Two flogs in one week, you are spoiling us! It is always a joy to watch you and you are always very fair and informative. Keep up entertaining and informing us. We hope Ambassador Cruises are taking note of your suggestions… very practical and easy to do. Love your positive attitude.
Aww, I love you guys. I've only just found you but will follow your travels now. Absolute bostin review. I love Ambassador and as one of their agents I'll be sharing this video. I love how you tell it like it is. 'Spake how ya feel' I am on Ambition soon having already had the lovely experience of Ambience. I was surprised to hear you say the Purple Turtle was quiet as on Ambience it seems to be everyone's main 'go to' Very interesting. We have a full ship when we go so hoping it will still be quiet somewhere. I know already that I will miss the bar at the front of the ship. Great toilet tip, superb. I can't wait to visit Saffron again, just love it there. Did you do the Speciality restaurants? Keep up the great work and enjoy your travels x
@dawnwoodwardtravelagent Cheers aer kid! Thanks for watching and for your lovely comments. Any cruise bargains come across your desk, please let us know! 😂👍
@dawnwoodwardtravelagent We didn't do either of the speciality restaurants. We often find that being pescitarian it is not worth it. And we were scarred by Sindhu on P&O. There was much better Indian food in Smethwick!
A really well-crafted video, that summarises everything anyone would wish to know about sailing with this group. All done in a straightforward, informative, honest manner with a touch of gentle humour. Must suggest to Gary Bembridge (Tips for Travellers) that he needs to include more detail on toilet leg room in his future videos ! Fully understand that you needed to taste every wine - purely in the interests of journalistic research. Mind you, Lisa seems to do that when I spot her doing the weekly shop at Tescos 😂
Thanks Nick. Toilet leg room is very important! I spend a lot of time there completing my paperwork 😆 I'll let Lisa know what you said when she wakes up from her Cabernet coma.
Got a solo cruise to Norway to do the fjords booked for October, it’ll be my first solo trip and I’m so looking forward to it. Thank you for the honest review.
We spoke to a few solo travellers. They loved it and said Ambassador was great for solos. We are sure you will have a brilliant time. Thanks for watching 👍
What a great review. Like yourselves, we’ve only been cruising since 2016 and only done Marella! I think I’ll definitely have a look at Ambassador. Thank you both xx
You are welcome. We have only just started to spread our wings with other cruise companies. Ambassador was a very pleasant surprise and we would love to try Ambience as well. Thank you for watching and commenting it is much appreciated 😀👍
Brilliant VLOG guys - You’ve been great Ambassadors for Ambassador Cruises .. You’ve been really fair and balanced in this review and it’s a cruise line we’d certainly consider.
Cheers. We think it is important to mention the price. We work hard for our money and want to spend it wisely. We are happy to share our thoughts as to whether we feel something is good value or not. Thanks for the feedback.
@christinelloyd-kg9ow thanks for watching and commenting Christine. We hope you have a wonderful time on Ambassador. We would definitely sail again on Ambition. Happy travels!
Thank you for this review, very informative! We would like to do the Iceland cruise from Belfast, but can't book a balcony room as they are booked up for the next two years. We are very hesitant an about the ocean view rooms as they look pokey in the booking pics. Also they don't tell you that the beds can be put together. Having seen this wee might just give it a go!
@PaulineMilner No problem at all. I'm glad that you found it helpful. Most cruises we book an inside cabin as we try to spend as little time as possible in there. A balcony is a judgement call for us, depending on the destination (and price! 😂). Thanks for watching and for your feedback. It is much appreciated 👏
Having done P and O and Marella several times ( both of which I love and would go on again), completely agree with your review, Ambassador best food and entertainment we have had on a ship. And loved the smaller size.
Having been on Ambition on almost 5 times (going again next week) re taxis, there are ALWAYS taxis outside and you may have to wait a few minutes for more to come along so no need to prebook a taxi from Bristol. You can always order an Uber too from Bristol, if you have the app.
Having cruised with Ambassador I found this a very fair review. However, if you have a different embarkation and disem arkation port, then Ambassador have a transfer coach which will take you back to your original port. It is about £50 and really saves you a lot of hassle.
@westonblues Thank you for watching and commenting. It is much appreciated. If we had lived nearer to either port we may have been tempted by the transfer option. However, it didn't seem to make much sense to get bussed all across the country from Bristol to Tilbury (or vice versa) to then drive back up to Staffordshire. We would definitely go back with Ambassador again. We would probably like to try Ambience next time.
@@TravellingLightLisaSorry, I didn't realise you lived up country. I live near Bristol, so when I sailed from Bristol and ended up at Tilbury it was very convenient to be coached back.
Correct. We departed on Ambition from Liverpool recently and finished at Leith, Edinburgh. Everyone who wanted was returned back to the Liverpool port in coaches then those of us who had parking was taken by minibus to pick up our cars. Easy peasy.
