Celebrity Cruises Announces Launch Of River Cruise Line

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Celebrity Cruises

Building on its reputation as a premium ocean cruise line, Celebrity Cruises announced a new offering, Celebrity River Cruises, a luxury river cruise line. The line has already ordered ten new ships to compete in the highly profitable river cruise market.

Although specific details regarding the ship design, staterooms, itineraries, shore excursions and pricing are unavailable, the new river cruise line promises "personalized service, world-class amenities, and unique itineraries" on the iconic rivers of Europe, suggesting a more upscale product than some competitors.

"Celebrity Cruises will bring the elevated design and sophistication of the Edge Series ocean ships to the river," says the company's January 28th press release.

The Celebrity Edge series of ocean ships is known for its deluxe accommodations and innovative design. It includes stateroom living spaces that can be transformed into verandas and a "Magic Carpet" cantilevered platform 16 stores above the water on one side of the ship, which also serves as a bar. The Edge received a four-star rating in the 2024 Forbes Travel Guide.

"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 of Royal Caribbean Group, the parent company of Celebrity Cruises.

"We see river cruising as an exciting growth opportunity that aligns with our strategy of turning the vacation of a lifetime into a lifetime of vacations, expanding our ecosystem of vacation offerings, and broadening our reach into adjacent lines of businesses," said Liberty during the corporation's earnings conference call today, reported by industry publication, Maritime Executive.

"The news of Celebrity's entry into the river cruise market is quite exciting for the cruise industry," commented Colleen McDaniel, Editor-in-Chief of Cruise Critic.

"While there are a number of lines already to choose from on the rivers, Celebrity is the biggest mainstream cruise line to move into the river cruise sector," say McDaniel. "And it does so with loyal guests eager to try something new. This might be the incentive ocean cruisers loyal to Celebrity need to make the leap to river cruising."

"We continue to see river cruise brands develop their own personalities and entice passengers drawn to that style," she adds.

More information about Celebrity River Cruises will be provided in the coming months. Interested travelers can sign up for updates on CelebrityCruises.com.