Celebrity Cruises enters river cruise market

Celebrity Cruises is entering the European river cruise market with Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker, set to sail in 2027.

“Celebrity River Cruises ships will be the most innovative on the river, with a patent-pending industry-leading design that offers more space to vacation while bringing guests even closer to destinations,” said Celebrity Cruises president Laura Hodges Bethge. “With about half of our guests having experienced or intending to take a river cruise, we know guests are going to love sailing Europe’s Rhine and Danube rivers The Celebrity Way on our fleet of elevated, cutting-edge ships.”

Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker offer guests the chance to dine floating above the river on the Magic Edge, which the company claims are the first-ever cantilevered dining pods. A statement adds, “Transformative shade structures, furniture and a top-deck bar and grill maximise guests’ time on deck while offering zones for every mood, whether it be socialising or disconnecting, in a space designed for year-round comfort. Plus, an infinity-edge plunge pool invites guests to cool off while taking in the sights. These flexible public spaces ensure guests enjoy more of their time outside at destinations, and on the journey in between.”

Innovative stateroom design delivers intuitive storage, enhanced configuration, king-sized beds in every stateroom and spacious balconies. Five boutique stateroom categories are designed not just for staying but for living with residential interior design and in-room amenities. Suite guests also enjoy a dedicated, on-demand butler through Butler Chat, complimentary exclusive dining, room service and happy hour experiences, complimentary laundry once each sailing, and priority booking for shore excursions.

Celebrity’s Veranda concept, made famous on its Edge-class ocean ships, is being deployed on the new ships to connect guests to the landscapes around them at the touch of a button. The first-ever Skylight Infinite balcony suites feature a separate living area and a ceiling window for natural light. Vista balcony suites and balcony staterooms offer private escapes with an enhanced design for more useable outdoor space. Guests can discover new views without ever leaving their room from an Infinite balcony stateroom that brings the outside in, while River view staterooms offer generous natural light.

There will be eight restaurants and bars – including Celebrity venues Martini Bar, Sunset Bar and Café Al Bacio. Destination-driven menus will evolve throughout each itinerary.

The company said Celebrity River Cruises will set sail with an innovative hull, delivering a lightweight versatile design that improves river navigation. The ships are equipped with hybrid propulsion systems, as well as waste management systems, alongside advanced technology to reduce noise and vibration.