First look at Transcend Cruises’ purpose-built ship for groups & MICE market

Transcend Cruises has shared details of its first purpose-built ship, which is designed exclusively for the group market.

The first Transcend ship will set sail in the fourth quarter of 2025, providing both meeting and incentive planners and the affinity market with highly functional and elevated options for Europe’s rivers.

The ship is being positioned as an alternative to land-based conferences and events.

“Today’s group, meeting, incentive travel, and affinity program organizers demand innovation and flexibility to suit their client’s needs, all while delivering a level of service they would expect from a five-star hotel on land. Transcend is truly a gamechanger for these market segments,” said Hans Rood, Transcend’s CEO.

READ MORE: Transcend orders first purpose-built B2B river ship for MICE & affinity markets

Transcend Cruises’ 135-meter ships promise adaptable spaces and services designed exclusively for groups.

The vessels boast five separate venues that accommodate all guests for group programs, including a two-story Forum theatre for events from lectures to concerts, as well as flexible settings for social and professional experiences including meetings, dining, presentations and breakouts.

“We have had an interactive collaboration with Tillberg Design over the last several years. This has prepared us to bring our blend of new ships and a charter-focused business structure that erases current barriers, enabling our MICE and group clients to fully leverage the benefits of exclusive use, luxury river voyages for the first time,” stated Transcend’s founder and chief visionary officer, Matthew Shollar.

A B2B-focused platform

As a B2B-focused platform, Transcend ships will also be outfitted with technologies that empower charter clients to amplify their brands for their guests, through experiential elements such as digital signage, custom lighting, sound, and imagery.

Through Transcend’s extensive ship-wide branding technology, the client’s brand and program are “the star of the show.”

READ MORE: Building group biz: Transcend Cruises announces Jackie Coulson as first Canadian employee

The ship will also offer packages of support spaces and technology to enable the organizer’s program team to produce the perfect experience.

Cabins for the group’s staff, sleeping up to six, are available in addition to the guest staterooms. The ship will offer a client-dedicated, fully- equipped office with printing capabilities.

A second, digitally branded reception desk in the lobby puts the group’s staff front and centre with their guests. Ample storage space is also available for all the materials that a group requires to bring aboard.

Up to 120 guests will be accommodated in 60 identical, oversized staterooms that convert in pairs to two-room, two bath suites, allowing the charterer to flex the offering for between 30 to 120 attendees.

Transcend will have up to 60 per cent fewer guests than retail-focused European river cruise lines and the highest crew-to-guest ratio on the rivers.

The ships also boast a 2,600-square-foot indoor/outdoor fitness, spa and guest wellness facility –  the largest and most comprehensive of any river cruising vessel.

The customized food and beverage program is rooted in European culinary and wine excellence with three chef-driven dining venues and multiple beverage experience spaces.

“The global corporate meetings and incentive market, and the luxury travel events sectors have been clamoring for our solution,” said Kimberly Daley, Transcend Cruises’ chief revenue officer. “Last year, we launched the Transcend Advance with charters across audience segments including private groups, leisure tour operators, hotel stays, multi-day event venues and corporate meeting and incentives. After this successful preview, we are pleased to introduce our first purpose-built vessel to the group market. Through this ship, we can more effectively assist corporate and private event planners just in time for the peak MICE, leisure and specialty group travel demand period in a way never done before.”

Bookings for full charters are now open, with sailings commencing in the fourth quarter of 2025 on the Rhine River.

Sales are also being accepted for the Danube with Transcend’s second ship’s sailings starting May 1, 2026.

New website

The company has also unveiled a new website: Transcendcruises.com has been designed exclusively for the group travel market. 

The user-friendly digital experience includes tools to inspire meeting, incentive, event planners and travel advisors and increase their knowledge of the capabilities of Transcend. 

The site includes details on the ship’s features, experienced team, targeted audience focus, as well as sample, customized itineraries that set the company apart from other group experiences.

The mobile-friendly site also includes a construction timeline that will be updated in real time. It will feature the milestones as they transpire in the shipbuilding process throughout 2024-2025 in time-lapse video and photos. 

An “Explore Onboard” section provides clients with a complete library of images showcasing the vessel’s flexible guest accommodations, Transcend’s signature public spaces, dedicated group planner spaces and facilities, deck plans as well as images showcasing Transcend’s culinary and wellness offerings. The site also includes sample itineraries as well as the background on the company, its leadership and philosophy. 

Rounding out the digital experience will be an exclusive “Your Charter” portal where clients will have access to detailed information about the Transcend charter experience with planning tools, as well as more personalized information including customized itineraries, program plans, updates and more.

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