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Douro river cruise

4774Papa

By 4774Papa,
in River Cruising

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rundent

rundent

Posted
Posted
Has anyone on this board heard of 6Only, a place to stay in Porto?

 

People must be staying there because when I just checked there for myself they had no vacancies. Looks nice, but not as cheap as I think that it should be judging from what I can see on their website - but so many variables.

I have been bidding on Priceline and have gone up to $101 for a 5* and $66 for a 4* with no luck yet.

Since will only be spending Monday there I won't be going back and forth to the hotel so I don't think being ideally located will be too key.

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H2Otstr

H2Otstr

Posted
Posted

I have photos of our trip on the Douro if anyone wants to look at them. Send an email to me at h2otstr@aol.com and I will forward them to you.

 

I will be home for two more days and then off on my next river cruise........so if you want to see them please send your request soon.

 

Please mark "Douro trip" in the subject line.

 

Sharon

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  • 4 weeks later...
lizglea

lizglea

Posted
Posted

Simba3

Have you taken the Doro river cruise yet. We are interested in booking for next year but just waiting for reports back from other cruisers as to the improvements made by Uniworld to the ship. Have not booked yet so can still look for another destination

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rundent

rundent

Posted
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Hey guys, not fair. I know a number of you have gone on the cruise already and you're being stingy. Really would like to know how they are continuing to shake-out. Esp. interested in the optional guided tours in Lisboa. Larry

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kaliterri

kaliterri

Posted
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Hey guys, not fair. I know a number of you have gone on the cruise already and you're being stingy. Really would like to know how they are continuing to shake-out. Esp. interested in the optional guided tours in Lisboa. Larry

 

Well I can not tell you much as few days before I was to travel to Lisbon, I broke my knee on a Segway tour. The spanish hospital sent me back to the hotel and said they would call when they had an opening for the surgery, so since I had Amex medical, they flew me home and my husband at my insistence went on the cruise, since we did not have trip insurance. He had a wonderful time. Food good but not excellent. Noise on ship a problem for many. Tours were above average. All in all a nice river cruise. He said it was a nice river cruise, but the little villages are very quiet. It is not like the Rhine and Danube which he did enjoy more.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Kellie Poodle

Kellie Poodle

Posted
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Vantage has a Douro river cruise now.

 

Since it's charters there, would a Vantage Cruise be different from the Uniworld cruise?

 

I have een chatting with my River Cruise TA and she says the reviews (Uniworld) are mixed.

 

I would love for someone taking the Vantage cruise to put up a review.

 

I'm still interested in this trip, but having done AMA's charter in Russia, I'm not all that game to pay my money and take my chances again.

 

The AMA Russia trip was wonderful, but not a good value for the price.

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4774Papa

4774Papa

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Since it's charters there, would a Vantage Cruise be different from the Uniworld cruise?

 

I have een chatting with my River Cruise TA and she says the reviews (Uniworld) are mixed.

 

I would love for someone taking the Vantage cruise to put up a review.

 

I'm still interested in this trip, but having done AMA's charter in Russia, I'm not all that game to pay my money and take my chances again.

 

The AMA Russia trip was wonderful, but not a good value for the price.

Janet,

You hit the nail on the head. We really like the Douro river cruises, but remain concerned about how well a firm can execute a flawless cruise. Vantage did a really good job in Russia and many of those on tour had done tours (some many) with Vantage before. All spoke very well in particular of the China tour with the Yangtze river cruise. We are booked on that trip next August.

We are also considering somewhere down the road a tour of India as well as a Canadian rail trip. Still, at some point we will probably give a shot at the Douro river.

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  • 2 weeks later...
toodles7

toodles7

Posted
Posted

:)We are just back from Uniworld Douro River cruise. Great time and great people!!!

 

It was a little rainy a couple of days, but overall good traveling weather.

Ship and staff outstanding, especially Pilar in Lisbon for 3 days + with us on bus to Porto.

