Cruise Ship Set to Resume Service as Dry Dock Repairs Near End

Ambassador Cruise Line has announced that its cruise ship Ambience is scheduled to resume service on January 6, 2024, after spending much of December in dry dock service. A 120-day world cruise is the first sailing scheduled for the repaired ship.

Ambition Ready to Resume Sailings After Lenghty Drydock Stay

Ambassador Cruise Line announced Tuesday, January 3, that work was nearly complete at the Bremerhaven drydocks in Northern Germany, allowing the Ambience to begin sailing again on January 6.

The ship, originally owned by Princess Cruises as Regal Princess, required extended work to repair damage to propeller shafts and stern bearings caused by metal grinding. The damaged parts were transported by sea to Denmark for repairs by a specialist company.

Guests and travel agents were advised by the British cruise line on December 7 that Ambience would be out of service until early January. The ship was already in drydock for regularly scheduled maintenance when the damage was discovered. The ship was removed from service when the repairs needed were more extensive than initially believed.

The vessel is set to welcome crew and guests onboard for the ship’s Grand Round The World Cruise, which remains on schedule to depart London’s Tilbury Cruise Terminal on Saturday, January 6. During the 120-day voyage, the ship is set to visit 24 countries and 34 ports of call, including a transit of the Panama Canal.

Among its destinations are Portugal, Barbados, Curacao, Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, Maldives, Kenya, South Africa, Brazil, and Morocco before returning to London on May 5, 2024.

Ambassador Shuffles Cruise Ships to Accommodate Changed Schedules

Ambience is the flagship of Ambassador Cruise Line, weighing 70,285 gross tons and accommodating 1,400 guests. The ship was delivered to Princess Cruises in 1991 by the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, as Regal Princess and primarily sailed North American routes. 

In 2007, Regal Princess was transferred to P&O Australia and, after a major renovation, was renamed Pacific Dawn.

Ambience offers no-fly routes emphasizing the over-50s market, featuring a relaxing and social atmosphere at an exceptional value. The ship has nearly 800 cabins and five restaurants, including specialty dining options and two cafes, nine lounges, a swimming pool, spa, and other traditional cruise ship amenities, including a casino. 

The extended drydock stay of the Ambience called for cancellations and adjustments of several cruises planned for December. Ambassador’s Ambition replaced the Ambience for several voyages.

Ambition, which Ambassador acquired in 2022, is 48,200 gross tons and can host about 1,200 guests. The ship first sailed as Mistral for Festival Cruises in 1999, then as Grand Mistral with Ibero Cruises, and as Costa neoRiviera with Costa Cruises before arriving at Ambassador.

About 6,600 guests who had booked onboard Ambience – and 800 guests who expected to sail onboard Ambition – had their plans changed. 

Ambassador Cruise Line recently announced it has put together a compensation package for guests impacted by the extended maintenance required aboard Ambience.

Guests whose cruises have been canceled have six different options to choose from, five of which are for transfers to future bookings with compelling itineraries, including Brazil and Cuba. Guests can also select a full refund of their now-canceled 38-night cruise.

Read Also: The Maiden Voyage of Ambassador Cruise Line, Was it Any Good?

Ambassador Cruise Line is headquartered in Purfleet, England. It began sailing in 2022 with the Ambience and operates from eight ports in the United Kingdom, including London Tilbury, Newcastle, Dundee, Edinburgh Leith, Bristol Royal Portbury, Falmouth, Liverpool, and Belfast. Ambience and Ambition offer cruises to the British Isles, the Baltics, Scandinavia, and Northern Europe, but also the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands, and the Caribbean.