Think your nan or grandad deserves national recognition? Ambassador Cruise Line has opened the fourth annual search for the Great British Grandparent, timed to coincide with National Grandparents' Day on Sunday, October 4, 2026.
The award, launched by the Essex-based line that focuses on the over-50s market, celebrates grandparents — including those who have stepped into the role without the formal title — who have made a real difference to the lives of their families. CEO Christian Verhounig described grandparents as the quiet heroes of family life, giving time, energy and support without expecting anything back, and said the campaign is the line's way of championing what it calls the silver generation.
Entering is refreshingly simple. Nominations are made through a dedicated page on the Ambassador website, where you fill in a short form and write up to 250 words explaining why your nominee should take the title. There's also space to upload supporting material if you want to strengthen your case. An expert panel reviews every entry and draws up a shortlist, with the overall winner announced just before Christmas. Entries close on Sunday, November 15, 2026.
The prize is fitting: the crowned Great British Grandparent wins a complimentary week-long, full-board, no-fly cruise for two, taken whenever suits them. For a line built around convenient sailing-from-your-local-port holidays, that's on brand — no airports, no hassle, just time away with someone you love.
The campaign also taps into research Ambassador commissioned showing just how much grandparents keep giving well beyond their own parenting years — from childcare and lifts to financial and emotional support. Previous years have surfaced stories from across the UK, and the line says it's hoping 2026's crop will be just as moving.
For travellers, this is a nudge in two directions. If you know a standout grandparent, a 250-word nomination costs nothing and the deadline is mid-November — well worth a few minutes. And if you are the grandparent in question, it's a reminder of the kind of holidays that suit the no-fuss crowd: regional departure ports, full-board dining and itineraries that don't involve a connecting flight. Ambassador sails from ports including Tilbury, Newcastle and Dundee, so a week at sea can start closer to home than you might expect. Even if you don't win, the search is a good excuse to start planning that trip you keep promising.
