Royal Caribbean Group has announced a bold new venture with the launch of Celebrity River Cruises, a premium river cruise brand set to debut in Europe in 2027.
The brand will initially launch with 10 custom-designed river ships, drawing inspiration from Celebrity’s iconic Edge Series ocean ships. Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty revealed that the company sees significant growth potential in the river cruise market, leveraging the success of its Celebrity Cruises brand. Liberty also hinted at future expansion possibilities, including a potential Silversea ultraluxury river cruise product, saying, “We’re starting with Celebrity where we see great scale opportunity, but we’ll keep an eye on expansion for our other brands.”
The new line will sail on rivers worldwide, with berthing rights already secured, though specific destinations are yet to be disclosed. Each ship will accommodate approximately 180 passengers, blending Celebrity’s modern luxury with river cruising’s intimate experience. The product will allow families with children to sail and, while luxurious, will not follow an all-inclusive model.
Royal Caribbean plans to integrate its loyalty programs across its brands to create a seamless ecosystem of travel experiences, retaining guests within its portfolio of vacations. “About half of our guests have experienced or plan to take a river cruise,” Liberty said. “This new venture reinforces our obsession with delivering the best vacation experiences in the world and capturing a greater share of the $2 trillion global vacation market.”
More details on destinations, fleet design, and onboard features to be unveiled in the coming months. This move adds to the group’s already ambitious growth plans, which include four new ocean ships and four private destinations by 2027.
Stay tuned for updates on this exciting development, which is set to redefine the river cruising landscape!
