Celebrity River Cruises today announced a commitment for 10 new ships that will expand its European river cruise fleet to 20 vessels by 2031, the company announced in a press release.
The announcement marks the start of construction, with the first steel cut for Celebrity Compass, the line’s debut river ship for 2027.
The expansion will make Celebrity River Cruises one of the largest European river cruise operators, offering more itineraries and destinations than ever before. The 2028 season is now open for booking, featuring an 80 percent increase in European destinations compared to the brand’s inaugural 2027 deployment.
Celebrity River Cruises also opened its 2028 season for booking, offering more than 160 sailings to over 50 destinations across Europe.
“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 travelers,” 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.”
“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.”
In 2028, the company said it is adding more cruise options, including the Rhine and Danube, with 24 ports on the schedule.