My wife and I just got back from a short 3-night cruise from Tilbury to Amsterdam, this was our second time on Ambience. Enjoyed it very much, more so than last time as our under-18 daughter was with us last time, which meant we weren't able to go to two of the bars (the best ones), but this time we made good use of both - Raffles with the live pianist/singer in the evenings, and the Bottanical Lounge with the super-comfy sofas etc. The Purple Turtle is ok if you need to kill a bit of time, but the quizzes and things that go on in there were not really our thing, we preferred the other bars and the shows at the Palladium to spending any real time in the PT. Table-sharing, the first time we went, we were seated on a 6-person table, the other guests were all fine, one of which was a pleasant elderly solo-cruiser called Keith who was actually very interesting to talk to, he'd lived quite an interesting life. We were also seated on a 6-person table this time around (we would have preferred a table for two). We got the the restaurant early for our first meal, so that we could hopefully sit by the window (which we were able to do), the waiter asked if we'd like to order straight away, or wait for the other guests to arrive, we chose to order straight away, which is just as well as the other guests didn't show up, in fact they didn't show up at all for any of the meals throughout the entire cruise, meaning that we basically had a six person table with a window-seat to ourselves the whole time. I don't know why people choose not to eat in the restaurants, a big part of cruising for us is the excellent food. The food in the "Borough Market" buffet is fine, but it's not as good as in the Buckingham restaurant. Our waiter was polite and friendly, and because there was just two of us (on our table for six), he had more time to talk to us than he would normally have been able to, and it was interesting to hear about his time on the ship and his family back home etc. They are obviously paid a very low wage for the job they do, but compared to back home in Indonesia, the wages are higher than he would earn there. He is basically away from his family most of the time (7 months on ship, 2 months off, then back on the ship again for another 7 months), which is hard. He also talked about the living conditions on the ship and that they lived at the very lowest areas of the ship below the sea line, so no windows, bunk beds with colleagues, and that they'd be the first to go if ever there was a catastophe... His english was excellent. Amsterdam was interesting, on our final day (a Saturday), we didn't bother with an excursion, we just hopped on the free shuttle-bus, and then mooched around Amsterdam for a few few hours exploring the markets and doing general sight-seeing, we racked up around 20,000 steps, not bad for a couple of 50-somethings 😃 The excursion we'd done on the Friday was fine, we'd gotten to explore some hitstorical areas of the city, the guide was good and had good knowledge of the areas we passed through. This excursion was finished off with a canal cruise with another knowledgeable guide. Unfortunately, this day didn't end well, no fault of Ambience. There was an accident on the way back to the ship meaning that we were stuck on the coach for way longer than we should have been, meaning that we basically missed the formal night and our dinner, and had to eat in the buffet. The buffet was fine but we were disappointed to have missed out on the meal in the restaurant. These things happen. We didn't find out anything more about the accident, and so can only hope that everyone was ok. To finish off, we had a great time, and will definitely go again. Tilbury isn't far from us and so it's super convenient to be able to drive there, and park up right outsde the terminal, rather than have to drive all the way to Southampton (where most other cruises depart from).
So glad you enjoyed your trip. Thanks for the information on Ambience. I've heard mixed reviews about it but we will definitely try it at some point. Giles is off to Amsterdam in a couple of weeks time so I'm sure he will enjoy it. Thanks for watching and commenting 😊
My friend and I are going on a cruise on Ambition on 16th September 2024. Really looking forward to it. Was a great fan of Cruise and Maritime in the past .
Thr friendliness made the table sharing tolerable, but there are never any guarantees. We really missed not having a wraparound prom deck. Thanks for watching
We have just booked with Ambassador ( Ambition) for a cruise next year. We have been told we can have a table for 2 ? This is been my wife is profundity deaf and only lip reads. So sitter next to someone can and has caught problems with the person next to her training to start a conversation, Thank you for your review, This has helped, and i will re contact Ambassador to confirm the table for two.
@KPP365 I would hope that Ambassador will be able to accommodate your perfectly reasonable request. Thank you for watching, and have a great cruise 🛳 😀 👍
The tv has no.signing or subtitles that concerned me plus I didn't see much of the safety instructions I turned uo late missed all the check in was rushed through...
Excellent and informative review. I'm glad you enjoyed the cruise but there seems to be one or two areas that Ambassador could improve on. I thought your canapes joke was funny as well!
We did a 5 night cruise out of Liverpool pool in May bear in mind we are platinum with NCL and Princess and have sailed with most of the others, will never go MSC or Costa again but will go Ambassador again
@user-fl5eu3mk3n That sounds like a ringing endorsement for Ambassador! We want to try Ambience as well. After seeing other reviews, we are cautious about going with MSC and Costa. If the itinerary was fabulous, we may be persuaded, but it would be for the destinations, not the ship. Thanks for watching.
We have just come off the Discovery 2 and noticed a lot of changes ... This cruise line is tempting us to try something different after 28 Tui based cruises...
Wow! 28 Tui cruises! We are only on 5 at the moment. If you find a cruise that has a good itinerary on Ambassador, we would highly recommend it. Don't book with Cunard though, until you have watched our videos that we have coming up. 😆 Thanks for watching 👍
@debshomegarden8501 The Cavern is the late night venue, but I think it all slowed down at around half 12. I'm not too sure, though, as Lisa goes to bed at 8.30! 🤣 Not like you crazy cats!
@@TravellingLightLisa LOL!!! Thank you, we're seriously thinking of trying an alternative cruise line after last week. Maybe we'll we'll catch up with you guys at sea one day
Yes, they have gluten-free options at all meals. We would advise that for any additional special dietary requirements it would be useful to contact them a few weeks before departure.
Have to say that I'm not sure that I would go on Ambience again. I don't know whether we were just unlucky but we found the service in the dining room to be poor. Our evening waiter was very inexperienced and there was usually something missing from the table and service was slow. We had a few breakfasts in the dining room and one morning we waited an hour for the main part of the breakfast to arrive. Eventually someone on the table approached the Maitre 'd to complain. At the same time a lady who sat on our table in the evening was approaching management as their breakfast waiter had been incredibly rude to her! Also found some of the waiters in certain bars didn't seem to be very interested in serving you - not all, some were lovely but others couldn't be bothered and you had to approach them and disturb their chat to get a drink - not something that I have found on any other cruise. On the positive side, check in was very quick and efficient, entertainment by the young singers and dancers was excellent and I enjoyed the craft session that I took part in. Just felt that there needed to be a general tightening up and training of staff but some people had better experiences so perhaps we were unlucky.
@fionapenwarne5560 It is funny, but that was the same experience we had on Cunards Queen Mary 2 in the main dining room a short time after this cruise. We said exactly the same in that the experience really depends on your waiters, and it could be poles apart, just tables apart! Thank you for watching and sharing your experience.
@barrylowe441 thanks Barry. I'm pleased more cruise lines are increasing the choice of food for vegetarian and vegan customers. We are trying Virgin Voyages in September and I have heard good things about their food but not much about vegetarian/vegan options. Although one of their restaurants Razzle Dazzle is a dedicated veggie eatery. We will report back later in year. Thanks for supporting us.
