Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty stressed that the company’s entry into the river cruise business in Europe was based on the attractive fundamentals of the business.

He pointed out that the initial order for the Celebrity brand was for 10 ships, and that this was “not a hobby” for the company.

“Our ambitions, however, go far beyond that,” Liberty said.

“We see river cruising as an exciting growth opportunity that aligns with our strategy of turning the vacation of a lifetime into a lifetime of vacations” Liberty continued.

“River cruising is a sizable and attractive market that has experienced double-digit growth over the last decade. Driven by increasing demand from both seasoned cruisers as well as new customers. It is a very fragmented market that presents an exciting opportunity for us to win substantial market share.”

Liberty said the ships would be in the 180-guest range. He was speaking on the company’s fourth quarter and year-end earnings call.

“River cruising is a complimentary high margin, high ROI business that fits nicely within our portfolio. The smaller scale of river ships and the shorter build timelines, allow for faster, deployment, and return profile.

“Celebrity River Cruises is a natural extension of Celebrity’s premium, ocean offering and appeal to a similar demographic of discerning travelers, who value immersive destination focused experiences.”

The plan is to deliver a couple of ships in 2027, Liberty said, and then follow that with four ships per year going forward.

Children will be allowed aboard, and Liberty said the ships would “have more activities” whether it be culinary focused or entertainment.

Liberty also said that the company is thinking of other rivers around the world.

“As we build up this engine for river under Celebrity it will provide opportunity for our ultra-luxury guests to consider a river experience under Silversea.” Liberty said .”We are going to start off with Celebrity where we think there is great scale opportunity.”