Ambition, one of two cruise ships of UK operator Ambassador Cruise Line, overnight sailed from Belfast Harbour to arrive this morning at the Port of Cork, where it made a maiden visit to Cobh, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Afloat tracked yesterday evening as the Ambition, having departed Belfast, where it made a first call last year, was underway off the Ards Peninsula, east of the South Rock super-buoy off Co. Down. This is where the last ever automated light float (ALF) Gannet (an ex-manned lightship) was 'stationed’ off the island of Ireland before its decommissioning in 2009 by the Commissioners of Irish Lights.

On arrival at Cork Harbour, having passed Roches Point Lighthouse this morning, Ambition, with a capacity of (680 cabins / 1,200 passengers), became this year’s first cruise-caller of the season as the 216m vessel berthed alongside the Cobh Cruise Terminal, noting that smaller ships berth upriver at Cork’s city quays.

The UK’s newest cruise line describes itself as ‘Britain’s premium value no-fly cruise line’ sailing from 8 regional UK ports, and last year, as Afloat reported, the 48,123-tonnes Ambition sailed out of Belfast, Bristol, Dundee, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Falmouth.

This year, the Port of Cork is scheduled to welcome more than 100 cruise calls this season and until November, and according to the port at the start of the year, it was set to top pre-pandemic levels. The start of the season was scheduled to begin with the Sirena of Oceania Cruises; however, the vessel is currently east of Barbados, having departed Bridgetown, Jamaica, for the Caribbean Sea.  

In addition the Port of Cork controls Bantry Bay where 24 cruise ships are scheduled this season to arrive at the West Cork anchorage. Overall the cruise tourism sector has generated an estimated €17 million for the local economy and with over 180,000 passengers welcomed to Cork in 2023.

Today's call of Ambition marks its inaugural 'Easter British Isles Discovery' cruise which is to take 12 days.

Ambassador’s other cruise ship, its flagship 70,285-tonnes Ambiance, with a capacity (789 cabins/1,400 guests) as Afloat reported, likewise of its fleetmate made an opening season call too, which took place in Easter last year. In addition the 245m vessel made a call to Killybegs, Co. Donegal as then listed on the cruise call schedule. 

In May 2022, Ambiance completed a 'British Isles Discovery' cruise, which was Ambassador Cruise Line’s ‘Irish’ debut, having made an inaugural call to Belfast Harbour and the next day its second debut with an inaugural call to Cobh.

Due to the impact of the pandemic, this led to the collapse of another UK operator, Cruise & Maritime Voyage (CMW); however, its legacy continues through the formation of Ambassador Cruise Line. As some former senior management are part of the cruise company, which was established in 2022 and is based in Purfleet, Essex, where CMV was also previously located.

As for the present, the Ambition is to remain in Cobh this afternoon before departing at 1930 this evening.