@TravellingLightLisa be careful of Ambience. They did nice vegan bacon that ran out luckily last day but didn't get enough choice for dinner..I was appalled at meat eaters getting more veg and wasting it and I was refused
@Dally50 We spoke to a few solo travellers on this cruise. Without exception, they were enjoying the solo experience that Ambassador provided. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching 👍
We have always cruised with Marella but we did not enjoy our last cruise on explorer as it seems Tui have changed their business model to maximize profit at all costs so we are looking for a cruise line that offers the same value and cruise experience that Marella used to offer. we are now looking at P+O or Ambassador, any thoughts?? Dennis Pennis? Ha.
We enjoyed Ambassador, and Lisa is currently on a P&O cruise on Aurora. She seems to be enjoying it. I am sure there will be videos! It's mostly about the destinations for us. The ship is a secondary consideration. We would go with any line as long as the price was OK. Not sure that will help you much 😂 Thanks for watching.
@@michaelthompson6885 I have been looking at Explorer cruises in November. It would be interesting to see what has changed since the last time we went on. It's been a while.
Thanks for the comment. We put the prices of the available excursions in our destination vlogs. For this cruise the excursions for Honfleur and Guernsey, including prices, are in those vlogs. Thanks for watching.
We don't understand this thing about price we have compared Ambassador with P&O, princess MSC and they been significantly more expensive. Even at the travelling agents last week she said let look a Ambassador and she was blown away at how expensive the Ambassador cruises where coming near £2000 a couple more. For 2025 cruises. They might be good on price for late booking when they got to fill cabins buy planning ahead there prices are way over.
@keithnewton8981 We haven't looked at Ambassadors 2025 advance prices. This was a late deal with a good offer on the drinks package, and we paid significantly less than people who had booked well in advance. We do want to try Ambience as well, but not if it is significantly more expensive than other options. We are quite fortunate that we are able to take advantage of late deals. Princess is a company we have yet to try. It is the itinerary that is most important to us when booking. Thanks for watching 👍
@1bethnal hi it might be best to contact Ambassador direct. On our cruise there were a few tender ports that people with accessibility issues may have struggled with. The ship in general seemed very accessible. Some cruise lines have accessible cabins too so it may be advisable to email them to find out if they have these sort of cabins available on the sailing you are interested in. Sorry I can't be more helpful. Enjoy whichever cruise you decide on.
Not much use to me apart from watching (two left feet) but the other cruises where they teach cha cha cha and things is good to watch and learn That would be good
I never want to travel again thT tv drove me mental and the stiff beds, the pillows were saggy and the lack of shower gel in room 5149 glad to have my own. It was awful to be sat with meat and booze eaters. Mistake.was to not speak to staff about food and drink..was suffering rice loads of days!
Recently back from second Ambition cruise (out of Liverpool). My husband goes to the dining room for breakfast because they have a different special which can be ordered each morning (he also gets gossip from his tablemates). I prefer the buffet and sitting outside whatever the weather. Regarding the late night buffets, we don't need them, we eat more than enough during the day to be honest. We also love Marella and are going with them in October. With both companies we love the smaller ships, interesting ports, great staff and service. All in all they have a great vibe, feel comfortable and relaxed.
@MrsTabby1963 totally agree 👍 we love Ambassador and Marella fir the same reasons you do. We are back on Marella in November and looking at another Ambassador cruise for next year. Thanks for watching. Safe travels
It's amazing how quickly some elements of this video have become out of date due to changes and how in other areas, how quickly things have gone downhill. Still worth watching, but just be aware there have been a number of changes since filming, not all good.
@EssexResident2000 Thanks for that. We have noticed that the words 'premium value' seem to have been dropped by Ambassador and been replaced with 'affordable quality' and more emphasis on the 'warmest of welcomes'. This may be telling if the experience is becoming less than premium. What are the main issues that have gone downhill?
@@TravellingLightLisa So, defective aircon across both ships, Ambience's now having been defective for more than two months, not sure how long Ambition's has been defective. Waits of over an hour at bars (made worse when you bear in mind most Ambassador cruises are adults only) and the withdrawal of the option to guarantee first or second sitting, which for people like me who have to take medication at certain times now means MDR is completely off limits. That's just issues SINCE my cruise earlier this year and doesn't mention the issues DURING my cruise earlier this year, nor does it list all of the issues that I think can be found on the internet, but won't mention here just in case they're not public knowledge......
@EssexResident2000 Thanks for that. We were keen to try Ambience, but will have a closer look at the reviews now. Those bar waits are poor. Thanks for the heads up.
@@EssexResident2000yes freezing had to go to bed in jumpers and trousers! I showered only in the day time was nice and warm in port when ship stopped. Have been rocking about the cruise made me have this rare condition won't be able to go on more. Plus the vegan food was awful. I didn't go amd speak didn't like Borough Market being ridiculously high up floor 12. Hated getting into lifts with others pressing here there and everywhere felt like being in a care home for OAPs and disabled.. shocked ex politicians and singers etc on board. Hated the rip off wifi amd the photos why £6.99 for a digital photo??? The drinks not great the weird cocktails didn't like them. Kept often having this ginger beer. I didn't like the beds with lumpy pillows and the cabin bunk beds bashed my arms on the wall ouch. The tenders were scary too fast and weird why force old people omto boats that's awful they seemed scared witless! Quite a few didn't all get off would see the same people. Noticed people staring at me I didn't like it(what's your problem) miserable people and hated this rude family I was sat with last breakfast. Glad they ate fast and left. I would sit ages deliberately so others would leave then eat my meal later.
@@TravellingLightLisatoo much about "sustainability " God awful marmalade and butter. Had to ask for small spoonful and the grapefruit wasn't prepared enough I had to sit there over 15 minutes eating it why was yogurt in a glass and grapefruit not in a dish? The awful porridge and plain yogurt needing 3 packs of sugar! The watery orange juice. Had pineapple yeton last day was poured rudely orange I didn't ask for... bad service.
Sounds lovely, but it will be a no no for us , husband hates sharing tables, he said someone always wants to talk to him just as he has a mouthful of food .
