In the grand world of cruise travel, the “go big or go home” mindset continues to prevail. Take, for example, Royal Caribbean Group, which is still building bigger with its ever-larger Icon class for the Royal Caribbean brand. But, now, there’s also a simultaneous trend to go smaller — much smaller. For its premium Celebrity Cruises line, Royal Caribbean Group recently announced 10 new riverboats slated to launch in Europe in 2027 under the brand Celebrity River Cruises.
At nearly a decade in the making, this pivot may not come as a huge surprise to the cruise industry, but it does beg a few questions. Namely, how did we get here, where else are we going — and who else is joining?
Raising the Sails on River Cruising’s Visibility
Celebrity’s big move into the river market is not entirely unexpected given the line’s previous positioning. In fact, Rudi Schreiner — president and co-founder of AmaWaterways — says he saw it coming.
“They have been in discussions,” he said, noting that Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, had been looking into the river market for the last six years alongside former CEO Richard Fain.
Schreiner believes Celebrity took a page from Viking’s book, seeing that its guests also enjoyed other cruise segments, and deciding to expand into a new market. Where Viking expanded from river cruising to ocean and expedition cruising, Crystal made a similar choice back in 2016. After decades of operating only two ocean ships, the luxury line launched Crystal Mozart, its first riverboat (an existing vessel) in 2016, followed by four new builds in 2017 and 2018.
Celebrity announced that it will launch 10 new ships for river cruising in 2027.
Credit: 2025 Celebrity CruisesUnfortunately, the brand was hit hard during the pandemic and went bankrupt, selling off all its assets. The seagoing Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony have since been resurrected under Abercrombie & Kent while maintaining their original branding, but the riverboats were purchased and rebranded by Riverside Luxury Cruises in 2023.
Jennifer Halboth, CEO of Riverside Collection for the Americas, sees the parallels between Crystal and Celebrity, and welcomes the newcomer into the fold.
“When Crystal added a river fleet, it recognized the opportunity that existed to cross-sell to its ocean guests,” she said. “I would imagine Viking had the same thought process when it added ocean.”
Halboth believes Celebrity’s entrance into the market will help increase the visibility of river cruising.
I also see it as a major vote of confidence in the market’s potential from a powerful industry player.
“I also see it as a major vote of confidence in the market’s potential from a powerful industry player,” she said.
Although Riverside does not sail on the high seas, Halboth views luxury ocean cruisers who travel with brands such as Crystal as ideal prospective passengers for Riverside.
Under its former Celebrity Explorations banner, Celebrity more than hinted at entering the river market when it first chartered with Amras Cruises in 2015. Now known as Amadeus River Cruises — a growing player in the North American market — the line facilitated river-and-ocean combo voyages booked by Celebrity, effectively testing the inland waters.
In 2027, Celebrity does not plan to directly link its river and ocean products in this way, but it will offer traditional shore extensions.
The industry is welcoming Celebrity’s entrance into the river cruise market.
Credit: 2025 Andrew Mayovskyy/stock.adobe.com“We are being very purposeful with our deployment planning and intend on offering various sailing lengths that can be paired with pre- and post-cruise land options, providing guests the flexibility to select their perfect journey,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity.
Cruising Into a New Segment
So, why did Celebrity decide this was the ideal time to enter the river cruise market? Hodges Bethge offers further insight.
“Our customer continues to be our North Star; guided by their feedback, we continue to develop products that meet their vacation needs,” she said. “Our research shows that more than half our guests are either interested in or have already experienced a river cruise. Celebrity River Cruises is a natural extension of Celebrity’s premium offerings that will bring its unique hospitality-first approach to the rivers and provide guests an opportunity to experience river cruising ‘The Celebrity Way.’”
Hodges Bethge views river cruising as a growing segment and believes Celebrity’s approach to exceptional service and warm hospitality can meet guests’ vacation needs. She says clients can expect a riverboat design that will mirror the line’s Edge-class ocean ships, particularly in their quality and sophistication, as well as expansive, 360-degree views of the destination.
“For advisors with clients who have sailed with Celebrity Cruises and already love our brand, this presents a new and exciting product for them to try,” she said. “Clients will experience personalized service, world-class amenities and unique itineraries.”
Still unknown is whether all 10 riverboats will be identical or if there will be variation in design, size and capacity for their voyages along European waterways. The line is finalizing these remaining details, with bookings expected to open this summer.
Will More Players Make a Splash?
Agents might wonder whether other Royal Caribbean Group brands will follow suit after Celebrity. Travel Weekly, the sister publication of TravelAge West, has reported that the cruise company has signaled that luxury river cruises could be on the way from corporate cousin Silversea. What’s more, Celebrity’s Hodges Bethge points to the attractive prospect of loyalty-hopping.
