Charming Douro River Cruise: 7-Night Porto Round-Trip

The Charming Douro is an 8-day / 7-night round-trip cruise that begins and ends in Porto. You board the MS Douro Cruiser at Douro Marina from 3:00 PM on Day 1 and disembark in Porto after breakfast on the final morning, so there is no one-way transfer to arrange at the end.

From Porto the ship sails upriver to Regua and Pinhao, then on to Pocinho, Vega de Terron near the Spanish border and Barca d'Alva, before returning downstream to Porto. It is one of the fullest sailings of the navigable Douro, reaching right to the Portuguese-Spanish frontier.

The Douro Valley is the world's oldest demarcated vineyard region, officially established at Regua in 1756, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The river winds between steep terraced hillsides and historic quintas, and cruising lets you see the terraces from the water rather than from winding mountain roads.

The MS Douro Cruiser is a 4-star superior river ship, 78 m long with a beam of 11.4 m, carrying up to 130 passengers. Built in 2005 and refurbished in 2024, she has a panoramic restaurant, a lounge with bar, a sun terrace with loungers, an outdoor pool, a souvenir shop and an elevator.

There are four categories, all exterior and about 15 square metres:

• Category D - Main Deck (Aft), panorama window (base fare)
• Category C - Main Deck, panorama window
• Category B - Upper Deck (Aft), step-out balcony
• Category A - Upper Deck, step-out balcony

Main Deck cabins (Categories C and D) have a large fixed panorama window. Upper Deck cabins (Categories A and B) have a step-out balcony with a table and chairs, so you can sit outside as the terraced valley passes. All cabins have shower/WC, adjustable air-conditioning, hairdryer, safe and TV.

Fares are quoted in euros per person sharing a cabin and vary by departure date and cabin category, with Category D as the lead fare. The exact fare for each departure is shown in the departure list on this page, so you can compare dates and categories side by side before booking.

Full-board dining runs from dinner on embarkation day to breakfast on disembarkation day: a breakfast buffet, a three-course lunch and a four-course dinner, plus evening snacks in the lounge. There is also a special Welcome Dinner and a Captain's Gala Dinner, with Captain's Welcome and Farewell receptions.

Yes. An all-inclusive beverage package is served daily from 9:30 AM to 11:00 PM, covering house beverages by the glass, soft drinks, mineral water, coffee and tea. Specialty coffees, premium beverages and spirits are not part of the package and are charged on board, as is the minibar.

The included excursion package, guided in English, covers a panoramic city tour of Porto and a visit with tasting at a traditional Douro quinta. English-speaking guides and a cruise manager accompany the included touring, and the package operates with a minimum of two passengers.

An optional package (English, minimum 10 passengers) includes an excursion to the hilltop village of Castelo Rodrigo, a day trip to Salamanca in Spain with lunch, and an evening visit to Quinta da Avessada with dinner. These are booked and paid separately from the cruise fare.

Yes, as an optional excursion. The ship reaches the Spanish border at Vega de Terron and Barca d'Alva, which for over a century was the rail link between Porto and Salamanca. The Salamanca excursion includes lunch and runs with a minimum of 10 participants.

Pinhao is the heart of the Douro region and home to many historic quintas. Its small railway station is famous for its blue-and-white azulejo tile panels showing scenes of valley life. The optional evening visit to Quinta da Avessada with dinner also takes place on the Pinhao day.

Not included are international flights, individual transfers, travel insurance, optional excursions, drinks outside the package, the minibar, gratuities (EUR 100 per person per cruise), a fuel surcharge (EUR 65 per person) and Portuguese VAT of 6%. Your travel specialist will show these clearly on your quote.

The fare includes daily housekeeping, Wi-Fi, daily bottled water, luggage handling on board and a laundry service of up to 6 pieces per person. An English-speaking cruise manager looks after the programme throughout the week.

A deposit of 25% of the cruise fare secures your cabin. The remaining balance is due 65 days before departure. If you book within 65 days of sailing, full payment is required at the time of booking.

Child pricing is set in two bands based on age at departure: from 0 up to 5 years, and from 5 up to 12 years. Children share a cabin with adults, and our travel specialists will confirm the child fare and cabin configuration for your chosen date.

Yes. Single occupancy of a cabin is available at a single fare, which is higher than the per-person sharing rate. Contact us with your preferred date and category and we will confirm the single fare and availability.

Departures currently on sale run from 31 March 2027 to 3 November 2027, covering spring blossom, the warm summer months and the autumn harvest season when the terraces turn gold. All available dates are listed on this page.

The departure list on this page is bookable directly. For questions, email travel@palacetours.com, call 786-408-0610, or message us on WhatsApp at https://wa.me/17864080610, where a travel specialist or our AI assistant will reply.