The 2027 newcomer
River Cruises Celebrity
Celebrity's first riverboats sail in August 2027, and the design borrows heavily from its Edge-series ocean ships. In our view it's the most ambitious river launch in years — and, until the first guests board, a promise rather than a record.
- 172guests per ship
- 86staterooms, none of them inside
- Aug 2027first sailing, per Celebrity
- 20riverboats planned by 2031
Best for Celebrity ocean loyalists who want the same design language, and Captain's Club credit, on the Rhine and Danube.
- Ship size172 guests, from August 2027
- DrinksClassic for all; premium in suites
- GratuitiesAuto-charged, $19.50–$24.50 pp daily
- ExcursionsOne a day
- FamiliesChildren 4 and over
- SoloAsk us
Overview
An ocean brand tries the river
River cruising rarely gets a new entrant with this much money behind it.
Celebrity Cruises, part of Royal Caribbean Group, announced its river line in January 2025. The first two ships followed that September: Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker, built in the Netherlands for the Rhine and Danube. Compass floated out in September 2026. Celebrity's own FAQ puts the first river sailing in August 2027.
Demand moved faster than the shipyard. The priority-booking window sold out in under six minutes before general sales opened on September 25, 2025. In January 2026 Celebrity committed to ten more riverboats — a planned fleet of 20 by 2031 — and opened 2028 with three more ships: Celebrity Wanderer, Celebrity Roamer and Celebrity Boundless.
The idea is familiar to anyone who has sailed Edge or Beyond. Big glass, outdoor dining, an Infinite Balcony in many rooms, and a two-tier model where suites get a noticeably richer package. Think Edge scaled down — not a traditional riverboat with a new logo.
What nobody has yet is a review from a real sailing. Keep that in mind as you read.
The honest fit
Is Celebrity your line?
- you already love the Edge-series ships and want that design on a river
- Captain's Club status matters — river nights earn about 8 to 18 points each
- you want every room facing the river, with a king bed in each
- outdoor space is a priority — a plunge pool and the Magic Edge dining pods are on the top deck
- you're comfortable sailing a first season and want to be early
- you want a proven product — Viking and AmaWaterways have years of sailings behind them
- you want the same inclusions for every guest; Tauck gives every cabin category the same inclusions
- you want rivers beyond the Rhine, Main, Danube and the Dutch and Belgian waterways — Celebrity hasn't announced any
- you want a guided, Director-led journey (that's Tauck)
- you need to travel before August 2027
Where it sails
Celebrity’s rivers, on one map
Tap a river to see what Celebrity does there and when it sails. Every lit pin is a stop on Celebrity’s published itineraries; open any river on our Cruise Atlas for the full port-by-port card.
The 2027 core: seven-night Vienna and Budapest sailings, Christmas Markets runs between Vilshofen, Budapest and Nuremberg, and for 2028 six Lower Danube sailings from Bucharest through the Iron Gates.
Holiday and New Year's sailings from Nuremberg and Basel to Amsterdam in 2027, then more than 60 Basel–Amsterdam sailings in 2028.
Nuremberg-to-Amsterdam New Year's sailings use the Main to link the Danube and Rhine.
Dutch and Belgian tulip sailings between Brussels and Amsterdam arrive in 2028, with Keukenhof, Kinderdijk and Maastricht.
The ships
Compass, Seeker and the 2028 sisters
Each ship carries 172 guests in 86 staterooms across four decks, three of them with cabins. That's a little smaller than the 190-guest ships common on the Rhine and Danube. Smaller, not cramped — at least on paper.
The Celebrity riverboat
Celebrity calls the design patent-pending and says it gives guests more space than any river ship so far — a claim we'll test once they sail. The hull is lightweight with hybrid propulsion and noise and vibration reduction. Eight restaurants and bars carry ocean names guests will recognise: the Martini Bar, the Sunset Bar and Café al Bacio. Compass is registered in Basel and was built by TeamCo Shipyard in the Netherlands.
Magic Edge
Cantilevered dining pods that extend out over the river. Celebrity calls them a first for river ships; we haven't seen another.
Skylight Infinite Balcony Suite
Four per ship, with a skylight above the bed and a separate living area. The most photographed room in the launch material.
Open top deck
A bar and grille, shade structures and an infinity-edge plunge pool. Celebrity claims the most usable outdoor space of any river ship — its claim, not yet one guests can confirm.