Generally, we don't table share either and weren't particularly looking forward to it, but it was fine. It absolutely depends on your tablemates though. We have previously sat with some odious people that I would normally go out of my way to avoid. And I am sure some people would say the same about us! 😀 I am sure that if you spoke to staff they could try and accommodate you on a table for two but obviously there are no guarantees. Thanks for watching 👍
I'm the same I hated who I was sat with leaving food and moaning at me offering him sugar I don't know why?? Also the floors having to go first here then right there how can we get from floor 7 to 14 ots stupid it's windy outside up top very stupid I didn't see any disco
As seasoned P&O (and soon to be Cunard) cruisers, we watched with interest as we were considering booking. We're glad you had a good time and enjoyed your honesty but this cruise line is not for us, too much weirdness! (Being sat at a table for breakfast, self service starters and desserts, fixed dining, no late night buffet (That was the straw......) 👍
@clanger_6870 You are right. It felt a bit weird to us at first, but we did quickly get used to the quirks. I can understand your concerns re the late night buffet as I can get the munchies after a couple of drinks. Thanks for watching, and we are glad we helped with your decision 😀 👍
I wish people would slow down when scanning the food options, so one could actually see what was on offer ( we have bac poac be mush hash blac) POINTLESS
@jackmchammocklashing224 We usually suggest the pause button for an extended look at the menu, otherwise our videos would be very long. Thanks for watching 👍
I’ve got German ancestry but I’m East London born and bred, so I get so conflicted. The German in me puts the towel out but the cockney in me then throws it in the pool! 🤣
Worst cruise we've ever experienced. Would not cruise with them again even if it was free. Poor food, frozen fish with a watery centre, soggy and over cooked frozen veggies or pies with crusts like sheet metal. Over an hour wait for drinjs on more than one occasion. Only a 45 minute wait on another night. A fight in the bar with no member of staff dealing with it. Nylon bed sheets. Unheated swimming pool. Theatre totally overcrowded for the one off shows. Had to arrive so early to get a seat it was ridiculous. Facebook groups deleat ir do not allow negative reviews, so suckers like me pay for a dreadful holiday. Have previous cruises with Dusney, NCL, P&O and Princess with not a bad eord to say about any of them.
@JulieWallis1963 Gosh! Your experience sounds awful. As you can see from our video we had a more positive time. Our worst cruising experience for service and cleanliness this year was with Cunard, which surprised us. It goes to show how varied cruising experiences can be on the s the same ship or line. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍
My favourite size ship much much better than the massive ships they are bringing out now, Who goes on a cruse to ride the big dipper or the dodgems pityfull
We agree. The mega ships seem too big. We have been on Iona, but that was with capacity restrictions after covid so it was fine If you want to go to a theme park, go to a theme park not a cruise ship. Thanks for watching.
We have no major issue with the gratuities as they are declared up front. I would, however, always prefer everything to be included in the price. We had the drinks package, which included the gratuities anyway. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍
OK tks for your reply. We were ojn a short cruise from Bristol to Liverpool a week or so ago , very cheap indeed, and agree the ship and most of the services were of a very good standard
Regarding the gratuities. As a single passenger I always end up paying more, sometimes 100% more, although not with Ambassador usually. I always opt out of the gratuities two nights before the end of the cruise I go down to Reception and ask for the form for the gratuities to be rescinded. I then leave a tip for steward and waiting staff separately. Not as much as the gratuities.
@TravellingLightLisa before covid could usually expect to pay 45% single supplement with Fred Olsen. After covid example, I paid £5300 for a 26 night cruise, inside cabin Deck 1, couple I met one day had paid less than me, had an ocean view cabin on deck 7 They had a buy one get one free. What do single travellers get? And travellers who have been loyal to their cruise line. That us why I tried Ambassador.
Yes. Ambassador offer Gluten Free options for all meals on both Ambience and Ambition. Check their website for full details on dietary requirements. Thank you for watching. 😁👍
An absolute comprehensive review of the ship and what it has to offer. Very encouraging. Thanks
Thank you for watching and commenting. We are glad you found it useful 😀
Two flogs in one week, you are spoiling us! It is always a joy to watch you and you are always very fair and informative. Keep up entertaining and informing us. We hope Ambassador Cruises are taking note of your suggestions… very practical and easy to do. Love your positive attitude.
Thanks for watching. Yes, two in a week, we are suckers for punishment! 😆
Aww, I love you guys. I've only just found you but will follow your travels now. Absolute bostin review. I love Ambassador and as one of their agents I'll be sharing this video. I love how you tell it like it is. 'Spake how ya feel' I am on Ambition soon having already had the lovely experience of Ambience. I was surprised to hear you say the Purple Turtle was quiet as on Ambience it seems to be everyone's main 'go to' Very interesting. We have a full ship when we go so hoping it will still be quiet somewhere. I know already that I will miss the bar at the front of the ship. Great toilet tip, superb. I can't wait to visit Saffron again, just love it there. Did you do the Speciality restaurants? Keep up the great work and enjoy your travels x
@dawnwoodwardtravelagent Cheers aer kid! Thanks for watching and for your lovely comments. Any cruise bargains come across your desk, please let us know! 😂👍
@dawnwoodwardtravelagent We didn't do either of the speciality restaurants. We often find that being pescitarian it is not worth it. And we were scarred by Sindhu on P&O. There was much better Indian food in Smethwick!
Saffron on Ambience was very good, top quality and great food.
@@kyorin6526 good to hear!
@@TravellingLightLisa We liked Ambience so much last year, that we're going on a short trip to Amsterdam on Ambience later this month 👍
A really well-crafted video, that summarises everything anyone would wish to know about sailing with this group. All done in a straightforward, informative, honest manner with a touch of gentle humour. Must suggest to Gary Bembridge (Tips for Travellers) that he needs to include more detail on toilet leg room in his future videos ! Fully understand that you needed to taste every wine - purely in the interests of journalistic research. Mind you, Lisa seems to do that when I spot her doing the weekly shop at Tescos 😂
Thanks Nick. Toilet leg room is very important! I spend a lot of time there completing my paperwork 😆 I'll let Lisa know what you said when she wakes up from her Cabernet coma.
Got a solo cruise to Norway to do the fjords booked for October, it’ll be my first solo trip and I’m so looking forward to it. Thank you for the honest review.
