on 9th April 2026 after an oil spill shut down one of Europe’s busiest shipping routes, forcing a ship to turn back shortly after departure.
Ambassador Cruise Line confirmed its vessel Ambition had to return to Antwerp after authorities suspended all traffic on the Scheldt River due to pollution caused by another ship. The vessel had begun sailing away from the Belgian port late in the evening when the closure order was issued.
The 1,200-guest ship had originally departed Portsmouth on 6th April for a six-night itinerary, already completing an overnight stop in Ijmuiden in the Netherlands before arriving in Antwerp for what was scheduled to be a short 14-hour visit.
As Ambition attempted to leave Antwerp at around 11pm local time, port officials informed the bridge of the incident and immediately halted vessel movements. The captain subsequently navigated the ship back to port with tug assistance, where it remained docked overnight.
The cruise line confirmed the vessel itself was not impacted by the oil spill but was required to stay alongside until the waterway could safely reopen.
“The safety and wellbeing of our guests and crew is always our highest priority, and we thank our Captain and crew for their professionalism in managing the situation,” the company said, while also apologising for the disruption caused to passengers.
Guests were informed shortly after the ship’s return, with a further update issued at midday UK time on 10th April outlining changes to the sailing.
Itinerary Adjusted After Unexpected Delay
Following clearance from authorities, Ambition departed Antwerp at 4pm local time, with the earlier disruption resulting in several itinerary changes.
The ship skipped its scheduled calls to Bruges on 10th April and Honfleur on 11th April, instead sailing directly to Le Havre in France, where it arrived around midday on 11th April and remained until late evening.
Despite the disruption, the cruise is still scheduled to conclude in Portsmouth on 12th April as originally planned.
Ambassador Cruise Line has not confirmed whether compensation will be offered for the missed ports, although shore excursions are expected to have been adjusted or cancelled accordingly.
Oil Spill Triggers Closure Of Key European Waterway
The incident occurred during a refuelling operation at Deurganck Dock within the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. Oil leaked while the container ship MSC Denmark VI was taking on fuel, with pollution spreading beyond the dock and into the Scheldt River.
The Scheldt is a critical maritime corridor linking the North Sea with inland Belgium and handles heavy traffic including cargo vessels, tankers and cruise ships.
Emergency teams were deployed to contain the spill and limit environmental damage, particularly given the river’s tidal nature and proximity to sensitive marshland areas. Authorities partially reopened the river by Friday afternoon, although some port sections remained restricted.
No other large cruise ships were docked in Antwerp at the time, though the port regularly hosts smaller and luxury vessels from lines including Windstar Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and SeaDream Yacht Club.
Ambition, a 48,123-gross-ton ship, is not scheduled to return to Antwerp again in 2026, continuing a programme of sailings from ports such as Portsmouth, London, Liverpool and Belfast throughout the year.
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