NEWS SPECIAL REPORT


Ato set sail in trustmbassador


New UK-based Ambassador Cruise Line vows to protect customer monies and hints at future expansion plans. Harry Kemble reports


T


he chief executive of Ambassador Cruise Line says the new UK-based line’s “ambitious” growth


plans include expanding from one ship and “eventually” operating in overseas markets. Ambassador’s debut vessel, the


1,400-passenger Ambience, will depart on its maiden voyage on April 6, 2022, from Tilbury, Essex. The line is targeting the over-50s market. Christian Verhounig, the former


Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) chief executive, said basing Ambience in Tilbury offered “a frictionless product”, adding: “People can park their car and walk 100 metres to the terminal.” He said: “We do hope to expand


the product with sailings not only from Tilbury but also from other regional ports in the very near future.” Asked if he’d consider sailing from


Southampton, where there is a lot of competition, Verhounig said “it’s not a question of competition; it’s a question of comfort”, stressing the importance the line places on ports that offer ease of access to boarding. Speaking to Travel Weekly at the


launch of the line, he said Ambassador was looking at “opportunities”. “The one ship is to start with and


then we will expand our product. Our plans are ambitious and not limited only to the UK,” he said.


Trade commitment Verhounig has been joined at Ambassador by a number of ex-CMV leaders, including chief commercial officer Christopher Coates, chief commercial officer Gary Hides, chief financial officer Simon Weeks and head of trade sales Lisa Jacobs. Verhounig noted the new line had


a “full” trade sales team “on standby” and said Jacobs and her initial team had already started contacting agents. “We have a very strong belief in


the travel trade,” he said, adding that the service offered by agents was “massively important” to customers. Agents will be invited on to


Ambience – formerly P&O Cruises Australia ship Pacific Dawn – before the ship’s first voyage to Hamburg “to show them what we’re all about”. Verhounig said: “Ambience is an authentic, classical vessel.”


Financial protection Following CMV’s collapse last summer, several cruise agents were left out of pocket when they had to pay back commission to customers. Abta protection only covered the net value of cruises already cancelled due to Covid-19 before the failure. Asked what financial protection


was available to customers and agents, Verhounig said Ambassador had set up a trust account to protect monies and said financial protection was the line’s “priority goal”. “The overriding thing is passenger


money is held in a trust account, and fully refundable, together with travel agent commissions, in case of any cancellation requirement,” he said. Verhounig also said the line was


Christian Verhounig


Lisa Jacobs


“considering” joining Abta and that he and his team “value” other trade associations such as cruise body Clia. Ambassador, funded by London


private equity firm Njord Partners, is the “only debt-free cruise line in the world”, Verhounig claimed.


Debut programme Verhounig promised Ambassador’s no-fly sailings would be “affordable” but insisted voyages would not be the cheapest in the market. Prices for a seven-night European cruise would be around £850, he said. The programme goes on sale next month. Ambience’s debut full-year


programme, from April 2022 to May 2023, is set to include 33 sailings, calling at 88 ports, across the Baltic, Greenland, the Arctic and Iceland. Passengers and crew will be


required to be vaccinated against Covid-19 before sailing. Verhounig said the line hopes to


become the “leading premium-value provider for the silver market”.


Ambience will set sail from Port of Tilbury next April


10 20 MAY 2021 travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURES: Stephen Ambrose


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