Royal Caribbean vs Ambassador Cruise Line
A detailed side-by-side comparison of Royal Caribbean and Ambassador Cruise Line covering ratings, fleet size, food quality, entertainment, value for money, and available sailings from UK ports. Updated for 2026.
The head-to-head
Ratings are based on aggregated passenger reviews, editorial analysis, and expert scoring. The cobalt outline marks the stronger line for each attribute.
Who should choose which?
Every cruise line has its strengths and weaknesses. Here is an honest look at who each line is best suited for, based on passenger feedback and our editorial assessment.
Choose Royal Caribbean if you want…
- Families with kids
- Thrill seekers and adventurers
- Mega-ship experience
- Entertainment and activities
Royal Caribbean may not suit you if…
- Quiet/intimate cruise seekers
- Ultra-luxury preference
- Those avoiding large crowds
Choose Ambassador Cruise Line if you want…
- No-fly UK port departures
- Value-conscious cruisers
- Sustainability-minded travellers
- Traditional British cruising
Ambassador Cruise Line may not suit you if…
- Families with young children
- Luxury seekers
- Those wanting modern mega-ship facilities
Ships at a glance
A quick comparison of each line's fleet including passenger capacity, tonnage, and year of launch.
Royal Caribbean Fleet (28 ships)
Anthem of the Seas
Built 2015 · 4,905 guests
Icon of the Seas
Built 2024 · 7,600 guests
Utopia of the Seas
Built 2024 · 5,668 guests
Ambassador Cruise Line Fleet (2 ships)
Ambience
Built 2022 · 1,400 guests
Ambition
Built 2023 · 1,200 guests
Available cruises
Current sailings from both cruise lines. Prices shown are per person based on two sharing the lowest-grade cabin available.
Royal Caribbean Sailings
7 NIGHTS7-night Spain & France
Save 6%7 NIGHTSWestern Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona
Ports: Barcelona · Palma De Mallorca · Marseille (Provence) · La Spezia (tours to Florence/Pisa) · Rome (Civitavecchia) · Naples
Save 6%7 NIGHTS2-night Venice & 7-night Greek Treasures
8 NIGHTS8-night Spain & France Cruise
35 NIGHTSHawaiian Explorer & Transpacific with Vancouver and Sydney Stays
Ports: Vancouver · Seattle · Kailua Kona, Hawaii · Napali Coast · Honolulu, Oahu · Papeete, Tahiti
7 NIGHTS5-night Salou & 7-night Legend of the Med
7 NIGHTS2-night Venice & 7-night Greek Icons & Split
Save 4%7 NIGHTS2-night Miami & 5-night Freedom of Bahamas & Perfect Day
7 NIGHTS3-night Miami & 4-night Key West & Bahamas
7 NIGHTSPRICE DROP! 7 Night Spain & France Cruise
Ports: Southampton · Cherbourg · La Coruña · Bilbao · Le Havre · Southampton
12 NIGHTSSouthern Caribbean with Miami Beach Stay
Ports: Miami · Oranjestad, Aruba · Willemstad, Curacao · Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic · Perfect Day at Cococay
Save 3%10 NIGHTS3-night Shanghai & 5-night Japan & 1-night Shanghai
7 NIGHTS2-night Venice & 7-night Adriatic & Greek Explorer
25 NIGHTSHawaiian Tropics, South Pacific Islands & Sydney
6 NIGHTS6-night Norwegian Adventure
21 NIGHTSGreat Wall, Terracotta Army, Pandas, Avatar Mountains & Best of Japan
Ports: Shanghai (Wusongkou/Baoshan) · Sakaiminato · Kyoto (Maizuru) · Niigata · Hakodate
Save 3%10 NIGHTSWestern Caribbean & Perfect Day with Miami Beach Stay
Ports: Miami · Puerto Costa Maya · Roatan Island · Cozumel · Perfect Day at Cococay
15 NIGHTS15 Night Spain & Portugal Transatlantic
Save 1%3 NIGHTS2-night Rome & 3-night Legend Med Taster
Ports: Rome (Civitavecchia) · Naples · Barcelona
7 NIGHTS2-night Venice & 7-night Med Explorer
11 NIGHTS3-night Shanghai & 5-night Jeju, Busan & 2-night Hong Kong
Save 2%9 NIGHTS3-night Hong Kong & 5-night Okinawa Overnight
9 NIGHTS3-night Hong Kong & 5-night Okinawa & Ishigaki
13 NIGHTSOrlando Adventure & Star of the Seas Caribbean Escape with Royal Caribbean
9 NIGHTS3-night Hong Kong & 5-night Okinawa & Ishigaki
9 NIGHTS3-night Hong Kong & 5-night Okinawa & Taipei
14 NIGHTSHong Kong's Symphony of Lights and Christmas Best of Japan Voyage
Ports: Hong Kong · Fukuoka · Nagasaki · Kagoshima · Kumamoto
7 NIGHTS7 Night Southern Caribbean Cruise
Ports: San Juan · Charlotte Amalie · St Croix · Philipsburg · St John's · Roseau
5 NIGHTS5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
Ports: Tampa · Puerto Costa Maya · Cozumel
