Live from Portugal's Douro-- and a wine-themed cruise!

[trose27]

We just left the AmaVida on 7/1, after a lovely week on the Douro! You are going to have a fabulous time! The ship is beautiful, clean, comfortable and the food and wine are terrific. The crew couldn't have been nicer or more accommodating! Loved everything about our cruise! Porto, Salamanca and Lamego were my favorite cities. In Lamego, be sure to find the courtyard at the cathedral when you have free time. Very pretty!!

My favorite thing that I bought was a cork purse. Portugal is one of the largest producers of cork. On one of the stops, at Castelo Rodrigo, the little shop has lots of cork items. We did bring home some port, but waited to purchase it at the duty free store in the airport. We've had bottles break in the luggage before, and wasn't going to chance it this time!

And the "tip" on tipping is a good one - you must pay in Euro, so be sure to visit an ATM along the way.

Have a fantastic time....can't wait to read your reports from the ship! Bom dia!

[editor@cruisecritic]

We flew into Oporto (the names are used interchangeably, anyone know why? I’ll ask around) via a nonstop flight on TAP Portugal from Newark Airport – couldn’t have been more pleasant. First impressions of Porto? Absolutely gorgeous; here’s a teaser but I’m heading out to explore.

 

The riverboats are docked in the most beautiful part of the city.

 

First impression of AmaVida? It’s lovely. Definitely smaller than I’m used to in terms of riverboats (as mentioned before, I think, the Douro requires smaller vessels). One interesting thing about this river – all of the riverboats, whether they’re marketed by Viking River, Uniworld, Vantage, AmaWaterways, or Nikko Tours are actually operated by a company called Douro Azul (it also owns the motorcoaches that take us around). It’s more like the lines have a partnership with a local company – in other markets, such as the Rhine or Danube, most of them run the ships themselves.

 

Just a curiosity. I’m told that Douro Azul currently has 10 boats on the river.

 

Tonight’s the welcome dinner (most passengers, who’ve taken the pre-cruise option to visit Lisbon and beyond, will be here later this afternoon), and we stay docked here in Vila Nova De Gaia, on the south bank of the river. All the ships dock here…though at the moment it’s just Nikko and us.

 

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

Thanks, trose27, for the tips!

 

Carolyn

 

We just left the AmaVida on 7/1, after a lovely week on the Douro! You are going to have a fabulous time! The ship is beautiful, clean, comfortable and the food and wine are terrific. The crew couldn't have been nicer or more accommodating! Loved everything about our cruise! Porto, Salamanca and Lamego were my favorite cities. In Lamego, be sure to find the courtyard at the cathedral when you have free time. Very pretty!!

My favorite thing that I bought was a cork purse. Portugal is one of the largest producers of cork. On one of the stops, at Castelo Rodrigo, the little shop has lots of cork items. We did bring home some port, but waited to purchase it at the duty free store in the airport. We've had bottles break in the luggage before, and wasn't going to chance it this time!

And the "tip" on tipping is a good one - you must pay in Euro, so be sure to visit an ATM along the way.

Have a fantastic time....can't wait to read your reports from the ship! Bom dia!

[Host Jazzbeau]

Good morning from Porto! The adventure begins today We flew into Oporto (the names are used interchangeably, anyone know why? I’ll ask around)

 

I was just reading the Rick Steves book on Spain last night, and he mentions that the Galician language is like a cross between Spanish and Portuguese. One example he gave was that the articles change from el and la to o and a. Thus La Coruña in Spanish becomes A Coruña in Galego. So my guess is that Oporto means "the Porto" -- maybe a more formal version.

[editor@cruisecritic]

Hey -- just a heads up that our special guest this week on Cruise Critic Live! (it's our series of weekly live chats that we do on Thursdays) is going to be Kristin Karst of AmaWaterways. And me :)

 

We're going to be talking about the Douro, sure, but I know she'll be happy to answer anything river cruise related, so hope you'll wander by and post a question, share a photo or anecdote....

 

The chat's at 1 pm Eastern time but if you can't make it, post your question ahead of time and we'll make sure it gets answered. And the chat will be archived afterward, so you can read through it at your leisure.

