Ambassador Adds Second Winter Caribbean Fly-Cruise Season for 2026-27

Ambassador Cruise Line has announced a second winter Caribbean fly-cruise season for 2026-27 on the ship Renaissance, with sailings scheduled from Oct. 29, 2026 through April 1, 2027. The program will homeport in Bridgetown, Barbados, and is built around 10 itineraries, including eight 14-night fly-cruise sailings and two longer repositioning voyages linking the UK and Barbados at the start and end of the season.

Winter 2026-27 program centers on Barbados homeporting

Under the plan, Renaissance will operate 14-night roundtrip itineraries from Bridgetown throughout the winter, framed by a UK-to-Barbados sailing at the beginning of the program and a Barbados-to-UK voyage near the end. Ambassador said it has published additional information about the season on its website, including a dedicated 24-page digital flipbook.

No comments from a named Ambassador executive were included with the itinerary and flight announcement.

Repositioning sailings connect Tilbury, Barbados, and Portsmouth

The season is set to open with a transatlantic cruise from the UK to Barbados and close with a return voyage to the UK, creating bookend itineraries around the core fly-cruise program.

• Atlantic Horizons & Caribbean Discovery (24 nights): Departs Oct. 29, 2026 from the London Cruise Terminal in Tilbury, calling in France, Portugal and the Azores before arriving in the Caribbean with visits including Antigua, Martinique, St Lucia and Grenada.
• Caribbean Highlights & Atlantic Discovery (18 nights): Departs March 14, 2027 from Bridgetown to Portsmouth, with calls including St Lucia and the Azores on the return to the UK.

Selected 14-night itineraries from Bridgetown

Ambassador said ports will vary by departure across the eight 14-night fly-cruise sailings, with itineraries spanning a mix of the eastern and southern Caribbean. Itinerary details released for the season include:

• Tropical Treasures (from Nov. 22, 2026): A 14-night roundtrip sailing featuring Curaçao, Bonaire, Dominica and St Lucia.
• Island Rhythms & Blue Horizons (from Dec. 6, 2026): Calls include St Lucia, Bonaire and Curaçao as part of a 14-night roundtrip itinerary.
• Christmas & New Year Caribbean Celebration (from Dec. 20, 2026): Calls include Grenada, Curaçao, Tobago, St Lucia and St Kitts, with Christmas Day scheduled in St John’s, Antigua, and a New Year’s Eve celebration at sea.
• Secrets of the Caribbean (from Jan. 3, 2027): A 14-night roundtrip cruise featuring calls including Antigua, Tobago, Dominica and St Lucia.
• Tropical Horizons: A Caribbean Cruise (from Feb. 14, 2027): Includes islands such as Curaçao, Guadeloupe, Grenada and St Lucia.

Virgin Atlantic charter flights from London and Manchester

For the fly-cruise departures, British guests will travel to Barbados on dedicated Virgin Atlantic charter flights operating non-stop to Bridgetown from London Heathrow and Manchester. Ambassador said flights are scheduled every other Sunday.

Ambassador’s standard flight cabin for the program is Economy Classic, with upgrade options to Economy Delight, Premium and Upper Class.

Onboard venues and entertainment highlighted for Renaissance

For the winter program, Ambassador is also promoting onboard features on Renaissance, including open-seating dining alongside specialty dining venues. Public spaces highlighted by the company include the Panoramic Lounge and the Ocean Bar, as well as the Green Sea Spa.

Entertainment is scheduled to run twice daily in the Theatre Renaissance, with programming described as West End-style shows and variety acts. The ship also includes retail spaces curated by Harding+.

Corporate backdrop: Ambassador and CFC integration

The fly-cruise expansion follows Ambassador Cruise Line’s post-merger integration with Compagnie Française de Croisières (CFC). The merger was announced in January 2025, and the company said the integration has centralized operations, financial and IT systems at Ambassador’s UK headquarters in Purfleet, while CFC’s team in Marseille now focuses on marketing and sales for Renaissance.

Christian Verhounig, Group CEO, said the post-merger integration streamlined the business. “This integration has delivered a stronger, more efficient and unified organization,” he said.

Renaissance is scheduled to reposition from Tilbury to Barbados in late October 2026 and return from Barbados to Portsmouth in March 2027, framing the core winter fly-cruise program based in Bridgetown.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When does Ambassador’s 2026-27 Caribbean fly-cruise season run?

The winter program aboard Renaissance is scheduled from Oct. 29, 2026 through April 1, 2027.

Where do the fly-cruise itineraries start and end?

The eight fly-cruise sailings are 14-night roundtrip cruises from Bridgetown, Barbados. The season also includes two longer repositioning voyages that link the UK and Barbados, departing from Tilbury on Oct. 29, 2026 and returning from Bridgetown to Portsmouth on March 14, 2027.

Which UK airports are used for the charter flights to Barbados, and what cabin is included?

Ambassador’s dedicated Virgin Atlantic charter flights operate non-stop to Bridgetown from London Heathrow and Manchester, and are scheduled every other Sunday. The standard cabin is Economy Classic, with upgrade options to Economy Delight, Premium and Upper Class.

How has the Ambassador-CFC merger affected operations around Renaissance?

After the merger announced in January 2025, Ambassador said it centralized operations, finance and IT at its UK headquarters in Purfleet, while the CFC team in Marseille focuses on marketing and sales for Renaissance.