Itinerary: Douro River Cruise Portugal – MS Douro Cruiser

DAY 1 PORTO
Boarding from 15:00 in the town of Vila Nova de Gaia. After the arrival formalities, time to relax on board. In the
evening, presentation of the crew and dinner.

Overnight stopover in port

DAY 2 PINHAO
In the early hours of the morning, we’ll leave Porto in the direction of Pinhao. Take advantage of the hours of sailing to admire the wonderful views offered by the Douro Valley. In the afternoon, we will arrive in Pinhao, a town considered to be the centre of the region with the Douro Designation of Origin and it is here where many of the Port wine producing estates are located in the rural areas. Also noteworthy is the railway station building, built at the end of the 19th century, whose interior is entirely covered with tile panels.

Optional excursion package includes: Excursion to a wine estate near Pinhão. Enjoy a guided tour of vineyards and wineries, where you’ll learn about the port winemaking process. The experience culminates with an exquisite tasting of two Port wines.
Overnight stopover in port

DAY 3 POCINHO / VEGA DE TERRÓN
In the morning, we dock in Pocinho, a small town located in the northern region of Portugal, known for being the starting point of the train track known as the Douro Line. The peculiarity of this line is that the rails and sleepers are placed a few meters from the water of the river.  In the afternoon, we will arrive at the Vega de Terrón pier which is located at the place where the Águeda River pours its waters into the Duero. The old border pier was converted into a river pier at the end of the 19th century and has been rebuilt at the end of the 20th century for tourism and commercial purposes. The pier belongs to the municipality of La Fregeneda in the province of Salamanca and is located in the most attractive tourist area called Arribes del Duero Natural Park. La Fregeneda was the last railway station before the border. The railway linked the town of Boadilla with the Portuguese town of Barca d’Alva. From this point, the railway hub of Pocinho led to the Atlantic at Porto. Currently, this road is closed and is part of the Arribes greenway.

Optional excursion package includes: Excursion to Almeida and Castelo Rodrigo.
Overnight stopover in port

DAY 4 BARCA D’ALVA
A small village that was for a century the point where the railway lines that connected Salamanca with Porto joined. An iron bridge over the river Águeda allowed the railway to pass between the two countries and linked this station with the Salamanca station of La Fregeneda. Barca d’Alva is located within the Douro International Natural Park with its impressive gorges of the Douro and Agatha rivers that serve as the natural border between Spain and Portugal.

Optional excursion package includes: Visit to San Felices de los Gallegos and Ciudad Rodrigo.
Overnight stopover in port

DAY 5 PINHAO / RÉGUA (LAMEGO)
During the morning, take advantage of the hours of sailing to admire the wonderful views offered by the Douro Valley. At noon, we stop again in Pinhão to enjoy the best wineries in the Douro Valley. In the early afternoon, we’ll arrive in the town of Régua. Here in 1756 the Royal General Company of Agriculture of the Douro Vineyards was founded, which established the first region with a designation of origin for wine production in the world. In this region, the vineyards cultivated in terraces on the slopes next to the river offer beautiful panoramas that can be admired from the many viewpoints in the area, among which we highlight the San Leonardo in Galafura and the San António do Loureiro. In the surrounding area, the thermal resort of Caldas de Moledo, located on the right bank of the Duero, has its own jetty, and is a pleasant place for a relaxing holiday.

Optional excursion package includes: Visit to Lamego and Sao Joao Tarouca.
Overnight stopover in port

DAY 6 RÉGUA / DOURO MARINA
Until lunchtime, we will stay in Régua, which has a variety of attractive places from a historical, cultural, scenic and, of course, oenological point of view. Take advantage of the morning to discover it at your own pace. Afternoon sailing. Around 9:30 p.m. we will sail across the city of Porto, which will offer its best illumination at night.

Optional excursion package includes: Excursion to Braga and Bom Jesus (without tickets).
Overnight stopover in port

DAY 7 DOURO MARINA (PORTO)
Morning at Douro Marina, considered the nautical gateway to the tourist Douro and to the Northern region of Portugal. She is the driving force behind an innovative concept that reflects the importance of sport, leisure, well-being and deep respect for nature. In the surrounding area, there are restaurants and terraces where you can enjoy the scenery and the tranquillity of the Douro River. Porto is a real joy for the eyes, a city that is attractive from the first moment, thanks to its hills, its decadent houses, with a magical atmosphere and above all thanks to the Ribeira district, from which you can admire an incredible view and the boats that pass under the Ponte Dom Luis I, an iron construction made by a close collaborator of Gustave Eiffel.

