“We were all excited to bring our famous celebrity treats to our riverboat.”
cElebrity Cruises owned Share more details Regarding their planned river cruise product, which is planned to be launched on two ships Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker, 2027.
I caught up with Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Parade Celebrity Xcel At the Chantiers de L'Atlantique shipyard late last month. That ship brought a lot of new space in its remoteness with the sister ship of the Fringe Class, but I was even more curious about the river.
There was no way to share a lot of details at the time, and Hodges Bethge revealed that they absolutely intend to incorporate many of the features that were popular on the Edge Class boat into the riverboat and challenge some of the orthodox ideas that are currently common in river cruises.
Although river cruises have expanded to marine cruises (a significant example of the Vikings), marine cruise routes have achieved great success, thus extending to river cruises. Hodges Bethge shared that their goal was to “build something transformative in the river cruise” but also introduced long-time celebrity cruisers that the ships “look and feel familiar.”
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Brand fans familiar with the Edge series of boats will find familiar spaces on their river cruises, including Martini Bar, Sunset Bar and cafe Al Bacio, a barista-hosted espresso bar that offers light snacks and pastries. All in all, there will be eight restaurants and bars, far more than the ones offered on other river boats, often concentrated on multipurpose bars/lounges and separate restaurants that are usually located on the river.
Another big deviation from other river cruise products will be room service and 24/7 meal availability – not yet available as a convenience standard for river cruises, but rather a baseline product that has long been offered in marine cruises.
The boats will also introduce Magic Edge Cantilever Dining Pods, giving diners a chance to enjoy a local destination-driven menu while floating on the water. These boats will offer plenty of outdoor dining and relaxation spaces on multiple levels (including infinity pools), which will be “celebrity claims” will be “the most available outdoor space in any riverboat.”
The Edge series design will also appear in the cabin and suites – each will have a king-size bed. Unlimited balcony, introducing an innovation Celebrity Edge In 2018, the New River Boat was subjected to similar spaces, with the boat’s public spaces and skylights unlimited balcony suites that will illuminate natural light through skylights. Suite guests will also offer on-demand butler service, free exclusive dining, laundry services and priority booking of coastal excursions.
Pricing will also be more consistent with the river cruise business; fares will include meals, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, Wi-Fi, in-car experiences, and daily coastal excursions. Celebrity Captain’s club members will also be able to earn points from the program’s loyalty layer on the river’s sailing.
The vessels will provide space for 172 passengers in 86 cabins and suites, considering that the largest river currently sailing can accommodate up to 190 passengers.
Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seekers Initially, a seven-night itinerary will be available on the Rhine and Danube, with a port phone every day, visiting multiple ports on some days, plus an overnight experience with selected cities. Before and after irrigation, it will be announced in early 2026 in ports such as Prague and Budapest.
When asked about her most anticipated launch of celebrity river cruise products, Hodges Bethge answered with confidence – “We are all very excited to bring our famous celebrity treats to our riverboat.”
