Celebrity River Cruises Orders 10 New Ships – Fleet Will Be 20-Strong by 2031

Celebrity River Cruises won’t even start sailing until next year. But the line promises to become a major player, announcing today a commitment for 10 new ships that will expand its European river cruise fleet to 20 vessels by 2031. 

The announcement marks the start of construction, with the first steel cut for Celebrity Compass – the line’s debut river ship. 

“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 travellers,” said Jason Liberty, chairman and CEO of Celebrity Cruises parent Royal Caribbean Group. 

“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.”

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% increase in European destinations compared to the brand’s inaugural 2027 deployment.

For the 2028 season, Celebrity River will offer more than 160 sailings to over 50 destinations across Europe. Guests can sail the Rhine to the vineyards of Alsace, follow the Danube to Budapest, or wake up in Prague and end the day at a café in the heart of Vienna. 

Celebrity River Cruises launches in 2027 with Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker, followed by Celebrity Wanderer, Celebrity Roamer, and Celebrity Boundless joining the fleet in 2028.

“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.”

The 2028 Season: From Dutch Tulips to the Lower Danube

In 2028, Celebrity River Cruises will bring Celebrity’s elevated experience to even more of Europe’s iconic rivers, from the Rhine’s legendary castle country to the storied capitals of the Danube. Itineraries will take guests to 24 new ports, including new journeys into the wild beauty of the Lower Danube with a Celebrity-first overnight land stay in Bucharest, sailings to enjoy tulip season in full bloom and a new way to experience Europe’s magical Christmas Market cruises. 

2028 Celebrity River Cruises itineraries include:

Lower Danube Cruises (six sailings): Your clients can journey from Bucharest through the dramatic Iron Gates gorge – one of Europe’s most breathtaking river passages – to destinations where history, culture, and natural beauty converge. Each sailing includes an overnight land stay in Romania’s vibrant capital, connecting guests to Bucharest’s rich heritage before or after their river voyage.

Rhine River Cruises (more than 60 sailings): Celebrity River ships will sail between Basel and Amsterdam through Europe’s legendary castle country, passing vine-covered hillsides and storybook villages including Strasbourg, Breisach, and Rüdesheim. 

Upper Danube Cruises: Travellers will cruise between historic Regensburg or Nuremberg and Budapest, discovering grand castles and cultural treasures along the Danube through Germany, Austria, and Hungary. 

Dutch Tulip Season Cruises: Celebrity River ships will glide between Brussels and Amsterdam during peak spring bloom, visiting the world-famous Keukenhof Gardens, the iconic windmills of Kinderdijk, and charming Maastricht. 

Christmas Markets Cruises: Offer your clients the opportunity to experience a European holiday tradition on sailings between Basel and Amsterdam, with stops at candlelit Rhine Valley villages including Mainz, Strasbourg, and Heidelberg.