 

Link is here: http://live.cruisecritic.com/Event/Cruise_Critic_Live_From_the_Douro_on_AmaVida

 

Hope to see you there.

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

Had a great sort-of first day on my own in Douro -- gorgeous day, surprisingly cool when the wind blows. Made some fun discoveries and will share 'em on Facebook tomorrow.

 

I think I shortchanged myself by not arranging to come in a day or two beforehand. This is really a special city.

 

I am also crashing, finally :) -- talk to you tomorrow.

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

Awesome info, Jazzbeau. Thanks for checking this out....

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

Porto, the second largest city in Portugal (Lisbon’s first) is on overnight on our first night. Those passengers, who I think were in the majority, who did the pre-cruise trip to Lisbon arrived just before dinner; those of us who flew in yesterday, got here with almost a full day to explore. The ship’s front desk team gave superb advice on what to see, provided a map, and included walking instructions, since just about everything you want to see here is within reasonable walking distance.

Today, our first full day onboard, we all took a tour of the city, both by motor coach and walking (appreciated that Ama offers a "gentle walkers" option though there weren't many takers on this trip).

 

First impressions: Lovely, personable city. Terrible drivers (really: be careful when crossing the street and pay attention to walk/don’t walk signals). Lots of old fashioned cafes where pastries, port and beer seem to dominate the selection. Steep! You’re walking up hills and down hills all the time

 

Second impressions: Getting the lay of the land is easy: Ships are docked on the south bank of the Douro River and technically are not in the city itself (you walk along the riverfront to the famous Dom Luis bridge, the work of a student of Gustave Eiffel, walk across it, and back across the river on the other side, known as the Zona Ribeirinha. Gaia, as the docking area’s called, is dynamic and charming with an old town. This is where the port lodges are located so there’s lot of atmosphere and lots of people walking around looking at maps. Also lots of waterfront cafes and bars so it’s a nice spot.

 

Porto, which we see from our not-very-far-away dock, is on the north bank, where Ribeirinha is located. Aside from its own waterfront area with casual cafes and such, you have to climb up the hill to get to the main part of town – and it’s worth the effort! Aim for Sao Bento, the historic railway station (its tiles are so gorgeous that a visit to the station was part of our city tour!). Nearby is the Se Catedral, which beyond its churchly aspects also offers a fabulous view over the city’s rooftops from its high perch.

 

You’ll wind up at the Avenida Dos Aliados, the center of the city (the town hall anchors it), and it’s gorgeous and palatial. At the other end, the Intercontinental Hotel has a fantastic if somewhat pricey alfresco terrace for tapas (delicious chicken wings, but, seriously, 14 euro for five wings?). The people-watching is terrific.

 

Last bit of advice on Porto: If you like shops, and, well, we do, keep going to the other side of the avenue on a street called Clerigos. It’s home to the Clerigos Tower (one of the highest “buildings” in Porto, you can’t miss it). We stumbled onto the most incredibly beautiful set of shops (Rua Galleria de Paris). On the first floor of an ancient, airy building, there’s a store that sells all realm of fun tchockes – just great gifty, fun sort of tourist shopping. But go up a level to the “first” floor (for us Americans it’s really the second floor) and there’s magic. It’s a different store, in a similarly elegant setting, called A Vida Portuguesa, and it sells only quality products made in Portugal. I coveted a trivet made of port corks, and a pair of tan leather boots, and the soaps, oh, my. I wound up buying a couple of handmade notebooks – pretty, simple, and only a minor splurge. There’s also food stuffs, and port of course, but lots of unique finds I didn’t see anywhere else.

 

There’s one more shop worth a visit and this time it’s a bookshop. Livraria Lello is the kind of ancient bookshop that oozes with Neo-Gothic character, and it’s exquisite. But there’s a reason that there’s a sign out front saying that photographs inside are only permitted between 9 – 10 a.m. And that would be?

 

It’s the bookshop that inspired J.K. Rowling to write her first Harry Potter book (she was living in Porto at the time). It’s been said that visiting Porto and not stopping by Livraria Lello is like going to Rome and not meeting the Pope! It’s just a block up the street from A Vida Portuguesa (and the little café a store or two away sells the most delicious pastries and fresh orange juice).