We spoke to a few solo travellers. They loved it and said Ambassador was great for solos. We are sure you will have a brilliant time. Thanks for watching 👍
What a great review. Like yourselves, we’ve only been cruising since 2016 and only done Marella! I think I’ll definitely have a look at Ambassador. Thank you both xx
You are welcome. We have only just started to spread our wings with other cruise companies. Ambassador was a very pleasant surprise and we would love to try Ambience as well. Thank you for watching and commenting it is much appreciated 😀👍
Brilliant VLOG guys - You’ve been great Ambassadors for Ambassador Cruises .. You’ve been really fair and balanced in this review and it’s a cruise line we’d certainly consider.
Cheers! We were very happy with the experience and if they have the right itinerary we would certainly go back with Ambassador. Thanks for watching.
I love how you both tell it as it is and also how much you’ve paid for the cruise. You don’t get that much on a lot of the other vloggers.
Cheers. We think it is important to mention the price. We work hard for our money and want to spend it wisely. We are happy to share our thoughts as to whether we feel something is good value or not. Thanks for the feedback.
Excellent, honest, rounded review. Picked up on so much small detail that helped understand the Ambassador offer
Thanks for watching Peter. Glad you found it useful. Appreciate your comment. Happy travels!
Good honest review well done will now give the a try
Glad you found it helpful. Thanks for watching 👍
Loved our Fjords cruise on Ambition, booked Fjords again for 2026.
@andyniblock43 We are looking at Norway on Ambience for this year. Norway is probably our number one favourite destination. Thanks for watching 👍
Inspiring
I’ve just come of queen Ann and had very good comments from other passengers about Ambassador
So I’m going to try one
Thank you both
@christinelloyd-kg9ow thanks for watching and commenting Christine. We hope you have a wonderful time on Ambassador. We would definitely sail again on Ambition. Happy travels!
Thank you for this review, very informative! We would like to do the Iceland cruise from Belfast, but can't book a balcony room as they are booked up for the next two years. We are very hesitant an about the ocean view rooms as they look pokey in the booking pics. Also they don't tell you that the beds can be put together. Having seen this wee might just give it a go!
@PaulineMilner No problem at all. I'm glad that you found it helpful. Most cruises we book an inside cabin as we try to spend as little time as possible in there. A balcony is a judgement call for us, depending on the destination (and price! 😂). Thanks for watching and for your feedback. It is much appreciated 👏
Having done P and O and Marella several times ( both of which I love and would go on again), completely agree with your review, Ambassador best food and entertainment we have had on a ship. And loved the smaller size.
We would probably go on any ship as long as it got us to where we wanted to go. You are right, the entertainment was great.
@@TravellingLightLisa We're much the same, the itinerary is the most important, we're even trying a Carnival next year!
:)
Having been on Ambition on almost 5 times (going again next week) re taxis, there are ALWAYS taxis outside and you may have to wait a few minutes for more to come along so no need to prebook a taxi from Bristol. You can always order an Uber too from Bristol, if you have the app.
Good to know. What's the approximate cost into Bristol? No worries if you don't know. Thanks for watching 👍
Fabulous review! Toilet situation looked awkward haha
Thank you for watching. It was a little tight!
Brilliant revue THANK YOU
@@jackmchammocklashing224 Thank you. That's much appreciated. 😁👍
Good to see Killer Darts on board. Plus positive comments about the wine.
Both essentials for some people. 😀
I hate wine lol
Having cruised with Ambassador I found this a very fair review. However, if you have a different embarkation and disem arkation port, then Ambassador have a transfer coach which will take you back to your original port. It is about £50 and really saves you a lot of hassle.
@westonblues Thank you for watching and commenting. It is much appreciated. If we had lived nearer to either port we may have been tempted by the transfer option. However, it didn't seem to make much sense to get bussed all across the country from Bristol to Tilbury (or vice versa) to then drive back up to Staffordshire. We would definitely go back with Ambassador again. We would probably like to try Ambience next time.
@@TravellingLightLisaSorry, I didn't realise you lived up country. I live near Bristol, so when I sailed from Bristol and ended up at Tilbury it was very convenient to be coached back.
We couldn't live much further away from the sea! 🤣
Correct. We departed on Ambition from Liverpool recently and finished at Leith, Edinburgh. Everyone who wanted was returned back to the Liverpool port in coaches then those of us who had parking was taken by minibus to pick up our cars. Easy peasy.
My wife and I just got back from a short 3-night cruise from Tilbury to Amsterdam, this was our second time on Ambience. Enjoyed it very much, more so than last time as our under-18 daughter was with us last time, which meant we weren't able to go to two of the bars (the best ones), but this time we made good use of both - Raffles with the live pianist/singer in the evenings, and the Bottanical Lounge with the super-comfy sofas etc. The Purple Turtle is ok if you need to kill a bit of time, but the quizzes and things that go on in there were not really our thing, we preferred the other bars and the shows at the Palladium to spending any real time in the PT.
Table-sharing, the first time we went, we were seated on a 6-person table, the other guests were all fine, one of which was a pleasant elderly solo-cruiser called Keith who was actually very interesting to talk to, he'd lived quite an interesting life.
We were also seated on a 6-person table this time around (we would have preferred a table for two). We got the the restaurant early for our first meal, so that we could hopefully sit by the window (which we were able to do), the waiter asked if we'd like to order straight away, or wait for the other guests to arrive, we chose to order straight away, which is just as well as the other guests didn't show up, in fact they didn't show up at all for any of the meals throughout the entire cruise, meaning that we basically had a six person table with a window-seat to ourselves the whole time. I don't know why people choose not to eat in the restaurants, a big part of cruising for us is the excellent food. The food in the "Borough Market" buffet is fine, but it's not as good as in the Buckingham restaurant. Our waiter was polite and friendly, and because there was just two of us (on our table for six), he had more time to talk to us than he would normally have been able to, and it was interesting to hear about his time on the ship and his family back home etc. They are obviously paid a very low wage for the job they do, but compared to back home in Indonesia, the wages are higher than he would earn there. He is basically away from his family most of the time (7 months on ship, 2 months off, then back on the ship again for another 7 months), which is hard. He also talked about the living conditions on the ship and that they lived at the very lowest areas of the ship below the sea line, so no windows, bunk beds with colleagues, and that they'd be the first to go if ever there was a catastophe... His english was excellent.
