Celebrity Cruises, which is owned by Royal Caribbean Group, announced it has signed an order for 10 transformative ships that will make up Celebrity River Cruises, “a premium river cruise vacation.” The new river cruise line will launch in Europe, visiting historic cities along some of the world’s most iconic rivers. Celebrity Cruises plans to bring the premium elements of its Edge-class ships as well as its service-first approach to the river.
“We’re thrilled to announce our entry into the river cruise market through our Celebrity Cruises premium travel brand. 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 Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group.
Liberty stated that about half of Celebrity Cruises’ guests have expressed interest in river cruising making this a “natural extension” of Celebrity Cruises. Additionally, Royal Caribbean Group intends to leverage its loyalty programs from its other brands to “keep guests within our ecosystem of vacation offerings.”
Laura Hodges Bethge, President of Celebrity Cruises said, “Celebrity River Cruises will bring the quality and sophistication of our Edge Series ocean ships to the most iconic rivers, starting with Europe. 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.”
This announcement comes just days after Celebrity Cruises announced it has ordered a sixth Edge-class ship to be built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique. While no information was given regarding where or when the river vessels would be built, it is likely it would be at Chantiers de l’Atlantique since all the cruise line’s Edge-class have been constructed there.
More information about Celebrity River Cruises will be forthcoming including itineraries, bookings, ship detail, excursions and more.