Rare pontac Posted July 19 #1 Share Posted July 19 Introduction This was our sixteenth river cruise since May 2022. Our second with Scenic. All the others have been with Viking except for one 2 week cruise on a canal boat crewed by our son and his partner around the English canals and rivers. Viking Longships are mostly identical, the shorter ones differ only in size. I expected this of Scenic boats but Scenic Azure had a different design to Scenic Diamond and the cabin we had was also different. The bathroom had both a nightlight and shaving mirror, both lacking on Diamond, but neither was heated so misted up after a shower. Although the wardrobe was in the same place alongside the bed, it had neat sliding doors and the safe was midway unlike like the floor-level safe on Diamond. We had a balcony cabin – which Scenic misleadingly calls a ‘Suite’ – at the very back of the middle ‘Sapphire’ deck. This was the same position we had on Diamond and many Viking boats, but on Azure engine noise was very loud. During the day, when cruising, engine noise and a large air-vent made it unbearable open the balcony window, and even when closed limited our time on the balcony. There’s no cruising at night on the Douro but the main engine regularly comes on and there are constant other engine noises. I suggest avoiding the rearmost cabins on Azure. Our cabin was on the left – portside – of the boat. All but once Azure moored with the left of the boat facing the bank. And although the boat cruises along the Douro in both directions, the boat always moored facing the direction on the river flow. That’s does not mean that odd-numbered cabins on the boats right had an uninterrupted view of the river as most times the boat was ‘rafted’, i.e. tied to another boat. The Douro is rural and very attractive; unfortunately access to the front or back of the boat is restricted on the sun deck. There’s no passenger access before the wheelhouse Mooring at Porto at the start and end of the cruise is on the Porto side. This has a much higher river bank than the other side at Vila Nova de Gaia, which has a riverside lined with Port Lodges. Entering and exiting the boat need getting down to just above water level which changes by about six feet as the river is tidal here There’s a fixed steep wooden ramp down the bank to a landing the a wooden ramp to a floating pontoon. The angle of this ramp varies from steep to very steep depending on water level. Then one has to climb a steep narrow gangway to the boat’s third deck, part of which has only two slack ropes as hand rails. Since an accident where my shoulder was shattered in multiple places I struggle with balance and I find the Scenic gangplank frightening, and that will be a factor in booking future cruising. In 2024 Scenic dropped their Tailormade app which you had to download to your phone to hear guides. They now use Quietvox devices instead, as used by Viking, which are reliable – unlike Tailormade. But they still rely on people using email onboard. Onboard photo competition could only be entered by emailing photos to the boat and they expected guests to receive an email with a link to complete their questionnaire before departing the boat. As I don’t use my phone for emails I was unable to do either. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare pontac Posted July 19 Author #2 Share Posted July 19 Trip Review All timing use the 24 hour clock, thus 07:00 in 7am and 19:00 is 7pm. Mooring locations are identified by a What3Words square. What3Words have divided the world into 3 metre squares and given each square a unique combination of three words. To see the location enter www.what3words/ followed by the three words in my Review. You can switch between map and satellite view. Day 1 – Friday 28 June 2024 Since we couldn’t go on Saga, which was Mrs P’s intent, because it didn’t meet her flight requirements I chose Scenic’s Unforgettable Douro because it offered an 11 day cruise of the Douro whereas the competition have 7 days. Advice from Cruise Critic forums was the 11 day cruise avoided rafting because it didn’t call at the same places or on the same days as the other lines. Unfortunately this is not true now there are so many companies cruising a relatively short stretch of river. Scenic booked British Airways but it turned out to be a code-share and we flew return from London Heathrow to Porto on Iberia planes, via Madrid. The flight to Madrid was on a long haul plane and we were taken by cabin crew to our business class spacious seats with lie flat beds and full range of entertainments. But there wasn’t time to enjoy them as the flight was only 2 hours long. We had one hour 25 minutes before the Porto flight departed and had to take an underground train to the departure terminal, but there was no queue at immigration and security search was quick. The flight to Porto was on a much smaller