Amsterdam was interesting, on our final day (a Saturday), we didn't bother with an excursion, we just hopped on the free shuttle-bus, and then mooched around Amsterdam for a few few hours exploring the markets and doing general sight-seeing, we racked up around 20,000 steps, not bad for a couple of 50-somethings 😃 The excursion we'd done on the Friday was fine, we'd gotten to explore some hitstorical areas of the city, the guide was good and had good knowledge of the areas we passed through. This excursion was finished off with a canal cruise with another knowledgeable guide. Unfortunately, this day didn't end well, no fault of Ambience. There was an accident on the way back to the ship meaning that we were stuck on the coach for way longer than we should have been, meaning that we basically missed the formal night and our dinner, and had to eat in the buffet. The buffet was fine but we were disappointed to have missed out on the meal in the restaurant. These things happen. We didn't find out anything more about the accident, and so can only hope that everyone was ok.
To finish off, we had a great time, and will definitely go again. Tilbury isn't far from us and so it's super convenient to be able to drive there, and park up right outsde the terminal, rather than have to drive all the way to Southampton (where most other cruises depart from).
So glad you enjoyed your trip. Thanks for the information on Ambience. I've heard mixed reviews about it but we will definitely try it at some point. Giles is off to Amsterdam in a couple of weeks time so I'm sure he will enjoy it. Thanks for watching and commenting 😊
My friend and I are going on a cruise on Ambition on 16th September 2024. Really looking forward to it. Was a great fan of Cruise and Maritime in the past .
@@slHighlands I'm sure you will have a fabulous time. Ambition is a great little ship. Have fun!! Thank you for watching and commenting 😊
The ship looks good but I'm not keen on table-sharing. I like a wrap-around promenade deck, too. Good to hear it's a friendly ship.
Thr friendliness made the table sharing tolerable, but there are never any guarantees. We really missed not having a wraparound prom deck. Thanks for watching
Towels on sunbeds brigade sadly put me off. Why do they allow it.
We have just booked with Ambassador ( Ambition) for a cruise next year. We have been told we can have a table for 2 ? This is been my wife is profundity deaf and only lip reads. So sitter next to someone can and has caught problems with the person next to her training to start a conversation, Thank you for your review, This has helped, and i will re contact Ambassador to confirm the table for two.
@KPP365 I would hope that Ambassador will be able to accommodate your perfectly reasonable request. Thank you for watching, and have a great cruise 🛳 😀 👍
We were seated in the Buckingham restaurant last week and there were tables for two set up around the wall of the waiters stations.
The tv has no.signing or subtitles that concerned me plus I didn't see much of the safety instructions I turned uo late missed all the check in was rushed through...
@@BrianW1llsthey didn't allow my mum and I to sit alone despite me only having allocated for max of 4... and they were awful
What cruise did you guys do?
Brill video!! Can I ask - do you guys have day jobs or now retired ?
Thank you for watching and for your kind comment. We are not retired. Money and annual leave still restrict how much we can travel and how frequently.
@@TravellingLightLisa Great effort
I'm amazed how those elderly afford cruises with care needs...
Excellent and informative review. I'm glad you enjoyed the cruise but there seems to be one or two areas that Ambassador could improve on. I thought your canapes joke was funny as well!
Thank you for watching again and indulging our Black Country humour! 😆
It's like a floating care home with soft food for veggies why?
We did a 5 night cruise out of Liverpool pool in May bear in mind we are platinum with NCL and Princess and have sailed with most of the others, will never go MSC or Costa again but will go Ambassador again
@user-fl5eu3mk3n That sounds like a ringing endorsement for Ambassador! We want to try Ambience as well. After seeing other reviews, we are cautious about going with MSC and Costa. If the itinerary was fabulous, we may be persuaded, but it would be for the destinations, not the ship. Thanks for watching.
Great video
Thank you for your kind comment, and thanks for watching 👍
We have just come off the Discovery 2 and noticed a lot of changes ... This cruise line is tempting us to try something different after 28 Tui based cruises...
Wow! 28 Tui cruises! We are only on 5 at the moment. If you find a cruise that has a good itinerary on Ambassador, we would highly recommend it. Don't book with Cunard though, until you have watched our videos that we have coming up. 😆 Thanks for watching 👍
@@TravellingLightLisa Do you mind if I ask if there was a disco? We do like to end our evenings with a boogie!! x
@debshomegarden8501 The Cavern is the late night venue, but I think it all slowed down at around half 12. I'm not too sure, though, as Lisa goes to bed at 8.30! 🤣 Not like you crazy cats!
@@TravellingLightLisa LOL!!! Thank you, we're seriously thinking of trying an alternative cruise line after last week. Maybe we'll we'll catch up with you guys at sea one day
@@debshomegarden8501 we are enjoying your vlogs at the moment. Was it disappointing on D2? It would be lovely to bump into you guys on a cruise.
Is anyone know if they have gluten-free selection for breakfast?
Yes, they have gluten-free options at all meals. We would advise that for any additional special dietary requirements it would be useful to contact them a few weeks before departure.
Have to say that I'm not sure that I would go on Ambience again. I don't know whether we were just unlucky but we found the service in the dining room to be poor. Our evening waiter was very inexperienced and there was usually something missing from the table and service was slow. We had a few breakfasts in the dining room and one morning we waited an hour for the main part of the breakfast to arrive. Eventually someone on the table approached the Maitre 'd to complain. At the same time a lady who sat on our table in the evening was approaching management as their breakfast waiter had been incredibly rude to her! Also found some of the waiters in certain bars didn't seem to be very interested in serving you - not all, some were lovely but others couldn't be bothered and you had to approach them and disturb their chat to get a drink - not something that I have found on any other cruise. On the positive side, check in was very quick and efficient, entertainment by the young singers and dancers was excellent and I enjoyed the craft session that I took part in. Just felt that there needed to be a general tightening up and training of staff but some people had better experiences so perhaps we were unlucky.
