Oceania Sirena Joins Ambassador Cruise Line: Say Hello to Ambella

• Fleet Growth: Ambassador Cruise Line expands its fleet to four ships with the purchase of Oceania Sirena, entering service in spring 2028 as Ambella.

• German Debut: Ambella will launch Ambassador Kreuzfahrten, sailing 11 itineraries from Bremerhaven and Kiel between May and September 2028.

• Semester at Sea: Chartered to the Institute for Shipboard Education, the vessel will serve as a floating university campus for fall 2028 and spring 2029.

The mystery buyer behind Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings' sale of Oceania Sirena has officially been revealed. Ambassador Cruise Line has purchased the popular 684-guest vessel, growing the Ambassador family fleet from three ships to four.

The vessel will continue sailing for Oceania Cruises through spring 2028, when she will officially transfer to Ambassador and be renamed Ambella.

A Classic Boutique Pedigree

Launched in 1999 as R Four for Renaissance Cruises, the ship joined Princess Cruises in 2002 before undergoing an extensive refurbishment and relaunching as Oceania Sirena in 2016.

As a classic R-class ship, she is celebrated for her boutique scale, elegant proportions, and ability to dock in smaller, tucked-away ports that larger cruise liners simply cannot access.

Current Fleet Schedules Unchanged

Ambassador has confirmed that the purchase will not disrupt current operations. Existing itineraries aboard Ambience and Ambition, as well as France-focused sailings on Renaissance, will continue as planned.

The acquisition is purely additive, expanding the company's European footprint without altering its established British operations.

Launching Ambassador Kreuzfahrten

Ambella will spearhead the debut of a dedicated German brand: Ambassador Kreuzfahrten.

Operating out of Bremerhaven and Kiel, the ship will sail an inaugural summer season from May through September 2028. The programme features 11 regional itineraries and two repositioning voyages across Northern Europe, the Baltics, and Southern Europe.

Full deployment details and booking channels for the German programme will open in November 2026.

Global Study with Semester at Sea

In addition to commercial holiday voyages, Ambella has been chartered to the Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE) to host Semester at Sea for both the fall 2028 and spring 2029 terms.

Operating since 1963, the prestigious study-abroad programme transforms passenger vessels into floating global universities, allowing university students and academic staff to live and learn at sea while circumnavigating the world.

Looking to the Future

Between the addition of a fourth ship, the launch of Ambassador Kreuzfahrten, and a historic partnership with Semester at Sea, Ambassador's steady expansion marks an exciting period of growth for the brand.