Royal Caribbean Group has ordered two new Discovery-class ships from French builder Chantiers de l’Atlantique, with options for four more, locking in long-range yard capacity as the company plans its next major ocean-ship platform. Separately, it is committing to 10 additional river cruise ships for its Celebrity brand, a rapid European expansion that would take the river fleet to 20 vessels by 2031.
The first Discovery class ship is scheduled to debut in 2029, followed by the second in 2032. The orders extend Royal Caribbean’s four-decade partnership with Chantiers de l’Atlantique, which has built 21 ships for the cruise line since their collaboration began in 1985.
“These ships will be a showcase of what’s possible when design meets purpose,” Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group’s chairman and CEO, said in announcing the orders.
The Discovery class represents a new vessel class for Royal Caribbean International, though specific details about ship size and capacity have not been disclosed. “The Discovery class introduces a bold new concept that puts our guests at the centre,” Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley told The Independent.
Celebrity River Cruises will expand its fleet to 20 vessels by 2031 with the new orders. The river cruise operation launches in 2027 with Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker, followed by Celebrity Wanderer, Celebrity Roamer and Celebrity Boundless joining in 2028.
Construction has started on Celebrity Compass at TeamCo shipyard in the Netherlands. The inaugural 2027 Celebrity River Cruises season sold out in under six minutes, demonstrating exceptional demand for the new product line.
“Our inaugural 2027 Celebrity River Cruises season sold out in under six minutes — a testament to how much guests value the unmatched hospitality and service Celebrity delivers,” Laura Hodges Bethge, Celebrity Cruises president, said in the announcement.
For 2028, Celebrity Cruises will offer more than 160 sailings with an 80% increase in European destinations compared to the brand’s inaugural 2027 deployment. The expanded itineraries will reach the lower and upper Danube and Rhine rivers.
The announcements came as Royal Caribbean reported strong fourth-quarter financial results, with total revenues reaching $4.3 billion. “Guest demand for Celebrity River Cruises has exceeded our expectations,” Liberty noted.
What We Don’t Know Yet
Royal Caribbean has not revealed specific size and capacity details for the Discovery class ships or their planned features and amenities. Construction timelines for Celebrity river vessels beyond the first five ships also remain unspecified, as does pricing information for Celebrity river cruise bookings.
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