If you are considering a cruise with a British Cruise line, P&O and Ambassador are probably the ones you are looking at – particularly if you want to take a cruise that sails from the UK, rather than booking a fly-cruise.
I have taken many cruises with P&O, but my experience with Ambassador is more limited – the one cruise I did book was cancelled once we had got onboard!
We were just very unfortunate with that sailing. Ambassador would have gone out of business long before now if that were a regular occurrence!
My parents recently took a week’s cruise with Ambassador, and were impressed by the ports they visited, and the overall good value for money. They’ve helped me to write this post!
P&O are a long-established cruise line, with a mix of ship sizes. They offer fly cruises and cruises from the UK.
Ambassador are very much “the new kids on the block” when it comes to cruising.
They have older ships that have previously sailed for other cruise lines. All their sailings are no-fly, and they sail from many smaller UK ports.
In this article, we compare the two lines on ships, destinations, onboard experience and price, so you can pick the one that would suit you best.
Ships and Fleet Size
P&O
P&O have 7 ships. They are the biggest UK-based fleet.
There is a great range in the P&O fleet, from huge floating resorts (Iona & Arvia, each 5,000+ passengers) to mid-size family-friendly ships (Ventura & Azura) and smaller adults-only ones (Aurora & Arcadia).
There should be a ship to suit every cruiser and their family/friends.
The newest ships in the fleet, Iona and Arvia, entered service in 2021 and 2022. They have many modern touches – Infinity pools, lots of speciality dining, and a large Skydome – a versatile two-deck glass-enclosed space with a pool. This can be used for shows, parties, dining throughout the day and in the evenings.
The ships have a British feeling through and through. You will find kettles in cabins, Sunday roasts, and proper tea.
I compare an old P&O ship with a newer one in the video below, so you can have a look at the differences:
Ambassador
Have only two ships sailing, Ambience and Ambition. They are hoping to add a third ship, Renaissance to the fleet in late 2025.
These are older, classic-style ships.
Ambassador Ambience sailed as Regal Princess between 1991 and 2007, before becoming Pacific Dawn and sailing until 2020 for P&O Australia.
Ambassador Ambition most recently sailed for AIDA Cruises as the “AIDAmira”. Before that, it was known as “Costa neoRiviera” and sailed for Costa Cruises.
The ships take a maximum of around 1,400 passengers, making them feel quieter, cosier, and more traditional.
You won’t find any flashy attractions like water slides or rock climbing walls. The cruises are more about the destinations visited than the onboard activities and entertainment.
Ambassador have recently bought a third ship, Renaissance.
Renaissance originally sailed as MS Maasdam for Holland America Line (HAL).
She was built in 1992 and served HAL for many years before being sold by them in 2020.
She is scheduled to begin sailing in late 2025.
Her inaugural cruise will be from London (Tilbury) to the Caribbean. The ship will be based in the Caribbean for winter 2025-2026, offering fly-cruises from Barbados, Martinique, and Curacao.
Destinations & Itineraries
P&O
P&O sail to a range of destinations, and they offer short cruises and longer ones that can be many weeks in length.
They typically offer cruises to :
- Mediterranean
- Caribbean
- Canary Islands
- Northern Europe
- World cruises.
They sail regularly from Southampton and also offer lots of fly-cruise options.
P&O Arvia is based in the Caribbean for the winter. These very family-friendly sunny fly-cruise itineraries are very popular with the British public.
Ambassador
Sail all “no-fly” cruises.
They sail regularly from smaller UK ports, including London Tilbury, Newcastle, Dundee, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Belfast, Bristol, and Falmouth.
This makes them very popular as people can board at their nearest port, rather than travelling to Southampton or Dover to sail.
They mainly sail to Northern Europe, Iceland, Norway, the British Isles, and the Canary Islands.
They also offer longer, more unusual itineraries, which is good for those who have been to most of the ports visited by major cruise lines.
They offer themed cruises, for example:
- Multigenerational cruises – with themed nights such as pirate night.
- Craft cruises – with expert-led workshops and activities.
- 1970s,1980s and 1990s cruises.