plane and at both ends we had to use the aircraft’s own stairs. We landed at Porto around 16:00 and met the Scenic rep outside arrival hall. We were the only Scenic customers and were taken straightway to a car and driven to the boat. On the quayside our names were ticked off, our bags taken, and we descended the steep steps to a floating pontoon and up Scenic Azures’ steep narrow rickety gangplank. On board at 17:10 we collected our room keys and lanyard with QR code use to swipe on and off the boat. We were taken to our cabin by our butler Amhan Silva who explained all the cabin features. I asked for printed copies of daily programmes and for the mini-bar to just have red and white wines. There was a 15 minute Safety Briefing before dinner. It seemed casual. Unlike Viking we didn’t have to wear our life vest, go to our muster station, have our names checked off a list, staff didn’t check rooms and there weren’t crew dressed in fireproof costumes. In fact I can’t remember what we were supposed to do. However we learned that the boat had 72 passengers against a capacity of 96, thus we were only 75% full. Time for a flute of Drappier Champagne before dinner. I was pleased to see the wine list was all Portuguese wines, apart from one red and one white from Spain. But the only two names I recognised were Mateus Rose and Monte Velho so we went with the suggested wines most nights The boat was rafted next to Emerald Radiance, and our room faced the Emerald. Overnight Location: Porto - https://what3words.com/treaties.emails.streaks (The satellite view currently shows Scenic Azure moored here.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare pontac Posted July 19 Author #3 Share Posted July 19 Day 2 – Saturday 29 June 2024 During the night we’d change places with Emerald Radiance. Now our cabin looked out towards the bank. The Emerald Radiance seems to be the same outside, but was fitted differently inside. A walking tour left at 08:40, led by Cruise Director Filipe Nunes. We had to cross the Douro to Vila Nova de Gaia by ferry. But as we were too early Filipe took us on a gruelling walk up and down back streets. When we got to the traditional style Rabello boat used as ferries they were rafted and I couldn’t cross over the gap between the high sided boats, so returned to the boat. At 15:00 I joined a Tile Making class led by Maria Kocas, who we were told was a famous maker of traditional tiles. We could draw freehand or use a supplied template. We painted our design in blue paint; texture was given by washing with thinned paint. I was quite please with my finished tile and we were promised the fired tiles would be delivered to us when we returned to Porto at the end of the cruise. Unfortunately this didn’t happen, and I returned home tile-less. Slow cooked Beef Tenderloin for dinner At 16:30 Scenic Azure left its mooring and arrived at Entre-os-Rios about 20:00 Overnight Location: Entre-os-Rios https://what3words.com/fleshes.percussion.caged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare pontac Posted July 19 Author #4 Share Posted July 19 Day 3 – Sunday 30 June 2024 There was a choice of three morning excursions; we took the one with latest departure (09:15) which was to Quinta da Aveleda and its gardens followed by a wine tasting. A local guide walked us around the gardens. There was a persistent drizzle at the start which developed into heavy rain. Our guide found shelter for us, and she radioed her colleagues and after 5 minutes a golf cart packed with umbrellas arrived and we continued the tour sheltering under umbrellas. The gardens were spectacular but we couldn’t fully enjoy them in the pouring rain. Goat Tower. There were goats inside but they hid when they saw a camera Summer House in garden As the rain stopped we ended the tour and entered a hall for the tasting. Quinta da Avelada produces 21M bottles annually, and exports 70% to 70 countries. Two glasses and cheese and biscuits were on the table. The first wine was Vinho Verde Casa Garcia NV, named after a long serving winery worker. This was made in the old way with added sweetening and pettillance. 9.5% abv, and on sale at €4. This wine is on Scenic Azure’s wine list. The red was Mandriola de Lisboa 2022, a blend of Syrah, Alicante Bouschet & Touriga National, 3% abv, €5 in the shop. Back on board the boat set off for Régua during lunch, arrived shortly before 17:30 when we departed for a walking excursion to the Douro Museum. This was a quite interesting modern museum about Douro wine. We learned the difference between Ruby and Tawny Port was a matter of the time spent aging in wooden casks. Tawny Ports spend a minimum of seven years in wood. Port can only be made in Douro, although many similar wines are made in other countries. Agreement with the EU protects the name Port, however because the USA does not recognise Port as a geographic name Porto is