By
Rebecca Gibson |
World Champion and gold medal Olympian Katherine Grainger CBE, christened Avalon Waterways’ Avalon Poetry II in Dordrecht, Holland, on 22 March.
Grainger, who won gold in the rowing double sculls at the 2012 Olympics, officially named the river cruise ship during a ceremony attended by guests from the worldwide travel industry. The vessel’s sister ship, Avalon Impression, was also launched by US travel industry expert Mara DelliPriscoli during the event.
"I am both honoured and delighted to become godmother to the Avalon Poetry II,” said Grainger. “It is clear that Avalon Waterways share my passion in creating a winning formula on the water and I have thoroughly enjoyed the occasion of the christening.”
Avalon Poetry II and Avalon Impression are two of Avalon’s three new suite ships, which will all debut this year. The vessels will bring the total of suite ships in the fleet to eight and feature two full decks of Panorama suites with wall-to-wall panoramic windows that open to create ‘open air balconies’. The newbuilds also feature a hairdressers, a fitness room, a Club lounge, Panorama lounge, Observation Lounge and dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as a Sky Deck with a jacuzzi and Sky Bistro.
Following the ceremony, both ships embarked on a four-day inaugural river cruise between Cologne, Germany and Amsterdam, Holland. They will then offer a range of itineraries on the Dutch Waterways, Rhine and the Danube rivers.