- Comedy Cruises – with well-known British comedians onboard.
- TV soap-themed cruises with guest appearances.
- Cricket Legends cruises – Q&A’s with famous cricketers.
Onboard Experience
P&O
You will find a lot of variety between ships. All ships have live music, pubs, pools and plenty of bars and restaurants.
Larger ships have West End-style shows and far more choice when it comes to entertainment venues.
There is a mix of free and speciality options – like the Keel & Cow, Epicurean, Sindhu, etc. Arvia has a great American Diner that is included in the cruise fare, and is a particular favourite of mine.
Arvia and Iona also have a “SkyDome”- a huge indoor-outdoor pool space in the daytime, with live entertainment and shows going on in the evenings.
On Iona and Arvia, there is a big family focus: kids’ clubs, splash zones, and entertainment for all ages.
The cabins onboard the new mega ships, Iona and Arvia, are among my favourites for inside cabins/ budget cruising. They are stylish, well-designed and have everything you would need. On the older ships, the cabins are far more dated.
Have a look at the smallest, cheapest cabin on Iona here:
Ambassador
Ambassador ships are generally calmer, more traditional – unless you have booked one of their themed or “multigenerational” cruises.
There is plenty of music onboard, both popular music and classical. There are quizzes, smaller-scale shows, and the theatres are more intimate spaces.
There are fewer dining venues onboard, a main restaurant, a buffet and a small speciality restaurant.
The ships are adult-only most of the time, so no kids’ clubs or family facilities onboard. When they run “multigenerational cruises” during the school holidays, plenty is going on to keep children amused – dance classes, daytime activities, themed nights, etc.
When my parents sailed with them, Ambassador even had early morning whale watching groups to keep an eye out for whales off the Cornish coast!
When you think Ambassidor, think afternoon tea, table sharing and old-school cruising traditions.
I wasn’t very impressed by my inside cabin on Ambience, and my parents said the same thing when they sailed. The cabins don’t appear to have been refurbished recently, and in some places are showing their age.
I liked the layout of the cabin though, which is similar to Princess ships with a separate wardrobe dressing area by the bathroom, but I didn’t like the curtain that was hung to give you the impression of a window. You pull back the curtain to find a blank wall – it seemed like a very old-fashioned idea to me!
My parents were very impressed with the food onboard, considering the price they paid for the cruise.
The buffet had a range of British favourites, like cottage pie, roasts, apple crumble and custard. The staff served from the food on the buffet while they were on board.
Ambassador prides itself on offering the “friendliest welcome at sea”. My parents were very impressed by all the crew. Everyone they came into contact with was warm and friendly.
Welcome to Ambassador, Britain’s authentic no-fly cruise line offering affordable quality and sailing from 8 regional UK ports. When you sail with us, you’ll enjoy breathtaking destinations, amazing West End-style entertainment, excellent service and outstanding cuisine all for the best value.
Ambassidor Cruise Line
But what does this mean? Well, you’ll get a decent cup of tea, as well as a traditional afternoon tea, and great British entertainment – all served with the warmest of welcomes at an affordable price.
Who Would Like Them?
P&O
Families, couples, and multi-generational groups.
P&O offer very attractive cruise fares, and all tips and gratuities are included in that fare.
The newer ships, Arvia and Iona, are great for anyone who wants the variety of a big resort at sea but still a familiar British feel. The older ships are better suited to those who enjoy a quieter, more traditional cruise experience.
They are very good for cruise “first-timers” who don’t want to fly or deal with airport stress.
Ambassador
Outside the school holidays, they suit adults who like a relaxing, peaceful and quiet cruise experience.
In the school holidays, multigenerational cruises are designed to suit cruisers and families of all ages.
Solo travellers can often get some good solo cabin deals, as there are often lots of solo travellers onboard.
The ships will suit value-focused cruisers who prefer a classic, smaller-ship feel.
They are very good for British people who hate flying. All cruises are from the UK, and you can board at a regional port near you.
They are great for those who have done many of the usual cruise ports and want to sail to some of the smaller, more unusual ones.