@fionapenwarne5560 It is funny, but that was the same experience we had on Cunards Queen Mary 2 in the main dining room a short time after this cruise. We said exactly the same in that the experience really depends on your waiters, and it could be poles apart, just tables apart! Thank you for watching and sharing your experience.
Yes directed to tables T breakfast that man who stands there witu specs grey hair he's very rude on Ambience...
Love Ambition. Best vegan/vegetarian food on any cruise line. Incredible crew.
@barrylowe441 thanks Barry. I'm pleased more cruise lines are increasing the choice of food for vegetarian and vegan customers. We are trying Virgin Voyages in September and I have heard good things about their food but not much about vegetarian/vegan options. Although one of their restaurants Razzle Dazzle is a dedicated veggie eatery. We will report back later in year. Thanks for supporting us.
I was very disappointed no vegan roast dinner in Ambience. I missed my food it was awful too much risotto! Too many soups like being ina. Care home!
@TravellingLightLisa be careful of Ambience. They did nice vegan bacon that ran out luckily last day but didn't get enough choice for dinner..I was appalled at meat eaters getting more veg and wasting it and I was refused
@veggie42 sorry to hear about your experience on Ambience. I hope as time goes by all cruise lines increase the vegetarian and vegan options. 🙏
I am considering my first cruise, solo. As a 50 year old guy, would you recommend Ambassador?
@Dally50 We spoke to a few solo travellers on this cruise. Without exception, they were enjoying the solo experience that Ambassador provided. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching 👍
We have always cruised with Marella but we did not enjoy our last cruise on explorer as it seems Tui have changed their business model to maximize profit at all costs so we are looking for a cruise line that offers the same value and cruise experience that Marella used to offer. we are now looking at P+O or Ambassador, any thoughts?? Dennis Pennis? Ha.
We enjoyed Ambassador, and Lisa is currently on a P&O cruise on Aurora. She seems to be enjoying it. I am sure there will be videos! It's mostly about the destinations for us. The ship is a secondary consideration. We would go with any line as long as the price was OK. Not sure that will help you much 😂 Thanks for watching.
@@TravellingLightLisa thanks for the prompt reply we will look out for the P+O Vlog.
@@michaelthompson6885 I have been looking at Explorer cruises in November. It would be interesting to see what has changed since the last time we went on. It's been a while.
Something I'd like to know is the average cost of excursions? That can be the expensive.
Thanks for the comment. We put the prices of the available excursions in our destination vlogs. For this cruise the excursions for Honfleur and Guernsey, including prices, are in those vlogs. Thanks for watching.
We don't understand this thing about price we have compared Ambassador with P&O, princess MSC and they been significantly more expensive. Even at the travelling agents last week she said let look a Ambassador and she was blown away at how expensive the Ambassador cruises where coming near £2000 a couple more. For 2025 cruises. They might be good on price for late booking when they got to fill cabins buy planning ahead there prices are way over.
@keithnewton8981 We haven't looked at Ambassadors 2025 advance prices. This was a late deal with a good offer on the drinks package, and we paid significantly less than people who had booked well in advance. We do want to try Ambience as well, but not if it is significantly more expensive than other options. We are quite fortunate that we are able to take advantage of late deals. Princess is a company we have yet to try. It is the itinerary that is most important to us when booking. Thanks for watching 👍
Has anyone travelled with them who uses a walker/mobility scooter? I can only walk short distances.
@1bethnal hi it might be best to contact Ambassador direct. On our cruise there were a few tender ports that people with accessibility issues may have struggled with. The ship in general seemed very accessible. Some cruise lines have accessible cabins too so it may be advisable to email them to find out if they have these sort of cabins available on the sailing you are interested in. Sorry I can't be more helpful. Enjoy whichever cruise you decide on.
I have been on Ambience and ambition and there have been quite a few people with walkers and various size wheelchairs.
Ps and scooters
Thanks. @@jillianwalker2411
@jillianwalker2411 thanks
Not much use to me apart from watching (two left feet) but the other cruises where they teach cha cha cha and things is good to watch and learn That would be good
@@jackmchammocklashing224 I hear you. I suffer from that condition as well! Thanks for watching.
Think you might have found Ambassador a few new clients .
No major problems except for the weather at times.
I'll book you on for your birthday 🎂 😆
@@TravellingLightLisa thank you but no thanks
I never want to travel again thT tv drove me mental and the stiff beds, the pillows were saggy and the lack of shower gel in room 5149 glad to have my own. It was awful to be sat with meat and booze eaters. Mistake.was to not speak to staff about food and drink..was suffering rice loads of days!
Recently back from second Ambition cruise (out of Liverpool). My husband goes to the dining room for breakfast because they have a different special which can be ordered each morning (he also gets gossip from his tablemates). I prefer the buffet and sitting outside whatever the weather. Regarding the late night buffets, we don't need them, we eat more than enough during the day to be honest.
We also love Marella and are going with them in October.
With both companies we love the smaller ships, interesting ports, great staff and service. All in all they have a great vibe, feel comfortable and relaxed.
@MrsTabby1963 totally agree 👍 we love Ambassador and Marella fir the same reasons you do. We are back on Marella in November and looking at another Ambassador cruise for next year. Thanks for watching. Safe travels
It's amazing how quickly some elements of this video have become out of date due to changes and how in other areas, how quickly things have gone downhill. Still worth watching, but just be aware there have been a number of changes since filming, not all good.
@EssexResident2000 Thanks for that. We have noticed that the words 'premium value' seem to have been dropped by Ambassador and been replaced with 'affordable quality' and more emphasis on the 'warmest of welcomes'. This may be telling if the experience is becoming less than premium. What are the main issues that have gone downhill?
@@TravellingLightLisa So, defective aircon across both ships, Ambience's now having been defective for more than two months, not sure how long Ambition's has been defective. Waits of over an hour at bars (made worse when you bear in mind most Ambassador cruises are adults only) and the withdrawal of the option to guarantee first or second sitting, which for people like me who have to take medication at certain times now means MDR is completely off limits. That's just issues SINCE my cruise earlier this year and doesn't mention the issues DURING my cruise earlier this year, nor does it list all of the issues that I think can be found on the internet, but won't mention here just in case they're not public knowledge......
