Ambassador Cruise Line joins CLIA

Ambassador Cruise Line has been confirmed as a member of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). The partnership will enhance Ambassador’s brand awareness across the industry, bringing them into CLIA’s wider community of cruise lines, travel agents and executive partners.

The Essex-based operator joins CLIA with immediate effect, with Ambassador benefiting from full access to CLIA’s cruise community, its in-person and virtual events, cruise learning programmes, the opportunity to share cruise line and ship information and resources online. They can also participate in flagship events such as the annual CLIA Conference in May and CLIA Cruise Week from September 16–22.

Their membership also means Ambassador meets or exceeds the high standards all CLIA members adhere to.

Andy Harmer, CLIA UK & Ireland director, said: “Ambassador has gone from strength-to-strength in the domestic market and we’re very pleased to welcome them as a member. The line has already become a well-established brand in a short period of time, and we look forward to supporting their team as they further develop and build relationships with the trade across the UK and Ireland.”

Christian Verhounig, CEO, Ambassador Cruise Line, said: “In a short space of time, Ambassador has cemented its position as a strong new cruise brand with a clear marketing proposition that offers amazing entertainment, outstanding cuisine and exceptional service sailing to breathtaking destinations; all for the best value. Joining CLIA is a natural step for us as we grow ever-more established, with membership of the world’s largest cruise industry trade association offering the mark of trust and reassurance associated with travel brands in the sector.

“Our main objective for the coming months is focussed on building brand awareness even further and encouraging more agents to feature and sell our affordable quality, no-fly cruise experiences. CLIA membership offers us a fantastic opportunity to engage with the wider agent community, and we’re very much looking forward to contributing to the organisation’s events, training initiatives and working groups in the months and years to come.

“We are also keen to support the association’s efforts in shaping the cruise industry and welcoming the opportunity to contribute towards the regulatory and policy efforts CLIA is spearheading on behalf of the entire sector.”

Ambassador was founded in April 2021, and is aimed at cruise intenders aged 50+ with a selection of multi-generational sailings. Departures are available from seven ports across Great Britain via two ships: Ambience, which sailed her maiden voyage in April 2022, and Ambition, which came into service in May 2023.

The line has a dedicated trade team of 13 whose role is to meet the needs of its agent partners in the most effective and productive way possible. This incorporates fostering existing commercial relationships to maximise sales opportunities, while instigating new agent and trade partnerships, as the brand and offering continues to grow.

Headed-up by Head of Distribution, Nicola Harper, the team provides a high and sustained level of support to its valued agent partners including a range of tools and sales and marketing materials and a wealth of trade-specific initiatives and activities, ship visits, fam trips, incentives and a UK-wide programme of in-person store visits.