The premium cruise line said it would bring “the elevated design and sophistication of the Edge series ocean ships to the river”.
Celebrity River Cruises’ debut programme will start in 2027.
Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group president and chief executive, said: “With about half of our guests having experienced or intending to vacation on a river cruise, we know they will enjoy Celebrity’s elevated offering on the river.
Liberty believes the move will help the group “deepen customer engagement and further our ability to keep guests within our ecosystem of vacation offerings”.
“We are the best in the world at delivering the vacation of a lifetime, and this is the latest example of how we are building the capabilities to deliver a lifetime of vacations,” he added.
Celebrity president Laura Hodges Bethge said: “We’ve redefined travel on the ocean with our best-in-class hospitality, award-winning food and beverage experiences, and elevated design and style.
“We’re thrilled to bring these experiences to the river and combine them with authentic, destination-rich itineraries that will give our guests an experience unlike any other.”
Cruise Industry News looks at some of the key ship transactions and moves that took place in recent weeks.
Pacific Explorer Company: P&O Cruises Australia Capacity: 1,998 guests Tonnage: 77,000 Year built: 1997 Move: Sold to Resorts World Cruises Date: December 2024
Before resuming its regular schedule on the Norwegian coast, the 2003-built ship regained its original name, the Midnatsol.
Renaissance Company: CFC – Compagnie Française de Croisières Capacity: 1,258 guests Tonnage: 55,451 Year built: 1993 Move: To be jointly operated by CFC, Ambassador and Corendon in 2025-26 Date: January 2025
Now part of the Ambassador Group, CFC’s Renaissance is set to spend the upcoming winter season in the Caribbean as part of a joint operation with Ambassador Cruise Line and Corendon.
Starting in October, the ship will offer itineraries departing from Barbados, Martinique and Curaçao as part of a fly-cruise operation aimed at guests from the UK, France and the Netherlands.
Celebrity Xpedition Company: Celebrity Cruises Capacity: 100 guests Tonnage: 2,842 Year built: 2001 Move: Handed over to National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions Date: January 2025
The 2001-built ship is now set to undergo a refurbishment before joining the fleet of its new operator as the National Geographic Gemini in March.
Celebrity Xploration Company: Celebrity Cruises Capacity: 16 guests Tonnage: 317 Year built: 2007 Move: Handed over to National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions Date: January 2025
The Xploration was also handed over to National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions in January, after wrapping up its sailing career with Celebrity Cruises.
MSC announced plans to deploy its fourth world-class ship to Port Canaveral for the Winter 2027-28 season, offering year-round seven-night Caribbean cruises.
According to a press release, the yet-to-be-named ship will join MSC World America as the second World Class vessel operating in North America.
Additionally, the MSC Grandiosa will begin its year-round Caribbean program from the port in winter 2026-27, following its inaugural season in winter 2025-26.
The MSC Seashore will continue operating year-round three- and four-night Bahamas itineraries.
Lynn Torrent, executive vice president and chief commercial officer, of MSC Cruises USA, said: “Our commitment to Port Canaveral is stronger than ever, thanks to the incredible support from our partners there and the growing demand from our guests who love the port’s convenient location. Having ships dedicated to offering both short and 7-night cruises year-round will ensure we have the right options available no matter when someone wants to sail. We’re especially excited to bring a world-class ship to Port Canaveral, continuing our long-standing pledge to deploy our most modern and innovative ships in the Caribbean market.”
Capt. John Murray, CEO, of Port Canaveral, said: “We are excited to have MSC Cruises expand their presence at Port Canaveral with the arrival of MSC Grandiosa and the deployment of their fourth World Class ship to homeport with us. The addition of these exceptional ships to our homeported fleet will add even more sailing options from Central Florida and reaffirm the cruise industry’s confidence in our ability to consistently deliver a world-class guest experience.”
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