Luxury Cruising Editorial

Some cruise lines play it safe… then there’s Ambassador, quietly doing things that make you wonder why every other line hasn’t caught up yet.

From little touches that make life onboard easier to big ideas that genuinely change the whole vibe of a sailing, they’ve nailed a few brilliant habits that deserve way more attention.

And honestly? Once you experience them, it’s hard not to think, “Why isn’t everyone doing this?”

Here’s a list of the things that Ambassador Cruises Line does that other cruise lines haven’t thought of yet…

1. Coloured plates for special diets

If you’re vegan, gluten-free or have any othert dietary requirement, you’ll know that there’s always that niggle in the back of your mind that says – “Is this actually suitable?”

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve bitten into something in a restaurant that’s supposedly vegan only to discover that it’s actually meat or cheese. For someone with a food allergy, a mistake like that could be deadly.

Ambassador Cruise Line has reduced the chance of that happening down to virtually zero, with one clever change – using different coloured plates.

As my dietary preferece is plant-based, my food was always derved on blue plates instead of the usual white. This was insteantly reassuring. It also meant that the waiter could confirm my dietery requirements as he placed down the dish.

This is such a small change, but one that makes such a huge difference to the 13% of UK adults who have a dietary requirement.

2. Hot tubs that are actually hot

There’s nothing sadder than a lukewarm hot tub.

Too many times on cruises I’ve braved the jauzzi when it’s cold outside, only to find myself shivering near the hot water inlet, desperately seeking some warmth.

However, when I sailed on Ambience to Norway in October, the hot tub was perfectly toasty!

In fact, it was so warm, that despite the weather being close to freezing outside, I had to sit on the side for a little while too cool off!

It was so nice to enjoy a real hot tub in the cold weather. I am glad that I brought my knitted ear warmers though! And being so warm meant that getting out and getting dry wasn’t a problem, I didn’t feel cold at all.

I understand that heating hot tubs is expensive. But I do wish that other cruise lines would do this in winter. P&O Cruises’ biggest ships have 16 hot tubs – but that’s pointless when they’re all cold!

3. 8-course Gala dinners

The Captain’s Gala dinner is always a highlight of a cruise with Ambassador. I mean, just look at this menu…

Every course is absolutely delicious. I really am in awe of the galley team and waiters who do an incredible job of serving so many courses and having everything being just right.

Other cruise lines may sometimes offer a five-course Gala dinner, but Ambassador is the only one I’ve experienced that offers eight courses. And all of this is included in the cruise fare too!

4. The lifts are fun

When you step into the elevators on Ambience, you’re greeted by a different scene each time! The ship has nine lifts and each one has unique decor. Even the carpets match the scenes.

I absolutely love how fun these lifts are. It’s certainly a talking point.

Some other cruise lines have the day of the week on the carpet, and that’s great. But honestly, I prefer these lifts even more.

5. The Baked Alaska Parade

A Baked Alaska Parade is when, during dinner, crew members will parade through the main dining room of a cruise ship carrying baked Alaska desserts, while the passengers dining in the room twirl their napkins in the air.

It may sound weird, but it’s a cruise tradition that dates back to the 1950s. While most cruise lines no longer offer it, Ambassador Cruise Line embraces this weird and wonderful event.

Of course, there are no naked flames as maritime safety rules are a lot stricter now than the once were. But the event is still a lot of fun, and it always has everyone clapping and cheering.

6. Cutlery on the table in the buffet

This is a genius idea that just makes buffet dining so much easier…

All to often on a cruise, you load up you plate with food and then have to go huntiung for the cutlery. You’ll usually find it wrapped up in a cloth napkin, which means that even if all you need is an extra fork for your next course, you have to get a whole new napkin, knife, fork and spoon. It’s so silly.

I love that Ambassador Cruise Line haas the cutlery on the tables along with paper serviettes and the drinks menus.

If you’re dining solo, this is also very advantageous as once you’ve finished your starter, you can lay your cutlery out like this so that nobody takes your table while you go to get your main course.

Honestly, these little things make such a big difference and I love how much thought the team at Ambassador Cruise Line have put into everything.

7. The drinks are cheap

Ambassador Cruise Line has the cheapest drinks at sea. There’s an almost endless array of cocktails to choose from, each costing just £7.

A print of beer will cost you £5.45, whle a gin and tonic is £6.70. The spirits are all served in 40ml measures rather than the standard 25ml you usually get, which means even better value!

Suggested read: Ambassador Cruise Line’s Drinks Menus & Prices

The wine is a little more expensive, at £9 to £10 for a large glass. But on the whole, the drinks onboard are similar to a reasonanly priced pub, and depending on where you live, they may even be cheaper than your local!

Ambassador also offers a range of drink packages that are also very reasonable priced.

If you’ve every cruised with one of the American cruise lines that charges you $16 plus an 18% gratuity for each cocktail, or $100 per day for a drink package, then I’m sure you’ll agree that Ambassador’s sensible drink prices are a breath of fresh air.

