Transcend Cruises held the official christening of the MS Connect, an innovative river cruise ship designed specifically for the group, charter, and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) markets. The ceremony took place on August 3 at the Den Breejen shipyard in Hardinxveld-Giessendam (Netherlands), coinciding with the ship’s maiden voyage between Dordrecht and Zaandam.
The ship's sponsor was Marja van Bijsterveldt, former Minister of Education, Culture, and Science of the Netherlands, at an event that brought together company executives, investors, partners, representatives of the MICE sector, and trade media.
“With MS Connect, we are completely redefining river cruises for groups,” said Gregg Marston, CEO of Transcend Cruises. “Every detail has been specifically designed for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exclusive events. Our goal was to create a flexible, premium, and sustainable platform capable of meeting the current needs of event organizers and offering experiences that cannot be replicated on land.”
Transcend describes the MS Connect as a truly luxurious floating space designed to foster connections between people, collaboration, and event hosting. Measuring 135 meters in length, with four decks and a capacity for 120 passengers, the ship features 60 modular cabins that can be converted into 30 spacious two-room suites, offering great flexibility to accommodate each client’s needs.
The design features five multifunctional spaces for meetings and events, including The Forum—an amphitheater located in the heart of the ship with a large LED screen—as well as convertible rooms for meetings, presentations, private dinners, or exhibitions. All of this is complemented by state-of-the-art audiovisual technology, high-speed connectivity, and fully customizable digital signage solutions tailored to each group’s corporate identity.
The interior was designed by Tillberg Design of Sweden, while construction was carried out by the Dutch shipyard Den Breejen Shipyard, and United Waterways will be responsible for operations.
The dining options offer the same level of customization as the event spaces, allowing for everything from haute cuisine experiences to regional dishes or family-style service—all tailored to each group.
In addition, the ship features a wellness and fitness area of approximately 240 square meters, one of the largest currently available on a European river cruise ship.
In terms of environmental performance, the MS Connect was developed in accordance with circular design principles and incorporates the most advanced low-emission technologies available for European inland waterway navigation. These include electric systems for port maneuvers, backup batteries that partially replace conventional generators, optimized fuel consumption, and a shallow draft that improves operations even during periods of low river levels.
During the christening ceremony, Transcend Cruises founder Matthew Shollar recalled that the project began to take shape in 2018 alongside a small group of industry professionals with the goal of creating a completely different product in the river cruise sector.
The ship's first guests include a large private family cruise, a National Geographic/Lindblad Expeditions expedition, and several groups organized by international tour operators and companies specializing in incentive travel.
The christening also coincides with the progress of Transcend Cruises’ expansion program. The hull of the second ship in the series, the MS Evolve, has already arrived at the Den Breejen shipyard to begin outfitting ahead of its scheduled delivery in 2027.
MS Create and MS Engage will be added later, with the goal of having four ships in operation by the end of 2028 and, in the long term, building a fleet of up to twelve river cruise ships, all specifically designed for the charter and MICE markets.
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