@EssexResident2000 Thanks for that. We were keen to try Ambience, but will have a closer look at the reviews now. Those bar waits are poor. Thanks for the heads up.
@@EssexResident2000yes freezing had to go to bed in jumpers and trousers! I showered only in the day time was nice and warm in port when ship stopped. Have been rocking about the cruise made me have this rare condition won't be able to go on more. Plus the vegan food was awful. I didn't go amd speak didn't like Borough Market being ridiculously high up floor 12. Hated getting into lifts with others pressing here there and everywhere felt like being in a care home for OAPs and disabled.. shocked ex politicians and singers etc on board. Hated the rip off wifi amd the photos why £6.99 for a digital photo??? The drinks not great the weird cocktails didn't like them. Kept often having this ginger beer. I didn't like the beds with lumpy pillows and the cabin bunk beds bashed my arms on the wall ouch. The tenders were scary too fast and weird why force old people omto boats that's awful they seemed scared witless! Quite a few didn't all get off would see the same people. Noticed people staring at me I didn't like it(what's your problem) miserable people and hated this rude family I was sat with last breakfast. Glad they ate fast and left. I would sit ages deliberately so others would leave then eat my meal later.
@@TravellingLightLisatoo much about "sustainability " God awful marmalade and butter. Had to ask for small spoonful and the grapefruit wasn't prepared enough I had to sit there over 15 minutes eating it why was yogurt in a glass and grapefruit not in a dish? The awful porridge and plain yogurt needing 3 packs of sugar! The watery orange juice. Had pineapple yeton last day was poured rudely orange I didn't ask for... bad service.
Sounds lovely, but it will be a no no for us , husband hates sharing tables, he said someone always wants to talk to him just as he has a mouthful of food .
Generally, we don't table share either and weren't particularly looking forward to it, but it was fine. It absolutely depends on your tablemates though. We have previously sat with some odious people that I would normally go out of my way to avoid. And I am sure some people would say the same about us! 😀 I am sure that if you spoke to staff they could try and accommodate you on a table for two but obviously there are no guarantees. Thanks for watching 👍
I'm the same I hated who I was sat with leaving food and moaning at me offering him sugar I don't know why?? Also the floors having to go first here then right there how can we get from floor 7 to 14 ots stupid it's windy outside up top very stupid I didn't see any disco
The Sunday why no vegan roast dinner?
As seasoned P&O (and soon to be Cunard) cruisers, we watched with interest as we were considering booking. We're glad you had a good time and enjoyed your honesty but this cruise line is not for us, too much weirdness! (Being sat at a table for breakfast, self service starters and desserts, fixed dining, no late night buffet (That was the straw......) 👍
@clanger_6870 You are right. It felt a bit weird to us at first, but we did quickly get used to the quirks. I can understand your concerns re the late night buffet as I can get the munchies after a couple of drinks. Thanks for watching, and we are glad we helped with your decision 😀 👍
I wish people would slow down when scanning the food options, so one could actually see what was on offer ( we have bac poac be mush hash blac) POINTLESS
@jackmchammocklashing224 We usually suggest the pause button for an extended look at the menu, otherwise our videos would be very long. Thanks for watching 👍
I found out that we have the people put towels on sun beds then have breakfast. That should be banned period. These people get right up my..
@@seltaeb9691 Totally agree! It is selfish behaviour to leave sunbeds unused for extended periods of time. Thanks for watching.
I’ve got German ancestry but I’m East London born and bred, so I get so conflicted. The German in me puts the towel out but the cockney in me then throws it in the pool! 🤣
Worst cruise we've ever experienced. Would not cruise with them again even if it was free.
Poor food, frozen fish with a watery centre, soggy and over cooked frozen veggies or pies with crusts like sheet metal.
Over an hour wait for drinjs on more than one occasion. Only a 45 minute wait on another night. A fight in the bar with no member of staff dealing with it.
Nylon bed sheets. Unheated swimming pool. Theatre totally overcrowded for the one off shows. Had to arrive so early to get a seat it was ridiculous.
Facebook groups deleat ir do not allow negative reviews, so suckers like me pay for a dreadful holiday.
Have previous cruises with Dusney, NCL, P&O and Princess with not a bad eord to say about any of them.
@JulieWallis1963 Gosh! Your experience sounds awful. As you can see from our video we had a more positive time. Our worst cruising experience for service and cleanliness this year was with Cunard, which surprised us. It goes to show how varied cruising experiences can be on the s the same ship or line. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍
My favourite size ship much much better than the massive ships they are bringing out now, Who goes on a cruse to ride the big dipper or the dodgems pityfull
We agree. The mega ships seem too big. We have been on Iona, but that was with capacity restrictions after covid so it was fine If you want to go to a theme park, go to a theme park not a cruise ship. Thanks for watching.
Good review. Agree with you in the main. Def good VFM. one question. What is your view on the £7.00 per person per night charge?
We have no major issue with the gratuities as they are declared up front. I would, however, always prefer everything to be included in the price. We had the drinks package, which included the gratuities anyway. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍
OK tks for your reply. We were ojn a short cruise from Bristol to Liverpool a week or so ago , very cheap indeed, and agree the ship and most of the services were of a very good standard
Regarding the gratuities. As a single passenger I always end up paying more, sometimes 100% more, although not with Ambassador usually. I always opt out of the gratuities two nights before the end of the cruise I go down to Reception and ask for the form for the gratuities to be rescinded. I then leave a tip for steward and waiting staff separately. Not as much as the gratuities.
@valerielane1066 Gosh, that's a big hit for a solo traveller! 100% more is a lot. Thanks for watching 👍
@TravellingLightLisa before covid could usually expect to pay 45% single supplement with Fred Olsen. After covid example, I paid £5300 for a 26 night cruise, inside cabin Deck 1, couple I met one day had paid less than me, had an ocean view cabin on deck 7
They had a buy one get one free. What do single travellers get? And travellers who have been loyal to their cruise line. That us why I tried Ambassador.
Is anyone know if they have gluten-free selection for breakfast?
Yes. Ambassador offer Gluten Free options for all meals on both Ambience and Ambition. Check their website for full details on dietary requirements. Thank you for watching. 😁👍