Pricing & Value
P&O
Are mid price range, more options to add extras like drinks packages, and speciality dining.
P&O are usually much cheaper than the US mega-ships offering similar product.
Drinks packages can be pricey and don’t offer great value for money in my opinion. You may find it better to just “pay as you go” and pay for the drinks you want.
All gratuities are included in the cruise fare, so you won’t end up with a large onboard bill to pay at the end of your holiday.
Ambassador
Have some very low fares, but there is a daily service charge to be paid on top. This service charge varies by the length of the sailing.
At the time of writing (July 2025), most service charges were £7 a day, but longer sailings had a reduced service charge of £6 a day. Children are charged £4 a day. All quite reasonable, compared to the big American cruise lines.
They are great for longer itineraries on a budget. They are also good for visiting smaller, unusual ports, so if you like to book port-intensive itineraries, they could suit you very well.
If you don’t like the crowded atmosphere onboard bigger ships, they might be one to consider.
Drinks and excursions are reasonably priced – similar to a pub on land.
It has to be said, though, that the drinks selection (particularly the ones included in the drinks packages) is limited. My Dad was very unimpressed by the beer selection on Ambassador Ambience.
| Feature | P&O Cruises | Ambassador Cruise Line |
|---|---|---|
| Number of ships | 7 (Iona, Arvia, Britannia, Ventura, Azura, Aurora, Arcadia) | 2 (Ambience, Ambition) |
| Ship size | Large (1,900–5,200 passengers) | Small/medium (1,200–1,400 passengers) |
| Atmosphere | Modern, lively, family-friendly | Traditional, relaxed, adult-focused |
| Who can sail? | Families & adults (family ships + adults-only ships) | Mostly adults (16+), occasional multi-gen sailings |
| Destinations | Worldwide: Med, Caribbean, Canaries, Northern Europe, World Cruises | Mostly Northern Europe, Iceland, British Isles, longer exploration itineraries |
| Home ports | Southampton + fly-cruise options | London Tilbury, Newcastle, Dundee, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Belfast, Bristol, and Falmouth. (no-fly only) |
| Onboard vibe | Quieter, smaller-scale shows, traditional dining, afternoon tea, and pub quizzes | Mostly Northern Europe, Iceland, British Isles, and longer exploration itineraries |
| Solo cabins | Limited options | Good solo cabin availability + pricing |
| Price point | Mid-range (more extras to add) | Budget-friendly, straightforward pricing |
| Best for | Families, first-timers, those wanting big-ship variety | Adults, solo travellers, no-fly cruisers, budget-conscious |
In Conclusion
P&O has ships to suit everyone, from small, intimate ships like Aurora, to big ships with lots going on like Arvia and Iona.
The bigger ships are great for families, with onboard activities to keep everyone happy.
If you’re new to cruising, P&O is a pretty safe and easy bet. They have different-sized ships, so you can find a cruise to suit you – whether that is a fun family cruise or an adult-only, traditional cruise.
Ambassador is for those who want to relax, be around mostly adults, and enjoy old-school cruising without breaking the bank.
If you are travelling with adults and want a good value option that visits smaller and more unusual ports -but aren’t too worried about the ship itself- then Ambassador could fit the bill perfectly.
If you’re done with big ships or hate the idea of crowds, Ambassador could be your happy place.
I was very unfortunate, the only time I tried to sail with Ambassador, the Christmas markets cruise I had booked was cancelled (once we had boarded, and were enjoying our dinner!).
I would like to try another Ambassador cruise, as my experience onboard was far from typical.
Find out all about that here:
Before You Go
Ambassador are one of the few cruise lines that offer a money-back guarantee! If you are a new guest and don’t enjoy your first cruise with them, you can ask for a refund. Find out all about that here:
These Cruise Lines Will Give You A Full Refund (And Fly You Home!) If You Don’t Enjoy It.
Find out all about the unusual conservatory suite I stayed in on P&O’s Iona here:
I Booked the Most Controversial Cabin on a Cruise Ship – P&O’s Iona Conservatory Mini Suite
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