Royal Caribbean could have kept it simple. The cruise line operator delivered a better-than-expected fourth-quarter report and roughly in-line guidance, and its stock gained 12% f

Royal Caribbean Group announced that its premium brand, Celebrity Cruises, will usher in a new era in river cruising with the 2027 launch of Celebrity Rive | Royal Caribbean Group's premium brand, Celebrity Cruises,

Celebrity will begin taking bookings this year for Celebrity River Cruises, a new premium river cruise offshoot that will begin sailing in 2027. Royal Caribbean and Silversea could be next.

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty stressed that the company's entry into the river cruise business in Europe was based on the attractive fundamentals of the business. He pointed out that the initial order for the Celebrity brand was for 10 ships,

Destinations and itineraries haven’t yet been revealed but Celebrity Cruises said it will sail “through the heart of Europe’s culture and history” and on the “world’s most iconic rivers”. Bookings will open later this year and sailings will start in 2027.

The brand has signed an initial order for 10 “transformative” ships in Europe but Royal Caribbean Group president and chief executive Jason Liberty said its ambitions “go far beyond that” with Silversea also an option to start river cruises.

Bookings are already off to a record start in 2025 for Royal Caribbean, and the company is now set to expand its offerings further by breaking into river cruises, the CEO told Skift.