19 FEB 2019: Avalon Waterways will launch a new ship in April and another one next year, with both vessels achieving the goal of blending luxury with comfort. The newest additions to the fleet will offer the signature Panorama Suites which are available on two full decks of every ship in Avalon’s European and Southeast Asian fleet.

Avalon Envision will launch in April with godmother, best-selling author of Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert.

The river cruise company is announcing plans to launch the  Avalon View in 2020, which will mark Avalon Waterways’ 14th Suite Ship in Europe and its 17th Suite Ship worldwide. In fact, Avalon Waterways is exclusively sailing new, Suite Ships with an average age of just six-years.

“On Avalon’s signature Suite Ships, we provide our guests with two full decks of 18 square metres (200-square-feet), one-of-a-kind Panorama Suites,” said Pam Hoffee, managing director of Avalon Waterways. “And, this year, for the first time, there’s only one point-of-view on an Avalon Waterways river cruise: The suite view. Avalon’s entire fleet of ships, worldwide, is comprised of new Suite Ships giving our travellers exclusive access to the industry’s only Open-Air Balconies and beds facing the incredible views for which river cruising is famous.”

Avalon’s Suite Ships have made a splash in river cruising since the Avalon Panorama debuted just eight years ago and have not only garnered industry awards – including the “Best Cabins” in river cruising from the prestigious site Cruise Critic for four years in a row – they have also won over river cruisers across the globe.

According to a survey of nearly 700 past Avalon cruisers:

• 95% prefer Avalon’s Panorama Suites to other cruise line cabins and would choose Avalon Waterways again, based on their Panorama Suite experience.

â–ª 95% also would choose Avalon’s Open-Air Balconies to traditional French balconies.

â–ª Further, 92% of travellers said beds facing the views is “important” or “extremely important” when booking a river cruise.

Avalon’s Open-Air Balconies for the “win.”  According to survey respondents, their favourite feature of Avalon’s Panorama Suites are Open-Air Balconies which feature wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows that offer the widest-opening windows on two full decks (they open over two metres wide in Europe; over three metres wide in SE Asia) to invite the outside-in, without compromising room space.  Avalon’s Panorama Suites also feature large marble bathrooms and beds facing the views.

The Avalon Envision will sail on the legendary Danube River, while the Avalon View will ply the romantic Rhine River.