used in the USA by genuine Douro Ports, We finished outside in the museum garden overlooking the river where we could taste white Port on its own or made into a long drink with tonic or lemonade and ice. I expected white Port to be white, but it’s a pinkish-brown as a result of barrel aging and I couldn’t see the point as it didn’t offer as much flavour as normal Port. White Port gets its name because it’s made from white grapes only. There was a much more tasty 20 year-old tawny Port. Scenic Azure in Regua seen from the Douro Museum garden We remained in Régua overnight. Our cabin faced the riverbank and at some time during the evening Croisi Europe’s Miguel Torga boat was rafted on our outside. Location: Régua https://what3words.com/dozed.sags.bottle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare pontac Posted July 19 Author #5 Share Posted July 19 (edited) Day 4 – Monday 1 July 2024 Group about to walk up the main street, Note the British style post box. 😉 At 09:00 we departed for an excursion to the town of Vila Real. After a mooch along the main street and a glimpse inside Vila Real Cathedral we went through some side streets to Casa Lapão, a patisserie specialising in convent sweets. These use the yolks of eggs as in the olden time convents used the whites as starch. Pastry and filling are made to a secret recipe by the owner and the staff turn them into the sweets. The day we visited they were making a pastry linked to the town, Cristas de Galo, or Rooster Crests. Our group was split in two to enter the small kitchen by turn. Owner with staff The owner was there, but she employed an English speaker to tell us the history and explain what was happening. The two staff wore nun’s habits and worked away, making 600 a day. A volunteer was called for and I put myself forward. One ‘nun’ rolls a pastry ball very thinly. The other ‘nun’ adds a spoonful of filling in the middle, wraps the pastry over it and uses a zig-zag crescent cutter to represent the roosters comb. These are placed on a tray which, when full, is put in an oven until golden, then sprinkled with sugar. The filling is egg yolk and ground almonds cooked together. My Cristas de Galo was pretty good, but not perfect like the professionals were turning out. Afterwards we sat outside in the sun and a tray of Cristas de Galo was passed around with glasses of tawny Port. The Port came from the local co-operative. The local guide came out and sang fado. The combination of sun, Port, Cristas de Galo and fado was sublime and the highlight of the trip for me. After lunch back on the boat we had the second excursion of the day, this time our choice was to go to Mateus Palace. The palace is depicted on bottles of Mateus Rosé wines, though the property had nothing to do with the wine other than sell its image for use on the label. Gardens are extensive and there wasn’t enough time to enjoy them all. At 17:00 we moved mooring to the other bank for quiet, we were told. Now we had a river view and we weren’t rafted. The bank we’d left filled with hotel boats from Ama, A Rosa, Riviera, Tauck and more. In the evening we were invited to dine in Portobellos. Everyone gets an invitation, and as there were 72 passengers they did three evenings each with 24 diners. It’s something that Scenic trumpets about but I can’t see the point. In the main restaurant one has plenty of choice, in Portobellos there is a set menu. But Mrs P wanted to go, so we did. Overnight Location: Lamego https://what3words.com/stem.egos.mini Edited July 19 by pontac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canal archive Posted July 20 #6 Share Posted July 20 I understand you have been on a previous Scenic cruise so have therefore - hopefully have experienced an evening at Portobellos and I would have thought you would have realised the experience was a wine (evidently your area of expertise) paired dinner, was it or was it not? It always has been in my experience and has been an especial experience enjoyed with like minded cruisers. On our Seine cruise our restaurant manager placed us on a table with another birthday couple joint birthday cake and extra special champagne for all that evening. It’s those little touches that make the cruise extra special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare pontac Posted July 20 Author #7 Share Posted July 20 Day 5 – Tuesday 2 July 2024 Around 8:45 we pulled out into the river to let a Tauck boat to moor to the river bank as we rafted on the outside of them, so we retained our river view. Irritatingly the front of Scenic Azure's sun deck is barred to passengers There were various on board entertainments but we missed them all as we were taking in the beauty of cruising the Douro Around 11:00 we moved off up river to Vega de Terrón. It was an all day sailing, passing through two huge locks and we arrived before the expected 20:15. This is