By
Rebecca Gibson|
Charter-only river cruise company Transcend Cruises is to name its first two purpose-built vessels for the business-to-business (B2B) group market Transcend connect and Transcend evolve.
The 135-metre ships are being built by Den Breejen Shipyard in the Netherlands and will feature interiors designed by Tillberg Design of Sweden. Each vessel will be able to accommodate up to 120 guests in “oversized staterooms” that can also be doubled up and converted into larger suites. This will enable charterers to cater for between 30 and 120 attendees.
Both vessels will feature a total of five venues with capacity for all 120 guests. They include a two-storey amphitheatre and the Studio, a 1,300-square-foot configurable space with audiovisual equipment. The Studio is located on deck one next to a dedicated office space and three staff cabins.
Transcend Cruises considered more than 100 potential names, all of which were sourced internally and tested amongst partners and key group market clients. Transcend connect will debut in April 2026 and Transcend evolve will follow in the second quarter of next year.
“The names we’ve selected truly reflect Transcend’s B2B ethos,” said Matthew Shollar, chief visionary officer of Transcend Cruises. “At our core is our ability to create a unique river cruise product and venue that is specifically conducive to connecting a group on the spectacular waterways of Europe, hence the name Transcend connect. We also intend for our clients’ guests to have positive, transformative group experiences onboard our vessels and thereby, the name Transcend evolve. Our names underscore the benefits that the client gets in working with Transcend, and this is something we’ll continue as we grow our fleet.”