Duoro River 2015

[editor@cruisecritic]

Hi, 1westover. We're heading to Duoro next week on an AmaWaterways cruise -- and will be sharing the trip via this thread on the river forum: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=43393303&posted=1#post43393303.

 

Hope you'll wander in and ask lots of questions!

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

 

 

 

 

There are several of us considering Ama Waterways or Viking for an early October Duoro River Cruise. Both ships a new.

 

Has anyone had any experience with itinerary or ships? Would really appreciate any input you may have. Thank you.

[squarevanman]

Just back today from a CroisiEurope Douro cruise. Will try to write a review layer this week.

[editor@cruisecritic]

Keep us posted (and when you have a link, please put up a message on our Live from... thread!

 

Thanks.

 

Carolyn

 

Just back today from a CroisiEurope Douro cruise. Will try to write a review layer this week.

[1westover]

Editor@ cruise critic

 

Carolyn,

We all hope you have a wonderful Duoro Cruise. There is a small group of us deposited on the Duoro cruise with Lisbon extension next September. The ship has been so booked up and we wanted a full veranda cabin. September is suppose to be harvest season and how we love the wines of the Duoro region.

 

We all look forward to your report and wish you safe travels.:)

[editor@cruisecritic]

Hi, Squarevanman -- we're on our last day, hard to believe, fantastic experience.

 

Have a question for you: On most of the major lines that cruise the Douro, ships are owned and operated largely by DouroAzul (and they're pretty similar to one another whether it's Uniworld, Viking River or Ama). But CroisiEurope's ship -- we've passed it twice now -- looks very consistent with Croisi's overall design. Do you know if the line partners with DouroAzul? I can ask, of course, but thought I'd just reach out to you first....

 

Thanks.

 

Carolyn

 

Just back today from a CroisiEurope Douro cruise. Will try to write a review layer this week.

[squarevanman]

Hi, Squarevanman -- we're on our last day, hard to believe, fantastic experience.

 

Have a question for you: On most of the major lines that cruise the Douro, ships are owned and operated largely by DouroAzul (and they're pretty similar to one another whether it's Uniworld, Viking River or Ama). But CroisiEurope's ship -- we've passed it twice now -- looks very consistent with Croisi's overall design. Do you know if the line partners with DouroAzul? I can ask, of course, but thought I'd just reach out to you first....

 

Thanks.

 

Carolyn

 

Hi Carolyn

I have been wondering this myself. I noticed all ships had a Douro registry except the 3 CroisiEurope which all show Strasbourg. Neither CroisiEurope or Viking ships are listed on the DouroAzul site. Our local guide did state 10 ships were owned by one company and 3 by another but did not go into details. If you find out I would be very interested to know.

[editor@cruisecritic]

Got a chance to talk with Mario Ferreira, who's head of DouroAzul -- he came by AmaVida last night. Indeed, CroisiEurope is the only line that doesn't operate within DouroAzul confines, so, interesting.....

 

Carolyn

 

Hi Carolyn

I have been wondering this myself. I noticed all ships had a Douro registry except the 3 CroisiEurope which all show Strasbourg. Neither CroisiEurope or Viking ships are listed on the DouroAzul site. Our local guide did state 10 ships were owned by one company and 3 by another but did not go into details. If you find out I would be very interested to know.

[laverendrye]

Got a chance to talk with Mario Ferreira, who's head of DouroAzul -- he came by AmaVida last night. Indeed, CroisiEurope is the only line that doesn't operate within DouroAzul confines, so, interesting.....

 

Carolyn

 

DouroAzul does indeed own and operate the two new Viking ships Hemming and Torgil. They are on a long-term charter to Viking until 2020, I believe and were built to incorporate some of Viking's features (within the size limitations of the river). When I cruised the Douro in 2012 with Uniworld, it was the last Uniworld cruise on the Douro Spirit, which then became the Viking Douro when Uniworld chartered the Queen Isabella. This year, the Douro Spirit is chartered to Vantage, although not exclusively as other operators also use it.

 

You do need a programme to tell who the players are!

 

Here's an announcement on the new Viking ships:

 

http://www.portalworldcruises.com/2013/04/douro-azul-lancara-dois-navios-em-2014.html

 

As the owner of DouroAzul remarks, he would rather build and operate ships rather than get involved in the retail side of cruises.

[terry&mike]

Squarevanman, I am interested in booking a Duoro cruise with CroisiEurope in 2015 or 2016, and I would love to read your review or hear your thoughts on your trip. If you have posted your review somewhere and I missed it, could you email me a link at terryandmike (at) cox (dot) net or post a link here. Many thanks!

[squarevanman]

Squarevanman, I am interested in booking a Duoro cruise with CroisiEurope in 2015 or 2016, and I would love to read your review or hear your thoughts on your trip. If you have posted your review somewhere and I missed it, could you email me a link at terryandmike (at) cox (dot) net or post a link here. Many thanks!