All-day dining
Meals available around the clock, with continental breakfast delivered to cabins. River Cruise Advisor calls 24-hour dining a first for the river.
| Ship or class | River | Guests | Debut | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celebrity Compass | Danube (2027); Rhine and Dutch waterways (2028) | 172 | 2027 | First river sailing planned for August 2027, per Celebrity's FAQ; Compass floated out September 16, 2026 |
| Celebrity Seeker | Rhine and Danube | 172 | 2027 | Sister to Compass |
| Celebrity Wanderer | Rhine, Danube, Dutch waterways | — | 2028 | Capacity not yet published |
| Celebrity Roamer | Rhine, Danube, Dutch waterways | — | 2028 | Capacity not yet published |
| Celebrity Boundless | Rhine, Danube, Dutch waterways | — | 2028 | Capacity not yet published |
The Celebrity difference
The two-tier fare
Celebrity runs its river fare the way it runs its ocean suites. Everyone gets a solid base. Suite guests get a second layer on top.
For all guests, the trade press reports meals, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, Wi-Fi, a stocked minibar and one land tour or guided excursion each day.
Suite guests add an on-demand butler through Butler Chat, exclusive dining, room service, happy-hour events, one complimentary laundry per sailing and priority booking for shore excursions.
The gap is real but narrower than on Celebrity's ocean ships, because drinks and excursions are already in the base fare. Read the inclusions for your exact category before comparing it with a single-price line. Drinks for everyone. Butlers for suites.
The fare
What’s in the price, and what isn’t
Drinks
Celebrity's FAQ includes its classic beverage package for every guest; suites get the premium package.
SourceOne excursion daily
A land tour or guided shore excursion each day — wine tastings, thermal baths, riverbank cycling.
SourceStocked minibar
Complimentary in every room, with robes, slippers and destination-inspired amenities.
SourceSuite perks
The premium drinks package, Butler Chat, exclusive dining, room service, happy hour, one laundry per sailing and priority excursion booking — suites only.
SourcePre- and post-cruise stays
Hotel stays in cities such as Prague and Budapest are sold separately.
SourceGratuities
Not prepaid. Celebrity's FAQ lists an automatic daily charge of $19.50 per guest in River View, $20.50 in Balcony and $24.50 in suites, adjustable aboard, plus 20% on bar, spa and specialty purchases.
Source
Inclusions differ by itinerary and market, and lines revise them. We confirm exactly what’s in your fare when we price it.
Cabins
The five cabin types
There are no inside cabins. Every room faces the river and has a king bed; sizes below are as reported, about 160 to 260 sq ft.
Best value
Infinite Balcony
The most common room — 31 per ship. The window wall drops at the press of a button to turn the room into a veranda. It's the Celebrity signature, at the middle of the price range.
Smart alternative
Balcony
Twenty-seven per ship with a true step-out veranda. Noticeably more floor space than the Infinite Balcony for travellers who want a chair outside, not just open air.
The splurge
Vista Balcony Suite
The largest rooms aboard, eight per ship, with separate living and sleeping areas, a step-out veranda and the full suite package. The four Skylight Infinite Balcony Suites, at about 230 sq ft, trade a little space for the skylight.
Skip unless…
River View
Sixteen per ship, with a fixed window set high near the ceiling. Skip unless price is the deciding factor — on a scenic river, the Infinite Balcony is usually worth the step up.
Before you book
The honest downsides
- 01
Nothing has sailed yet.
The ship, the crew and the service are untested. First seasons on any new ship tend to have wrinkles, and you'd be booking on Celebrity's reputation and renderings, not reviews.
- 02
Suites get the better trip.
Butler, exclusive dining and laundry live in the suites, and there are only 12 of them per ship. Price the suite you'd actually want against Scenic or Tauck's base fare before deciding the upgrade is worth it.
- 03
Inventory goes quickly.
The priority window sold out in under six minutes and Christmas Markets dates move fastest. Celebrity reopened the remaining 2027 inventory in September 2025, and 2028 has far more sailings — so check, but don't assume you'll find the exact week you want.
Compared
Celebrity against the alternatives
Viking has the larger fleet and a long record; Celebrity has new hardware and more included in the base fare, including all drinks. Viking if proof matters, Celebrity if design does.
Read our Viking reviewAma's food and active programme are known quantities. Celebrity's are not, yet. Choose Ama for the table you know, Celebrity for brand-new hardware.
Read our AmaWaterways reviewScenic puts drinks, tips, transfers and a butler for every cabin in one fare. Celebrity reserves its butler for suites. If you'd book a Celebrity suite anyway, compare the two closely.
Read our Scenic reviewTauck leads with Directors and private events, Celebrity with architecture. A guided journey versus a showpiece ship.
Read our Tauck reviewHead to head
Celebrity against any other line
Pick a rival and the table rewrites itself. Every cell comes from the same checked facts as our reviews; the fare row is the lowest lead fare in our nine river guides.
| This reviewCelebrity | Viking | |
|---|---|---|
| In one line | Celebrity’s design language on 172-guest ships from August 2027, with the classic drinks package included and children welcome from age 4. | Adults-only calm, one ship design and a tour in every port: the predictable first booking. |
| Ship size | 172 (from August 2027) | 190 guests per Longship |
| Drinks | Classic package for all; premium in suites | With lunch and dinner |
| Gratuities | Auto-charged, $19.50–$24.50 pp a day | Extra (about $20 pp a night suggested) |
| Excursions | One a day | One guided tour per port |
| Families | Children 4 and over | 18 and over only |
| Solo travellers | Ask us | Ask us |
| Lowest fare in our river guides | — | $1,999 |
Before you book
Five questions to settle before you book Celebrity
The answers separate two sailings that look the same on paper. Tick the ones you care about and we’ll answer them for your dates.
