Our ESG Commitments
Supporting sustainable sailing by cutting emissions, protecting marine life and looking after our guests, people and communities.
Ambassador Cruise Line was built to prove that a wonderful cruise and a responsible one aren't mutually exclusive. From the way we run our ships to the way we look after our people, our guests and the remarkable world in which we sail, doing things properly is part of the plan, not an afterthought.
As we grow, we’re doing it responsibly, and that’s down to our shoreside teams and onboard crew, who bring our values to life every day.
At a Glance
Cleaner Air for Good: nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions reduced by approximately 95% and sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions by 80%.
Waste Not, Want Not: nothing incinerated at sea, all waste treated to MARPOL standards and no single-use plastics in normal guest operations beyond hygiene necessities.
Science at Sea: ORCA conservationists sailing onboard Ambience and Ambition across 722 days between 2025 and 2028, feeding data straight into global whale and dolphin protection research.
Your Money in Safe Hands: every payment held in a trust account and only released once your cruise begins, plus ABTA membership and ABTOT or ATOL protection.
Room for Everyone: our ships are designed with accessibility in mind, and kidney dialysis services are available on both Ambience and Ambition.
Warmest Welcome, Warmest Reviews: more than 93% of guests would cruise with Ambassador again, and recommend us to others.
Environmental
Our ships operate in line with the strictest international standard for nitrogen oxide emissions (IMO Tier III), reducing their impact on the marine environment. Tier III equivalence upgrades are now fully complete on Ambience and Ambition, so our ships can continue to journey to some of Europe's most untouched corners, including the breathtaking Norwegian fjords.
We know just how important it is to leave little trace behind as we operate, which is why we invest real time and resources into our environmental credentials. That investment shows up everywhere, from the fuel that powers our ships and the water we use to the waste we generate and the marine life we share the oceans with.
Emissions and Fuel
We have maintained an approximate 95% reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions and 80% reduction in sulphur oxide emissions thanks to a one-off installation of advanced emissions control equipment: Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) fitted for NOx Tier III equivalence, combined with low-sulphur Marine Gas Oil (<0.1% sulphur content).
Both Ambience and Ambition have maintained their Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) rating and reduced their CII scores against the prior year.
Our sailings are planned for economical speeds, and biofuel transition projects are underway with Lloyd’s Register and DNV to further improve our ships’ own emissions.
Ambassador is now formally part of the EU Emissions Trading System, which caps greenhouse gas emissions across shipping, and we’ve met our obligations in full.
Cleaner Water
We've installed new wastewater treatment systems, new ballast water treatment systems and new biodigesters on both ships, helping to protect the seas we sail and the ocean wildlife around us. Biodegradable oils and double fail-safe stern seals for propeller shaft lubrication also minimise the risk and impact of pollution in the rare event of a seal failure.
Reverse osmosis and evaporators are used to maximise the water we produce onboard, while special shower heads and vacuum toilets help control how much we use. That also means loading water responsibly from shore, and avoiding areas that suffer from water limitations.
Cutting Waste and Plastics
Onboard: no single-use plastic in normal guest operations beyond what's needed for hygiene, and a Purezza water purification system that replaces single-use plastic bottles for drinking water. Nothing is incinerated at sea; all solid waste is landed ashore to approved reception facilities in line with MARPOL and coastal state requirements.
Shoreside: our office recycled 3.56 tonnes of mixed recycling and 1.392 tonnes of food waste in our last ESG reporting period. Every member of staff was given a refillable bottle and access to a Purezza water purification machine. Our office energy supply comes from 100% renewable sources and LED lighting is used throughout the premises.
Marine Life Protection and Biodiversity
We have a brand-wide anti-whaling policy, including pre-cruise guest communications advising against consuming whale or dolphin meat and onboard educational content about the whaling industry.
We've given formal notice to the Faroese Government urging an end to dolphin hunts, and reviewed every Destination Experience we offer in Iceland, Greenland, Norway and the Faroes to remove any involvement with whaling, or with whale or dolphin products or captive marine mammals.
Two ORCA Ocean Conservationists will be onboard Ambience and Ambition for 722 days between 2025 and 2028, feeding data straight into global whale and dolphin protection research and training the next generation of conservationists to carry the work forward.
Where We're Heading
Our ships currently run on traditional fuel, both to sail and to power everything onboard; our future fleet strategy is built around changing that. We began phasing in biofuel in 2025 and are targeting shore power readiness by 2027, alongside better tracking of the energy we buy and reporting that keeps pace with new European standards. None of that pauses the day-to-day work either: cutting waste and strengthening environmental performance across our fleet stays a constant, ongoing focus.