the furthest the boats go. The other bank is Spain. We weren’t rafted and our cabin faced the river Overnight Location: Vega de Terrón https://what3words.com/lefthander.chillier.robed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare pontac Posted July 20 Author #8 Share Posted July 20 Day 6 – Wednesday 3 July 2024 Today most people took the full day excursion to Salamanca, leaving at 09:00. We’d been there on our previous Douro cruise with Viking and didn’t fancy the long coach ride. Instead we were one of a small group to visit the sleep old village of Freixa de Espada à Cinta. The name means sword on the belt of an ash and according to the legend we were told a king tied his sword belt around an ash tree under which he slept and had a dream about his coming success in war. When he woke he declared the village be known as Freixa de Espada à Cinta. There’s a 550+ year old ash tree with a huge metal belt and sword next to a church and the ruins of a castle. We entered a small museum in an old house equipped to show how people lived in old times, then we went to a modern small museum of silk. This was the place where they made silk in the pre-industrial way. They had everything, including some silk worms eating leaves. Then a 10-minute drive to Quinta do Sagueiro. This is a vineyard and farm. The energetic owners have rooms they rent via various sites. We sat at large round tables on their patio under umbrellas with jugs of cold freshly made lemonade, pastries, sandwiches, olives and slices of ripe juicy oranges. The owner, Margarida, had baked an apple cake for us and cut wedges which she put on our plates. Her husband then poured wine for us. They grow grapes of the region which go to the local co-operative. The red wine was delicious and I had a second glass. And I regret not trying his Port. Margarida came around with almonds from their trees which she’d caramelised, and then she sang fado. It was an idyllic spot, a feast of food and welcoming generous hosts. I wanted to buy a bottle of the red wine (a blend of Tourigas Nacional & Franca and Tinto Roriz), but neither of us had Euros on us and they didn’t take plastic. But they insisted I take the bottle, and later give €10 to the Scenic guide who’d pass it on next time Scenic returned to them. Food and drink kept being pressed on us but we had to return to the boat for lunch. At 14:20 we moved to let Viking Hemming moor and we rafted on the outside. After the Salamanca contingent returned we set off at 18:30 back down river to Pocinho which we arrived around 20:00 and rafted to another boat, our cabin facing theirs. Overnight Location: Pocinho https://what3words.com/hilarious.proofread.surroundings 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare pontac Posted July 20 Author #9 Share Posted July 20 Day 7 – Thursday 4 July 2024 If we’d been on the usual 7 day Douro cruise, we’d be vacating our cabin and heading to Porto airport for the flight home. But we had another four nights on board. The other boat had gone by 07:30 and our cabin faced the river bank. We left at the civilised hour of 09:30 for the Cao Palaeolithic Museum. This is seemingly in the middle of nowhere high on a promontory overlooking the Douro where the Cao River joins it. Plans were well progressed to build a dam at the mouth of the Cao. The dam company’s tame archaeologists said there was nothing of importance that would be obliterated and that pictographs which had been reported were modern graffiti. A change of government stopped the project and it was found that many thousands of prehistoric carvings were visible in sheets of schist along the Cao river. They had been made over thousands of years. The modern museum offered replicas and explanations of the carvings found for those that couldn’t venture to the almost inaccessible originals. A demonstration of Palaeolithic tools and techniques, including fire making, ended the visit leaving just time to admire the views and go down a wooden walkway overlooking the Douro. Lunch on board was a barbecue on the sun deck. Salads, sardines chicken, potatoes etc. Waiters served ice-cream for dessert. The mooring was next to a lock and about 13:00 we moved into it, reaching Pinhão at 17:30 – an hour before the scheduled time. We felt the boat could have travelled more slowly, giving us time to admire the beauty of the Douro. Overnight Location: Pinhão https://what3words.com/ramble.misfit.wavelets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare pontac Posted July 20 Author #10 Share Posted July 20 (edited) Day 8 – Friday 5 July 2024 We didn’t take the 08:40 coach tour to Provesende, said to be "one of the most picturesque little towns in the country". I signed up for a Village Stroll with Enrichment Manager Guido. Pinhão is one of the hottest places in Portugal and the temperature was 35-36C – warm but not humid with a breeze. Lovely, and a