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Ambassador Cruise Line emerged as the buyer of Oceania Sirena from Oceania Cruises, marking a major step in the company's ambition to become Europe's leading cruise operator offering affordable quality experiences for the silver market.
The 670-passenger ship will continue to operate for Oceania Cruises through spring 2028 under a leaseback agreement. She will then join Ambassador's fleet and be renamed Ambella, marking the start of a new chapter for the ship and the next phase of Ambassador's European growth strategy.
From summer 2028, Ambella will become the first ship to operate for Ambassador Kreuzfahrten, delivering a differentiated, adult-only cruise experience designed specifically for the German market.
Alongside her seasonal programme for Ambassador Kreuzfahrten, Ambella will support a new long-term partnership between Ambassador Cruise Line and the Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE), the non-profit organisation that administers Semester at Sea.
In summer, Ambella will homeport in Bremerhaven and Kiel, offering a fully German-speaking guest experience, personalised service, high-quality dining and destination-led itineraries, underpinned by the affordable quality proposition at the heart of the Ambassador brand.
Germany attracts more than 2.8 million cruise guests each year, making it Europe's largest cruise source market.
Ambassador believes Ambella's intimate scale, premium environment and service-led approach will create a compelling proposition for quality-conscious German couples, experienced cruisers and river-cruise customers looking to discover ocean cruising.
Ambella is expected to operate two repositioning cruises and 11 destination-focused itineraries between May and September 2028, visiting ports across Northern Europe and the Baltics alongside selected sailings to Southern Europe. Her smaller size will provide greater itinerary flexibility and access to ports that can be less suitable for larger cruise ships.
Founded in 2021, Ambassador welcomed its first guests aboard Ambience in April 2022, followed by Ambition in 2023. The merger with French cruise operator Compagnie Française de Croisières (CFC) in January 2025 brought Renaissance into the fleet and significantly strengthened the Group's European platform.
Ambience and Ambition continue to form the heart of Ambassador's adult-only British no-fly cruise programme, while Renaissance serves the French market during the summer months and operates Ambassador's Caribbean fly-cruise programme for British, French and Dutch guests during the winter.
CFC recently rebranded as Ambassador Croisières bringing the French operation under the Ambassador umbrella while retaining the distinct identity and 'French-style' cruise experience established for guests sailing from Dunkirk and Marseille.
Christian Verhounig, CEO of Ambassador Cruise Line, said: "When we launched Ambassador in 2021, we identified a clear gap in the market for an affordable quality cruise experience that was authentic, welcoming and accessible. We set out to combine the traditions of classic cruising with the standards and expectations of today's guests, and that philosophy remains fundamental to our success.
"Our merger with CFC gives us greater scale, financial resilience and a stronger European platform, while allowing us to retain the individual character of the markets we serve.
"Entering Germany with Ambassador Kreuzfahrten is the next stage of that growth strategy.
"For us, growth is about building a resilient European cruise business that delivers sustainable, long-term growth while remaining true to what made Ambassador successful in the first place. Ambella is the right ship, Germany is the right market and we believe this is the right time to take this exciting next step and introduce to a new generation of over-50s our famous warmest welcome at sea – because moments matter."
Under a new agreement, Ambella will host Semester at Sea programmes for approximately eight months of each year following the German summer season, initially from September 2028 through April 2029. The partnership is expected to run for an initial ten-year period.
Founded in 1963, Semester at Sea provides students with the opportunity to combine academic study with international travel, using a passenger ship as a floating campus while visiting destinations around the world. The programme primarily attracts undergraduate students from colleges and universities across the United States alongside international students, with more than 73,000 people having participated since its launch.
Scott Marshall, president and CEO of the Institute for Shipboard Education, stated: "Without question, Ambassador will be the right partner and Ambella will be the right ship to elevate the Semester at Sea programme in profound and positive ways. Our goals and values are aligned with Ambassador's. Our aspirations for the programme will be elevated aboard Ambella. I am so excited to see the Fall 2028 voyage set sail with students, faculty and staff, all of whom are prepared for the most meaningful learning experience of their lifetimes."