Semester at Sea is set to introduce a new ship starting in 2028, thanks to a partnership established with Ambassador Cruise Line and the Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE). As part of this collaboration, the ISE will operate the recently acquired Oceania Sirena for about eight months each year.
The ship, which will be renamed Ambella, is currently with Oceania but was initially built in 2000 for Renaissance Cruises. Ambassador intends to use the Ambella for European cruises during the summer and for Semester at Sea programs in the winter as part of a ten-year agreement.
Scott Marshall, the president and CEO of ISE, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating the alignment of goals and values between ISE and Ambassador, emphasizing the potential enhancements to the Semester at Sea program. He shared his excitement for the inaugural voyage in the fall of 2028, which he hopes will provide a transformative educational experience for students, faculty, and staff.
Initially, ISE will operate the Ambella from September 2028 to April 2029, with specific itineraries to be announced later. The Semester at Sea program, which has a long-standing history since 1963, combines academic education with international travel and primarily caters to college students from the U.S. and abroad.
Before the acquisition of the Ambella, ISE had been utilizing the World Odyssey for its winter programs since 2015, with the latter scheduled to sail until early 2028.
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