New Cruise Line for Germany: Ambassador Arrives in 2028

For German cruise fans, there will soon be a new option for child-free travel: the British cruise line Ambassador Cruise Line is expanding to Germany. Under the name Ambassador Kreuzfahrten, a new offering will launch in the summer of 2028, specifically tailored to an adult audience in German-speaking countries.

An R-Class Classic Becomes the Ambella

The centerpiece of this new offering is the current Sirena from Oceania Cruises. As reported consistently by the editorial teams of Cruise Industry News, Schiffe und Kreuzfahrten, and Cruisetricks.de, Ambassador has purchased the 1999-built R-class ship from its parent company, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. The ship will remain in service for Oceania Cruises under a charter-back agreement until spring 2028. Following the handover and a refit, the ship, designed for around 670 passengers, will be renamed Ambella.

According to the company, the mid-sized ship will offer an upscale, personal atmosphere. The voyages are aimed at discerning couples and experienced cruisers aged 50 and over. Thanks to the ship's more compact dimensions, it will also be able to visit smaller ports that are inaccessible to large megaliners.

Summer in Northern Europe, Winter as a Floating Campus

For the inaugural summer season between May and September 2028, eleven cruises are planned from the port of Kiel and from Bremerhaven, complemented by two repositioning voyages. The itineraries will primarily lead to the Baltic Sea, Northern Europe, and Southern Europe.

After the summer season, the ship will change its role: during the winter months from September to April, the Ambella will be chartered to the US educational program Semester at Sea, serving as a floating campus for students worldwide. This alternating model is intended to be maintained in the long term. A similar concept was previously implemented in the past with the Deutschland under Phoenix Reisen.

Bookings Open in Autumn 2026

If you want to plan a voyage on the new adults-only ship, you won't have to wait much longer. According to reports from Schiffe und Kreuzfahrten and Cruisetricks.de, the cruise line will open bookings for the first itineraries of the 2028 maiden season as early as November 2026. More precise details regarding the Ambella's schedule are also expected to be announced then.