 

Very sorry I didn't see your post until today. I have e mailed you

 

David

[apuleius]

Carolyn - the three Croisieurope ships are owned and built by Croisieurope. The staff is mainly local Portuguese in contrast with their other ships. Like squarevanman we are fans of this line which is very well run at an excellent price point. We loved the Douro cruise despite issues with the spring flooding last year and inevitable schedule changes resulting from it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[FuelScience]

Cole,

 

Just make sure you are on a longboat.

 

The longboats get a lot of press, but they do have their shortcomings. Due to the offset corridor, the French balcony cabins are VERY small--135 sq. ft. Having done two Viking tours on older boats and one on the longboat Atla, I think that unless you go with a full balcony, I would prefer the older ships. Also, keep in mind the fact that the cabins in aquarium class are larger than the more expensive French balcony cabins. This is probably academic since the rumors are that Viking will retire the older ships after this year.

 

FuelScience

[stired]

I am also looking into sailing the Duoro on CruisiEurope next year and would love to see your review. Thanks in advance! email: stired@comcast.net

[squarevanman]

I am also looking into sailing the Duoro on CruisiEurope next year and would love to see your review. Thanks in advance! email: stired@comcast.net

 

Have sent you an e mail hope it helps

David

[PeterMcG]

We recently sailed on the Viking Hemming in August. We were in the 'cheap' rooms on the bottom floor except for my mom who had a room with a balcony on the third floor. Her room was exactly the same size and layout as our 'cheap' rooms with the exception of the balcony.

 

Our window was river-level, double glass, somewhat rain spattered and much smaller. But we did not get to spend much time in our room! Almost every second of the day was filled with outings, meals, lectures, or cruising, which was best done from the sun roof or lounge area rather than from the stateroom.

 

That said, the rooms were perfectly adequate, clean and quite livable. We had complete control of the temperature, the bathroom was adequate, everything was quite clean, the queen size bed was comfortable, and we never missed the balcony. It certainly couldn't be called spacious, but it was a river cruise room so it exceeded our expectations.

 

Everything was new, even the three buses. Also, the Portuguese staff was great; hard working and very helpful. Lots of little touches in the room made it nice...like the American outlets, the bed reading lights, free large water bottle replenished daily, and the in-room fridge and safe.

 

We traveled with our family of fourteen and everyone loved the cruise. I'll be writing a detailed review of the whole trip in the next month.

[Sparky333]

Hi PeterMcG--

I'll be looking forward to your longer review of your cruise on the Viking Hemming - we're doing the Duoro next summer on the Viking Torgil.

 

I assume from what you've written already that there were no noise issues in your aquarium class cabin? We've booked the lowest level also after finding it perfectly acceptable on another Viking cruise. But recently someone was complaining about lots of noise issues keeping them from sleeping - not sure if the engine or other but they did not like being on the lowest level at all.

[PeterMcG]

Hi. We weren't at either end of the hallway so all we had were other rooms on either side of us. Neither my wife nor I experienced a problem with noise. I didn't ask them, but none of the 12 other members of our family who were staying below complained of noise either and I think some of them were closer to the end of the hallway.

[Alaskanb]

Really interested in reading your review once it is posted. We have been thinking about a Portugal trip for a while and the Douro sounds intriguing. We have never been on a river cruise so we do not know what to expect regarding public and private space.

[Sparky333]

Thanks for your reply Peter - I'm happy to know your group didn't experience noise problems.

 

I notice I spelled Douro wrong - oops - I think I must reverse the o & u 50% of the time for some reason. :o

[1westover]

We are confirmed on AmaVida next September. Have added the 3 day pre-cruise in Lisbon. Anyone going with us?

 

Have been watching for Carolyn Spencer's review of her trip, but have not seen it posted yet. Have I missed it?

[moatenote]

We are on the September 8 embarkation cruise of the Douro. We're doing Lisbon on our own and then Barcelona after the cruise. Went on our first river cruise last May on the AMA Prima (Budapest to Prague) and loved it! Now we're hooked!!

[1westover]

It is always nice to meet someone on our cruise ahead of time. Welcome aboard! This will be our first AmaWaterways. We sailed the Danube also,but with Uniworld. Really looking forward to this trip.

 

Look forward to meeting you.:)

 

Susan

[moatenote]

Susan, I see that you're from Tennessee---my partner and I live in SC and the other couple with us are from Portland, OR. Looking forward to meeting you too!

 

Carroll

[1westover]

Hi Carroll.

Our email is Brener@bellsouth.net. Please feel free to email us.

 

I know Portland well. My college roommate lives there and my husband and I have been several times. Love Portland! Where in SC? Many relatives there, on my husbands side.

 

Look forward to meeting you. Time will pass quickly.

 

Susan

[claimers]

We will be sailing on the Viking Hemming "Portugal Rivers of Gold" cruise on 8/16/15 departing from Porto.

 

Can find any roll call for our cruise.

 

Anyone have any suggestions? I have searched and searched.

 

Thank You

Edited February 23, 2015 by claimers
Meant to say "CAN'T" find any....