“Last year, we launched our industry-first Loyalty Status Match program, offering reciprocal benefits for loyalty members across Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Silversea,” she said. “This reciprocity makes it easier and more attractive for guests to trial products across the brands, so we expect to see some Royal Caribbean and Silversea guests take a Celebrity river cruise.”
As for other large cruise conglomerates, neither Carnival Corporation nor Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has a river product in the works, though a spokesperson for Carnival did not rule it out
“We are pleased with our current cruise line portfolio,” the representative said. “If an opportunity arises that makes sense for our shareholders and fits into our strategic priorities, we’ll make the right decision accordingly.”
Independent operators such as Crystal might also consider the market.
“While nothing is out of the question, right now, our brand’s focus is on the three new ocean vessels we will be bringing to market starting in 2028,” said Fernando Delgado, chief product officer for Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group, parent company to Crystal. “We wish Celebrity the best of luck in its expansion. It is a testament to the continuing growth of the cruising market, whether it be with ocean, expedition or river vessels."
Abercrombie & Kent does, however, have a new Peruvian Amazon riverboat, Pure Amazon, on the horizon for a late 2025 introduction, in addition to a fifth Egyptian Nile riverboat coming online this fall.
Another player to watch is Disney. While the Disney Signature Experiences team had nothing to share as of press time, the Adventures by Disney (ABD) brand’s collaboration with AmaWaterways could foreshadow a future in-house endeavor, or one under the Disney Cruise Line (DCL) umbrella.
After all, Disney did team up with Premier Cruise Lines in the mid-1980s to early 1990s, showcasing its characters onboard The Big Red Boat before venturing out on its own with Disney Magic in 1998.
Several travel professionals see the potential, while others, such as AmaWaterways’ Schreiner, believe the existing arrangement is a solid one.
“I don’t think that Disney has any intentions to follow Celebrity — at least not currently,” he said.
According to Ryen Neudecker, travel advisor at Key to the World Travel, the partnership between AmaWaterways and ABD is ideal because both companies are masters at immersive storytelling and provide exceptional service.
Adventures by Disney currently partners with AmaWaterways.
Credit: 2025 Adventures by Disney“The sky is the limit for both companies, but from my perspective, the current partnership works well for guests,” she said.
Still, she doesn’t rule out the possibility that Disney could spin the popularity of its DCL brand into a river offshoot, and neither does Andrea Auger, founder of Vacations By Andrea.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if ABD decides to start sailing its own river ships in the future,” Auger said. “People who love the Disney touch would be excited — especially if Disney brings its knack for storytelling and mesmerizing both children and adults to the table.”
She says she can imagine an ABD river cruise that extends to custom onboard activities for children, and port options for families and adults alike to differentiate the experience from competing river trips. Beci Mahnken, a Disney travel agent and president and CEO of MEI-Travel, feels similarly.
“Nothing is impossible,” she said. “If it did decide to take on the challenge, the key would be maintaining the high-quality, immersive storytelling experiences Disney is renowned for — while navigating the operational nuances of river cruising — on a large enough scale to fill ships throughout the season.”
A Sea of Opportunity for Advisors to Expand Their Offerings
In any case, the agent community is excited by what’s to come — not the least of which is the hybrid sales opportunity that ocean and river products provide.
Riverside’s fleet is made up of Crystal’s former riverboats.
Credit: 2025 Riverside Luxury Cruises“Having a well-known brand such as Celebrity in the mix will help advisors and consumers better understand what these categories look like in the river cruise market,” said Riverside’s Halboth.
This will make it easier for advisors to cross-sell river cruising to their luxury clients, she says, as it will be clear what level of vacation experience they prefer and which brand is their best match.
Susie Flores, an accredited cruise counselor with Cruise Lines International Association and owner of Countdown Travels, says that Celebrity will bring a new level of interest and clientele to river cruising — which, in the past, has predominantly skewed toward retirees.
“I think that’s definitely changing,” she said. “It’s great for millennials, Gen Xers and even boomers. I’m going to be pushing Celebrity river cruising, and I want to try it."
Plus, the importance of agents in this equation cannot be overstated, according to Erika Richter, former vice president of communications for the American Society of Travel Advisors, who views them as crucial value interpreters for clients.
“Any time new products arrive on the market, travel advisors have the opportunity to expand their offerings,” she said. “And it may be very attractive for a client to experience a cruise with a brand and a level of service they’re familiar with.”
With the debut of Celebrity River Cruises only two years away, travelers won’t have to wait too long to see just how the line will innovate in the river market. Karen Shelton, luxury travel advisor and owner of My Path Unwinding Travel and Luxury Travel, might just have the perfect roadmap for the brand to consider.
Her clients are interested in more space, comfortable bedding, flexible dining options and amenities such as a hot tub or a pool.
“The ship features and design will be an important competitive factor in the growing market,” she said. “Celebrity may create a bridge between the perception of river cruising for seniors and the few family-friendly options, so that it becomes a possibility for all kinds of travelers.”
