Celebrity Cruises is getting ready to put its first ever river cruises on sale, but a lot of questions remain.
The company held a webinar for travel agents and revealed that the deposit is $500 per reservation, however, they haven't shared many other details yet. Key information, such as itineraries, ship deck plans, and departure dates, is still under wraps.
Guests can place a $500 deposit starting at 9:00am EDT on September 3, 2025, for early access to bookings once they officially open. This means that those who take advantage of the refundable deposit option will be among the first to secure a spot on Celebrity’s debut river sailings.
Celebrity said that the reason they're requiring deposits is because of the demand for the new cruise product; it's the first time a mainstream cruise line will offer river cruises.
"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."
However, placing a deposit does not guarantee anyone an actual booking. Starting on September 9, 2025, Celebrity Cruises will be converting the priority deposits into actual ship and sail dates. Conversions will be done based on Captain's Club loyalty status.
To place a deposit on September 3, you can visit celebritycruises.com/river, call Celebrity River Cruises at 1-833-474-8803, contact a trusted travel advisor, or visit Future Cruise on board.
General sale for Celebrity's river cruises will open to the public "later this summer."
Read more: Celebrity confirms when they will open bookings for river cruises
Here's what we know about Celebrity River Cruises
Celebrity River Cruises will have a fleet of 10 ships. However, when the line debuts in 2027, it will start with just two vessels sailing the Danube and Rhine Rivers.
According to executives, each river ship will accommodate around 180 guests and be designed after the cruise line's award-winning Edge Class series, which launched in 2018.
Edge Class ships, including Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Beyond, Celebrity Ascent, and Celebrity Xcel (in Nov. 2025), focus on connecting guests to the ocean with their outward-facing designs and innovative features like the cantilevered Magic Carpet.
All cabins on Celebrity's river ships will be based on double occupancy, meaning the vessels won't be outfitted with staterooms for three or four guests.
Additionally, the fares will be more inclusive than when sailing on their mainstream ocean cruise ships. All Celebrity River Cruises will include:
- Dining (including a 24-hour option)
- Drinks (select wine, beer, cocktails, coffee, and soft drinks, with the opportunity to upgrade)
- Wi-Fi
- Onboard experiences
- One complimentary shore excursion every day
Cruisers also have the option to add a pre- or post-cruise stay in Prague and Budapest when Celebrity's river cruises open for booking.
What Celebrity hasn't revealed about its river cruises yet
Although it's nice to know that the cruises will be more inclusive, one of the biggest questions remains unanswered — the price.
Because of the inclusivity and exclusivity of the river cruises, they'll likely be more expensive than their standard ocean sailings, but we don't know how the fares will compare to other river cruise lines.
Celebrity also hasn't shared the dates of the first river cruises in 2027, as well as the ships' deck plans or cabin layouts.