 

If you want Portuguese souvenirs, there are any number of shops in town selling what looks like fun but is probably made-in-China-style merchandise like tiles, trinkets, magnets, Porto-themed t-shirts and dish towels. There’s plenty to see!

 

Oddly, the only thing I didn’t see much of in Porto’s shops was ceramics. Maybe that comes later in the trip?

 

And one last must-do: Keep going on Clerigos until you get to the absolutely amazing Igreja do Carmo, a twin church with beautiful ceramic tiles all across its side.

 

The last must-do thing in Porto is of course to visit a port lodge. We’ll tell you about that tomorrow.

 

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

Internet can be very good -- and very bad -- in exactly the same spots so please be patient with me if I seem to go AWOL. Regardless, if I'm having trouble posting, I'll get caught up eventually :) -- spent eons today trying to post the Porto stuff.

 

Also, big thanks to Jazzbeau for his explanation of Porto vs. Oporto. I asked our guide today and she said only the English call the city Oporto. In Portugal it's just -- Porto.

 

So now we know.

 

It's a beautiful place, so glad to be here!

 

Carolyn

[jojocmcla]

I'm enjoying your travels in Porto. Thanks for sharing.

[editor@cruisecritic]

There have been three fun surprises on this Douro River cruise – if you’ve done the trip already, please share your own expectation exceeding moments!

 

1. For US travelers, Portugal is a short six-hour flight from the America’s east coast – just like London. Jet lag as a result has been minimal. The time zone, too, is the same – five hours ahead.

 

2. We’ve believed for a while that river cruising is not necessarily a great holiday for travelers who have mobility challenges. Ships usually have elevators but don’t usually go to the first deck (where some of the more value-oriented staterooms tend to be). And access to the sundeck, which is never available via elevator, means that a significantly marvelous part of the experience is off-limits to these passengers. On AmaVida, we’re impressed to see that there’s a chair lift to take folks up to the sundeck, and the elevator goes all the way to deck one. We also love the addition of a “gentle walkers” category on the shore excursion menu.

 

3. AmaWaterways has long been working to make Internet onboard more efficient; in fact the company is a pioneer in this regard, working, in some cases, to use land-based towers rather than relying entirely on satellites. River cruising is never ideal if you really really need to be in touch with home or the office – sometimes the gorges and locks that are such an interesting facet on river cruise itineraries can hobble communication. On this cruise, for the first time that I’ve ever seen, AmaWaterways has installed hot spots in cabins to plump up signals in public rooms. It’s worked really well….

 

Any surprises that our Douro veterans, who are sharing their knowledge on this thread, care to share? Would love to hear 'em.

 

Carolyn

[Cruise Critic Chris]

Hi there - Just popping into this thread to let everyone know that Carolyn's live CHAT from the Douro with AMAWaterways has been moved back to 4 p.m. Eastern time. Join us here!

[editor@cruisecritic]

Hi, trose27. Tomorrow's our day at either Lamego or a picnic at the Sandeman wine estate. Was totally torn about which one to do...but you've convinced me, Lamego it will be :)

 

Carolyn

 

PS We did a tasting at Sandeman today, wow -- what a beautiful spot. In fact it was a little terrifying taking our big bus way up the mountain top but the views were breathtaking (literally and figuratively).

 

We just left the AmaVida on 7/1, after a lovely week on the Douro! You are going to have a fabulous time! The ship is beautiful, clean, comfortable and the food and wine are terrific. The crew couldn't have been nicer or more accommodating! Loved everything about our cruise! Porto, Salamanca and Lamego were my favorite cities. In Lamego, be sure to find the courtyard at the cathedral when you have free time. Very pretty!!

My favorite thing that I bought was a cork purse. Portugal is one of the largest producers of cork. On one of the stops, at Castelo Rodrigo, the little shop has lots of cork items. We did bring home some port, but waited to purchase it at the duty free store in the airport. We've had bottles break in the luggage before, and wasn't going to chance it this time!

And the "tip" on tipping is a good one - you must pay in Euro, so be sure to visit an ATM along the way.

