I choose this cruise for a Christmas Holiday. It was disappointing because the schedule was changed do to the maintenance on the locks. This could not have been avoided. However, it make for a disappointing Christmas cruise. Instead of visiting the Bakery on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas was a big let down. For Christmas day we just cruised back and forth. There was not any big celebration on this particular day. My husband hates bus tours and this trip it seemed like that was all we did. He was not happy and expressed his dissatisfaction to me daily. I kept apologizing to him. This made my vacation stressful. He does not want to take another cruise with Viking. This was our third cruise and he loved the first two. I do have to mention the crew was outstanding. The program director could have planned a little better for Christmas day since all we did was cruise up and down. The food was great. The room was great. The staff paid attention to detail. I love Viking because they take care of you from the time you book until the time you fly home. However, I am dealing with a husband that is not a happy customer. Read Less

We have travelled with Viking several times and believe what they offer is good value for money, excellent quality and immerses us in the culture of the places visited. David Wander the Programme Director was excellent in every respect. He led the included excursions superbly with good communication, appropriate humour and looked after the needs of a disparate group in an expert fashion. His on board talks were excellent and his depth and breadth of knowledge added so much to our holiday experience. The autumn colours were superb and despite some rain we enjoyed all the included excursions. The food and drink on board provided a range of choices and we enjoyed every meal. We included a Silver Drinks package in our cruise which provided a wider choice of wines with the meals and included all drinks from the bar. This removed any concerns about how much we might spend as this had been paid up front. We found that all the included excursions gave a variety of experiences and enabled us to feel we had a better understanding of culture in the villages and towns of Portugal and in Salamanca in Spain. The coaches were Viking's own so were of a hight standard of comfort. We had a veranda stateroom and were worried that the smaller size of the Douro ships, necessary to negotiate the locks and water depth, would mean we were very cramped in the state room. This was not the case. We can thoroughly recommend Viking, the ship and their "Portugal's River of Gold" itinerary. Travelling in November avoids the excessive heat of the summer and provides lovely autumn colours. Read Less

A cruise of a lifetime. We were so excited, per advertisements on PBS station. Was recommended to us and so my family booked this cruise a year ago. The disappointment, I understand was due to mother nature, however I have since learned that the low water happens occasionally and unfortunately we hit peak time. If we had know of this possible occurrence we would have postponed our trip to another season. We received a notice just the day before we left that this might be the case, but what were we to do with such late notice. We had to changed ships (pack everything up bright an early), were bused for hours, walked what seems for miles, missed 3 or our desired excursions and other smaller things, such as the head set that didn't work, etc Yes, we saw some beautiful cities, and did enjoy the excisions we did make, but other it was not the trip we had planned on. I did express my concerns with Viking and they listened politely and gave us a $250 voucher (kinda a laugh really), but unfortunately that money was spent and gone now. So check before you leave, make sure it is not at low water, and then it should be fine. Read Less

This trip was wonderful. Our group, of four, did the pre-cruise stay in Lisbon. This gave us a chance to explore the city and learn about the history and culture. We also went to visit Our Lady of Fatima before we embarked the River Boat. This visit to the shrine was very spiritual to be on Holy ground. From there we embarked the River Boat, Torgil. From the moment we embarked to the disembarkation the crew was very friendly and very accommodating. The dinning was a great experience. All the food that I had ordered was fantastic and we did try the Portuguese entrées. But what made the meals special was the wait staff. The waiters and waitresses were all excellent and formed a special bond with them. All of the Staff were excellent from the Captain to the Executive Staff to the maids were All very Special. We loved Maria our cabin maid!! The entertainment was just great. We all had fun playing the games and listening to the piano player. The shore excursions were also great and just sailing on the river and taking in all the beautiful scenery of all the vineyards. The whole trip was wonderful. One way I can explain my experience is that I laughed a lot, ate a lot, drank a lot of wine and met many great people. What else could anyone ask for in a trip. Read Less

I had wanted to visit the Duoro for some time. I have not interest in port, but the red wines of the region are sensational, but little known. We enjoyed the cruising, great crew onboard. You need to get a balance between coach trips and appreciating the scenery as it passes by. Our main criticism of this cruise was the quality of the food, our expectation of restaurant quality food did not occur. On a £8,000 trip we expected better. Also, if you are thinking of going, book soon. The river is starting to get congested with boats, it can only get worse. This will mean more boats mooring alongside each other, this affects use of balcony and diesel fumes coming in the intakes for the air conditioning. But the crew will do everything in their power to help. Captain Placido, Alvaro, David, Monica, right down to the newest member of staff - Tazim, thank you. Read Less

