A NEW company has been launched today aiming to fill the gap created last year by the demise of Cruise and Maritime Voyages.

It went into administration with the loss of jobs and sale of its ships, [L]https://thurrock.nub.news/n/sad-end-for-iconic-marco-polo-a-favorite-ship-of-failed-cmv-fleet [L+]several of which have been scrapped.

Now Ambassador Cruise Lines, the first new UK cruise line to be announced for ten years has been formed and features a number of the senior management of Cruise and Maritime Voyages (CMV) on its board including CEO Christian Verhounig.

The new line, which is aiming to follow the blueprint of CMV and will offer no-fly itineraries aimed primarily at the over 50's market, has announced Tilbury as its home port and already has its first ship, the Ambience.

The ship was formerly known as Pacific Dawn as a P&O Australia ship, which was set to become CMV's flagship under the name Amy Johnson. Now it will become the Ambience.

The Ambience is designed to carry approximately 1,400 guests, has 798 cabins, a selection of five restaurants including speciality dining options as well as two cafes, nine lounges, a swimming pool, spa, day and evening entertainment, fitness and leisure facilities complemented by enticing enrichment and lifestyle programmes.

Ambassador Cruise Line says it will offer a "premium-value, authentic cruise experience, sailing for the British market from London Tilbury."

The maiden season for the Ambience is scheduled for April next year 2022, with an inaugural short break cruise to Hamburg, before embarking on a mixed itinerary programme with sailings to the Norwegian Fjords and the British Isles planned throughout spring.

The first full year program operating until May 2023 will consist of 33 sailings visiting a total of 88 different ports, featuring the Baltics and St Petersburg, Greenland, the Arctic, and Iceland, whilst for the winter months, a range of expedition-style voyages will sail to the Canaries, Cuba, the Caribbean, Cape Verde and Scandinavia.

Through funds managed by Njord Partners LLP, London the company is fully equity-financed (no financial debt), Ambassador said. The Chair of the Board of Directors is Gordon Wilson who has over 30 years of experience in the global travel industry including as the President and CEO of Travelport until July 2019. He is a member of the Supervisory Board of BCD Holdings which owns a global corporate travel management company, BCD Travel.

Mr Wilson said: "We are hugely excited to launch the first British cruise line in over a decade. It is just what the industry needs right now to reboot the British cruise market and inject confidence into the sector. Ambassador Cruise Line offers the best of British cruising – we're a new company offering a distinctive product but maintaining traditional cruising values which we know are important to our guests.

"This is just the beginning. We have ambitious growth plans, and the travel industry is a crucial partner in this. We're looking forward to working collaboratively with agents, partners and the shipping community. Investment on this scale and the launch of such a significant business as we emerge from the pandemic will make a significant contribution to the local economy and travel industry, particularly as we look to fill at least 100 jobs from the UK.

Before her first cruise the Ambience will be upgraded with emission reduction technologies to be IMO Tier III compliant prior to the start of the cruising season.

Ambassador say she will not only adhere to the latest updated rules regarding emission reductions (Tier II from Jan. 1, 2022, in certain NOX Emission Control areas) but will already be compliant with rules which will come into force by Jan. 1, 2025 (Tier III of the IMO NOX regulations – aiming to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by approximately 70 percent compared to the Tier II standards).

In addition, the Ambience will be equipped and outfitted with the latest ballast and sewage water treatment systems enabling her to sail in all seas, including those strictly environmentally protected. Single-use plastic onboard has been eliminated, and technology has been used as an innovative alternative to printing menus, shore plans and activity schedules.

"Treating our guests right is not just about the booking and onboard experience. In accordance with The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, we have insurance cover in place to financially protect all guests booking with Ambassador Cruise Line. In addition, we will operate a fully compliant independent Trust Account where guests' funds are deposited and only released when the cruise departs. Our offer also includes a booking guarantee in the event we are forced to cancel a cruise," the cruise line wrote.

Ambassador will also operate a policy whereby all guests and crew will need to be vaccinated prior to setting sail to provide that additional peace of mind.

Indicative prices for a seven-night European cruise departing from London Tilbury are £850 per person on a full-board basis. Detailed prices for individual cruise itineraries will be available in June 2021 including some introductory offers. A 68-page brochure will also be launched.