Celebrity Cruises is preparing for one of the most ambitious expansions in river cruising in more than a decade — and leadership is making clear this is a long-term, strategic move.
According to a recent article published by Cruise Critic, Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Jason Liberty discussed the company’s latest river cruise venture aboard Celebrity Xcel.
During the discussion, Liberty confirmed that Celebrity’s river cruise ships will offer itineraries beyond Europe. As reported by Cruise Critic, Liberty told trade partners:
“We’re very excited to enter the river space. And I’d like to emphasize because sometimes people ask how many we are going to order, where are they going to be. We’ve ordered quite a few.
I just always remind people — this is not a hobby. We don’t do hobbies.”
Although Celebrity River Cruises won’t officially launch until 2027, the demand is already unprecedented.
As reported by Candid Cruise and Travel, Celebrity’s 2027 river season sold out within hours, including a six-minute sellout during the priority-access period. That level of demand is rare, even among established river cruise brands.
Celebrity River Cruises will expand globally, beyond Europe
Cruise Critic confirmed that Celebrity has ordered 10 new river ships for its new cruise line. The first two vessels, Celebrity Seeker and Celebrity Compass, will debut in 2027 for inaugural seasons in Europe.
However, Liberty confirmed that Celebrity River Cruises will sail on rivers around the world. According to Cruise Critic, this is the first time the cruise line has confirmed the expansion.
“We will have river ships around the world, not just Europe,” stated Liberty during the discussion.
To start, Celebrity Seeker and Celebrity Compass will offer a variety of itineraries with 33 seven-night itineraries on the Rhine and Danube Rivers.
The port-immersive sailings are meant to be culturally enriching, with multiple port calls per day and overnight stays that will encourage deeper exploration.
According to Cruise Critic, Liberty was not surprised by the demand for Celebrity River Cruises. In fact, he recalled an interaction with Celebrity Cruises’ President, Laura Hodges Bethge, during the Priority Access sale.
“I remember Laura walked into my office six minutes in and says, ‘It’s over.’ I said, ‘What took you so long?’”
Bethge also said that 2028 itineraries will open for sale in early 2026, signaling steady expansion right from launch.
“Miniaturizing” Edge class amenities for the rivers
Cruise Critic emphasized that Celebrity intends to “miniaturize” aspects of its award-winning Edge class ships for the river environment. This is a dramatic departure from traditional river ship design.
Bethge supposedly mentioned during the discussion how Celebrity’s river cruise ships will feature:
- A Sunset Bar–style space
- A Martini Bar experience
- A scaled Café al Bacio
- Magic Carpet–inspired exterior pods
- Warm, residential lounges with Edge-class design language
It’s important to note that river ships have strict height and width limitations due to bridges and locks. This means ocean-style features must be adapted and scaled rather than completely replicated.
However, there’s no denying that Celebrity is relying on innovation and forward-thinking design to stand out in a market where many ships follow the same structural template.
A shift toward entertainment and experiences on land
Celebrity also plans to rethink where river cruise entertainment happens. Bethge reportedly mentioned how the river cruise industry is “ripe for innovation” both onboard and ashore.
Because river cruise ships are smaller, the cruise line hinted that bigger production shows could take place ashore rather than onboard. Bethge mentioned:
“We don’t have the bigger platform on the ship. We’re taking the variety and excitement of a bigger ship and putting it on land. And when you think about how we position ourselves, the intimate feel and thoughtful surface of a smaller ship, you’ll get that on the river, but the variety.”
This represents a notable shift in river cruising strategy. While competitors like Viking and AmaWaterways offer evening concerts or cultural performances, Celebrity plans to integrate more immersive, curated shoreside events that serve as an extension of the brand.
She emphasized the opportunity is created by carrying only 172 guests per ship, stating “You can really do curated things on land that are very, very special.”
At this time, Celebrity has not yet detailed its pre- and post-cruise programs, but Bethge signaled they would be a major part of the product rollout. “I’m very excited about being able to share how we’re going to do that next spring,” said Bethge.
Celebrity River Cruises will compete with long-time brands in the industry
Supported by Royal Caribbean Group, Celebrity steps into a river cruise market that has for years been shaped by brands like Viking, AmaWaterways, Scenic, Emerald, and Avalon — and it’s aiming to compete with them from day one.
Entry into the river cruise market comes with far fewer barriers than ocean cruising. Large ocean ships, especially modern mega-ships, typically require 12 to 18 months or more to build. On the other hand, river vessels are significantly smaller and can be constructed on a much faster timeline.
The cost difference is even more compelling. Celebrity’s Edge class ships are reportedly $1 billion each to build, which isn’t uncommon for the cruise industry.
By contrast, Barron’s recently reported that analysts estimate Celebrity’s new river vessels will cost the company $30 million each, or about $300 million for all 10 ships.
In other words, a single Celebrity river ship represents just 3% of the cost of an Edge-class vessel. Even the entire 10-ship river fleet amounts to only 30% of the investment required for one new Edge-class ship.
This dramatic cost-and-timeline advantage helps explain why Celebrity is able to scale quickly into the river market beginning in 2027.
