6 5 “ My time as a crew member plays a huge part in my role now as CEO” experience. “The effort and enthusiasm of the crew is what sticks with guests,” he explains. “This experience is what I’m eager to offer at Ambassador. Being part of a crew and forming connections with guests was something I relished, and it has provided me with greater insight into what makes a successful cruise. It also helped me to understand the challenges the teams on the ship face on a daily basis. “My time as a crew member plays a huge part in my role now as CEO. For example, when recruiting new crew members, it’s important for us that they fit with our traditional values and ethos – something I always felt resonated most amongst guests from my own experience.” As Ambassador prepares to welcome its second ship Ambition to its fleet in March 2023, the cruise line is focusing on fulfilling its brand values. “We take pride in being able to build communities at sea and a fantastic crew will always be at the heart of that,” says Verhounig. “We want all our onboard team to have the freedom to be themselves and help create lasting memories for our guests. We have huge growth potential and as we look to expand, we want to retain as many of our best crew members as possible to stay with us on the journey so they can help shape our proposition and be our brand ambassadors. We’ll offer plenty of career progression opportunities for our team.” Ambassador has already achieved its aim of filling the gap in the market for no-fly cruises from the UK tailored guests over 50 , which was left by CMV. However, the brand has taken a different approach to creating its programming, especially with destination experiences. Itineraries are designed to help guests immerse themselves in the ‘true’ culture of a place, while supporting local business owners as part of Ambassador’s commitment to a sustainable cruise industry. Ambassador is also working hard to find destination experiences Crew members are at the heart of the cruising experience, says Verhounig
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