Optional excursion package includes: Visit to a Portuguese canning factory.
Overnight stopover in port

DAY 8 PORTO (DOURO MARINA)
Say farewell to your friendly crew.
Disembark after breakfast.

Optional Excursion Package:
Day 2: Pinhao, excursion to a wine estate
Day 3: Vega de Terrón, excursion to Almeida and Castelo Rodrigo
Day 4: Barca d’Alva, visit to San Felices de los Gallegos and Ciudad Rodrigo
Day 5: Régua, visit to Lamego and Sao Joao Tarouca
Day 6: Porto, excursion to Braga and Bom Jesus (without tickets)
Day 7: Porto Tour & Visit to the Portuguese Cannery
EUR 475 per person

Quinta da Avessada: At 600 metres above sea level, with 1000 hectares of planted area it is the highest and flattest point in the region. The first farm in the region to plant the Moscatel Galego variety and to produce Moscatel de Favaios, it is an ancestral place, where one of the richest treasures of the Douro region has been produced for over 160 years.
Quinta da Avessada is proud to continue the traditions and legacies of previous generations.

Castelo Rodrigo: with a lofty hilltop position, the small village of Castelo Rodrigo surveys the plateau stretching eastwards to Spain and northwards to the deep valley of the River Douro.
Founded by Alfonso IX of León, to be given to Count Rodrigo Gonzalez de Girón who gave it its name. In the olden days, it was on the route taken by pilgrims travelling to Santiago de Compostela.
Legend has it that St. Francis of Assisi spent the night here on his pilgrimage to the tomb of St. James.

Vega de Terron: On the Portuguese/Spanish border on the Douro and Águeda rivers, the small Spanish port town of Vega de Terron is a popular gateway to the ancient university city of Salamanca.
With both Portuguese and Spanish influences, this little port is an attractive settlement on the banks of Douro.

Salamanca: part of the Castile and León region, with a history dating back to the Celtic era. It is known for its ornate sandstone architecture and for the Universidad de Salamanca, founded in the 1100s and a key intellectual centre in the 15th and 16th centuries.
The university continues to enhance the city’s vibrancy with its international student population.

Barca de Alva: On Portugal’s Douro River route, Barca de Alva perfectly illustrates a typical sun-baked, gentle village with medieval origins and surrounded by classic terraces of vines and picturesque olive and almond groves

Quinta do Tedo: an impressive 18th-century estate with fabulous views, located atop a terraced hill, high above the dramatic confluence of the Douro and Tedo rivers. 

Regua: The town has been a centre of the port wine industry for centuries. The Romans were present in the area and the steep hillsides of the Douro Valley have been tended for hundreds of years. The Marquis de Pombal was responsible for the town’s fortunes as a wine center.
Traditionally wine barrels were taken downstream on the flat-bottomed cargo boats known as rabelo. These traditional craft can still be seen on the river in the centre of town.

Porto: an attractive coastal city in northwest Portugal known for its stately bridges and port wine production.  In the medieval Ribeira (riverside) district, narrow cobbled streets wind past colourful merchants’ houses and inviting cafes. São Francisco Church is known for its lavish baroque interior with ornate gilded carvings.  The 19th century Palácio de Bolsa, formerly a stock market, was built to impress potential European investors.

Vessel: Douro River Cruise Portugal – MS Douro Cruiser

MS Douro Cruiser is a comfortable vessel with great amenities and well-appointed cabins. All passenger cabins are outward-facing offering clear views of the river and you can enjoy the scenery on the sun deck or from the lounge as you cruise along the beautiful Douro River. Enjoy delicious local and international cuisine on board, plus entertainment which might include live music, themed evenings or quizzes. Optional shore excursions are available.

Deck Plan

Technical information:

• Delivery in 2005
• Refurbished in 2014
• Length 78.11 m
• Width 11.4 m
• Passenger capacity 130 pax (65 cabins)
• Facilities on board :
  Panorama restaurant
  Panorama lounge
  Bar
• Pool on sundeck
• Souvenir shop
• Lift/elevator

Panorama Restaurant – MS Douro Cruiser

Panorama Lounge Bar – MS Douro Cruiser

Accommodation:
All cabins are outer cabins with river views.
• Twin Main Deck Aft: Cabin no’s: 100, 101, 102, 103, 105
• Twin Upper Deck Aft: Cabin no’s: 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305
• Twin Upper Deck Front: Cabin no’s:. 334, 336, 337, 339
Cabins on the upper deck have an individual accessible balcony.
Main deck cabins have large panorama windows that cannot be opened.
All cabins are have an approximate size of 15 m² (including balcony area with upper deck cabins) and are equipped with shower/WC, air-conditioning system that can be regulated independently, hair dryer (if available), safe and TV.
All cabins have quality toiletries and daily servicing.

