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Avalon Waterways is the most recent river cruise line to start out crusing on the Douro.
The Denver, Colorado-based model on Thursday unveiled its first ship on the vineyard-lined river in Portugal, which has been one of many fastest-growing locations for river cruises in recent times.
The 102-passenger ship, named Avalon Alegria, will start a seven-night voyage on the Douro from Porto, Portugal, subsequent week.
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Stops on excursions will embrace the river cities of Regua, Pinhão and Poçinho, which function gateways to go to the numerous wineries and historic websites situated alongside the Douro River Valley.
Avalon officers unveiled the Avalon Alegria on Thursday throughout a naming ceremony off the coast of Pinhão, Portugal, which additionally included an look by former “Saturday Night time Dwell” comic Cheri Oteri.
Oteri served because the ship's godmother in the course of the ceremony.
“It's like my wedding ceremony day. I've by no means been so honored and flattered earlier than,” Oteri advised about 100 invited visitors initially of the ceremony after parading into the occasion on the arm of an Avalon govt.
Sticking with the wedding analogy, the Primetime Emmy Award-nominated funnywoman joked that “if the ship is rocking tonight, don't rock.”
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Later within the ceremony, Oteri minimize a white ribbon that led to a bottle of Portuguese glowing cava slung over the hull of the Avalon Alegria.
Avalon President Pam Hoffey mentioned on the occasion that Avalon selected to call Oteri Avalon Alegria as a result of her work as a comic and actress introduced pleasure and happiness to the world.
Alegría means happiness in Portuguese, Hoffey mentioned.
Hoffey mentioned, “After we named our ship Happiness… we couldn't consider a greater godmother than Cheri Oteri.”
The ceremony befell principally contained in the ship's essential lounge attributable to heavy rain outdoors. This was adopted by a reception and a grand dinner on board.
Constructed at a shipyard in Portugal, Avalon Alegria is a part of Avalon's in style Suite Class of ships, which debuted in 2011 and options a lot of extra-wide cabins known as Panorama Suites.
RELATED: Why I nonetheless suppose Avalon Waterways has one of the best cabins on river cruises
Avalon Alegria has 37 Panorama Suites, which supply 200 sq. ft of dwelling house. That is roughly 30% extra sq. footage than a typical river ship cabin.
Avalon has lengthy touted panorama suites as a key differentiator between its ships and the ships of different river strains in Europe that serve North People. The suites make up roughly 80% of the cabins on Avalon's Suite Class ships and have many uncommon options. Amongst them: floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall panoramic home windows that open 11 ft large and seven ft large.
Established in 2004, 20-year-old Avalon is thought for a younger fleet of ships with trendy, up to date designs, and Avalon Alegria isn’t any exception. Public areas function fashionable furnishings, clear strains and many glass partitions that flood the areas with gentle.
Among the many Avalon Alegria's standout options is the road's first rooftop pool.
The Avalon Alegria is considerably smaller than the everyday Avalon ship, because it was particularly designed to slot in the locks and underneath the bridges over the Douro River.
Like different river cruise strains that serve North People, together with AmaWaterways, Uniworld, and Viking, Avalon has grown considerably over the previous twenty years. With the addition of Avalon Alegria it now has 15 ships in Europe. It additionally operates a ferry on the Mekong River in Asia.
Attendees at Thursday's unveiling included leaders from a number of the largest journey company teams in North America, native officers, ship designers and builders, and Avalon executives.
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