Avalon Waterways orders three new 'Suite Ships'

Avalon Waterways became the latest river cruise line to announce a significant fleet expansion, with the order of three ships slated for a 2014 delivery.

The company says the delivery of those three ships, in addition to two new ships scheduled to enter service this spring, would add nearly 10% more capacity to Avalon's fleet.

The new vessels, the 128-passenger Avalon Poetry II the166-passenger Avalon Illumination and the Avalon Impression, will follow the 128-passenger Avalon Artistry II and 166-passenger Avalon Expression, which are expected to debut in April and May of this year, respectively.

Avalon said this week that it has already chosen a godmother for one of the three new vessels: Deborah Hutton, an Australian television host and former international model, will christen the Avalon Illumination in June 2014.

All of the new ships are part of Avalon's Suite Ships class, the line's newest type of vessel which offers suites with "Open-Air Balconies," extra-large sliding glass doors with seven-foot openings. The line also says that Suites Ships' cabins are among the industry's roomiest, with 80% of the cabins either 200-square-foot Panorama Suites or 300-square-foot Royal Suites.

"No other European river cruise line can say this," said Avalon's managing director Patrick Clark, in a statement.

The line has not released renderings of what the new ships will look like, but said they all will be sister ships to the Avalon Panorama, Avalon Vista and Avalon Visionary. A virtual tour of the Suite Ships is available.

In 2014, Avalon's eight Suite Ships will offer cruises on Europe's Danube, Rhine and Main Rivers.

This item was written by Johanna Jainchill, who covers the travel industry for Travel Weekly. Jainchill is serving as Guest Editor of The Cruise Log while USA TODAY Cruise Editor Gene Sloan is away.