Royal Caribbean Group has announced its intention to enter the river cruise sector, with the launch of Celebrity River Cruises, a premium river cruise line subsidiary of Celebrity Cruises that will begin taking bookings this year.

Celebrity River Cruises has committed to an initial order for ten ships and plans to sail in 2027, with destination and itineraries to be announced in the near future.

The cruise line has indicated its river fleet will be designed according to the latest innovations and advancements in cruise experiences that debuted aboard its new Edge class vessels, with capacity for around 180 passengers.

The first two ships will be delivered in 2027, with four per year expected through 2029. According to Royal Caribbean, children will be allowed onboard, and the vessels will be designed with families in mind, with a range of cultural, entertainment and cullinary activities provided onboard.

“Celebrity River Cruises will bring the quality and sophistication of our Edge Series ocean ships to the most iconic rivers, starting with Europe,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, President, Celebrity Cruises. “We’ve redefined travel on the ocean with our best-in-class hospitality, award-winning food and beverage experiences, and elevated design and style.” 

“We are thrilled to bring these experiences to the river and combine them with authentic, destination-rich itineraries that will give our guests an experience unlike any other.”

River cruising has experienced double-digit growth over the last decade, driven by increasing demand from both seasoned cruisers as well as new customers, and could provide Celebrity with an opportunity to secure substantial market share as its older passengers transition away from ocean cruising into the river sector.

“Our guests and travel partners should expect us to do what we do best – innovate and elevate the river cruise experience as we meet the growing demand for intimate, culturally enriching travel experiences,” said said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. 

Celebrity Cruises’ expansion into the river cruise sector comes amid immense growth in demand for cruises, as well as growing interest among the more mature cruise market for more culturally-enriching and unusual shore excursion experiences.

“With about half of our guests having experienced or intending to vacation on a river cruise, we know they will enjoy Celebrity’s elevated offering on the river,” Liberty added. 

“By leveraging our valuable loyalty programs across our three brands, we will deepen customer engagement and further our ability to keep guests within our ecosystem of vacation offerings. We are the best in the world at delivering the vacation of a lifetime, and this is the latest example of how we are building the capabilities to deliver a lifetime of vacations.”