First Celebrity River Cruises Ship Completes Float Out

Celebrity Cruises’ first-ever river cruise ship, Celebrity Compass, completed its float out at the Zwijnenburg shipyard in Rotterdam on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

Following the float out, the ship then traveled its first 80 kilometers on the river, arriving at the TeamCo Shipyard in Heusden on Saturday, Sept. 12.

The milestone marks the completion of the ship’s exterior construction and the first time the ship has touched water.

“The float out of Celebrity Compassis a defining milestone as we bring our vision for Celebrity River Cruises to life,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. “With Celebrity Compass, we’re reimagining river cruising The Celebrity Way, combining elevated design, exceptional hospitality, and destination-rich experiences to create a journey unlike any other on the river. As our inaugural ship enters the next phase of construction, we’re one step closer to welcoming guests aboard in 2027 and showing them a new way to discover the world’s iconic waterways.”  

The inaugural season, which launches in August 2027, sold out in under six minutes, something Celebrity Cruises president Laura Hodges Bethge has called “a testament” to how much past Celebrity guests love the brand.

Among the highlights onboard will be the Magic Edge – the first-ever cantilevered dining pods on a river cruise ship – as well as Skylight Infinite Balcony suites, the first staterooms on a river cruise ship featuring an actual skylight in the ceiling.