Social
Guests First
We take a proactive approach to helping guests with disabilities and medical needs travel with us wherever possible. A kidney dialysis treatment facility is available on Ambience and Ambition, and our ships are designed with accessibility in mind, including ramps, accessible cabin berths and toilets, and hearing induction loops fitted in the theatre. We have successfully taken two approved guide dogs to sea with their owners. We also work with medical service provider Mobility At Sea, so guests can arrange to hire mobility equipment designed for cruising.
Our People
We prioritise training, development and wellbeing for our shoreside employees and shipboard crew.
Our Team Ashore
Our shoreside apprenticeship scheme (equivalent to A-Levels) is delivered over 18 months, rotating apprentices through Guest Services, Reservations, Marketing, Destination Experience and Finance, before choosing a department to specialise in for their final six months.
Shoreside managers can work toward certified management training, Level 5 Leadership (equivalent to degree level) or Level 3 Team Leading (equivalent to A-Level).
Personal Development Reviews were completed for all shoreside employees in our most recent ESG reporting period, ensuring every member of shoreside staff has a personalised development plan in place. Every colleague’s development review looks at how they live our values day to day.
Our Wellness Champions meet quarterly to look after the wellbeing of office-based staff and run support sessions open to everyone. 24/7 GP and mental health support is in place.
We recruit on ability, skills and experience alone.
Our Employee Handbook sets out every colleague's rights, including maternity, paternity and adoption leave, equal opportunities and training, as well as menopause and child bereavement policies.
Around two-thirds of our shoreside team are women, and our heads of department are split 50/50 between women and men.
Our Crew at Sea
Our onboard crew are employed through our ship management company, BSM, which treats six human rights as critical: fair working conditions, healthcare access, freedom from forced labour, trade union rights, privacy protection and non-discrimination.
Every crew member gets free access to messaging apps like WhatsApp through our onboard Starlink connection, so it’s easy to keep in touch with loved ones at home.
BSM recognises the challenges of isolation at sea, training its crew support and HR teams in grief handling, wellbeing and resilience-building, so help is there when our crew need it.
Regular onboard health and wellbeing campaigns tackle the issues our crew raise, and a 2024 seafarer wellbeing survey (conducted by BSM) helped shape the support around what crew said they needed.
BSM’s HR manuals set out fair salary reviews, performance assessments and a clear grievance process.
In 2024, all our seafarers were employed under contracts, usually Seafarer Employment Agreements that go beyond legal standards, and around 86% were additionally safeguarded through Collective Bargaining Agreements, which set out onboard working conditions and outline consultation and negotiation processes.
Communities We're a Part Of
We’re proud to support partners who share our values, from grassroots clubs to national governing bodies, across sports like cricket, bowls, curling and golf, as well as charities supporting marine conservation and veteran wellbeing. That support takes many shapes: funding facilities and community projects; backing programmes that help widen access to sport; and placing conservationists on board our ships to help protect the waters we sail, both now and in the future. Whatever the partnership, the aim is the same: using what we do to support causes and communities beyond our own guests.
Doing Right by Everyone in Our Chain
We're committed to a workplace that respects human rights and prioritises the wellbeing of our people, while also protecting the rights of our guests and partners. This includes fair treatment, safety, respect and empowerment across our supply chain of more than 6,000 suppliers, requiring all sourcing to be asbestos-free and to meet international safety at sea rules (SOLAS).
We also enforce a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and human trafficking, applying to everyone who works for us or on our behalf, from our own teams to agents, contractors and suppliers.
Governance
Financial Protection
Our guests' cruise payments are fully protected: all payments are held in a trust account, and funds are only released to us once the cruise has started. Ambassador has been an ABTA member since October 2022, adding further reassurance for our guests, alongside ABTOT protection for no-fly sailings and, for our Caribbean fly-cruise packages, ATOL protection through the CAA. We carry out identity and fraud checks as standard (KYC and AML), and every card payment meets the industry's security standard (PCI DSS).
Keeping Ourselves Honest
Our governance structure includes a Board, an Audit & Risk Committee and an ESG Workgroup. We are part of industry bodies including the UK Chamber of Shipping and the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). Internal ethics controls include our Employee Handbook, Modern Slavery Policy, Anti-Bribery and Corruption controls, a Vendor Code of Conduct and a dedicated Data Protection Officer. Our Audit & Risk Committee observed zero breaches of governance in our most recent ESG reporting period.
Held to a Standard
We report in line with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Standards for Cruise Lines, CLIA guidance, and 12 of the most relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals: Good Health and Wellbeing, Quality Education, Gender Equality, Clean Water and Sanitation, Affordable and Clean Energy, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Reduced Inequalities, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Responsible Consumption and Production, Climate Action, Life Below Water and Life on Land.
What's Next
We're encouraged by the progress we've made, but we know this work is never really finished. As Ambassador continues to grow, we expect the scope of our ESG programmes, and the detail we disclose, to grow with it.
