14 ORCA itineraries announced for 23/24 including the longest cruise in charity’s history

Ambassador Cruise Line has renewed its partnership with its nominated partner, ORCA, the charity dedicated to marine conservation, and announced that the 120-day World Cruise will be included in 14 itineraries dedicated to ocean conservation and guest interaction – the longest time the charity has ever committed to any cruise line for a single sailing.

Following Ambassador’s successful inaugural season working in collaboration with ORCA, Ocean Conservationists will be joining guests onboard Ambience for seven itineraries sailing from Ambassador’s home port of London Tilbury, with her sister ship, Ambition – entering service in May, and offering additional departures from Newcastle, Dundee, Liverpool, Belfast, Bristol and Falmouth – set to host a further seven. Totalling almost 500 days at sea in 2023/24, these will take in a host of destinations and itineraries including the premium-value, no-fly cruise line’s multi-generational cruises. The sailings will see ORCA’s experts collect important scientific data aimed at protecting sea life including whales, dolphins and porpoises as well as inviting guests to learn more about ocean conservation while onboard.

Ambience’s Grand Round the World Cruise will see the charity visit parts of the globe for the very first time. Incorporating important whale and dolphin habitats including some critically endangered populations that are in dire need of better protection, ports of call will include Blue Whale migratory routes around Australia and the East Indian Ocean; threatened Pygmy Blue Whale habitats in Sri Lanka; the nursery grounds of Southern Right Whales in South Africa; migratory routes for the endangered Oceania subpopulation of Humpback Whales near the Cook Islands; and the Panama Canal, one of the busiest shipping routes in the world where animals are at high risk of ship strike.

Each ORCA sailing with Ambassador will feature an interactive education programme aimed at offering guests the opportunity to learn more about the marine environment, ranging from lectures and Q&As to simply spending time on deck to help travellers spot and identify the incredible range of life that can be seen at sea.  Both ships will be home to dedicated enrichment areas featuring a range of activities and educational materials focussed on whales and dolphins. These include the ORCA OceanWatchers app, which allows guests to try their hand at being an Ocean Conservationist, and information detailing how ORCA’s conservation programmes are working to protect sea life around the world.

The continuation of the partnership will also see Ambassador and ORCA reaffirm their commitment to a joint Anti-Whaling Campaign, first launched in 2022.  This industry-first campaign, which positions Ambassador as the industry leader on the issue of whaling, addresses the issue of commercial whaling and unnecessary dolphin hunts to encourage change.

Steve Jones, Director of Fundraising & Operations at ORCA said: “Our partnership with Ambassador puts whale and dolphin conservation at the heart of so much of what the company are doing, and it’s given us unprecedented opportunities to not only inspire guests about the world of these wonderful animals, but also to take direct and meaningful action together to help safeguard them for future generations. Our Ocean Conservationists will be collecting vital data on these fantastic new itineraries, but just as importantly will be giving all guests onboard who care about these amazing animals the opportunity to play a part in protecting them for future generations.”

Christian Verhounig, CEO, Ambassador Cruise Line, said: “I’m incredibly proud that we will once again be working in collaboration with our nominated charity partner ORCA over the coming season.   Sustainability is one of Ambassador Cruise Line’s core values, and the dedicated ORCA itineraries will see Ocean Conservationists conduct essential research while onboard, particularly during our World Cruise, which will be the longest time the charity has ever spent at sea on a single sailing and allow ORCA to visit parts of the world they have never been to before. Guest feedback from the last six months’ worth of ORCA itineraries has been incredibly positive, and I’m delighted that they will remain onboard with Ambassador to help guests understand the opportunity they have to help us in our joint mission to protect the oceans we sail in.”

A full year of ORCA sailings with Ambassador is likely to see a significant increase in sea life sightings and further enhance the charity’s research efforts – even though the first six months of the partnership yielded a total of 1,719 sightings, the highest amount recorded by ORCA to stem from a single cruise ship.  Since ORCA’s first sailing with Ambassador in June 2022, the charity’s Ocean Conservationists have recorded and tracked many different species of animal – there were 509 common dolphin sightings, with a further 247 white beaked dolphin sightings; 63 Harp Seal sightings; 15 Loggerhead Turtle sightings; 59 Humpback Whale sightings; 78 Fin Whale sightings; and 24 Blue Whale sightings.