Celebrity Cruises Floats First River Ship

Celebrity Cruises River Ship
Credit: Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises has reached a major milestone in its move into European river cruising. The first hull of its new river fleet has been floated in the Netherlands and moved to another yard for interior work. The ship, Celebrity Compass, is scheduled to enter service in August 2027, Maritime Executive reports.

The 135-metre vessel is being built at Zwijnenburg shipyard in Rotterdam. After the float-out began on September 9, the hull traveled about 50 miles to the TeamCo yard in Heusden, where the next stage of construction will take place.

Celebrity plans to build a fleet of 20 river ships by 2031. The company will bring its ocean-cruise style to European rivers, with the new ships designed for river navigation and low-water conditions. More vessels are planned to enter service from late 2027 and in 2028.

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