Century Star

The 2026-built Century Star cruise ship is a newbuild riverboat and the first European vessel of the Chinese company and travel brand Century River Cruises (aka Century Cruises China, 1992-established). This modern, 174-passenger ship was delivered in June and is scheduled for inauguration in September 2026.

The vessel (ENI number 02341108) is currently Switzerland-flagged (MMSI 269057200) and registered in Basel.

History - construction and ownership

Being Century River Cruises' first owned ship deployed year-round in Europe, Century Star is managed by UNITED WATERWAYS AG (a Basel-based maritime company specializing in premium ship management for river cruise ships and floating venues).

The ship design (CDS River Cruise 135) was developed by the shipbuilder Concordia Damen Shipbuilding (Werkendam, Netherlands). It allows for a maximum of 210 passengers and 52 crew/staff. Concordia Damen entered the cruise ship building segment in 2022 with Arosa Sena.

By design, Century Star is a sister ship to the Concordia Damen-built Excellence Crown (2025, owned by Twerenbold Reisen's Excellence River Cruises).

The boat's interior design was developed by MDesigns (a 2000-founded, globally operating interior design and architecture company).

Century Star completed the yard sea trial on June 5th, the official sea trial on June 9th, and was delivered to the shipowner on June 16, 2026.

The corporate shipowner behind Century Cruises is Chongqing Gaund Holding Group Ltd Co, which owns the subsidiary Chongqing Grand Century Cruises Ltd (fka Century Cruises). Century's fleet consists of several large riverboats deployed on the Yanze River in China.

Century Cruises' CEO is Alex Ye.

In October 2025, Alexis McKinnon Puma was appointed Global Sales and MICE Strategist. She was previously employed by major cruise companies, including Royal Caribbean Group, Crystal Cruises, Holland America Line, and Seabourn. Also in October, Ralph Monteleone was appointed VP of Century Air, being responsible for developing the company's programs (in the Americas and Europe) spanning flights, transportation, hotel, and land services. He was previously employed by United Airlines, Royal Caribbean, Crystal Cruises, Vantage Tours, and Viking.

In December 2024, Century Cruises appointed David Fredericks as Senior VP of Sales and Marketing. In December 2025, he was promoted to President and General Manager of the Americas. David Fredericks was previously employed by Carnival Corporation, Viking Cruises, Crystal Cruises, and The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, among other large companies.

On May 13, 2025, Century Cruises' North American corporate office in Sunrise (Florida, USA) was officially opened. The hub houses the company's Reservations, Sales, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions), and Marketing departments. The facility generally serves North American travel agencies and clients.

In April 2026, Century Cruises announced plans to expand its Chinese fleet and to start Nile River cruises in Egypt in 2027.

Concordia Damen river cruise ship technology

The vessel features a hybrid propulsion (diesel-electric) system and a low draft, enhancing maneuverability and accessibility across Europe's main inland waterways.

The propulsion is integrated with smart peak-shaving technology, significantly reducing fuel consumption and emissions. The system also incorporates advanced battery technology and shore-power capability.

The Smart Peak Shaving technology allows the boat's diesel generators to run at optimal efficiency, with the surplus power/electricity stored in batteries. The high-capacity battery pack covers peak power demands, reducing overall fuel use. The battery-stored electricity also allows silent in-port operations (mooring and maneuvering) and fully-electric navigation in protected zones, like Wachau Valley.

Solar and Shore Power - the boat is fitted with electrical charging technology (via shore power connections at river ports) and with solar panels (integrated directly into the railings).

The low-draft hull design (max ballast draft 2,1 m/6,6 ft; air draft 6 m/20 ft) enables safe navigation during low-water seasons. The hull itself was produced with recycled steel.

Decks and Cabins

Most (79%) of the Century Star staterooms (87 total) are French Balcony, including cabins (61) and suites (8). Only the Lower Deck's cabins (18) lack balconies and instead have fixed/non-opening windows positioned near the ceiling.

All French Balcony accommodations feature drop-down windows that convert the seating area into an indoor balcony lounge.

All staterooms include as standard amenities Queen bed (convertible to twin beds), headboard with reading lights, bedside tables, mirrored panels, a seating area (a coffee table with two chairs), en-suite bathroom (WC, single-sink vanity, shower cubicle, mirrored cupboards, clothesline, luxury bath products, bathrobes), mirrored wardrobe, digital safe (iin the closet), direct-dial phone, HDTV (satellite channels, infotainment system, movies on demand, "View From the Bridge" webcam views), minibar (extra charge, Nespresso machine), individual climate control, 220V outlets, umbrella, shoe cleaner, and two sets of earplugs.

The boat has 4 decks, of which 3 have cabins.

All crew cabins (29 total) are on the Lower Deck and include 13 single and 16 double, accommodating a total of 45 crew and staff.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

The ship's facilities include the CENTURY Lounge & Bar with an adjacent outdoor Alfresco Lounge/Bow Terrace (Deck 3 forward), Aft Lounge & Coffee Corner (Deck 3 aft, functions as Library/Bar), CENTURY Restaurant (full-capacity Dining Room on Deck 2 forward) with an adjacent Galley (kitchen and storage rooms for provisions), wellness facilities (Gym, Sauna, Beauty & Spa/massage room for treatments), Lobby Hall (Reception, Shop, two ship entrances/portside and starboard).

At the Atrium's upper level (Deck 3 midship), there are two small step-out balconies (portside and starboard).

The Sun Deck (4th floor) houses the Wheelhouse (Navigation Bridge), a games area (Giant Tic-Tac-Toe), and a Walking Track (surrounding the sundeck area with deckchairs and shaded seating with awnings). A SkyLight over the Atrium allows natural light into the interior.

All Sun Deck structures - Wheelhouse (hydraulic), awnings, and railings - are collapsible. This allows them to be lowered when the ship passes under low bridges.

In the Atrium, one lift/passenger elevator and a grand staircase interconnect all cabin decks (1-2-3/Lower-Main-Upper).

The CENTURY Lounge also hosts the company's enrichment program (daily lectures, media presentations, pre-dinner Cruise Director's port talks, evening trivia games, dancing, and movie screenings) and doubles as a casual lunch venue with direct access to the Bow Lounge/Alfresco Dining Terrace with limited seating and weather-dependent.

The Bar Lounge has a 24-hour beverage station (with a coffee machine, hot water, tea selection, and drinking water) and provides Afternoon Tea and Coffee service.

There is a Bakery/Patisserie integrated into the Dining Room.

The cruise company provides complimentary WiFi throughout (shipwide coverage).

Itineraries

Century Star's inaugural cruise/maiden voyage is currently scheduled for September 18th, 2026. The Blue Danube itinerary is between Budapest and Passau, visiting Hungary (Esztergom), Slovakia (Bratislava), and Austria (Vienna and Linz).

In addition to the Danube itinerary, Century Cruises also scheduled a Rhine cruise from Amsterdam to Basel, visiting Germany (Cologne, Rudesheim, Loreley in the Middle Rhine Valley, Koblenz, Speyer) and France (Strasbourg).