 

Food very, very good as well and graciously served. Either red or white wine was offered at dinner. The special Portugese small pastry custards are available only at breakfast on boat, but you visit the Belem factory where they make thousands daily. Be sure to buy them there!!

 

The Tiara Park Atlantic was a terrific property. We dined at two Lisbon restauarants on our own - Lisboa a Noite in Barrio neighborhood - seafood (we had fish and rice - superb) and a highly recommended steak place across from Parliament - Cafe de Sao Bento. Both were pricy and exceptional and require reservations! Learned about steak place from NYTimes and met fellow on plane who suggested the other.

 

Stopped for home-cooking - cabbage soup was amazing -on way to Porto and another stop at Coimbra as well. Light was perfect in Porto for about an hour after we arrived which was important for me as a professional photographer. We walked to other side of river across great bridge which they told us was a 5 min. walk. It's funny how everything is 5 min. away (NOT) and reminds us how in China so many things were $1.

 

Douro River is beautiful but to really see and experience special places, you need to travel via bus - unfortunately. We opted NOT to take the Sintra excursion and instead went on our own and spent the entire day there. Went via cab and return via train.

 

Monastery dinner (or was that Vintage House in Pinhao?) was unusual in that it featured a duck entree. Sorry, one of them did so you may want to opt for pasta instead if you are not a duck fan. Sandeman tour was interesting and plant is impressive for its modern facilities. It is extremely curvy and winding to get there via bus and fantastic driver.

 

My favorite stops were Guimaraes and Castelo Rodrigo plus staying in Porto (using Starwood points at Porto Sheraton) an extra day. In addition to port wine, cork is a big product - all sorts of things including purses, belts, hats, etc.

 

:pEnjoy!!!! We highly recommend and have been on Viking and Grand Circle cruises.

Susan

My e-mail is lockwood.susan@gmail if you have other questions or if I can help in any way.

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toodles7

toodles7

Posted
Posted
Thanks for the info. Did you find one extra day in Porto enough?

 

Two would probably have been better, but we were ready to come home. I do recommend staying two though.

 

Let me know if you have any other questions and I will try to answer.

Susan

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  • 3 weeks later...
janines

janines

Posted
Posted

Thanks to the person who recommended that I look up this post. We are considering the July 12th Lisbon and Duoro river cruise on Uniworld.

Several questions.

We will be going in and out from London. Any recommendations of airline flights from there?

The cost Uniworld quoted pp for traveler's insurance was $299. That seems very hilgh. Any other options?

thanks,

janines

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  • 1 month later...
Palmetto Lady

Palmetto Lady

Posted
Posted
Is anyone going, or have you been on this trip? Our Grand European cruise on Vantage was superb. Joybug:)

 

We are going on the one with Vantage in May. We should have some info after we return. For those people who have done this trip with other cruise lines, do you have any restaurant recommendations for Lisbon and other ports???

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GregnChris

GregnChris

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Is anyone going, or have you been on this trip? Our Grand European cruise on Vantage was superb. Joybug:)

 

My DW Chris and I are going on this trip with Vantage in September. We fly out of Newark on Sept. 18, spend 3 days in Lisbon, and board the boat on Sept 22. We are also taking the post cruise Barcelona extension.

 

This will be our first trip with Vantage and our first river cruise, but we have cruised on Holland America several times. We are joining my cousin Sandy and her husband Greg from Minnesota. They have used Vantage several times and recommended we join them.

 

Greg

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KDilly

KDilly

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My DW Chris and I are going on this trip with Vantage in September. We fly out of Newark on Sept. 18, spend 3 days in Lisbon, and board the boat on Sept 22. We are also taking the post cruise Barcelona extension.

 

This will be our first trip with Vantage and our first river cruise, but we have cruised on Holland America several times. We are joining my cousin Sandy and her husband Greg from Minnesota. They have used Vantage several times and recommended we join them.

 

Greg

 

If you remember, please post some pics of your trip/

 

_KD

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