Celebrity Compass Floats Out Ahead of 2027 Danube Debut
The one hundred seventy-two-passenger vessel will have eighty-six staterooms and six dining venues, with Martini Bar and Cafe al Bacio carried over from ocean ships.
Celebrity Cruises’ first river ship, Celebrity Compass, has completed its float-out in the Netherlands and reached TeamCo’s fitting-out yard in Heusden ahead of an August 2027 service debut. The hull entered the water on Sept. 9, 2026. It arrived at the yard on Sept. 12 after a tow of roughly 50 miles.
The 172-passenger ship is the first vessel in Celebrity’s planned European river fleet, which is expected to reach 20 ships by 2031.
Celebrity disclosed its river cruise plans in January 2025 with an initial commitment for 10 ships. It added another 10-vessel commitment in January 2026, when construction of the first hull began. As of June 30, Royal Caribbean Group had signed binding construction agreements covering the first four ships from the initial order.
Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Jason Liberty has described the river product as part of the company’s effort to deepen guest loyalty across its brands. “We’re effectively miniaturizing an Edge Class ship and putting it on River,” Liberty said, adding that the group has high ambitions for the business.
Fitting-out and onboard design
Zwijnenburg built the first hull at its Rotterdam shipyard under contract to TeamCo, which will complete the ship’s interiors in Heusden. Celebrity Compass measures approximately 135 meters, or 443 feet, and has four decks, including three passenger decks.
The vessel’s 86 staterooms include 12 suites, 27 balcony cabins, 31 Infinite Balcony cabins with lowering windows and 16 River View cabins. Six dining venues are planned, along with a top-deck bar and lounge. Celebrity is also carrying several names from its ocean ships into the river product, including Martini Bar, Cafe al Bacio and Sunset Bar.
Celebrity says the lightweight hull is intended to support operations during low-water conditions and reduce itinerary disruptions. Low water affected cruise and commercial shipping on sections of the Rhine and Danube during 2026.
Danube debut and fleet rollout
Celebrity Compass is scheduled to begin service on the Danube in August 2027, operating between Budapest, Hungary, and Vilshofen, Germany. Celebrity Seeker is due to join the program in October, with Rhine itineraries starting in December before the inaugural season concludes around New Year’s.
Celebrity Wanderer is expected to arrive in April 2028, followed by Celebrity Roamer in July and Celebrity Boundless in September.
Royal Caribbean Group executives have also said they would consider extending river cruising to other brands within the company. Zwijnenburg expects the second river ship hull to follow the first within 12 weeks.
