Avalon Waterways in May 2011 is introducing a river cruise ship, the Avalon Panorama, that will feature 64 newly-designed, 200-square-foot suites on the top two decks.
Each suite will have a seating area adjacent to an 11-foot wide, floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall panoramic window.
"The whole suite becomes an open-air balcony," said Patrick Clark, managing director at Avalon. He called the suites a "new look at how the space on the ships is used."
The suites will be in addition to 17 staterooms on the lower deck that measure 172 square feet each.
Avalon employed a new interior-design team to tackle the Panorama’s design features, which include marble bathrooms, new Avalon-branded bedding called Comfort Collection by Avalon and love seats in the suites. There will be fresh flowers in each stateroom and L’Occitane body products.
The Panorama will also feature a lounge, dining room, hair salon, sky deck pool and open-air bistro serving grilled food at lunchtime. The Panorama’s fitness room will be more expansive than on other Avalon ships, with additional equipment.
There will be flat-screen televisions, fully stocked mini-bars and safes in all staterooms and suites as well as laundry/ironing services.
The Panorama will sail Avalon’s 14-night Magnificent Europe itinerary from Amsterdam to Budapest for most of 2011. It will also sail Avalon’s Christmas markets itinerary during the holidays.
Avalon will retire the 178-passenger Avalon Artistry, which was built in 2004, and the 176-passenger Avalon Poetry, built in 2005, at the end of this year.