The 23-night “Enchanting Escapes and Iberian Charm” itinerary of Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambition is off to a less-than-enchanting start as the ship is unable to escape the harsh weather impacting Lisbon.

High waves are expected on the route from Lisbon to Funchal, making it impossible for the ship to leave the capital of Portugal as planned.

“We are sorry to announce the forecasted weather for Ambition’s passage to Funchal is predicted to be severe with waves in excess of 5m [16 feet]. Ambition will now stay an extra night in Lisbon,” the cruise line explained when notifying guests.

Ambition was to have departed Lisbon at 2 p.m. on Friday, January 16. On Friday afternoon and late evening, forecast winds are roughly 25-30 miles per hour on the route to Funchal. On Saturday, winds may reach as high as 40 miles per hour.

This means the next port visit, originally planned as an overnight in Funchal from 8 a.m. on Sunday, January 18, through 11 p.m. on Monday, January 19, will now just be a day visit on Monday.

“Your comfort and safety is always our first priority, and so we have rescheduled our port calls so that we can avoid the worst of this weather,” Ambassador Cruise Line said.

Ambition left Tilbury, UK on Monday, January 12, 2026 for the 23-night itinerary, and Lisbon has been just the second port visit following Oporto, Portugal.

Fortunately, while the ship will be unable to enjoy the overnight visit to Funchal, the port is not completely cancelled.

Also on the extensive itinerary are amazing ports throughout the Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Gibraltar before the ship returns to Tilbury on Wednesday, February 4.

Ambassador Passengers Understanding of Change

While the loss of the itinerary’s only overnight port visit will understandably be disappointing to guests, travelers are magnanimous about the decision and agree that safety should always be the paramount consideration.

“After experiencing the struggle to get back on a Tender New Year’s Eve to the Ambience in Funchal I can fully understand this decision,” one guest shared. “As frustrating it is I wouldn’t want to experience that again.”

Read Also: What to Do Onboard a Cruise Ship in Bad Weather

Other travelers who have visited Funchal note that there is plenty at the port to fill a day’s visit, even if the overnight isn’t possible. The botanical garden with views overlooking the city and cruise port are especially popular and highly recommended.

Cruise Line Experienced With Changes

Ambassador Cruise Line (now Ambassador Group) is no stranger to unique weather-related itinerary changes for their ships, Ambition, Ambience, and Renaissance.

In September 2025, Ambition remained overnight in Stavanger, Norway, due to high winds and swells. This delay resulted in a port cancellation during the Norway itinerary.

On the very next sailing, the ship also adjusted its itinerary in Scotland due to poor weather that cancelled three consecutive port visits.

In November 2024, Ambition remained in port for the entirety of a short 3-night sailing when Storm Bert was pummeling the UK. The ship was unable to leave at all, but onboard operations remained intact for cruise guests to enjoy a unique “staycation” instead of their planned cruise.

While it may seem that the cruise line is overly cautious about weather-related changes, it should be noted that Ambition is a smaller ship at just 48,123 gross tons. This can make the ship particularly susceptible to rough conditions, creating a less-than-pleasant experience for the roughly 1,300 guests onboard.

Instead, safety is always the top priority and the cruise line will continue to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure guests are comfortable and secure, regardless of weather conditions.

Harsh Weather Forces Cruise Ship to Remain an Extra Night in Port