Ambassador Cruise Line has recorded its biggest ever first day of sales for the launch of its 2026-27 itineraries with overall revenue up 59% year on year.
Itineraries went live at 8am on October 9 and trade sales for the launch day increased by 88%.
More than half of bookings (54%) were made by passengers who had previously sailed with the no-fly cruise line.
Ambassador reported was an increased demand for premium cabins, particularly balconies and suites, as well as longer duration itineraries compared to previous seasons.
The two-ship fleet will sail 84 itineraries between April 3, 2026, and March 29, 2027, with 27 new ports out of 146, in 48 countries across three continents.
The itineraries include regional departures from seven ports across the UK: London Tilbury, Newcastle Tyne, Dundee, Liverpool, Belfast, Bristol Royal Portbury and Portsmouth.
Ambassador chief executive Christian Verhounig called the first day of sales “a phenomenal achievement” for a cruise line that sailed for the first time in early 2022.
He said: “With trade sales up by 88%, our spectacular launch day sales figures Illustrate how popular Ambassador’s offering has become with new-to-cruise customers and seasoned cruisers alike, courtesy of our inflation-defying prices.
“We’re seeing significant early demand for sailings from our seven departure gateways across the UK in 2026/27, showing how popular no-fly holiday options have proved with our existing and new-to-brand guests.”
He added that the trend for “a minimum of hassle” with passengers driving to a port, parking their cars and boarding ships “shows no sign of losing its attraction any time soon”.
Verhounig revealed 94% of those that sail with Ambassador would recommend the line to a friend, and he believed it had “cemented” its position as the preferred cruise company for thousands of people.
“It’s especially gratifying to see that more than half of bookings in 2026/27 come from repeat guests, a clear testament to the unique blend of maritime tradition, guest-focussed innovation and continuous product improvements that are at the heart of everything we do,” he said.
“To have built such a loyal following in just three years demonstrates that success isn’t defined by how long you’ve operated, but by how deeply you listen to and act on feedback from both our guests and our trade partners.
“We are proud to be firmly recognised as a cruise line that not only provides affordable quality across a range of sailings but one that will continue to offer guests from across the country the ‘warmest welcome at sea’ for many years to come.”
Ambassador has welcomed more than 130,000 guests on Ambience and Ambition, completed more than 100 cruises, visited over 60 countries and called at 200 ports since launch.