chance for me to shake the moths from my shorts. This time we didn’t lunch in the main dining room, but had a lighter lunch in Portobellos at the front of the lounge. Late afternoon we took a short coach ride to Quinta Roêda which is one of the Port producing properties owned by Croft. There was the option of a vineyard walk which I would have liked to do, but was warned off it as being rough terrain They have 109ha of vines originally planted in 1811. Sixteen different varieties are grown here and we were told that a blend of a minimum 5 different varieties is required for Port. They poured a glass of Ruby and a 10 year old Tawny Port for us to taste. The boat stayed for a second night in Pinhão Overnight Location: Pinhão https://what3words.com/ramble.misfit.wavelets Edited July 20 by pontac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare pontac Posted July 20 Author #11 Share Posted July 20 (edited) Day 9 – Saturday 6 July 2024 Scenic Azure left its mooring at around 06:10 heading for Porto arriving at about 17:00, and we tied on the outside of Emerald Radiance at 15:10. Our room was next to an unoccupied cabin on Emerald and it was interesting to see how they differed. At about 18:30 the two boat swapped places and we again had a view of the river bank. After dinner, which tonight was a Portuguese buffet, there was classical music concert in St Francis church a short walk away. But we didn’t go as the Cruise Director warned us that the steps up to the church were difficult The bustling other side of the river - Vila Nova de Gaia - with lower river bank side and lined with Port Lodges. Overnight Location: Porto https://what3words.com/treaties.emails.streaks Edited July 20 by pontac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare pontac Posted July 20 Author #12 Share Posted July 20 (edited) Day 10 – Sunday 7 July 2024 Our last full day on board. Emerald Radiance had gone by the time we went to breakfast, There was a choice of 3 excursions this morning. The 09:00 coach wound up Port's narrow streets to join the highway that bridged the Douro. It took four golfers to their course and then us to Cockburn’s Port Lodge. As we turned into the Lodge entrance I could see Scenic Azure across the Douro and I thought that if we’d been moored on this side of the river it would have been a short walk. Google maps showed it taking less than ten minutes to walk from the river to Cockburn’s Port Lodge. The tour of the Lodge with a Cockburn guide too us through extensive barrel cellar – and he made certain that everyone was aware that the 'ck' is not pronounced in the brand’s name – It is Coe-burn. The highlight of the tour was supposed to be seeing Cockburn’s coopers at work mending and remaking barrels. But it was Sunday, and the cooper’s day of rest. Cockburn’s are the only Lodge to have their own coopers, and the team is shrinking as they are finding it difficult to recruit people willing to learn the craft. I wondered if their working conditions were a factor. Then we sat in their tasting area with a glass of Special Reserve Ruby and a 10 year Tawny Port. Then we exited through the adjoining shop. At 18:00 there was a 6-Bridges Cruise, where the boat cruised up-river ten down to the mouth of the Douro and back to our mooring, passing under all six bridges that link Porto to Vila Nova de Gaia. The chef seeked me out. When we’d had Lamb Shank earlier in the cruise I had jokingly said that all that was missing was mint sauce. He told me that for tonight’s Rack of Lamb he’d been chopping mint and to make sure I asked for mint sauce. I did. By now I’d got into Port and after dinner had two glasses. The house Port was Ferreira Tawny, which the Cruise Director said was the favourite brand in Portugal. I could see why. Overnight Location: Porto https://what3words.com/treaties.emails.streaks Edited July 20 by pontac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exploretheworldkb77 Posted July 20 #13 Share Posted July 20 2 hours ago, pontac said: Day 6 – Wednesday 3 July 2024 Today most people took the full day excursion to Salamanca, leaving at 09:00. We’d been there on our previous Douro cruise with Viking and didn’t fancy the long coach ride. Instead we were one of a small group to visit the sleep old village of Freixa de Espada à Cinta. The name means sword on the belt of an ash and according to the legend we were told a king tied his sword belt around an ash tree under which he slept and had a dream about his coming success in war. When he woke he declared the village be known as Freixa de Espada à Cinta. There’s a 550+ year old ash tree with a huge metal belt and sword next to a church and the ruins of a castle. We entered a small museum in an old house equipped to show how people lived in old times, then we went to a modern small museum of silk. This was the place where they made silk in the pre-industrial way. They