MIAMI — Celebrity River Cruises has announced plans to add 10 new ships to its river cruise fleet, a move that will bring its total capacity to 20 vessels by 2031 and significantly expand its presence across Europe.
The announcement coincides with the opening of bookings for the line’s 2028 European river cruise season, which will feature an 80% increase in destinations compared to its inaugural 2027 deployment. Celebrity River Cruises says the expanded season will include more than 160 sailings to over 50 destinations across Europe, positioning the brand as one of the largest operators in the European river cruise market.
Construction has officially begun on Celebrity Compass, the brand’s first river ship, with the first steel now cut. Celebrity River Cruises is set to launch in 2027 with Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker, followed by Celebrity Wanderer, Celebrity Roamer and Celebrity Boundless joining the fleet in 2028.
“Guest demand for Celebrity River Cruises has exceeded our expectations, and expanding the fleet allows us to bring this highly anticipated experience to even more travellers,” said Jason Liberty, chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group, parent company of Celebrity Cruises.
“Whether guests already love the Celebrity experience or are discovering it for the first time, they now have new ways to enjoy it along some of Europe’s most iconic rivers. With Celebrity’s expansion into river, we’re strengthening our connected vacation ecosystem, offering more choice, more access, and more reasons for guests to stay with us — turning the vacation of a lifetime into a lifetime of vacations.”
2027 SOLD OUT IN MINUTES
The newly opened 2028 season builds on strong early demand for the brand’s river cruise product. Celebrity Cruises reports that its inaugural 2027 river cruise season sold out in under six minutes.
“Our inaugural 2027 Celebrity River Cruises season sold out in under six minutes – a testament to how much guests value the unmatched hospitality and service Celebrity delivers,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. “To meet this extraordinary demand, we’re thrilled to open 2028 sailings featuring 80% more European destinations, five ships, and more than 160 itineraries. There are now more ways than ever to experience Europe’s rivers The Celebrity Way.”
ITINERARIES & NEW PORTS
For 2028, Celebrity River Cruises will offer itineraries across several of Europe’s most iconic waterways, including the Rhine and Danube, while also introducing 24 new ports. Highlights include new Lower Danube journeys featuring a Celebrity-first overnight land stay in Bucharest, expanded spring tulip season sailings and new Christmas market cruises.
Itineraries in 2028 include:
- 6 Lower Danube Cruises: Guests will sail from Bucharest through the Iron Gates gorge to famed destinations, plus overnight in Romania’s vibrant capital.
- 60+ Rhine River Cruises: Itineraries sail between Basel and Amsterdam, passing vine-covered hillsides and storybook villages like Strasbourg, Breisach and Rüdesheim.
- Upper Danube Cruises: Guests will travel between Regensburg or Nuremberg and Budapest, discovering castles and treasures along the Danube through Germany, Austria and Hungary. Select sailings coincide with the Gäuboden Festival in Straubing, one of Germany’s largest heritage celebrations.
- Dutch Tulip Season Cruises: Sailing between Brussels and Amsterdam during peak spring bloom, guests will visit the world-famous Keukenhof Gardens, Kinderdijk’s iconic windmills and charming Maastricht.
- Christmas Market Cruises: Guests will sail between Basel and Amsterdam, with stops at Rhine Valley villages including Mainz, Strasbourg and Heidelberg.
2028 Celebrity River Cruises sailings are now open for booking. For more details, go to www.celebritycruises.com/river.
