Ambassador Cruise Line and French cruise operator Compagnie Française de Croisières (CFC) have reached an agreement to merge, forming the Ambassador Group
The combination marks the creation of a European value cruise line, targeting the no-fly silver market. The transaction is expected to close by the end of January 2025.
With the market expected to grow by 12 per cent per annum over the next five years, the group said it will look to leverage its product offering to establish new destinations while delivering “authentic and sustainable” cruise experiences.
The group will operate a fleet of three small-to-mid-sized vessels, incorporating Ambassador’s Ambience and Ambition with CFC’s 1,200 guest-capacity Renaissance, which has been recently refurbished following multimillion-euro investments.
Both the Ambassador and CFC vessels will continue to offer a “traditionally British or French experience” to their respective markets, with each brand retaining its identity.
With the cruise industry increasingly focussed on sustainability, Renaissance will be upgraded with the latest environmental technologies after entering dry dock in January 2025 to become IMO Tier III compliant in line with its new sister ships.
Ambassador Group is introducing a joint fly-cruise Caribbean programme in winter 2025/26 in partnership with Corendon, with itineraries available from October 2025.
Vessels will homeport in Barbados, Martinique and Curaçao, and sailings will combine source markets from the UK, France and the Netherlands, marking the group’s entry into the fly-cruise market and enhancing its year-round offerings.
Ambassador Group will be majority owned by Ambassador’s existing shareholders, Njord Partners, with Cheyne Capital taking a minority stake.
Christian Verhounig, CEO of Ambassador Cruise Line, said: “The combination of Ambassador and CFC is a bold step towards our shared vision for the cruise industry.
“By uniting our strengths, we are creating an organisation that delivers exceptional experiences to our guests while upholding sustainable practices. Together, we will lead the way in offering affordable, high-quality, authentic and environmentally responsible cruises.”
It comes after the line appointed Peter Green as its first strategic accounts manager to further strengthen its UK sales team as it continues to expand.