had everything, including some silk worms eating leaves. Then a 10-minute drive to Quinta do Sagueiro. This is a vineyard and farm. The energetic owners have rooms they rent via various sites. We sat at large round tables on their patio under umbrellas with jugs of cold freshly made lemonade, pastries, sandwiches, olives and slices of ripe juicy oranges. The owner, Margarida, had baked an apple cake for us and cut wedges which she put on our plates. Her husband then poured wine for us. They grow grapes of the region which go to the local co-operative. The red wine was delicious and I had a second glass. And I regret not trying his Port. Margarida came around with almonds from their trees which she’d caramelised, and then she sang fado. It was an idyllic spot, a feast of food and welcoming generous hosts. I wanted to buy a bottle of the red wine (a blend of Tourigas Nacional & Franca and Tinto Roriz), but neither of us had Euros on us and they didn’t take plastic. But they insisted I take the bottle, and later give €10 to the Scenic guide who’d pass it on next time Scenic returned to them. Food and drink kept being pressed on us but we had to return to the boat for lunch. At 14:20 we moved to let Viking Hemming moor and we rafted on the outside. After the Salamanca contingent returned we set off at 18:30 back down river to Pocinho which we arrived around 20:00 and rafted to another boat, our cabin facing theirs. Overnight Location: Pocinho https://what3words.com/hilarious.proofread.surroundings Thank you for sharing your wonderful pictures and the story behind the tree! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare pontac Posted July 20 Author #14 Share Posted July 20 (edited) Day 11 – Monday 8 July 2024 Last day. We had to vacate our cabin by 08:30. Our flight to Madrid departed at 12:20. We were told that, by Scenic’s rules, we should be at the airport three hours before our flight, but as check-in/bag-drop at Porto didn’t open until two hours before flights, the coach departed at 09:15, and we had a wait before the check-in opened. Scenic had checked us in online the afternoon before and printed our boarding cards. Scenic Azure is on lower left of picture by line of trees on river bank Scenic Azure is on left of picture by line of trees on far side of river The flight left on time and we had a great view over Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, and we could see Scenic Azure at its moorings. Several couples were taking an extension in Madrid, but we were connecting to a London flight which left from the same terminal. There was no security and no queue at immigration to get the all-imported Schengen exit stamp. We had a hot meal in Iberia’s lounge. Note for others making an onward connection. Spain is an hour ahead of Portuguese time. When I said it was time to go to the gate, Mrs P replied there was another hour to go. She hadn’t adjusted her watch and would have missed the flight if she’d been on her own. We didn’t have the spacious long haul plane we’d come out, just a standard short haul jet. Back home we had a Chicken Piri-Piri from Nandos, delivered by Deliveroo – a South African take on a Portuguese dish - cooked in England. Let no one say I’m not a man of the world! And next day I found Cockburn’s Special Reserve Port in Tesco’s for £12, which is €14.24, only 62p more than the €13.50 Cockburn’s were charging Edited July 20 by pontac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare pontac Posted July 20 Author #15 Share Posted July 20 (edited) Daily Programmes Edited July 20 by pontac 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Host Jazzbeau Posted July 22 #16 Share Posted July 22 Thanks for posting this thorough review. Now I understand why you prefer Viking: they provide more of the things you value than Scenic. It also reinforces my belief that Scenic provides more of the things that I value than Viking. Choice is good! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Australia08 Posted July 23 #17 Share Posted July 23 Thanks for your very complete review! I appreciate your details. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ural guy Posted July 23 #18 Share Posted July 23 On 7/20/2024 at 6:28 AM, pontac said: Day 7 – Thursday 4 July 2024 If we’d been on the usual 7 day Douro cruise, we’d be vacating our cabin and heading to Porto airport for the flight home. Hello, thanks for taking the time to write this up. I agree with you that it is nice to have the extra days on the river. Do you know of any other lines that have a cruise on the Douro longer than 7 nights? A lot of the Scenic amenities would be lost on the spouse and myself. So far, I've only driven along the Douro on its beautiful, twisty roads. Being able to visit the Quintas without driving would be nice. The day we tried to take a train along the Douro from Ermida there was a strike. So another reason to return. