Transcend Cruises launches first charter-only river cruise ship on Europe’s waterways

Transcend Cruises celebrated the official naming ceremony of MS Connect and its inaugural sailing from Dordrecht to Zaandam, Netherlands.

With MS Connect, the international company is introducing the world’s first river cruise ship developed exclusively for the charter and group market. A high-profile group of VIPs gathered to celebrate the naming ceremony and inaugural voyage.

The official naming ceremony took place on Aug. 3, 2026, in Dordrecht. The ship’s godmother was Marja van Bijsterveldt, former Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science. She also served as the special cabinet envoy for the Dutch maritime manufacturing industry. Dirk Heijkoop, Mayor of Hardinxveld-Giessendam, also attended.

Transcend executives speaking at the ceremony included: Gregg Marston, CEO, Hans Rood, Chief Development Officer, Kimberly Daley, Chief Operating Officer, Matthew Shollar, Founder Emeritus and Shawn Horwitz, Chairman of the Board. Also speaking at the ceremony: Peter Burger, Managing Director and CEO of Den Breejen Shipyard and Anna Silvesjö, Chief Executive Officer at Viken Group (parent of Tillberg Design of Sweden).

Gregg Marston, CEO of Transcend Cruises, said: “With MS Connect, we are completely redefining river cruising for groups. Every detail of this ship has been purpose-built for meetings, incentives, conferences and exclusive events. Our goal was to create a flexible, premium and sustainable platform that meets the needs of today’s event organizers while delivering experiences that simply cannot be replicated on land,”

At 135 metres, or 442 feet, in length, with four decks and accommodation for up to 120 guests in 60 flexible staterooms, MS Connect sets new standards in the group travel segment. The spacious staterooms can be converted into 30 luxurious two-room suites, giving event organizers maximum flexibility when designing their programs.

Purpose-built for the MICE market, MS Connect features five versatile event spaces suitable for large conferences, smaller meetings, workshops and networking events. State-of-the-art audiovisual technology, reliable high-speed connectivity and extensive digital branding capabilities enable companies to showcase their brand throughout the journey. The ship itself becomes a fully customizable event platform.

MS Connect sails under the Swiss flag and was built by the renowned Dutch Den Breejen Shipyard, a specialist in custom-built river passenger vessels. The interiors were designed by Tillberg Design of Sweden, while United Waterways is responsible for the vessel’s operational management.

Transcend Cruises is pursuing ambitious growth plans. By 2028, the fleet is expected to grow to four vessels.

In addition to MS Connect, MS Evolve, MS Create and MS Engage will join the European market. In the long term, the company plans to operate a fleet of up to 12 river cruise ships purpose-built for the charter market.

Like MS Connect, they will sail on Europe’s major waterways, including the Rhine, Danube, Moselle, Main, Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, and Dutch and Belgian waterways.

For more, sail on over to www.transcendcruises.com .