Upper Deck Cabin – MS Douro Cruiser

Main Deck Cabin – MS Douro Cruiser

Price and Departure Dates 2025

2025 Prices in Euro, per person (in twin):

Fuel Surcharge: €45 p.p. (subject to change)
Price includes City Tax, this may be increased due to changes in docking location. You will be notified of any increase.

Supplements:

€50 Pre-selected cabin number
Cabin numbers are provided 7 days before the cruise or at €50 supplement per cabin when booking

Single occupancy: 50% supplement (on request only)

Child policy:
0–2 years of age: Free of charge (if accommodated with 2 adults in a cabin)
3–12 years of age: 20% discount in a twin with 1 adult
Age at time of travel

Excursions Package: (please pre-book, not available locally)
EUR 475 per person to include all of the following:
Day 2: Pinhao, excursion to a wine estate
Day 3: Vega de Terrón, excursion to Almeida and Castelo Rodrigo
Day 4: Barca d’Alva, visit to San Felices de los Gallegos and Ciudad Rodrigo
Day 5: Régua, visit to Lamego and Sao Joao Tarouca
Day 6: Porto, excursion to Braga and Bom Jesus (without tickets)
Day 7: Porto Tour & Visit to the Portuguese Cannery
(Available as a package only, individual tours may not be booked)

Prices includes:

• Accommodation in selected cabin
• Full board, three meals per day (from dinner on arrival day to breakfast on departure day)
• Breakfast buffet, 3 course lunch, 4 course dinner
• Snack in the lounge every night at 18:30 and 22:00 hours
• Coffee/tea/juices at breakfast, coffee/tea for main meals (lunch and dinner)
• Coffee and Tea with biscuits provided at selected times
• Mineral water in self-service dispensers
• Live music daily
• Captains Dinner
• Welcome and Farewell cocktail reception
• Port and tourist taxes

Not Included:

• Flights
• Transfers (on request and for extra payment) to and from the port of embarkation / disembarkation
• Gratuities (recommended approx €10 per passenger per day)
• Optional Excursion Package (please pre-book, not available locally)
• Cabin and excursion water, soft drinks, juices, alcoholic beverages
• Personal expenditure
• Travel/medical insurance
• Wi-Fi
• Laundry Service
• Minibar
• Cabin numbers are provided 7 days before the cruise or at €50 supplement per cabin when booking
• Fuel surcharge

Notes: Douro River Cruise Portugal – MS Douro Cruiser

• The itinerary and timings may vary and places visited may be changed locally due to local conditions.
• Transport is provided for tours as required, depending on the vessel’s docking location
• Check in from 16.00 hrs (you may deposit luggage earlier).
• Check out by 09.00 hrs and disembark by 10.00 hrs.
• Important– Please check entry requirements, you will be visiting Portugal and Spain.
• Important– Check current health requirements by looking at the official travel advice website of your own country, or ask your doctor.
• The restaurant staff are pleased to cater for particular food requirements such as gluten free diets, or vegetarian diets.
  Please do advise us prior to travel if you have particular dietary needs.
• Airport Information:
  Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport Porto (OPO)

How to Book and Pay

• Please complete the booking form adding your credit card details via out secure system.
• We will respond by email with confirmation of your tour.
• Upon confirmation we will collect the non-refundable deposit of 20% of the tour price* from the credit card provided.
• The balance payment will be collected 10 weeks prior to departure date.
• If you book within 10 weeks of departure date we will collect the full amount due from the credit card provided.
• If your selected date is not available we will offer you an alternative.
• Your card will not be charged until you accept the alternative offered.
• Cabin numbers are advised 7 days prior to arrival. €50 fee to pre-book a specific cabin number.
• If you have any special requirements please add details in the notes section.
• We will request your passport details for the passenger manifest.
• After you have paid in full, you will receive a voucher and joining details for the tour.

Terms of payment:
20% on booking (non-refundable deposit)
Full payment – 70 days before the cruise