Transcend Cruises said construction has begun on its first newbuild riverboat, which it expects to put into service in 2026.
The charter-only river cruise line held a steel-cutting ceremony last week for the ship, for which a name has yet to be chosen. The ship will cruise the Rhine River.
"We are thrilled to be entering this exciting construction phase," said Transcend CEO Hans Rood.
After hull construction is finished next summer at the Orsova Shipyard in Romania, the ship will be moved to the Den Breejen Shipyard in the Netherlands for final outfitting and commissioning.
In the past 18 months, Transcend has been piloting its B2B charter model with the Advance, a ship Transcend is chartering from Riverside Luxury Cruises. The ship is the former Crystal Mahler.
Transcend said it is serving all sectors of the group market, including meetings, incentives, events, tours and affinity groups. Transcend does business with corporate and leisure travel agencies.