Built in 1991, the 1450 passenger Ambience was originally called the Regal Princess and remained so until 2007 when she was re-named the Pacific Dawn until she left the Princess fleet in 2020 to become part of Ambassador Cruise Line, Britain's newest cruise line.  Her home port is Tilbury in Essex.

The cruise which we chose departed Tilbury on the 11th December for 5 nights and was named ‘German Christmas Markets’ although Hamburg was the only German port with the other being Amsterdam in the Netherlands. However, there was an added incentive to book this particular cruise as it was also called ‘Cricketing Legends’. Former England cricketers, Graham Gooch, Mike Gatting, John (JK) Lever and Devon Malcolm were on board where they gave a few question-and-answer sessions in the Palladium theatre with the question master being the BBC’s Garry Richardson. All 5 mingled with guests throughout the cruise and were more than happy to have photographs taken and give autographs.

The boarding process went smoothly and we embarked Ambience at our allotted time of 12 noon.

We chose an inside stateroom on deck 10 which, for 4 full days in December, seemed to be the sensible choice.

We also paid for the Ambassador Expedition drinks package which, for cruises over 5 nights, cost £34.95 per person per day if bought before departure and £39.95 per person per day if bought on board. As well as premium drinks by the glass, plus premium wines and speciality coffees, gratuities are also included. Excellent value taking into account that your gratuities are taken care of!

Our room was of a decent size with lots of drawer space and an open wardrobe. The bathroom had a good-size walk-in shower. A safe, TV, fridge and tea/coffee making facilities (hooray) all come as standard.

We took breakfast each day in the open-dining buffet diner called Borough Market. The sailing was completely full so it was busy here but we always found a table. There was a very good choice including the usual full breakfast, cereals, smoked salmon, cheeses, pastries and fresh fruits and yoghurts. Borough Market is a very pleasant place to eat and is also open for lunch, afternoon tea and dinner for those who don’t want to use the more formal main-dining room.

Lunch in Borough Market offered a delightful choice of foods from around the world. There is a number of stations serving pasta dishes, rice dishes from India and Asia, English food such as cottage pie or fish and chips, traditional roast of the day, soups, a salad area and a choice of deserts and cheeses. There is also a small bar within this dining area which is a waiters-only area for those who would like a drink with their lunch.

The main dining room is called the Buckingham and is on promenade deck. Here you can take breakfast and lunch on an open-seating basis or evening meal which operates an early and late sitting. We shared a table for 8 with some very nice guests. The food was, in general, very good although I did have to send my choice of fish risotto back as the rice was overdone but, other than that, dining here was a pleasant experience backed up by very good service.

For pre-dinner drinks we used Raffles bar as it is very close by. Each evening there was a duo performing with a man playing (mainly)acoustic and an excellent female vocalist singing a variety of songs that were much appreciated by the watching audience. However, this is a popular venue so you have to get there early. An alternative to Raffles is The Botanical Lounge right next door which is more peaceful for those just wanting to chat.

Although we didn’t try them, there are three speciality restaurants on board Ambience, all with a cover charge. There is Saffron, serving traditional Indian cuisine (14.95pp), Sea & Grass, for steak and/or sea-food lovers. Here you will be served seven (yes 7) courses (£24.95pp) and finally there is the Chefs Table. Seating here is in a private area of the Buckingham restaurant and is for a minimum of 10 guests, each paying £89pp. Yes, it sounds expensive but there are 8 courses, wine is included in the price as are hors d’oeuvres. You will start with a glass of ‘bubbly’ before the head chef gives a tour of the galley. The whole ‘event’ lasts around 3 hours!

NOTE: Both the Saffron and Sea & Grass were fully booked for the most part (especially when in port) and, although we went on a waitlist, we were left disappointed.

Other than the bars and lounges mentioned previously, there are a number of others. The Purple Turtle pub was a popular venue and particularly when the Football World Cup was taking place and being televised on the many screens. Seating is on 2 levels and is waiter service. Playing host to Cabaret and the late-night disco, the Observatory Lounge is a great place to listen to music in the evening whilst taking in the views through one of the many surrounding windows. This area is also where daily quizzes take place. There is plenty of seating but, again, it is a popular venue at these times. There are also a few outside bars but as it was December in Europe these were not open

At the heart of Ambience is the impressive three-decked ‘Centre Court’, a large central atrium on decks 5, 6 and 7. On deck 5 you will find the reception desk, across from which is Dicken's Bar plus the future cruise desk, the desk for booking tours and a small shop called Pandoras. On deck 6 of the atrium is the shopping galleria and Ambassador Casino whilst deck 7 houses the photo gallery, more shops and SW19, the perfect place to enjoy an aperitif or evening cocktail. Other facilities on Ambience include Coffee House, Aces & Eights bridge and card room, Kapoor's Crafters Studio, Bronte's Library, Active Studio, gym, a Wellness Spa, 2 outside pools, jogging track and big screen.

Summary

We enjoyed our time on Ambassador Ambience. It is true that the bedrooms do need refreshing but I would be being picky to criticise and, given what the cruise industry has been through for the past 2 years, Ambassador Cruise Line has done a remarkable job with the public areas and deck space. Overall, the food was very good, the service was attentive though some of the staff do require some extra training. Entertainment was first class and a lot of effort was made to make our stay as comfortable as it could be. This was an all-round excellent value-for-money cruise, particularly for those on a budget.