Which brings me on to my next point…

8. Tips are included

Being a British cruise line, Ambassador caters very well to our culture. And that means that there are no automatics gratuities added to your bill.

Many cruise lines will add $15 to $20 per person, per day to your onboard account for crew members tips. But Ambassador does things sensibly, by paying the crew members their bonuses from your cruise far upfront.

Of course, if you wish to leave some cash on the nightstand at the end of your cruise, or hand a tenner to your favourite waiter, they’ll glagly accept it. But tipping is neither required nor expected.

9. Dogs on board!

Okay, so this isn’t usual. But on my latest cruise, there were eight Guide Dog puppies who were onboard for the day as part of their training. The trainers invited me over to say hello to the dogs and it was one of the highlights of my cruise!

Of course, playing with puppies on the deck isn’t an option that’s available on every Ambassador cruise. But I love how the cruise line is working with The Guide Dogs For The Blind Association to allow these dogs to develop this valuable part of their socialisation, as they may well end up travelling on a cruise one day.

10. Whale watching

Ambassador works closely with ORCA, a UK marine conservation charity, and the partnership is a big part of what makes these cruises feel special.

ORCA volunteers sail on selected itineraries to run wildlife talks and deck watches where you can spot whales and dolphins with expert guidance.

They also collect vital data for ocean research while onboard. It’s a lovely mix of learning and excitement, and it means every sighting helps support real conservation work.

11. Plenty of storage in the cabins

Sometimes I feel that modern cruise ships can be a little too modern in terms of the design. And this might meen that aesthetics can be given priority over more practical aspects, like storage.

That’s not the case on Ambassador Cruise Line’s classic ships. Whichever cabin you choose, you’ll find ample space to store your things.

Some of the oceanview cabins on Ambience have a whopping four wardrobes and 19 drawers! Yes, I counted.

12. Affordable excursions

Usually, I avoid cruise line excursions. I find that it’s so much cheaper to do your own thing and I often book excursions though Shore Excursions Group instead.

However, I must say that Ambassador’s excursions are very reasonably priced. On my last cruise, when I wanted to visit Loch Ness from Invergordon, the cruise line excursion was by far the cheapest option.

The excursion was faultless, and when heavy traffic meant that we would be a little late back to the ship, the tour guide called ahead to let them know we were on our way.

There’s a good choice of excursions and they all seem to be reasonably priced, which is a fraction of the price of what similar trips would be from a different ship.

13. The best Halloween party ever!

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Halloween on an Ambassador cruise. But oh my goodness, they really did pull out all the stops to create a fantastic event that I’ll remember forever.

The ship was decorated with a huge assortment of spooky props, including hundreds of hand-carved pumpkins. The team must have been up all night!

In the main dining room, we were treated to a fantastic Halloween menu. The dishes had spooky names such as ‘Beast Feast’ and ‘Satanic Punpkin Head’.

When the food arrived, it blew our expectations out of the water. Not only was it delicious, but it looked incredible and very fitting with the Halloween theme.

Afterwards, we headed to the Observatory to enjoy a fanastic musical performance by the entertainment theme.

There was a fancy dress competition and the dance floor was packed until well after midnight. Of course, not everyone dressed up, and there were other activities around the ship for those who prefer not to take part. But if you love Halloween, I’d definitely recommend sailing with Ambassador at this time of year.

14. Unique ships

Most cruise lines have several sister ships – almost identical copies of each other. But Ambassador’s three ships are all completely unique.

This means that when you cruise on a different ship, you’re getting a different experience. The bars and entertainment venues each have different vibes. I love this, as exploring a ship I’ve never been on is my favourite thing ever.

I don’t have a favourite ship out of the Ambassador fleet though. I love the spa on Ambition and I love the Observatory on Ambition. Each ship is special in its own way.

15. You can depart from your local port

Getting to Southampton to start your cruise isn’t easy for everyone. So it’s fantastic that Ambassador offers regional departures from all over the UK.

You can start your cruise in Portsmouth, Newcastle, Tilbury, Liverpool, Dundee, Bristol or Belfast. Ambassador is the only cruise line that sails from my home city of Bristol, and I found it incredibly convenient to cruise from there!

If you want to cruise in the Caribbean, Ambassador’s newest ship, Renaissance, offers very convenient fly-cruise packages. As well as flying from London, you can also opt to fly from Manchester, which is so much easier for anyone in the north.

16. The ships are easy to navigate

I don’t have the best sense of direction and it usually takes me a couple of days to get my bearings on a cruise ship.

However, that was so much quicker and easier on Ambassador’s ships, thanks to an abundance of clear signs with deck plans that you’ll find by all the elevators.

When I cruised with Virgin Voyages, there wasn’t a deck plan sign anywhere on the ship and I continually got lost. I just couldn’t figure out where I was in relation to the different venues.

Ambassador gets this just right. And, importantly the signs always face the right way. So the bow on the diagram is in the same direction as it actually is on the ship (you might be surprised that not all ships do this!)

17. Theatre at sea

Most cruise ships have stage shows with singing and dancing. But Ambassador is the only one I’ve seen that’s had an actual play.