7 NIGHTS7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
Ports: Tampa · Cozumel · Puerto Costa Maya · George Town
10 NIGHTS4-night Singapore & 5-night Penang, Langkawi & Phuket
7 NIGHTS7 Night South Pacific Cruise
Ports: Brisbane · Mystery Island · Noumea
7 NIGHTS7-night Cabo Overnight Catalina & Ensenada
Ports: Los Angeles · Catalina Island · Cabo San Lucas · Ensenada
9 NIGHTS9 Night New Zealand Cruise
Ports: Sydney · Wellington · Napier · Tauranga · Bay Of Islands
14 NIGHTS4-night Sydney & 9-night South Pacific Paradise
Hot deal4 NIGHTS4 Night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise
Ports: Nassau · Coco Cay
Hot deal4 NIGHTS4 Night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise
Ports: Nassau · Coco Cay
Hot deal4 NIGHTS4 Night Bahamas Getaway Cruise
Ports: Nassau · Freeport · Bimini Island
Hot deal4 NIGHTS4 Night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise
Ports: Nassau · Coco Cay
Hot deal4 NIGHTS4 Night Hobart Getaway
Ports: Hobart
4 NIGHTS4 Night Busan Cruise
Ports: Baoshan Pt · Busan
7 NIGHTS7 Night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day
Ports: Port Canaveral · Charlotte Amalie · Puerto Plata · Coco Cay · Port Canaveral
5 NIGHTS5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
Ports: Galveston · Costa Maya · Cozumel · Galveston
6 NIGHTS6 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
Ports: Fort Lauderdale · Cozumel · Costa Maya · Nassau
7 NIGHTS7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
Ports: Tampa · Costa Maya · Belize City · Roatán Island · Cozumel
4 NIGHTS4 Night Catalina & Ensenada Cruise
Ports: San Diego · Santa Catalina Island · Ensenada
7 NIGHTS7 Night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day
Ports: Miami · Coco Cay · San Juan (Puerto Rico) · Charlotte Amalie
5 NIGHTS5 Night Jeju & Fukuoka Cruise
Ports: Baoshan Pt · Seogwipo · Fukuoka
7 NIGHTS7 Night Western Caribbean & Perfect Day
Ports: Coco Cay · Bimini Island · Georgetown · Cozumel · Miami
17 NIGHTS3-night Memphis, Graceland Tour, 2-night New Orleans & 17-night Transatlantic to Southampton
Ports: Memphis · New Orleans · Miami · Casablanca · Tangier · Cadiz
Ambassador Cruise Line Sailings
Save 4%6 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
Save 2%9 NIGHTSAutumn Fjordland
Ports: Tilbury · Bergen · Flåm · Nordfjordeid · Åndalsnes · Sandnes
Save 4%7 NIGHTSWestern Europe
Save 2%7 NIGHTSExclusive Cruise with Jane McDonald & Friends from London Tilbury
Save 2%7 NIGHTSWestern Europe
Save 2%7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 4%16 NIGHTSNorway's Land of the Northern Lights
Ports: Tilbury · Stavanger · Kristiansund · Trondheim · Tromsø · Alta
25 NIGHTSAtlantic Horizons and Caribbean Discovery from Tilbury to Barbados
Save 2%7 NIGHTSWestern Europe
Save 4%31 NIGHTSGems of the Adriatic & Mediterranean Autumn Sun from London Tilbury
Ports: London Tilbury · Ceuta · Malaga · Valencia · La Goulette · Argostoli
4 NIGHTSBritish Isles
15 NIGHTSTropical Treasures from Barbados | London Heathrow Flights Included |
Save 4%4 NIGHTSWeekend Escape to Holland & Belgium
Ports: Tilbury · Zeebrugge · IJmuiden · Rotterdam
Save 4%4 NIGHTSOne More Dream – Hamburg's Festive Delights
Ports: Hamburg · Tilbury
Save 14%15 NIGHTSIsland Rhythms and Blue Horizons from Barbados
Save 4%2 NIGHTSDutch Festive Getaway
Ports: IJmuiden · Tilbury
Save 4%5 NIGHTSBelgium & Holland from Tilbury
Ports: London Tilbury · Amsterdam (Ijmuiden) · Antwerp · Bruges (Zeebrugge)
Save 4%5 NIGHTSCricket Legends Festive Getaway
Ports: Bremerhaven · IJmuiden · Zeebrugge · Tilbury
Save 4%3 NIGHTSChristmas Markets of Holland & Belgium
Ports: IJmuiden · Zeebrugge · Tilbury
Save 4%3 NIGHTSChristmas Markets of Holland & Belgium
Ports: IJmuiden · Zeebrugge · Tilbury
Save 4%14 NIGHTSChristmas & New Year Sailing to Spain & Portugal
Ports: Tilbury · Leixões · Lisbon · Almería · Málaga · Gibraltar
15 NIGHTSSecrets of the Caribbean from Barbados | Manchester Flights Included |
42 NIGHTSSupercraft Gems of the Caribbean Sea from Tilbury
Hot deal15 NIGHTSCaribbean Explorer - Tropical Isles from Barbados
Ports: Bridgetown, Barbados · Kingstown, St. Vincent & Grenadines · Castries, St. Lucia · Oranjestad, Aruba · Willemstad, Curacao · Kralendijk, Bonaire
