Celebrity Cruises has revealed details of its first river ships, set to debut in 2027 on the Rhine and Danube.
The two new vessels, Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker, are being promoted as a step-change in river cruising, with design cues drawn from the company’s Edge Series ocean ships.
Demand for the new itineraries has already been strong, with early access bookings for 2027 selling out in six minutes. More cabins will go on sale to the public later this month.
“Celebrity River Cruises ships will be the most innovative on the river, with a patent-pending industry-leading design that offers more space to holiday while bringing guests even closer to destinations,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. “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.”
The ships will feature open decks designed to maximise outdoor time, with uninterrupted 360-degree views of the rivers. Highlights include the Magic Edge, the first cantilevered dining pods on a river ship, a plunge pool at the water’s edge, and flexible deck spaces with bars, shade structures and social areas.
Accommodation will include five categories of staterooms, each with king-sized beds, balconies or large windows, and residential-style interiors. Some suites will introduce Skylight Infinite Balconies, which feature a ceiling window to increase natural light. Other options include Infinite Balcony staterooms, bringing the outdoors in at the touch of a button, and River View cabins designed to maximise space and daylight.
Suite guests will also have access to exclusive extras such as dedicated butler service via “Butler Chat,” complimentary laundry, and priority shore excursion bookings.
Dining is a major focus, with eight bars and restaurants on board. These will include returning favourites like Martini Bar, Sunset Bar and Café al Bacio, along with destination-inspired menus that change throughout each itinerary. A 24-hour dining option will be introduced, which is rare in river cruising.
The new ships will operate 33 seven-night itineraries through central Europe, including multiple daily stops and overnight stays in key cities. Experiences on offer range from wine tastings in Austria to thermal baths in Budapest and cycling tours along the Danube. Optional pre- and post-cruise extensions in cities such as Prague and Budapest will be available from 2026.
The ships are being built with a hybrid propulsion system and other technology aimed at reducing emissions, waste and noise.
Loyalty programme members will be able to carry over their Captain’s Club benefits from ocean to river cruises, with new reward structures to be confirmed in 2026.