Have a fantastic time....can't wait to read your reports from the ship! Bom dia!

[editor@cruisecritic]

Wanted to let you know, too, that if you can't make the new time -- but have questions for Kristin (and/or me, though I figured you'd probably have asked me here!), you can submit them early, and the archive of the chat will be live afterward. You can read the answers at your convenience....

 

Carolyn

 

Hi there - Just popping into this thread to let everyone know that Carolyn's live CHAT from the Douro with AMAWaterways has been moved back to 4 p.m. Eastern time. Join us here!

[apuleius]

Another must in Porto is the covered market - beautiful old building and across the road from it is a wonderful example of Portuguese art nouveau - an exquisite shop front housing a marvellous food shop.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[MarbellaSD]

One thing I forgot to mention about our AmaVida Douro cruise: tips at the end of the cruise must be made in cash - no credit cards.

 

Can you use shipboard credit for tips? I am doing this trip in October and took part of our travel agent's rebate as a shipboard credit--specifically to use for tips. I'll want to change that if possible if that's not possible. What else is there use it for onboard? Almost everything else is included, right?

 

Thanks!

Marlene

[editor@cruisecritic]

What’s a typical day like on the Douro?

 

First: There’s no typical day – every day has a different rhythm to it. At yesterday’s live chat with AMA executive vice president Kristin Karst, Cruise Critic reader Grape Fan asked “Is there time to relax onboard during a Douro itinerary?”

 

PS: If you didn’t catch it, you can read through the Cruise Critic Live! chat here: http://live.cruisecritic.com/Event/Cruise_Critic_Live_From_the_Douro_on_AmaVida

 

The short answer is sure, there’s time. But we’re finding that there’s always something going on, whether it’s tours to places like Sandeman, the port wine maker whose Quinta – or vineyard and winery – are perched up on a mountaintop about a mile high, or to the Mateus mansion, where the gardens and historically preserved 18th century rooms are a highlight. This morning, the choice was between visiting the town of Lamego, whose Shine of our Lady of Remedies is one of Portugal’s most popular places for pilgrimage, or to take an optional tour – a picnic back up on the Sandeman Quinta.

 

It was hard to choose!

 

Onboard, days are full and there’s pressure to join in, no pressure at all, but you know, when else are you going to get to learn about how corks are made for wine bottles, or taking part in an onboard wine tasting (St. Francis Winery, based in Sonoma County, California, is here to give us a bit of a break from Portuguese wines, not that, to be honest, most of need a break – the wines here, from port to table varieties, are delicious).

 

One of the things I’ve appreciated on this trip has been the rhythm of the days. Every one – and we’re midway through the cruise (can you believe it?) – has featured some time simply cruising on the river, and that’s just about the best part for me.

 

I’ve taken a couple of photos of today’s program to give you an idea of the experience.

 

Carolyn

[CDreamer]

Carolyn, am really enjoying your posts & just read the live chat with interest since we did this same AmaVida cruise this year, only in reverse.

 

Someone asked if they thought this cruise would be a good introduction to river cruising. Probably depends on individual preference re: what you like to see/do, but the thing I will say is that this was our first river cruise and we felt it was a great introduction. We liked sailing on the river during the day so we could soak in the natural beauty of the Douro river valley and watch as the ship went through all the locks. We felt the pace was relaxed but at the same time there was always something to do or see (excursion-wise) so we didn't get bored. Needless to say, we have taken a lot of cruises on a favorite small luxury (ocean) cruise line but now can't wait to do another river cruise!

 

How is the weather there right now?

[trose27]

Carolyn,

So glad you chose Lamego! Can't wait to hear how you liked it! I just read the chat transcript and enjoyed the pictures you had included. Dinner at the winery was such a treat.

And I did forget to mention the AWESOME bus drivers...worth their weight in gold. The ride up to Sandeman isn't the only fun ride you will experience..lol!

Your posts are helping me to relive my time on the AmaVida, and it was only a short time ago!

We actually did the Future Cruise Booking while on board, and I am now deciding between the Rhine or the Tulips for 2015! It will be our 3rd AMA voyage. First (and first river cruise ever) was the Paris to Normandy schedule, also wonderful!!

