Ambassador Cruise Line and CFC Join Forces: Introducing the Ambassador Group

The British company Ambassador Cruise Line and the French company Compagnie Francaise de Croisieres (CFC) have announced their merger, creating a new entity known as the Ambassador Group. This merger aims to establish the group as a prominent player in the European cruise market, focusing on premium yet affordable experiences for the "no-fly silver market."

The Ambassador Group’s fleet includes three mid-sized vessels: Ambassador’s Ambience (built in 1991, capacity of 1,400 passengers), Ambition (1999, capacity of 1,200 passengers), and CFC’s Renaissance (built in 1993, capacity of 1,200 passengers). The Renaissance has recently undergone a multimillion-dollar refurbishment and will receive further upgrades in January.

While the brands will retain their unique identities—Ambience and Ambition continuing to provide British cruising experiences, and Renaissance offering a French cruise product—the merger will combine CFC’s French elegance with Ambassador’s vision for growth. CFC CEO Maélysse Pierrot-Guibourt highlighted that this collaboration creates new opportunities within the cruise industry.

As the European cruise market is projected to grow by 12% annually over the next five years, the Ambassador Group seeks to enhance operational efficiency through improved sourcing and fleet management, also creating new job opportunities for staff both onboard and onshore.

One of the group’s initial initiatives will be the introduction of a fly-cruise program in partnership with European travel operator Corendon, set to launch in the winter of 2025-2026. These itineraries will cater to travelers from the UK, France, and the Netherlands, with departures from homeports such as Barbados, Martinique, and Curacao.

Christian Verhounig, CEO of Ambassador Cruise Line, described the partnership as a strategic move that combines resources to offer high-quality experiences while ensuring sustainability. The majority ownership of the Ambassador Group will remain with Njord Partners, the current shareholders of Ambassador, while Cheyne Capital will hold a minority stake. The merger is expected to be finalized by January 2025.

For more details, visit the CruiseMapper links: Ambassador Cruise Line, CFC Renaissance, refurbishment details.

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