Key Aspects:
- Ambition is swapping the order of two ports of call on her current sailing to take on additional fresh water supplies.
- No onboard water conservation measures are necessary as adequate water supplies have now been arranged.
- There is no mechanical problem with the ship’s reverse osmosis system, but that system is not operated in port due to safety and hygiene reasons.
Getting extra water on a cruise ship may not seem desirable, but in fact, ships require a great deal of water for onboard operations. When that water runs short, it can be challenging to ensure an adequate supply.
Just such a situation has arisen with Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambition, currently sailing an 11-night Normandy and British Isles itinerary roundtrip from Newcastle. The ship departed on Saturday, July 19, 2025, but was unable to set sail with enough water for her voyage.
Guests have been kept apprised of the situation in great detail, including an itinerary shift to take on additional supplies.
“Due to events beyond our control, we were not able to load the normal volume of fresh water in Newcastle at the beginning of the cruise,” the cruise line notified guests.
“Ambition manufactures fresh water from the sea using Evaporators and Reverse Osmosis equipment, but for safety and hygiene reasons we do not use these systems in all ports and sea areas.”
Instead, the cruise line explained how additional supplies are brought onboard to supplement the fresh water supply throughout a cruise.
Because not enough water was able to be loaded at the beginning of the cruise, however, the ship faced two possibilities: either ask everyone aboard to conserve water, or to change port visits in order to load more supplies. It is the second option that will now be happening.
“To maintain standards of comfort, we have changed the order of our calls at Fowey and Portland to allow us to take on more fresh water supplies in good time,” the cruise line confirmed.
Read Also: How Do Cruise Ships Get Fresh Water?
Now, Ambition will call on Portland on Friday, July 25, instead of Saturday as originally scheduled. Likewise, the calls to Fowey will be moved to Saturday instead of Friday.
“Your safety and comfort are always our top priority and this alteration will allow us to maintain normal stocks of fresh water and avoid potential restrictions,” the cruise line explained.
Those restrictions could have included options like limiting ice, reduced laundry services, closed restrooms, or other conservation measures.
Tours at both Portland and Fowey are being adjusted as needed for the new timing, and guests of any changes to their excursions.
No other port visits have been impacted. Ambition is still scheduled to visit Cherbourg on Sunday, July 27, followed by Honfleur on Monday, July 28. A day at sea will follow before debarkation at Newcastle on Wednesday, July 30 as planned.
Not the Usual Water Problem
Ambition is not the first cruise ship to have run short of fresh water. Following Carnival Spirit‘s dry dock in March 2025, the ship experienced fresh water shortages during her return transatlantic sailing. This was due to continued maintenance that may have been impacting the reverse osmosis system.
In June 2023, Carnival Elation also ran short of fresh water during a 5-night Bahamas sailing from Jacksonville, Florida and diverted to Port Canaveral to load extra supplies.
Other “water events” have happened on various cruise ships, from broken pipes to storm flooding to accidental sprinkler activations. Of course, these often involve too much water rather than too little, but each one can be a wet blanket on a cruise vacation!
My favorite? The six-deck pool overflow on Harmony of the Seas in January 2023 due to a sudden course correction. What a sight that waterfall must have been!