Looking forward to your next post from the Douro!!:)

[Taiwan_CC]

Great write up on Porto!

 

Thank you!

[editor@cruisecritic]

One thing it’s hard to understand until you’ve cruised the Douro, and contrasting greatly with more established rivers like the Danube and the Rhine, is how different the experience really is. Someone asked on our Cruise Critic Live! chat: Why would you choose the Douro over the others. There are a couple of reasons why the Douro is intriguing in a unique way, but I thought I’d start with what you won’t find much of on the Douro:

*It’s largely a pastoral river. Aside from Porto, which is really the only city that lies directly on the river, our overnight ports have ranged from a dock in a village of two residents to a small town that’s not so touristy as to have cosmopolitan attractions like restaurants, cafes and nightlife. So when you’re not on tour, life for the most part revolves around onboard activities.

*We have spent more time on a bus than I’m used to with Danube and Rhine cruises. Because most of the attractions – from the gorgeous gardens of the Mateus palace to Castelo Rodrigo, a medieval village that’s on today’s tour – are located some distance from the river, you’re going to be on a bus. The good news? The buses are new and very comfortable.

*Even better news? The drivers are magnificent, manipulating the vehicles on all manner of country and village roads with aplomb. The single most heroic driving I’ve ever seen was going up the mountain to Sandeman via a narrow, winding, curving lane in which the road precariously hugged cliffs. And coming back down again.

*Salamanca, one of Spain’s (actually one of Europe’s) most beautiful ancient cities, is a highlight of this itinerary. The up-side: Its full of art and culture, and particularly noteworthy is a visit to the Museo Art Nouveau Y Art Deco, housed in the most gorgeous, restored building. Other passengers told me the trip to Salamanca was worth it just for that museum alone. The town itself is gorgeous, with a central plaza (Plaza Major) rimmed with golden, sandstone buildings and cafes for people watching. This is a good place to shop (one of the few); it’s got many of Europe’s chain retailers and a handful of unique places, too. The down-side of Salamanca? It’s the longest day of the trip. The bus ride is about 1:45 hours long.

One more up-side if you’ll permit me – the scenery was beautiful all the way through (one especially compelling moment at the end of our drive back to the ship yesterday afternoon was watching a herd of goats, let by a very feisty dog, maneuver up the two lane road. When a motorcyclist declined to stop and let them pass by, the dog, as leader went after him, nipping at his boots, until he got the message).

If, in a river itinerary, what you want is a more rural experience, one that’s more scenic than industrial, Douro is bliss. We cruised through so many different gorges, where at times the mountains rose right from the water and in some cases where the river was narrow, you could almost reach out from the sundeck and touch a bush on the shore.

The choreography of our days in the Douro River has been really lovely. There are tours, sometimes several tours, every day, but most are just a half day, leaving some time to actually be “at sea” or rather on the river, which to me is one of the most blissful aspects of any river cruise. Just to watch the world go by and hearing the calm lapping of the water against the ship’s bow…aaaahhhh.

The scenery changes greatly as you move from Porto, which is a colorful scenery, to the Douro Valley of the quintas (port wine estates), which is lush and tamed, and then on to the northeast quadrant of the river (and into just the tiniest bit of Spain), where its scrubby, dry, and a bit desolate.

The tours have been operated very well. They leave on time (you’d best make sure you’re on time!), the guides and drivers alike actually with the cruise for the entire time, so you get to know each other. And they deliver information on history, industry, wine, so cleverly that learning about the region is as much fun as it is educational.

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

Hi, having trouble posting photos here -- so just a heads up to let you know a new photo album is going up on Facebook (Facebook.com/CruiseCritic), so hope you'll go and check it out. I think we've covered everything onboard (and I'm describing each photo so hope you can read that extra bit) but if there's something missing, let me know.

 

I'm hoping to see a 1st deck cabin and one of the two top suites at some point on the voyage. That's pretty much the only thing I'm waiting on....

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

Lamego was really sweet, Trose27! Walked down the 2,345 steps from the Sanctuary of the Lady of Remedies (okay, it was "only" 686) and it was a beautiful view but my legs trembled all day!

