Cruise Addicted Visits Ambience
Jenny Powell and Kate Thornton - Ambassadors, new Ambassadors
A Day with Ambassador: Cruise Addicted Visits Ambience
Yesterday, Cathy had the pleasure of visiting Ambience at the London Cruise Centre in Tilbury for a special day with Ambassador Cruise Line – and what a day it was!
The morning began with coffee and pastries, accompanied by a warm welcome from CEO Christian Verhounig, who spoke passionately about Ambassador’s commitment to fair partnerships. He highlighted their newest collaboration with Virgin Atlantic – an exciting development for time-pressed guests. While Ambassador has always been a proud no-fly cruise line, this partnership now gives travellers the option to fly out and join Ambition Renaissance in the Caribbean, opening up even more possibilities.
Next up was Chief Marketing Officer Gordon Nardini, who introduced Ambassador’s newest faces: Jenny Powell and Kate Thornton. Best friends both on and off TV and radio, Jenny and Kate discovered their love of cruising on last year’s Greatest Hits Cruise – and, like us, became cruise addicted overnight! Their genuine enthusiasm makes them the perfect Ambassadors for Ambassador.
The afternoon took us to the Palladium Theatre, where mocktails, cocktails and tubs of ice cream set the scene. Guests were treated to a preview of Global Explosion – a dazzling, high-energy mix of music, dance, and colourful costumes performed by a hugely talented cast. As if that wasn’t enough, we also had an exclusive sneak peek of a brand-new TV series filmed onboard, due to air this autumn. It’s all under wraps for now, but definitely one to watch!
For Cathy, this was her first time onboard an Ambassador ship, and Ambience certainly impressed. While these ships don’t chase towering atriums or the glitz of today’s mega-ships, there’s a warmth and elegance that shines through. Cathy was especially taken with the Botanical Bar and could easily imagine dancing the night away in The Observatory. With Emma already booked onboard for 2026, it’s looking very likely Cathy will be joining too!
Lunch in the Buckingham Restaurant was another highlight, with a menu showcasing favourites from across the ship’s dining venues. Cathy’s choices – prawn cocktail, consommé, butter chicken, and crème brûlée – were all superb, served with top-class hospitality from the friendly restaurant team. Afterwards, there was just enough time to explore more of the ship before she reluctantly disembarked, watching with envy as Ambience set off on a British Isles cruise.
A standout moment of the day was meeting the Ambassador management team, whose clarity of vision was inspiring. From being the first cruise line to adopt an official “anti-whaling” policy, to their focus on creating unforgettable experiences for guests, it’s clear Ambassador is carving out a unique and meaningful place in the cruise market.
Cathy left Ambience thoroughly impressed – with the ship, the people, and the passion that drives Ambassador forward.
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