I mean no music, no dancing, no fancy costumes. Just four talented actors and a stage that’s set to look like someone’s living room.

The show even had a real programme with information about the play and the performers.

Why don’t more cruise lines offer this? I have no idea. I wish they would though. I really enjoyed it.

18. Dialysis facilities

Ambassador is one of the few UK cruise lines that offers dedicated dialysis cruises, making holidaying at sea much more accessible for guests who need regular treatment.

These sailings have fully equipped dialysis units on board, run by specialist renal nurses who manage all treatments throughout the voyage.

If you, or someone you’re travelling with, relies on dialysis, these cruises take away the stress of organising care in multiple destinations and let you enjoy a proper break without interrupting your treatment routine.

19. The speciality restaurants are reasonably priced

It bothers me when cruise lines charge £50 or more for meals in the speciality restaurants. Because you have to factor in that the price is extra on top of what you already paid your cruise fare for to dine in the main dining room.

On Ambassador cruises, dining in a speciality restaurant costs just £20 to £30, which is much more reasonable.

That lower price doesn’t mean that the food is any lower quality, though. It’s not.

I ate in Saffron, the Indian restaurant on Ambience and the curry was the best I have ever had in any restaurant on land or at sea.

20. Drinks service in the theatre

Getting to the theatre 15-30 minutes before a show is always advised, especially if you want one of the best seats in the house or you have a large group that wants to sit together.

On an Ambassador cruise, you can make the most of that time by enjoying a drink with waiter service. There’s a menu of drinks to choose from, which is something I’ve never seen in a cruise ship theatre.

Each seat has a small table for you to put your drink on. This is so mcuh better than those drinks holders you get in the arm rests, where you can never really trust that your drink won’t end up in your lap if someone moves an elbow.

21. Canapes

Ambassador really does love their canapes and they make a regulart apearance.

Crew members will come around with canapes before dinner on Gala nights, and after dinner ever night at 11pm. You never get the chance to feel peckish.

22. The thermal suite is free

Most cruise lines will change you upwards of £50 for a day pass in the thermal suite of the spa. But on Ambassador ships, access to the saune, steam rooms and relaxation areas are complimentary!

The spa on Ambience is quite small, but it does the job. However, the spa on Ambition is absolutely fantasic with floor-to-ceiling windows throughout. You definitley won’t want to miss it.

And if you fancy a treatment such as a massage, facial or pedicure, then you’ll find that they’re very reasonably priced too.

23. Low or no solo supplements

I understand that solo travellers don’t generate as much income as couples for cruise lines, and because of that they usually have to pay double.

Even when they pay double, they’ll spend less onboard with only half the spend on extras such as casino, spa, drinks and shopping. So, from a purely commercial viewpoint, cruise lines generally don’t want a lot of solos onboard.

However, I feel that Ambassador Cruise Line recognises that there are huge numbers of people who prefer to travel solo. Even though I have a husband, children and lots of friends and family members who I like to cruise with, I also LOVE cruising by myself. It’s a different experience, and as an introvert, I find it to be incredibly relaxing to be able to choose exactly when I socialise and when I don’t.

Ambassador Cruise Line makes their solo pricing very clear. On the website, there’s a simple slider you can use to show solo prices.

Yes, there’s often a supplement. But not always. And it’s not usually double.

They probably don’t want me to tell you this, but on last-minute cruise that depart in the next couple of weeks, the solo supplement is reduced to zero.

On board, I’ve met several solo travellers who have been living onboard for weeks or even months. Each week, they book onboard at the last-minute to stay on for the next cruise. They say it’s cheaper than going home!

Things that Ambassador could improve (in my humble opinion)

I’m not saying that Ambassador Cruise Line is perfect. No cruise line is. But they are leading the way in many areas, rather than simply copying what others do, and I think that’s fantastic.

Having spoken to the team there, I know that they’re always striving to improve, and so here are a couple of areas where I think they could do better

• The gyms would benefit from some upgraded equipment and better air conditioning
• A wider selection of draft lagers would be nice. Currently they only serve Fosters
• The in-cabin hairdryers are almost as old as me and not very powerful
• Bottled water isn’t included in the drink package (but a glass of water is)
• The library has a very random selection of books such as outdated computing study guides

Of course, these are all very minor things, and yes, I am nitpicking. I believe that Ambience will be undergoing a refit soon, and I’m sure that some of these little niggles will be addressed.

Suggested read: Reasons NOT to Choose Ambassador Cruise Line

The bottom line

Ambassador Cruise Line offers outstanding value for money. Right now, I’m considering booking a cruise that costs £65 per person, per night, including a free drinks package. When you consider that most other cruise lines will charge you £65 per night just for the drinks, that’s basically free! Haha

But despite the low prices, this isn’t what I would call a ‘budget’ cruise line. The service is outstanding, the food is some of the best I’ve had at sea, and there’s plenty to enjoy on board.

So if you live in the UK and you haven’t yet tried Ambassador, now’s the time. You won’t regret it.

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