Cruise & Ferry Review - Autumn/Winter 2021

INTERV IEW An ambassador for British cruising Rebecca Gibson speaks with Christian Verhounig about new brand Ambassador Cruise Line, which is set to boost the UK’s cruise market in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic A mbassador Cruise Line (Ambassador) made history in May 2021 when it became the first cruise line to launch in the UK in more than a decade. Designed to offer a “premium-value, authentic cruise experience”, the brand will homeport at London Tilbury and offer no-fly itineraries that are primarily aimed at guests aged 50 and above. According to new CEO Christian Verhounig, the brand will help to reboot the British cruise market and inject confidence into the sector following the Covid-19 pandemic. “Our consumer research shows that there’s massive pent- up demand in the market and 40 per cent of UK adults aged 50 plus are already looking to book holidays for 2022 because they want to make up for missed travel opportunities during the pandemic,” he says. “Around 25 per cent of them want to visit multiple destinations within one holiday, and almost half would consider a cruise. In addition, the 50-plus market is growing rapidly and many of the consumers in this segment have the time and income 4 8