Celebrity River Cruises Orders 10 Ships to Grow Fleet

Celebrity River Cruises has announced plans for 10 additional ships that will bring its European river fleet to a total of 20 vessels by 2031, according to a company press release.

The news also signals the official start of construction, with the first steel cut now completed for Celebrity Compass, the brand’s first river ship set to debut in 2027.

Celebrity said the expansion will position the company among the largest river cruise operators in Europe, allowing it to offer a broader range of itineraries and destinations.

The cruise line has also opened bookings for its 2028 season, which will feature an 80 percent increase in European destinations compared to its first year of operations in 2027. More than 160 sailings are now available for 2028, visiting 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 of Royal Caribbean Group, Celebrity’s parent company.

“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,” he added.

Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises, noted that the brand’s first river cruise season saw immediate success.

“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,” she said.

“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.”

Celebrity also said it will introduce additional cruise options in 2028, including new itineraries along the Rhine and Danube, with 24 ports scheduled across the season.