Why trust this page
The Seabound standard
Sources, read at the source
Every fare, berth and timetable here was checked on October 21, 2026, at the line, port or hotel wherever they publish it. Where they don’t, we name the source we used, or say nothing is published.
Paid placements
No line or hotel pays to appear here or to rank higher. Affiliate links are labelled, and they never decide what we recommend.
Advisors, not a booking engine
A Seabound Journeys advisor reads your brief, compares the lines for your dates and answers you personally. CLIA-affiliated, Florida Seller of Travel ST15578.
Before you board
Arrive a night early, somewhere worth it
Many of these cities put the ship close to the centre, though a few, such as Bucharest, mean a road transfer to the ship. A night or two ahead absorbs a delayed overnight flight and gives you the city before the ship does. Here are hotels to consider in Celebrity River’s main embarkation cities.
Hotel and tour links go to Booking.com and Viator; Seabound Journeys may earn a commission at no cost to you. Your line’s included excursions stay with the line. Affiliate disclosure. Prefer us to book the nights with your cruise? Say so in your brief below.
Our verdict
The early verdict
In our view, Celebrity River Cruises is the most interesting new hardware on the Rhine and Danube, and for Celebrity ocean fans it's an easy sell. Every room faces the river, the base fare includes drinks and a daily excursion, and loyalty status carries over.
It is also unproven — a launch, not a track record. We'll update this guide once Compass has carried guests.
If you want in on 2027, ask us to check the remaining dates now. If you'd rather wait for reviews, plan around 2028 — that's when the fleet, and the choice of sailings, gets much bigger.
- Usually the same fare as booking direct, and our advice costs you nothing.
- We compare Celebrity against the other lines for your dates, not just one brochure.
- Pre- and post-cruise hotels, flights and transfers can go into the same plan.
Your river brief
Tell us the trip. We’ll find the sailing.
Your brief is in.
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Want to talk sooner? Book a free 30-minute call.
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Quick answers
Celebrity river cruise questions
When does Celebrity River Cruises start sailing?
Celebrity's FAQ puts the first river sailing in August 2027, with Compass first and Seeker following later in the year. Three more ships — Wanderer, Roamer and Boundless — follow in 2028.
How many guests do the ships carry?
Compass and Seeker each carry 172 guests in 86 staterooms. There are no inside cabins, and every room has a king bed.
What does the fare include?
For all guests, launch reports list meals, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, Wi-Fi, a stocked minibar and one excursion a day. Suites add Butler Chat, exclusive dining, room service, happy hour, one laundry per sailing and priority excursion booking.
Which rivers will Celebrity sail?
The Rhine and Danube from 2027, with Dutch and Belgian waterways and the Lower Danube added in 2028. Celebrity says 2028 brings more than 160 sailings to over 50 destinations.
Is the 2027 season sold out?
The priority-booking window sold out in under six minutes, but Celebrity opened its remaining 2027 inventory to general sale in September 2025. Availability changes daily, so we check specific dates rather than assume.
Do Captain's Club points count on river cruises?
Yes. Celebrity says Captain's Club members earn about 8 to 18 points per night on river sailings.
Can children sail on Celebrity River Cruises?
Yes. Celebrity's FAQ welcomes children aged 4 and over; guests under 18 share a stateroom with a parent. That makes Celebrity one of the few river products that isn't adults-only, though there's no kids' club aboard.
How we checked this page 10 sources
We checked the line’s own pages and the trade press on October 21, 2026. Where they disagreed, we used the more conservative figure or named the source. Nothing here is paid for, and Booking.com, Viator and CruiseDirect never see a page before it’s published.
- Cruise Industry News: Celebrity reveals first riverboats (Sept 3, 2025)
- TravelPulse: Celebrity shares ship names, new details about 2027 river cruises
- Cruise Critic: Celebrity River to open remaining 2027 inventory (Sept 24, 2025)
- CruiseMapper: Celebrity launches Compass and Seeker (Sept 4, 2025)
- CruiseMapper: Celebrity Compass ship page
- CruiseMapper: Celebrity River Cruises confirms 10 additional newbuilds (Jan 30, 2026)
- CruiseMapper: Celebrity Compass floated out (Sept 16, 2026)
- Fodor's: Celebrity unveils 2027 river ships
- River Cruise Advisor: Celebrity River Cruises 2027
- Celebrity River Cruises FAQ (read Oct 21, 2026)
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