TV anchor Meredith Viera is Avalon View’s godmother

Vieira will name the vessel in an international ceremony on April 6 in Ybbs, Austria.

'Difference-making' broadcast journalist

‘In our search for the perfect godmother for the Avalon View, we were inspired by Meredith Vieira,’ said Pam Hoffee, managing director of Avalon Waterways. ‘As a difference-making broadcast journalist, executive producer and television host, she has given us a unique, up-close-and-personal view into her life – and the lives of countless others — with unparalleled storytelling, compassionate interviews and an extraordinary ability to connect with those she meets.’

The 443-foot, 166-passenger Avalon View will join Avalon’s Suite Ship fleet.

Open-air balcony

‘The Avalon View, and all of our Suite Ships, feature one-of-a-kind Panorama Suites with the widest-opening windows in river cruising, the industry’s only open-air balcony and beds facing the ever-changing scenery on two full decks of every ship,’ Hoffee said.

A Panorama Suite highlight, the open-air balcony has wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows that open 11 feet wide in Europe and 14 feet wide in Southeast Asia. They blur the line between outside and inside while forming a spacious seating area..

Avalon Choice selections of classic, discovery and active excursions offer a wide range of possibilities, from a guided walking tour of one of Europe’s great cities to a cooking class or paddling a canoe.