by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 5:10 PM ET, Thu July 20, 2023
Riviera River Cruises is adding a new ship and a new itinerary on the Douro River in Portugal and Spain in 2024.
The MS Porto Mirante will sail 10 departures of the Highlights of the Douro Valley and Salamanca River itinerary between July and October of next year. The move comes in response to growing demand from travelers, the company said in a statement. The demand among American travelers for Portugal vacations has been steadily growing in recent years.
“Our only itinerary on the Douro River has grown to become one of our most popular cruises, so we’re launching a new ship and a new itinerary to keep up with demand there,” Marilyn Conroy, executive vice president sales and marketing North America for Riviera River Cruises, said in a statement.
The Porto Mirante will join Riviera’s MS Douro Elegance and MS Douro Splendour, which both already sail the Douro, Porto, and Salamanca River Cruise.
The cruise company's new MS Porto Mirante will take guests through the heart of the winelands along Portugal's Douro River and will offer excursions led by local experts.
The 262-foot MS Porto Mirante features an atrium bar and lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows, restaurant, fitness center and sun deck with a sky lounge, bar and splash pool.
MS Porto Mirante Diamond and Ruby Deck Double Cabin (Photo Credit: Courtesy Riviera River Cruises)
Onboard Details
The new MS Porto Mirante was built to accommodate 118 passengers in 59 cabins that are each 172 square feet. All Diamond (upper) and Ruby (middle) deck cabins include a French balcony with sliding door, while Diamond, Ruby and Emerald (lower) deck standard cabins include a lounge chair with small table.
All of the cabins on Porto Mirante also feature double beds that can be converted to twin beds, a bathroom with rain shower, desk with chair, flat-screen TV, and individually controlled air conditioning.
Prices for the eight-day Highlights of the Douro Valley and Salamanca River Cruise start at $2,849 per person based on double occupancy.
The journey takes travelers round trip from Porto and includes numerous highlights including:
- Guided tour of Porto’s Old Town
- Visit to Quinta da Pacheca with dinner and a selection of its wines
- A visit to the 12th-century walled village of Castelo Rodrigo
- Tour of Salamanca, Spain, with a traditional flamenco show over lunch
- Tour of Quinta da Avessada with a rustic lunch and tasting of its Moscatel wines
- Visits to Lamego and the manicured gardens of Mateus Palace, and either a port wine tasting at Vila Nova de Gaia or a tour of Guimarães, known as the birthplace of Portugal.
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