We enjoyed the Viking River of Gold trip but would rate this a 3.8-4.0 versus other European river cruises. Sightseeing in Lisbon and Porto was pleasant and interesting but not at the level of other major capitals. The Douro River valley was delightful, scenic and quiet but devoid of sightseeing. Side trips to small towns and historic sites required lengthy bus time. Highly recommend the add-on trip to Santiago de Compostela for its historic significance and architectural beauty. Also enjoyed the visit to Salamanca. Note that Viking hotel stays were excellent. Staff and guides were top notch. As for the dining room, food and service was certainly good but not great (if you want fabulous dining take Tauck). In general I would recommend taking all the other river cruises first (Danube, Rhine, Rhone) which have superior sightseeing itineraries and save the Douro for last if you enjoy the river cruise experience. Read Less

This was our fourth Viking cruise and I think they just get better and better. Embarkation was so impressive! Seriously, I thought it would be a long process, but we walked aboard the boat, was immediately greeted by a person that took us straight to our stateroom, handed us keys and showed us how to work everything. Our luggage was delivered in minutes. We had a Veranda Suite (#204), which we've had before but this one had a walk in closet!!! Loved our little rooms. Didn't fall in love with Lisbon (so much graffiti) but loved the cruising part of the cruise through lush, green, vineyard covered regions. Great little ports along the way and knowledgeable tour guides every place we went. We were on the same bus, with the same people, same driver and Viking escort everyday, which made it very simple and not confusing. Breakfast was my favorite, always so good with plenty of choices. Didn't enjoy the dinners near as much as previous Viking cruises but it was okay, nothing memorable. The service from each department was first class. No complaints about a single staff member. David Wonder, the cruise director, was incredible and we even had the privilege of having him for our Viking escort each day. That kid will go far in life and really should be aboard one of Viking's ocean liners just so more people and be in awe of his knowledge. We haven't been on a mega cruise ship (we've sailed 16 times on them) since our first cruise with Viking and we won't return to that style of cruising. I highly recommend everyone try river cruising. Read Less

I chose this cruise because Viking has a great reputation as a stellar cruise line. This was to be a memorable and expensive trip for my mom and me and we wanted to go first class! The service was excellent. The river boats are somewhat small due to the size regulations of ships on the river (but not the guest rooms!) which made for a very intimate feel on board. It seemed that the entire staff learned each passenger's name by the end of the cruise, which was a nice touch. The food was superb and there was nothing that was missing. One could remain health conscious if they wanted to, but we went for it and enjoyed the amazing dessert foods too. I would totally do a river cruise again. I loved being in a new location each day and I really enjoyed traveling by boat on the beautiful Duoro River to each location. Read Less

Sailing on the Duoro River through the cultural heart of Portugal was a new, remarkably exciting, and luxurious journey for me and my husband. From the morning smiles, to our carefully crafted daily adventures, to our on-board lectures, we were treated to one great day after another! It is hard to identify the best part of our cruise since every day brought new adventures. However, we loved the day at the Bread Museum, could not get enough of the delicious food, wine and atmosphere at the winery, and felt that learning about cork, wine and olive oil enriched our lives! We were always told that everyone loves a Viking Cruise. Frankly I found that hard to believe ... until...I had my first-hand experience. It is true and more. Our Viking Cruise left us with great memories, new friends, and a desire to go on many more Viking River Cruises. Thank You, Anne and Walt Spector Read Less

Curious about Portugal and port wines, the small ship was ideal. Having cruised with Viking before, it was a natural to choose this cruise. Unfortunately, my pocket was picked in Lisbon, but the crew rose to the challenge and helped beyond our wildest expectations. In particular, Raquel Miranda, Anabel Silva, Rafael Camerlengo, and Marta Azevedo showed the highest professionalism and assistance ever seen in a hospitality environment. Viking is very fortunate to have them on the team. Dining room staff was excellent as well; very attentive to our preferences and always there to serve us with class and aplomb. Of course, the ship is exceptionally well cared for, and Captain and deck crew excellent. Due to high waters, our itinerary was modified slightly, and the crew responded with flying colors. Most of the guests embarked on an overnight to Salamanca, but we stayed on board at Pinhao and had a wonderful time! So easy to make new friends on a smaller ship, yet still have quiet time alone. Both my wife and I can't imagine having a more enjoyable experience river cruising! Read Less