Save 6%15 NIGHTSTropical Horizons - A Carribean Adventure from Barbados
Ports: Bridgetown · Willemstad · Kralendijk · Pointe-à-Pitre · Roseau · Fort de France
Save 2%20 NIGHTSCanary Islands
Hot deal14 NIGHTSEaster Voyage to France, Spain & Portugal from Tilbury
Ports: London Tilbury · Honfleur · Le Verdon · Vigo · Seville (Cadiz) · Malaga
Save 10%2 NIGHTSA Tribute to the 90's from Tilbury
Ports: London Tilbury · Portsmouth
Save 2%7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 4%13 NIGHTSBritish Isles Discovery and French Charms
Ports: Invergordon · Kirkwall · Belfast · Liverpool · Cobh · Saint Mary's
Save 2%7 NIGHTSWestern Europe
7 NIGHTSNordic Neighbors: A Journey Through Sweden & Denmark from Tilbury
Ports: London Tilbury · Gothenburg · Copenhagen · Malmo · Aalborg
Save 2%7 NIGHTSWestern Europe
Hot deal4 NIGHTSBritish Isles
12 NIGHTSClassic French Escapes: Bordeaux, Brest, Cherbourg & Honfleur from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Belfast · Brest · Bordeaux · Cherbourg · Honfleur
Save 2%7 NIGHTSWestern Europe
Hot deal2 NIGHTSDutch Escape from Tilbury
Ports: London Tilbury · Ijmuiden · London Tilbury
11 NIGHTSFjordland Landscapes & Nordic Traditions from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Belfast · Geiranger · Alesund · Maloy · Flam
Save 2%7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 5%8 NIGHTSSpringtime Shores: Hebrides & Isle of Man Discovery from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Belfast · Tobermory · Isle of Mull · Stornoway · Isle of Lewis
Save 2%4 NIGHTSBritish Isles
11 NIGHTSNatural Wonders & Wildlife of Iceland from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Belfast · Runavik · Seydisfjordur · Akureyri · Isafjordur
Save 2%6 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
12 NIGHTSGlaciers, Geysers & Waterfalls of Iceland from Tilbury
Ports: London Tilbury · Runavik · Reykjavik · Isafjordur · Akureyri · Seydisfjordur
Save 2%7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Hot deal5 NIGHTSDutch & Belgian Delights in Five Nights
Ports: Zeebrugge · Rotterdam · IJmuiden · Tilbury
7 NIGHTSFjordland Landscapes & Nordic Traditions from Tilbury
Ports: London Tilbury · Austefjorden · Flam · Sognefjord · Aurlandsfjord · Haugesund
14 NIGHTSScandinavian Cities & Baltic Discoveries from Tilbury
Ports: London Tilbury · Copenhagen · Gdynia · Stockholm · Helsinki · Tallinn
11 NIGHTSIceland's Land of Ice & Fire from Dundee
Ports: Dundee · Klaksvik · Runavik · Reykjavik · Isafjordur · Akureyri
8 NIGHTSExploring Norway's Hidden Fjords from Newcastle
Ports: Newcastle (Port of Tyne) · Alesund · Maloy · Flam · Sognefjord (Scenic Cruising) · Austefjorden
Royal Caribbean vs Ambassador Cruise Line: the bottom line
Choosing between Royal Caribbean and Ambassador Cruise Line ultimately comes down to what kind of holiday you are looking for. Both are well-established cruise lines with loyal followings, but they cater to different preferences and budgets.
Royal Caribbean, founded in 1968 and headquartered in Miami, USA, operates a fleet of 28 ships. It is categorised as a contemporary cruise line and scores 4.6/5 overall based on 24,500 reviews. The line is particularly strong for families with kids and thrill seekers and adventurers, making it a natural choice for cruisers who value those attributes.
Ambassador Cruise Line, established in 2022 from Essex, UK, has a fleet of 2 ships. As a value line rated 4.2/5 from 2,800 reviews, it excels at no-fly uk port departures and value-conscious cruisers. If those are your priorities, Ambassador Cruise Line deserves serious consideration.
On food, Royal Caribbean scores 7/10 compared to Ambassador Cruise Line's 6/10. For entertainment, Royal Caribbean comes in at 10/10 versus Ambassador Cruise Line's 5/10. Value for money favours Ambassador Cruise Line with a score of 8/10.
Our recommendation: browse the available sailings above and compare itineraries, dates, and total cost including what is bundled in the fare. The best cruise line is the one that matches your specific needs, budget, and travel dates. Use the scores as a guide, but remember that individual ship and itinerary matter just as much as the cruise line brand.
Royal Caribbean vs Ambassador Cruise Line — FAQ
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