Avalon Christens Two in Dual Ceremony
Avalon Waterways unveiled and christened not one, but two Suite Ships in Dordrecht, Holland, last month.
Britain’s Olympic Gold medal-winning rower and author Katharine J. Grainger served as the godmother of the Avalon Poetry II, while American J. Mara DelliPriscoli, president of Travel Learning Connection, Inc. acted as godmother to the Avalon Impression.
Docked parallel to one another in the North Holland marina of Dordrecht, 175 guests gathered to witness two godmothers bless two Suite Ships. The Avalon Poetry II was christened first.
After blessing their respective ships, Grainger and DelliPriscoli swung blue, red and white ribbon (signifying the Dutch flag) tethered to bottles of Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut Champagne while guests – including Impression and Poetry II Captains Rolin Van Lakerveld and Laslo Frey, as well as key executives from Avalon offices worldwide, ship builders, travel agents and media from the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States – watched them shatter against the newly painted exteriors of each vessel.
These new ships, along with a third Avalon vessel – the Avalon Illumination – scheduled to be unveiled in June (courtesy of godmother and Australian celebrity Deborah Hutton), will bring the fleet’s Suite Ship total to eight, adding nearly 10% more capacity to aid in Avalon’s exponential growth.
Post-christening, the Avalon Impression will sail five itineraries: the eight-day Tulip Time Cruise, 10- or 12-day Capitals of Central Europe, 11-day The Legendary Danube and the 15-day Magnificent Europe. The Avalon Poetry II will sail seven itineraries: the eight-day Tulip Time Cruise and Tulips of Northern Holland, 10-day Windmills, Vineyards & Paris, 11-day The Legendary Danube, 12-day Central European Experience, 13-day The Blue Danube Discovery and the 17-day Jewels of Central Europe.
(http://www.avalonwaterways.ca , http://www.agentlingo.ca)
