A European river cruise is a big trip. The flight alone is long, the jet lag is real, and the connection between landing and boarding can be tight. Celebrity River Cruises just made it easier to give yourself some breathing room.
The line’s new Before and After Stays let guests add a few days in Prague, Budapest, Amsterdam or Lausanne before or after their cruise. It’s a small change with a bigger idea behind it: the ship doesn’t have to be the whole trip.
What’s actually included
Here’s what guests get with a Before and After Stay:
- Two or three extra nights in the city where their cruise starts or ends
- A Local Storyteller, a resident expert (not a tour guide) who leads one included tour a day built around the city’s hidden corners, not just the landmarks
- A Destination Insider, a local contact who can point guests toward the kind of spots a guidebook would miss
- Hotel stays, daily breakfast and ship transfers, all arranged in advance
In Prague, that might mean tracing the city’s alchemist history through Gothic alleyways, or descending into Cold War-era bunkers. In Amsterdam, it could mean following a local artist through the city’s street art scene, spray can included.
Prague and Budapest stays launch for the 2027 season, with Amsterdam and Lausanne joining in 2028.
You’re not the only one thinking this way
More than half of travelers now book multiple stays within a single trip, according to Expedia’s 2026 travel trends report, and Celebrity isn’t the only river cruise line catching on. Viking already offers land extensions in Prague, Paris and Amsterdam. AmaWaterways recently teamed up with Mandarin Oriental for branded stays in cities like Vienna, Madrid and Prague. And Uniworld has its own extensions in Budapest and Dubrovnik. Add a few days, skip the rush, see more of the place you flew across an ocean to reach.
If you’re already planning a trip, it might be worth checking whether a Before and After Stay with your Celebrity river cruise fits your dates. A couple extra days could be the difference between a trip that feels rushed and one that actually lets you settle in.
Jennifer Allen is a retired chef turned traveler, cookbook author and nationally syndicated journalist; she’s also a co-founder of Food Drink Life, where she shares expert travel tips, cruise insights and luxury destination guides. A recognized cruise expert with a deep passion for high-end experiences and off-the-beaten-path destinations, Jennifer explores the world with curiosity, depth and a storyteller’s perspective. Her articles are regularly featured on the Associated Press Wire, The Washington Post, Seattle Times, MSN and more.