Cruises

Ambassador Cruise Line and ORCA Pledge

Ambassador Cruise Line has proudly partnered with a charity dedicated to studying and protecting whales, porpoises and dolphins within UK and European waters. This charity is known as ORCA.

The Work of ORCA

At its heart, is the evidence and data that dedicated ORCA people collect, giving the ability to make insightful and expert arguments and recommendations.

The survey data collected over the last three decades has led to better protection for whales and dolphins in ocean hotspots.

The knowledge and understanding of cetacean conservation issues means that ORCA’s experts are actively involved in high-level global forums to safeguard marine mammals and their habitat.

Most of ORCA’s support is by way of single donations and you can read more about this on the ORCA website.

The Ambassador & ORCA Pledge

A brand-wide anti-whaling policy, making it clear that Ambassador Cruise Line is opposed to all commercial whaling.
Formal notice to the Faroese Government urging them to end the dolphin hunt during the upcoming review.
A review of all proposed Destination Experiences for Ambassador guests in Iceland, Greenland, Norway and the Faroes and a pledge to remove any activities that incorporate any form of whaling or offer the option to consume whale and dolphin products (e.g. restaurants serving whale meat), including not offering any experiences to Oceanariums (experiences that have captive marine mammals).
Ambassador’s commitment to send booked guests pre-cruise communications advising them not to consume whale and dolphin meat during their trips, outlining the fact that tourism is one of the key drivers of whaling and making them aware of the significant human health risks in consuming whale meat.
Incorporating onboard educational activities on sailings, about the whaling industry, the impact it has on the marine ecosystem and address myths surrounding the industry.

ORCA Whale and Dolphin Sightings

ORCA is dedicated to helping raise awareness about the critical habitats and hotspots for whales and dolphins that can be found in our oceans.

They have pulled together all the sighting records made by ORCA’s citizen scientists over nearly 30 years. They feature an interactive map on their website, which you can view here. This map highlights marine hotspots across our oceans and the diversity of species found.

When it was founded, ORCA’s work was mainly focused in the North-East Atlantic, but citizen scientists are now in demand globally. This gives even greater opportunities to monitor, study and safeguard whale and dolphin populations globally – from the Arctic to the Antarctic and from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

Over a third of all whale, dolphin and porpoise species worldwide can be found in UK and European waters. These include: the Common dolphin, Striped dolphin, Long Finned Pilot whale, Humpback whale and the Harbour porpoise.

Ambassador ORCA Cruises

There are a variety of sailings available for guests to enjoy while learning more about our marine life. ORCA experts are frequently found out on deck at all hours of the day, looking for any signs of activity.

In 2024 and 2025, these cruises depart from numerous UK ports, including Newcastle, Dundee, and Tilbury. Sailing from UK ports makes it easy and convenient to begin your cruise holiday. You can check all Ambassador Cruise Line’s sailings on our wesbite.

Im general itineraries feature the Canary Islands, Norway, the Mediterranean and the British Isles. You will also find some multi-generational sailings available, so children can explore the ocean world more. ORCA’s experts are always happy to be joined by guests, so be sure to say ‘hello’ and stop and chat. And don’t forget to take your camera and binoculars with you!

Read more about Ambassador Cruise Line here.