Avalon Waterways christened the Avalon Felicity in Volendam, a Netherlands fishing village, last weekend. Measha Brueggergosman, a soprano, served as the ship's godmother. Brueggergosman blessed the ship with the following words: "May you traverse these great European river waters with grace and respect. May you carry with you and edify within you, the laughter, joy and love of those seeking heartening vistas and enlightening experiences. … May you use the scope of the resources within you to promote harmony, diversity and understanding amongst all cultures and ethnicities. … It is with heartfelt Canadian pride and sincerest humility that I now christen you Avalon Felicity. May you hold safe her crew, and all guests who sail on her."
After reciting the christening speech, Brueggergosman cut the rope tethered to a bottle of champagne. The Avalon Felicity's 39 crew members cheered from the ship's sky deck as the bottle shattered against the vessel's exterior. The Avalon Felicity marks the company's ninth new ship in Europe since 2004. Post-christening, the Avalon Felicity set sail on its inaugural Romantic Rhine cruise.
Arriving from the Den Breejen Shipyard in Holland, the delivery of the Avalon Felicity comes less than one year after the inaugural cruises of sister ships Avalon Affinity and Avalon Creativity. "Our approach of deploying new vessels, complete with the next generation of design and amenities, has not just added capacity in Europe and around the world, it's energized the small-ship cruise category," said Patrick Clark, managing director of Avalon Waterways. "Our ships are modern in design, showcasing contemporary appointments and state-of-the art technology. They also house the largest staterooms available. All staterooms measure 172 square feet, and 90 percent boast floor-to-ceiling windows and panoramic sliding glass doors, while our Junior Suites are a spacious 258 square feet."
The Avalon Felicity features 65 staterooms and four Junior Suites. Other features on the Felicity include flat-screen televisions, large closets, twin beds convertible to one queen, Egyptian cotton linens, mini bar, safe, laundry and ironing services, fitness room, library, hair salon, gift shop, club lounge and large Jacuzzi pool on the Sky Deck. Open-air dining is available at lunch each day at the Sky Deck grill. For more information, call 800-221-0090 or visit www.globusfamilypartner.com or www.avalonwaterways.com.
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