 

I talk about the bus drivers more in future posts. My gosh, they are good! The rides could be treacherous.

 

I'm glad it's helping you relive the experience. It just gets better and better as the days go past, as passengers get to know each other (some wild dancing ensued at last nights outdoor BBQ, quite fun).

 

Tonight's the debark talk though we don't wind up until Tuesday. This trip has flown by. I could see doing this itinerary (or one like it with maybe a few tweaks) again -- I'd spend more time onboard, watching the most gorgeous scenery in Europe float by!

 

Carolyn

 

PS More dispatches to come.

 

Carolyn,

So glad you chose Lamego! Can't wait to hear how you liked it! I just read the chat transcript and enjoyed the pictures you had included. Dinner at the winery was such a treat.

And I did forget to mention the AWESOME bus drivers...worth their weight in gold. The ride up to Sandeman isn't the only fun ride you will experience..lol!

Your posts are helping me to relive my time on the AmaVida, and it was only a short time ago!

We actually did the Future Cruise Booking while on board, and I am now deciding between the Rhine or the Tulips for 2015! It will be our 3rd AMA voyage. First (and first river cruise ever) was the Paris to Normandy schedule, also wonderful!!

Looking forward to your next post from the Douro!!:)

[editor@cruisecritic]

Thanks, CDreamer.

 

Great question. We've got people onboard who've done most of the rivers and this is a new experience for them -- one of them, who's on his 5th Ama cruise, said this is his favorite of all. I do believe though it depends on what you're looking for.

 

There are also quite a few non-cruise travelers who wouldn't probably try a cruise if it weren't taking them into northern Portugal in such a depth. And they seem to be enjoying the experience. One couple, totally not cruise veterans (I think it's their first) are asking now about the Danube.

 

The weather's been great. One overcast day but it was quite beautiful in its own way. The region had a freak cool spell so the first couple of days it was long shirt weather. Now it's more typical summer -- I think we hit 100 degrees yesterday in Salamanca. Fortunately there's a nice breeze at night and on the sundeck, almost always (and of course the ship's aircon works just fine!).

 

CSB

 

 

Carolyn, am really enjoying your posts & just read the live chat with interest since we did this same AmaVida cruise this year, only in reverse.

 

Someone asked if they thought this cruise would be a good introduction to river cruising. Probably depends on individual preference re: what you like to see/do, but the thing I will say is that this was our first river cruise and we felt it was a great introduction. We liked sailing on the river during the day so we could soak in the natural beauty of the Douro river valley and watch as the ship went through all the locks. We felt the pace was relaxed but at the same time there was always something to do or see (excursion-wise) so we didn't get bored. Needless to say, we have taken a lot of cruises on a favorite small luxury (ocean) cruise line but now can't wait to do another river cruise!

 

How is the weather there right now?

[editor@cruisecritic]

In the spring, when I visited Douro for a short overnight to attend the christening of Viking River Cruises’ new Viking Hemming and Viking Torgil, I was surprised to see a pool on top. They’re the only Viking ships I know of to have such “frippery” as Viking’s chairman Torstein Hagen is not fond of extras, which also include spas and on-call fleets of bicycles.

After boarding AmaVida, which had the exact same layout, I figured it out: All the newer ships operated by cruise lines that also include Uniworld, pretty much use the same vessels.

In a significant difference from how river lines operate mainstream cruises in other parts of Europe, the lines here are required to partner with a Portuguese company. In this case, DouroAzul, which operates all manner of tourist-related businesses, from motorcoach tours to sightseeing boats, also builds, operates and manages the cruise experience not only for AmaWaterways but also for Viking River and Uniworld.

Layout is essentially the same on all of them: Forward on deck three is the lounge with bar (and a handful of outdoor tables and chairs). Just below, on deck, is the restaurant, with two alcoves with open windows for a semi-alfresco experience. And the sundeck, by and large, is identical, with the lovely pool – which was a real gathering place for passengers – a vast shaded area with tables and chairs for dining, and lots of chaise lounges for sunbathing.

 

More to come in part 2....

 

Carolyn