Celebrity Cruises shares details of first river cruise ships 

Celebrity Cruises has revealed details of its first two river cruise vessels Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker.

Priority booking access for 2027 sailings on the Rhine and Danube opened on September 3 but sold out in six minutes. 

The line claims its river cruise ships will the "most innovative ships on the river", and has confirmed "patent-pending" details of its onboard product, which it says “combines the iconic design of Celebrity’s Edge Series ocean ships with European charm”.

The vessels will feature “revolutionary open decks”, which Celebrity claims will “offer the most usable outdoor space of any river ship and remain accessible throughout the entire journey”.

Guests will also be able to dine above the river on cantilevered dining pods called the Magic Edge – while the ships will feature infinity-edge plunge pools.

Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises, said: “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.

“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.” 

Celebrity said its “innovative” stateroom design will include intuitive storage, king-sized beds and balconies. Five boutique stateroom categories will also include “residential interior design” and “the most in-room amenities on the river”.

Suite guests will have access to an on-demand butler, complimentary exclusive dining, room service and happy hour experiences, complimentary laundry once each sailing, and priority booking for shore excursions. 

The Infinite Veranda concept from Celebrity’s Edge Series ocean ships will feature, while the vessels will also have the “first-ever Skylight Infinite Balcony Suites” with a separate living area and ceiling windows.

The line also claimed it will offer the greatest choice and variety of dining of any river line, with eight restaurants and bars including established Celebrity brands including Martini Bar, Sunset Bar and Café Al Bacio.

Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker will sail 33 seven-night sailings on the Rhine and Danube, with multiple daily port stops combined with overnight experiences.

Pre- and post-cruise stays will be available to book in early 2026 in cities including Prague and Budapest.

The line said the ships will feature an “innovative hull” and lightweight design which will improve river navigation, and will be “equipped with best-in-class hybrid propulsion system, as well as waste management systems, alongside advanced technology to reduce noise and vibration”.