Royal Caribbean today announced the launch of Celebrity River Cruises, a premium river cruise vacation that will begin taking bookings this year, according to a press release.

The Company has committed to an initial order for 10 transformative ships and plans to sail in 2027.

“We’re thrilled to announce our entry into the river cruise market through our Celebrity Cruises premium travel brand.  Our guests and travel partners should expect us to do what we do best – innovate and elevate the river cruise experience as we meet the growing demand for intimate, culturally enriching travel experiences,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group.

“With about half of our guests having experienced or intending to vacation on a river cruise, we know they will enjoy Celebrity’s elevated offering on the river. By leveraging our valuable loyalty programs across our three brands, we will deepen customer engagement and further our ability to keep guests within our ecosystem of vacation offerings. We are the best in the world at delivering the vacation of a lifetime, and this is the latest example of how we are building the capabilities to deliver a lifetime of vacations.”

Added Laura Hodges Bethge, president, Celebrity Cruises: “Celebrity River Cruises will bring the quality and sophistication of our Edge Series ocean ships to the most iconic rivers, starting with Europe,. We’ve redefined travel on the ocean with our best-in-class hospitality, award-winning food and beverage experiences, and elevated design and style. We are thrilled to bring these experiences to the river and combine them with authentic, destination-rich itineraries that will give our guests an experience unlike any other.”