AS I walked down the gangplank, I felt green – no not seasick, ENVY!
I’m taking a look at the latest vessel to join the Ambassador fleet, its first fly-cruise ship.
Renaissance was setting off from London Tilbury on a cold afternoon to spend the winter cruising the Caribbean – sadly, without me.
The first guests were already having fun at Le Lido with its lovely swimming pool and two whirlpools, under an impressive retractable roof.
There is another outdoor pool at the stern.
Renaissance is British-French owned and recently renovated – and it shows. Not glitzy, not modern, just effortlessly chic.
Top-notch dining
It can carry 1,100 guests who will fly/cruise from Barbados on 14-night itineraries, which include visits to St Kitts, Martinique, Antigua, St Maarten and Curacao.
The cruise line has chartered Virgin Atlantic flights from Heathrow or Manchester to fly you in style to join Renaissance for the winter season, with four choices of seating class.
Renaissance will then head to Blighty for the summer to join sister ships Ambience and Ambition with exciting new itineraries.
A peek at the choice of cabins impressed me. Even the inside one is spacious, light and airy, with serious amounts of storage – and enough hangers!
This is not a super- luxurious expensive cruise line, but it offers a great-value opportunity to escape the British winter.
The inside cabins were the best I have ever seen. The suites? Well, with a super-spacious private balcony, I would have had to drag myself away to enjoy the onboard entertainment. They were very good value.
There are of course porthole and window cabins, some balcony, and even cabins with sliding doors onto the outside deck.
The theatre was gorgeous – elegant and comfortable, West End glamour – without the queue for the Ladies!
A large gym, and free access to the spa suite promised opportunities to keep fit. Lots of lounge and library space too.
And there are plenty of top-notch dining options.
The impressive Valet main dining restaurant covers two decks and offers great sea views.
The Belle Vue buffet restaurant is great for casual dining and there are three speciality venues at a small extra cost plus a signature Chef’s Table seven-course dining experience.
Kreole will serve up a vibrant menu reflecting Caribbean culinary traditions, Lotus has Pan-Asian options and Terre et Mer will feature a six-course extravaganza.
I was sad Renaissance sailed without me this time but you don’t have to miss the boat, there are Christmas and New Year cruises as well as lots more dates to discover the delights of Ambassadors’ Renaissance in the Caribbean in 2026.
GO: CRUISE CARIBBEAN
GETTING/SAILING THERE: Ambassador Cruise Lines’ Renaissance 14-night full-board sailings are from £1,099pp including flights from Heathrow.
Sailings for winter 2026/27 are also available to book. See ambassadorcruiseline.com.