Cruise
Cruising the Magnificent Douro with CroisiEurope
Article and photography by Michael Morcos
The glory days of travel are back! Having rescheduled this tour twice due to travel restrictions and lockdowns, we were finally going to enjoy our 17-day trip through Portugal.
Being our first visit to this popular country, we would take the route most traveled as we started our voyage of discovery along the south coast and relished the amazing Algarve with its spectacular beaches and rugged coastline.
Next on the itinerary was Lisbon, where we enjoyed this beautiful and tranquil city and its rich history, architecture, and laid-back atmosphere. Continuing north, we reached the remarkable city of Porto, where we would be saving the best for last. From here we would enjoy eight blissful days and experience the best of the Douro Valley on the beautiful CroisiEurope ship, the MS Gil Eanes.
This would be our first journey with the French company. CroisiEurope specializes in river cruising, canal barging and ocean itineraries in many destinations around the world including Africa and Asia. They are a leader in European cruising with ships on all the major rivers and even some of the smaller rivers that many other cruise line companies do not sail. Although the guests were in a large part French speaking, there were no language barriers as the crew was bilingual and all information was available in both French and English. This was also true for all presentations, tours, and excursions. Besides that, there was a camaraderie among the passengers as everyone did their best to brush up on their language skills, at times hilariously.
The MS Gil Eanes
Our first look at the MS Gil Eanes was impressive, as the sleek vessel sparkled in the sun. Beautifully designed, it was built in 2015 and has been well kept ever since. The ship has a maximum capacity of only 132 guests, making it intimate and spacious. The public spaces are found on four levels that included a pool on the sundeck, and there was always ample space for everyone and never any lineups. The base rates of the stateroom included three meals a day with select local wines, beer and soft drinks at lunch and dinners, and excursions in every port of call.
Having cruised the major rivers of Europe including the Danube and Rhone, I can honestly say that the Douro River valley cruise is one of the most charming, serene, and uniquely beautiful rivers of Europe. The other major European rivers have lots of traffic with large commercial vessels, while the Douro is very tranquil with light traffic. It was rare to see anything on the rivers except for another occasional river cruise ship. The daytime sailing hours were a real delight from the upper deck of the Eanes. Hot sunny days with a light breeze and refreshments and we were in bliss.
Gastronomy
French gastronomy could not get much better than our meals on the Gil Eanes. With such delicious food, I could not wait for the next meal while still eating the current one. Breakfast was buffet style and included all anyone could want with a collection of delicious and healthy foods. Lunches and suppers were a delight, as the sit-down meals were served by an attentive staff and included popular and well-known French favorites as well locally themed dishes. The presentation of the dishes was truly haute cuisine, almost too beautiful to touch. Although there was a set menu, it was easy to request a different dish that the chef would gladly prepare to your taste in a very short time.
Staterooms
Although the Staterooms are slightly small in size, they were very clean, comfortable, modern and efficient. Our beds were laid out to face the river and landscape. This would be a first for us as on all our other cruises had us looking at interior walls. Not sure what to think at first, we soon loved this arrangement and we felt at one with the Douro, especially when opening the large French balcony doors. Daily cleaning services were exceptional by an efficient and friendly staff. We very quickly felt at home away from home, this time on the fabulous Douro.
Entertainment
On board was nightly entertainment that ranged from dancing to live performances by locals. Most notable were the Flamingo dancers, Fado singers and guitar players. These shows were very popular with the guests, and we would have to arrive early to get the best seating. In all, the entertainment was well appreciated and drew ovations from the spectators. It was always a great way to end a full day on the Douro.
Excursions
CroisiEurope took very good care of us during the daily excursions that brought us to a multitude of locations. From wineries to palaces, castles, churches/cathedrals then on to quaint little villages and the wonderful cities of Porto and Salamanca. There was very little for us to do except embark on the luxury coaches and let CroisiEurope’s program director, staff and local guides do the rest. It was like a dream visiting such Portuguese riches and in all, it was impossible to pick a favorite tour as they were all varied and memorable. The views to and from our destinations were exceptional and some even breathtaking and quite unique to this part of Europe.
Itinerary
On the many excursions, starting in Porto, we would visit such places as the historic train station, the old Porto stock exchange and the Saint Francis church. On the Douro, we toured a couple of wineries specializing in the famous Port wines that of course finished with a delicious tasting. In Vila Real, we visited the wonderful gardens and opulent building of the famous wine brand, Mateus. In the University town of Salamanca, we would visit the best of this beautiful and historic town including the well-known University itself, the Cathedrals, the Plaza Mayor, and the many shop-lined pedestrian streets.
Our cruise on the Douro Valley with CroisiEurope was exceptional to say the least, lots of great experiences, wonderful memories, fantastic itinerary, laid-back luxury, fabulous entertainment, and amazing food. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there and would highly recommend this destination to sail on one of the most beautiful European rivers.
