Celebrity has announced the first details of the first of its river ships, which will launch on the Danube and Rhine in 2027.
Priority booking access for the two ships, to be called Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker, opened on Wednesday, but sold out after just a few minutes.
“Celebrity River Cruises ships will be the most innovative on the river, with a patent-pending industry-leading design that offers more space to vacation while bringing guests even closer to destinations,” said Celebrity Cruises President Laura Hodges Bethge.
“With about half of our guests having experienced or intending to take a river cruise, we know guests are going to love sailing Europe’s Rhine and Danube rivers The Celebrity Way on our fleet of elevated, cutting-edge ships.”
Innovations include year-round open decks offering ‘the most usable outdoor space of any river ship’, according to Celebrity, with an infinity plunge pool.
There will be cantilevered ‘dining pods’ in the ‘Magic Edge’, serving destination-led food, ‘transformative shade structures’, and a top deck bar and grill, with the top deck open year-round.
Celebrity River Cruises is also claiming a first with the installation of ceiling windows in its Skylight Infinite Balcony Suites, which also have a separate living area, while its Infinite Veranda concept, installed on its Edge Series ocean ships, will also feature.
Altogether, the river ships will have five cabin categories. All include king-size beds, balconies, complimentary stocked mini-bars and destination-inspired amenities.
Suite guests will have a dedicated, on-demand butler through ‘Butler Chat,’ complimentary exclusive dining, room service and happy hour experiences, complimentary laundry once each sailing, and priority booking for shore excursions.
There will be eight restaurants and bars on the 175-guest ships, including ‘Celebrity-favourites’ Martini Bar, Sunset Bar and Café Al Bacio, leading Celebrity to claim it will be offering the most choice and variety on the river.
It will also be offering complimentary breakfast room service and flexible, 24/7 dining, a first for a river cruise line.
In 2027, Celebrity River Cruises will have 33 seven-night sailings on the Rhine and Danube, some including overnight stays. Excursions will range from private wine tastings in Austria to thermal baths in Budapest, or cycling the riverbanks of the Danube
Celebrity has extended its Captain’s Club loyalty programme to river holidays, with members earning eight to 18 points per night on river cruises.