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare pontac Posted July 23 Author #19 Share Posted July 23 1 hour ago, ural guy said: Do you know of any other lines that have a cruise on the Douro longer than 7 nights? I do not know of others. But there are so many Cruise lines on the Douro now there might be another one that offers 11 days on the Douro. I'll leave it to you to do the searching 🙂 A word of caution though, many which advertise a longer trip still only have 7 days on the Douro, the extra days are in a hotel in Lisbon and for some also in Madrid. 1 hour ago, ural guy said: Being able to visit the Quintas without driving would be nice. Read my report again, there aren't many Quinta visits on the Scenic cruise, and they don't go behind the scenes. It's a basic tourist experience finishing with a couple of inexpensive wines to taste. Scenic can be price competitive; ask for their brochure and get on their mailing list as they often have discount deals; some discounts are deep. There were services offered by Scenic that we didn't use, but you obviously like wine and you can choose what to drink from their wine menu at meal times, and outside meal times get drinks from the bar and you can get your in-room fridge stocked with drinks of your choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downsmead Posted August 5 #20 Share Posted August 5 On 7/23/2024 at 2:27 PM, ural guy said: Hello, thanks for taking the time to write this up. I agree with you that it is nice to have the extra days on the river. Do you know of any other lines that have a cruise on the Douro longer than 7 nights? A lot of the Scenic amenities would be lost on the spouse and myself. So far, I've only driven along the Douro on its beautiful, twisty roads. Being able to visit the Quintas without driving would be nice. The day we tried to take a train along the Douro from Ermida there was a strike. So another reason to return. We did the trip along the river using the train. We didn’t want to hire a car as we like visiting the quintas and tasting port! we started off in Porto, staying 4 nights then did our train journey. We stopped and stayed a night or two at various places along the river - Regua, Pinhao and ?(I forgot this one), and then made our way back to Porto for a few more nights before taking the train to Lisbon for 4 days. The train was great, the views were so picturesque as it hugs the banks of the Duoro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Host Jazzbeau Posted August 5 #21 Share Posted August 5 51 minutes ago, downsmead said: We did the trip along the river using the train. We didn’t want to hire a car as we like visiting the quintas and tasting port! we started off in Porto, staying 4 nights then did our train journey. We stopped and stayed a night or two at various places along the river - Regua, Pinhao and ?(I forgot this one), and then made our way back to Porto for a few more nights before taking the train to Lisbon for 4 days. The train was great, the views were so picturesque as it hugs the banks of the Duoro. How did you get from the train to the Quintas? [And more importantly, after quaffing a few, how did you get back to the train? 😏] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downsmead Posted August 5 #22 Share Posted August 5 (edited) 2 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said: How did you get from the train to the Quintas? [And more importantly, after quaffing a few, how did you get back to the train? 😏] Some were walking distance, others we used a taxi to get back to where we were staying. We also visited the museum in Regua, and Lamego. Plus had a fabulous meal at the Doc restaurant along the river. Edited August 5 by downsmead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canal archive Posted August 6 #23 Share Posted August 6 One of the reasons for the Quintas being within striking distance of the Douro was the ability via especially designed boats to transport their product in relative safety to Porto. The depth of history along, especially the Portuguese length of the Douro is amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ural guy Posted August 6 #24 Share Posted August 6 Downsmead- Thanks for your rail details, beautiful region indeed, and very reasonably priced. We stayed at a 300 year old Quinta de Guimaraes, for 100 Euro a night. View of Duoro from Quinta vineyard. Quinta, our room was behind arches. Attached family chapel. Viking ship chugging upstream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pug queen Posted September 1 #25 Share Posted September 1 Thank you for this great day by day trip on the Douro. We are booked for fall 25 (11days!!) and your info will come in handy. This fall it is the Danube for us with Scenic…… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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