Key Aspects:
- Celebrity River Cruises’ guests can receive Priority Booking Access by placing a deposit on a future river cruise starting on September 3, 3025.
- The $500 deposits, which are refundable, will be converted into actual bookings once reservations are opened for sale.
- River cruise bookings are expected to open in 2026, with the first itineraries operating on the Danube and Rhine rivers in 2027.
The excitement that comes with the launch of a new cruise line is building for Celebrity River Cruises, a division of Celebrity Cruises set to begin operations in 2027.
While itineraries have not been disclosed and bookings have yet to open, the river cruise brand is inviting prospective guests to plop down a deposit and in return, receive Priority Booking Access.
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A $500 refundable deposit can be made starting at 9 a.m. on September 3, 2025, providing early access for the voyages. Those who reserve their priority access will be able to view and book cruises before sales open to the general public.
Also, they will get first glimpses into the ships’ staterooms and see details of itineraries that will feature the Danube and Rhine rivers.
“We are excited to offer guests the chance to experience the first-ever Celebrity River Cruises vacations in 2027 with Priority Booking Access,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises.
“Guests will enjoy the warm hospitality Celebrity is known for, on innovative ships, with land experiences unlike any other, as we set sail on Europe’s iconic Danube and Rhine rivers,” added Hodges Bethge.
The cruise line’s August 19, 2025 announcement of the priority booking offer noted that bookings are expected to open in 2026.
Like many other river cruise operators, Celebrity’s cruise fares will include all meals and drinks, WiFi access, and a shore excursion in each port call. Pre- and post-cruise land stays will be offered in Prague and Budapest once cruise bookings open for sale.
Celebrity River Cruises promises guests will enjoy cuisine inspired by the destinations visited and choose from multiple shore excursions.
Future guests who take advantage of the priority offer will be notified by the cruise line when they can convert their deposit into a booking. And the cruise line is making the offer risk-free, since the $500 deposit is fully refundable.
Celebrity Cruises announced it would enter the river cruise space in January 2025 when it revealed it was ordering 10 river ships that will sail in Europe.
The ships will be designed with a nod to Celebrity Cruises’ Edge-class ocean ships, which are known for maximizing ocean views with concepts such as floor-to-ceiling veranda windows, and popular, open-air venues, including the Rooftop Garden.
Guest Feedback Prompted Expansion Into River Cruising
Celebrity Cruises is a premium line owned by Royal Caribbean Group, which also operates Royal Caribbean and the ultra-luxury line Silversea Cruises. Company executives have attributed the decision to expand into river cruising to guest feedback.
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They indicated that roughly half of the celebrity guests have taken or plan to take a river cruise. The upmarket river cruise niche attracts cruisers who prefer smaller ships, as river vessels typically top out at about 220 passengers, and those who wish to avoid rough sea conditions.
With its expansion into river cruising, Celebrity Cruises became the first of the major cruise lines to embrace the cruise segment, which is already well established across Europe. Once operating on Europe’s rivers, the new line will face competition from several popular river cruise lines.
While priority booking access will provide guests with itinerary options before the general public, it does not guarantee any specific cabin category, river ship, or departure date until the deposit is converted into an actual booking.
