For years, Europe’s rivers have been politely predictable. Ships slip under low bridges, glide through narrow locks, and from a distance, you’d be hard pressed to tell one line from another. An to some extent, that’s the point: uniformity keeps the waterways moving. But in 2027, Celebrity Cruises is planning to throw a designer shoe into the canal.

With two new vessels (Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker) the line best known for its headline-grabbing ocean ships is promising to rewire how we think about river cruising. Infinity pools instead of shuffleboard, “Magic Edge” dining pods that dangle over the riverbanks, and cabins that literally blur the line between indoors and outdoors.

If it all comes together, it could be the most ambitious rethink of river ship design in years. This is not just another new build. It’s a test of whether the ocean attitude can play well in the more tradition-minded world of the Danube and Rhine.

The ships and where they are headed

Two vessels are on the slate: Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker, with seven night itineraries planned on the Rhine and Danube from 2027. Early deposits are already being taken, with full day-by-day details to follow. If you have sailed Celebrity at sea, the pitch is simple: familiar brand DNA, different stage.

Outside space gets a promotion

Roof decks on river ships are usually all loungers and a hint of shuffleboard. Celebrity promises something bolder: a 360 degree panorama deck with an infinity edge plunge pool and flexible open air zones designed to work in shoulder seasons, not just on blue sky afternoons. The idea is to pull you outside more often and keep you there longer.

Dining goes theatrical

Expect “Magic Edge” cantilevered pods that hang over the water, a riff on the ocean fleet’s Magic Carpet. Menus are meant to be destination led and the setting is pure look at that. On top of the pods, the line says there will be eight dining and bar venues, including Celebrity favourites Martini Bar and Café al Bacio, and even round the clock dining, which is unusual on rivers where fixed mealtimes still rule.

Cabins try to blur inside and out

Every stateroom is slated to have a king sized bed and a river version of the Infinite Veranda. That means floor to ceiling glass that drops at the touch of a button so your cabin becomes something like a conservatory with a view. On the ocean ships, Celebrity fans love the extra light while some critics miss a classic balcony; expect the same friendly debate here. Suites bring butler service and, on select layouts, skylights for even more natural light.

A test for the river market

Rivers are a conservative space, and some travellers will still prefer quiet lounges, set dining and ships that keep the spotlight off themselves. But these designs are the most ambitious rethink we have seen in years. If Compass and Seeker deliver, they could tempt ocean loyalists into the river world rather than compete head to head with existing lines. Celebrity is nudging that along by extending Captain’s Club loyalty tiers to its river holidays.

What happens next

Compass and Seeker are due to start sailing the Rhine and Danube in 2027 on week long runs. Bookings have opened for early deposits, with full itineraries promised soon. If the hardware lands as promised, we may have to retire the old line about all river ships being the same. These two are determined to prove otherwise.

River cruising has long been the domain of hushed lounges, fixed dinner bells, and sun decks laid out like a game of solitaire. There is nothing wrong with that— it’s part of the charm. But with Compass and Seeker, Celebrity is betting that travellers want more: more outdoor space, more dining variety, more blurred lines between ship and shore.

Will everyone love an infinite veranda on the Danube? Probably not. But that isn’t the point. The point is to expand the market, to coax ocean regulars to try rivers without feeling like they’ve stepped into a different century. Add the loyalty perks of the Captain’s Club, and Celebrity is clearly in this to grow the river pie, not just carve off a slice.

If the ships deliver, 2027 could be the year we stop saying “all river ships look the same.” Compass and Seeker are coming with an argument to the contrary, and an infinity plunge pool to prove it.